Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-07
MANAGEMENT OF LIBRARIES.
Experts Opinions Favoring Freedom Of AZ .
cess to Shelves oil Public Libraries.

The discussion relative to the open
shelf system FOR the I.ithgow library
and the request made by the city coun-
ell for the adoption OF such sys-
tenn in that library have aroused
considerable interest in the subject
Accordingly the journal admits the
following to it's columns and will glad
ly publish other opinions and differing
views from any who may entertain
them:
BY invitation Of Mr.. Melvin Dewey
of the State Library. Albany, n. Y.
certain librarians. special experts"
prepared papers for the Worlds Libra
ry Congress at Chicago in so, and they
have been deemed OF such Importance
by the United States government that
it has published them with other mat
ter of the bureau of education at
Washington. From those papers the
following extracts and quotations are
taken:
L. NJ. Crunden of the st. Louis Pub
lie Library in his paper discusses what
is necessary for the best reading for
the largest number at the least cost
and says that among the most eff
cient is:
The greatest freedom Of access to
shelves consistent With good order and
safety to books. All will agree to this.
though there may bo wide difference
in the Interpretation of the qualifca-
ton. The trend of opinion is I'M
doubtedly in the direction Of greater
freedom, even at the risk OF some loss
and confusion
w. II. Brett of the Cleveland Pub
lie Library. in a paper entitled "Ee@u-
lations for Readers" based upon re
turns from l9l libraries. says:
The opinion of those librarians
where access Cto the shelvcs) is per
mitted are with single exception
Favorable. some enthusiastically 50. Ii
is curious to note that to a large ex-
tent the favorable opinion seems to be
based on experience, and the unfa
vorable ON a lack of it."
Ernest Gushing Richardson of
Princeton College Library. in a paper
entitled Preference Books" says:
The reference department as now
constituted. is Il compromise between
the ideal demand of readers for access
to all the books and the recent total
beginning in a laudable spirit of eX-
act organization. grew into a spirit of
red tape.
The demand fer more general
access to the shelves is being more ana
more recognized as a just one. The
practical advantage to the student or
even the general reader, of access to
and handling his books is generally ac
knowledged, though some librarians
that readers are better and more
quickly served by catalogue and at
tendant than aimless 90 wandering
among the books.
THE difficulties in free access to
shelves are, danger of loss or mutila
ton of books; danger of confusion
through displacement of books. |
Something of both must be counted
on. and this constitutes Il difficulty !
great enough to make access of every !
body to everything impossible in the !
largest Libraries, though practicable in |
many small ones. This impractical
bility Of a very desirable thing has led |
to compromises ana substitutes, the
most universal Of which is the refer
ence department having as large |
selection as can be mana ged of the |
best working books, or even the best |
books for reading.
And the writer explains more fully |
that reference departments" thus
constituted are not confined to techni-
cal reference books bat include the |
cream of the whole collection, having |
representatives from every class. |
miniature of the whole library"
The result of endless discussion"
he says is "a genuine disposition to
grant the broadcast practicable access"
w. f. Foster Providence CR. ID |
Public Library. in paper entitled
Assistance to Readers" says:
The question of access to the
shelves at all on the part of the reader