New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-30
BOOKS ND THEIR REA DERS.

The meeting Of the American Library Asso-
cation at Lakewood, on Chautanqua Lake,
y y on Monday will have more than teen
nical interest. The range Of topics 10 he as
crsscd IL n wide one. and embraces almost
every point Of importance in the collection
care and intelligent use Of books Especially
valuable and practical will be the addresses on
the best method OF organizing classes ana
schools for library training. Equally impor-
tant. perhaps. will bc the discussion by trained
cxpcrts of home education through libraries.
This is the twcniy-thiri year Of the assoria-
TONS cxlstcnc" and II is we'll within bounds
10 say that every year has marked distinct
advance In The public appreciation OF libraries
rs educators There has been notable In
crease IN the number Of public libraries. and
where they are established it is found that they
are used with profit and pleasure by every
class IN tho community.
And along with the more general appreciation
Of libraries has come the belief that ii the best
results from them are 10 be- obtained they must
be selected with wisdom and judgment, and
managed on some technical and scientific sys
tom. which ~ the same time VIII not he com
pick or confusing only in this way can
library subscryc IT'S real mission. which IA ad
ton: The best reading for The largest mum
her. AZ the least cost" In the days when read
ing was loss general than II Is now. and before
the present vast output OF books good, bad and
Indifferent II was comparatively easy thing
TO establish public library. The late Rev. Or.
Francis Vinron Of Trinity church. in this city.
used to deliver with great approval a lcctur"
on books I'm the course ~ which ne described
10 t,,..
Of lust twenty Ave books Those days Of sweet
simplicity are gone forever, and even IN" bare
catalogue Of the books which the average in
rclligent man would like TO read would make
n goodlv volume In the field Of general lit
crature the horizon has been immeaSurably
widencd since the accession Of Queen Victoria,
while n the same time the Industrial arts and
the countless divisions Of modern science have
each produced their quota Of books which. II
not destined to an immortality OF fame are
yet useful TO large number of people More
over. every day is adding TO The mountain Of
books In The world And OF these some. At
least. may have a permanent value. Indeed,
the modern reader Is very much like the mod
crn editor. he Is obliged to SIT great deal
Of chaf in the hope Of possibly finding a few
grains Of golden wheat.
ndcr these circumstances the choice or n
library AZ well as lis adminisri alton, is work
demanding special ability of u very high order.
The old time librarian was popularity supposed
10 be n book worm. crotchety IN his IDEAS and
cholcric rs TO temper with n large scorn for
the dcbascd people who preferred n love story
10 some volume Of forgotten lore" His library
was the idol Of his heart, and it seemed 10 him
almost sacrlleGc that common. unliterary PEG
! pie should have the right TO handle and read
/ the precious volumes committed to his care
/ The modern scientific librarian is n very differ
ent sort of person. Ills love for books is rs
/ strong. but he does not allow il 10 degenerate
| into a useless fetichism. He has learned n
! multitude of things about classification and
! cataoguing. and instead Of ignoring the pub
| lie and its desires he makes It his business "a
| keep accurately Informed as to the public taste
! and, within proper limits, TO crafty II. The
! best librarian. indeed mus: know living men
ard women quite ms well he knows books
ard he must have the instinct Of the educator
also. For. In fact he Is an educator In the
/ trIlest sense Of The word. II is To help In the
making of such librarians ms these and at the
same time 10 stimulate ard direct in right chan
/ ncls the taste Of the great reading public, that
the American Library Association was formed