The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-06
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
Its Removal Into New Quarters De-
mands Modern Methods.
Philadelphia Times.

EnlIdQelpnld Times.
Mr.. Young's appointment to be librarian
of Congress will give general satisfaction
The office is just now of great importance
and great opportunities, and While Mr..
Young is not himself an expert librarian,
no one knows better than he what ma
tiOnal library ought to be and how to Sc
cure the right assistance to make it so.
Mr. Spofford who will remain with Mr.
Young. was an excellent librarian in his
own generation. He knew the library well
when he first took charge of it, and he con-
tinued to know where to find what he
wanted or what a congressman wanted
But the modern scientific system, repre-
scented by the recent conference of libra
rians here, that makes a great collection,
covered by it, readily accessible TO any one,
he never has grown into. Indeed the
amount of work that has come upon him in
late years, particularly Under the copy
right acts, made it a wonder that he has
accomplished so much, In its crowded
quarters in the Capitol no one could have
made the library as useful as it should
have been.
With the completion of the new building,
incomparably the largest and most splendid
and also the most perfectly equipped Ii
brary building on the continent, the library
of Congress enters upon a new epoch al
together. 1t has already OutgroWn the mar
row purpose expressed in its title and is
destined to be made one of the great ma
tional libraries of the world. Congress has
made provision for an ample a0mlniStra-
tive force and the organization Of this will
be the first task of Che librarian. 1t
would be a difficult task if he were al
together free; with the eXacting pressure
that will be brought by members of Con-
gress for the appointment of their retain
ers to positions for which they have no fit
ness it will require all of Mr.. Young S
diplomacy and all his suaVity, as well as all
his discrimination a scholar and d gen.
tleman to perform it with reasonable
measure of success.
The old notion of a library as place of
dignified retirement for boOkworm is no
longer entertained anywhere, and least of
all will it apply here And a public library
is no place for ignorant or unframed en-
ployes. The work of a librarian has been
elevated to a learned profession and there
are some conspicuous instances of great
librarians whose fame, as such, has eclipsed
high regulations won in seemingly wider
fields. The library of Congress ought to
command the services of the best-traned
corps of expert librarians that can be gath
cred in the country, like the wonderful staff
of the British Museum, each one an expert
authority or that of the Bibliotheque Ma
tiOnale. This is not impossible, if the di-
rector-for this would be really a better
term for the chief officer than librarian
will set himself resolutely from the first to
bring it about. Congressman may not see
the use of this at once but they will profit
the most by it in the end.
And this is what will be expected of John
Russell Young. A student himself, he un-
dorstands the purposes of a library; an eX-
perienced man of affairs, he knows how to
resist opportunities without OffenSe and to
accomplish results with the least friction:
an educated American, it must be his pride
to give the United States great national
library that will be worthy C2 the name.
1t is an enviable opportunity to one who is
equal 10 it, and while Mr.. YOung's appoint
ment is by no means an assignment to a
bed of roses. it is just recognition of con-
spicuous abilities that is honorable to the
President as TO him, and that not only is
gratifying TO his friends but should prove
of advantage to the whole public and
worthily crown a career of distinguished
usefulness