The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-04-28
THE LIBRARY RULES.

difficulty sought to I've overcome by the
new regulations was managed by some
OF the most experienced librarians Of
the country. the trustees addressed a
number Of inquiries to various parts Of
the country. and we have been furnished
the following statement from the trus-
tees. with extracts from the replies re-
celyed TO their inquiries:
We learned from these letters that
there are three distinct kinds OF public
library. viz.
First-A public subscription library,
with free reading room attached. To
this class belongs the Astoria library
second-A flee public library main
tanned at the city's expense.
Third-A subscription library, estab-
lished by stockholders as a money-makr
ing enterprise. and to which only those
persons holding yearly or three
months subscription card can have ac-
cess, even to the room in which the !
library is placed. To this class belongs
the Portland library.
The following are the answers we re-
ceived to our inquiries from these diff
ferent classes Of libraries:
From Portland library:
Reply to yours will say, that our
members have free access to the shelves.
With us this is matter OF necessity, as
we have no catalogue. except one print
ed 16 years ago 1 am well pleased with
open shelves in this library, but would
not advocate Il for every other"
From San Francisco library:
THE public do not get TO our book
shelves. The books are rallied off All
books are drawn at one counter, except
those in the reference room"
From Pasadena, Cal, library:
I'VE have fine stone building for
our public library and reading room.
The east side of the room is the library.
This space is kept intact by a counter
running from wall to wall No one but
the managers OF the library are allowed
among the books"
From Omaha public library:
Our shelves are not open to the pub
lie. The receiving and delivery desk
and low rail exclude all who are not
employees"
Minneapolis public library
'As regards access to our shelves, this
library has always favored free policy
that is, | give permits to all mature
persons having serious literary pur-
poses. The holders Of such permits go
among the shelves, but books once
taken down must remain on the desk
until put back by the attendants"
Chicago public library:
''In reply would say, our reading room
and circulating library are In separate
rooms Readers are not allowed access
TO the shelves. To obtain book re-
quires library card, which is issued on
n guarantee blank, signed by some citi-
zen taxpayer"
The Chicago Armour Library" es-
tablished by the private endowment OF
Mr.. Armour, states that they allow
their subscribers access to their book
shelves This library Is only about two
years old.
Brooklyn, n Y, library:
"our llbrry is a subscription library.
our circulating library is entirely sep
arate from our reading room, and our
members no not 60 to the shelves, The
books are brought to them from the
shelves by the attendants"
Boston, Mass, public library;
"Our library is subscription library.
In the widest sense. There are no priv
ileged classes Our alcoves are so stu
ated that the public has no access TO
them. In fact, the trustees are decided
ly opposed to permitting such access,
even were II possible"
The Philadelphia public library
I'm this city the circulating Libraries
have been managed on both systems,
This library has only been opened a
short time, The purpose of the direct
ors Is to make 10 the principal public
library of this city, and therefore no
privileges can be allowed now, which
in the near future might have to be
WlNIuItNns IL 10 NneIelulN ueVlueu 70
open from the first with closed shelves.
and our work is progressing finely. one
large library In this city Of nearly 50
years standing, adopted free shelves,
and about ten years ago had to close
them, owing to an almost fabulous
number OF lost volumes. In one year
enough Of books We're stolen to form
respectable library. The change was un-
popular for time, but necessary. But
our directors would not run such risks
and began as they propose to 20 on"
These, then, are the answers to our
inquiries from libraries, 50 far as heard |
from. AS you see with scarcely an ex-
ception, the verdict Is for closed shelves. |
We have purposely made our Inquiries |
OF the large cities rather than the lit.
tie country towns. because we felt our I
Astoria Library was building for the
future, and we wished to receive the
results Of the Oldest and wisest experl-
ence.
In conclusion, let us say the trustees
OF the Astoria library have only the |
best interests OF the library In view.
They make no arbitrary rules II al
any time It could be proven 10 them
bhat giving the public access to the
book shelves would be for the best In,
terests Of the library. they win gladly
30 back to the old rule. But until some
l..N