Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-21
he state Librarian's Report.

an abstract of which is published il
seems proper to. suppose that all in the
State, whether directly profiting or not
in that library, have a pride
in its maintenance, realizing its
necessity and scope for valuable work
This interest has been heightened by
the methods the State has adopted for
encouraging the increase of free pub
lie libraries throughout its territory.
Once a community has awaited itself of
the opportunity thus afforded, it not
only is broue hit in closer contact with
the State library and an understanding
Of its value but learns to appreciate the
desirability of extending it's influences
and increasing its efficiency in the work
of disseminating throughout the State
reports and information at its COM
mand.
While in charge of the State library
Mr. Carver has done very much toward
that department. Through his efforts
advanced steps in legislation have been
taken. State stipends have been OBJ
tanned and been put to use most advan-
tageously. Mr.. Carver brought to his
work not only a wide acquaintance
with books and discrimination conse-
quent thereto but also a trained knowl
edge concerning books of reference.
especially legal works and reports of
in one who is to successfully discharge
the duties of State librarian. He re-
alizes the value of books which to many
cultured though they may be,might not
seem of especial Importance. AS he
points out in his report, much valuable
information has for years been most
carefully and successfully concealed
between the covers of various govern
ment reports and the same in less de-
gree could be said of some of the State
reports. The result is that in towns
where these reports should have been
carefully preserved they have been
wasted and the need of them now
that they are lost is being appreciated.
So great is the demand for some of these
works that the librarian advocates the
reprinting of the acts and resolves of
1920, '22, '23. Various other needs are
impressed forcibly upon the attention
of state librarian by reason of the
demands made upon him. Mr.. Carver
perhaps better than any other State
bility of a thorough Typographical and
geological survey of the State and the
want of carefully compiled history re-
speeding the part played in the War of
the Revolution by those living in what
is now Maine. These things he alludes
to in his report and they should receive
attention.
What the State librarian has to say
of the relations of the State library to-
Wdku lICC PuDilC IlDl OIL iCo 10 VI GoPNSieA1
interest. He appreciates that next to
the common school comes the facilities
afforded the public for obtaining good
reading matter which shall both be in
teresting and instructive. He also APP
preciates the desirability of intelligent
management of those libraries. In
his department, he realizes that the
tendency to supply demand for fiction
of value, temporary at best, must be
guarded against; that this is not the
scope of State library work to the ex-
tent that it is in the free public library
designed for the local community. AS
regards that too, he sees a tendency to
overdo the dissemination of fiction
Concerning the management of these
libraries, toward which the State owes
a certain duty other than mere grant
ing of stipends, is a paper by Prof
George T. Little librarian of the Bow
doin college library, very appropri-
ately included in the report. The num-
Der of those taking books from Oul
libraries has been increased severa
fold within few years. especially
where the free system has succeeded t(
the fee system. The responsibility O.
those upon whom devolve the manage
ment of the public libraries is increased
by at least as many fold. While tn
novel reading habits of people ar
largely responsible for the rapid in
crease in interest that desire must b
catered to in such a manner as to elevate
it in the matter of choice and broader
it to include other lines of reading
Works that are suitable for the librar,
of the specialist are not suitable for tn
public library open to the young. an,
whereas books must in a very large de
gree adapted to the tastes and at
tainments of the people using them
otherwise all interest and incentive
destroyed. there is an imperative nee
for library management with tact. dis