Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-07

is one which las TWO sides, even in
this matter of time saving. In. very
small library it is probably true of
the greater number of the books
charged to readers. that they will have
been taken from the shelves by the
readers themselves and brought by
them to the desk to be charged. Here
the balance of advantage would be
on the basis of time saving. These
conditions would be almost wholly re-
versed in large library"
Henry j. Carr of the Cranston Pub
lie Library. Pa. in paper touching
the furnishings of libraries, incident
ally expresses the belief. enter
tanned, as h. says, by many others.
that the most recent views regarding
open shelves for all are correct and
that it will prove to be in the true
line Of library progress.
Mrs. NJ. A. Sanders, librarian Of the
Pawtucket Library, of large expert
ence and good authority in library
administration. says in her report for
1899:
"A question frequently asked during
the past year, more especially at the
library conference held at Chicago. is.
What are the real advantages Of open
Shelves Briefly these: The educa-
ting influence on the people in the
handling ard examining Of the books;
the library being closely classified. the
people also learn to follow classifica-
ton and method. Greater economy in
the service Of the library. by lessening
the labor of the assistants The loss
of books consequent upon free access
is lit;lc if any greater than with closed
shelves, the arrangement of the books
is far less than was expected; ordi-
narily Il half hour each morning will
rearrange them; during the busiest
season. from November to April, extra
time Is required
so many Libraries are considering
the subject that vie are slad to be able
to speak from an experience which
we believe antedates that IF any other
public library. When the absolute free
dom t. the shelves was advocated by
us in paper read at the conference
held at the Thousand Islands in 1887.
on The possibilities of libraries in
manufa1 turing communities. we well
the protest Of our co-laborer
who represented one of the libraries of
England. Doubtless at that time it
seemed to many others ranl, heresy
hut since then several libraries even
large ones have adopted the system,
and it is an evidence Of the demand
for communication with the books that
it is advocated, though not Yet adopt
ed ~ a library in one Of the largest
cities of England.
THAT which we said then we would
SSsf ittN- fN'll Win 9i'bttt Niiit'ii'iF'i
if it were possible. for we consider it
the most progressive feature of library
administration.
The following is from the report of
discussion on the subject matter at the
Worlds Library Congress. as published
by the United States government;
Tho question whether the public
should be allowed access to the book
cases was discussed quite lively and the
advocates of that privilege defended
their views with great zeal. The pub
lie will be able to select its own read
ing matter: tutelage in this country is
very unpopular In Cleveland, Ohio,
the circulation rose from 2o0,00o to $50.
coo volumes. or about 60 per cent. after
the public had been allowed access To |
the books. 1t is true that 800 books |
but salaries amounting to $1,000 had |
been saved. Miss kelso. of Los An |
geles, tells the people that the books be
long to them and that the librarian |
only superintends the collection and |
distribution. Her experiences go to
confirm the beneficial results of the |
new move. Miss Allen, of Omaha, said |
that the reading room of the library |
there contained 5000 volumes, without |
and that during the last
year not a single volume was lost. The
opponents to free access had in view
chiefly libraries of less popular char
acter containing more valuable liter
airy treasure"
Mr.. and Mrs. J. c. Kirkpatrick will
cave, Friday, for East Madison. to at
tend the funeral of the latter's mother.