The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-16
lHE MODEL LIBRARY
A ~Jerseyman Responsible
For One Of the Best Ex-
hibits at the Fair.
A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
It WILL Be of Iacalculable Benefit
to Librarians and Students
lis Features.

Several months ago q New York week.
ly called attention. editoriaily, TO the
''Model Library ef 5000 voiumes which
WAS to be shown at the Chicago Fair and
urged its readers who should be fortu-
nate enough 10 visit Chicago to take
especial pains to inspect this library C ire
fully. The editorial concluded by saying
that, In the opinion of the writer, the
library would be the most Interesting
aud instructive thing to be seen at the
Exposition. The Model Library was
not ready when the Fair opened. and it
was shown tor the first time less han a
month ago. 1t is now understood that
the collection of books is attracting con-
siderable attention. Visitors from all
parts of the world come every day to
examine it, and those who labored TO
bring the scneme to u successful culmfna-
ton must needs feel fully rewarded
already from the fact that che public is
taking the trouble TO ferret it ont in such
amaze, of objects SO much more calculated
to attract the eye on account of great
size. curious form OF some o4her bizarre
cha acterisJic. There is nothing pre-
tentious or in any way stupendous about
the Model Library. Tho little army of
hooks stands mo"estiy in battle array
ready for the ~coufiicr against ignorance
Tue seeker after sensational sights or OF
~overpowering spectacies will pass 1t by.
OF course. But sober, thoughtful men
and women will pause When they come
t. it, and having paused will HnEer some
TINS. AID It is just such people that the
library is bound TO benefit. In beuetting
Them it Will coufer a boon TO the general
pubic, for IL is always the thoughtful
VINO iuGueoce the tnoughtless. The good
work taud who shall say that it will rot
prove Il great aud grand workfo began
the Gay The library was thrown open. tt
is the first time in the history of tue
country that anything OF The kind has
ever been attempted. and no matter
wha: advances on this line are made in
The future. The Chicago Fair Model
Library of 1898 will be the starting point
Tor them all.
THE ORIGINATOR OF THE Ian.
New Jersey should take particular
pride in the fact That the plan for the
Model Library was originated bv u resi-
dent of Newark To Librarian Frank P.
hill of the Newark Library, belongs Lhe
honor OF first preaching the matter. Mr..
Hill did this at the annual convention of
the American Library Association in the
White Mountains ia September. 1890. A
committee was at once appointed aud
Mr. Hill was made a member of il. Inc
National Board of Education WAS APP
pealed to and has contributed the greater
part of the necessary money. aud tbs
hooks ars shown in the Government
building under the auspices of the board.
ne selection of volumes was performed
by a committee from the American Iii
brary Association, who chose from no
less than seventy-fve different lists
prepared by the leading librarians of
the United States aud a. number
of specialists. The library Is not to
be considered "model' in the
sense OF Including all the bsst books in
The world. 1t would be manifestly tel-
possible to compress within such narrow
limits all of the really best literature.
Then the diversity of opinion c~oneerniug
this. that The other book would prove a
secuud obstacle equally az unsurmount-
able as the first. The library is model.
however, in the sense that 1t Is al excel
lent one to go oy IN creating other
libraries. 1t is a practical foundation
upon which to build as extensive q
su-perstructure as means, inclination or
The demands, or all three, calls for. A
library or an Individual could scarcely do
better in beginning than order the col
lection outright. In a word, the Model
Library gives to the people of this couu-
try a definite, Intelligent and comprehen-
sive guide either for those who wish TO
read wisely and well or Tor cities, towns
or other collections OF persons desiring to
establish q library.
AS a matter OF fact, rhera are $3.50
volumes in this COLLECTION, as follows: