The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-01-11


Roanoke public library as published 10
Saturdays Times, is reflection upon the
literary procl'vities of our city. Twenty
thousand inhabitants and but fifty.one
subscribers to the only public library In
the city! Did we nov know something of
the struggle fer existence that this insti
tuition has had we would he inclined to
think that there was an error somewhere
in thu figures. There is no question,
however, about the accuracy Of the re-
port, and the conclusion is forced upon
us thut the citizens of Roanoke are not,
in the truest sense, reading people. We
do not believe that Roanoke has many
good privste Libraries, fewer perhaps
from the very nature Of circumstances,
than most towns of half the population
Personally we know of but three or four
that could be dignitled by the name OF the
library But even were the number far
greater, each would have of necessity but
limited circle to whom it was accessi-
BILE, leaving the great mass Ee popula-
tfoD unprovided for in reading matter.
The ladies under whose management the
library has been kept alive, have made
most heroic and praiseworthy struggle.to
increase its sphere of usefulness by in
creasing its mem bership, and we venture
the assertion that had body of men had
1T in charge, and had met with no better
results, that the enterprise, out Of sheer
abandoned, and the people allowed to get
their reading matter wherever they could
The financial affairs of the library have
been skillfully and, in all conscience, most
economically administered, and whilst
there has been hut little or no increase
during the year in membership. the re-
port Of its president shows that they have
not lost ground. While the collection of
books is not large, the catalogue shows
excellent literary taste and good judg-
ment in their selection, embracing many
of the standard works in literature, his
tory, biography, poetry and science, with
an especially attractive list of standard
and current i,tion. With such collec-
thinking people of a good public library,
it is pathetic fact that the Roanoke H.
brary is not self supporting even in the
economical manner in which it is run.
The receipts do not pay even the small
fixed expenses of the institution. There
are public spirited men i our city, as has
been amply proven time and again, but
the management has never been able to
enlist their interest to any great extent
in the library. and it has been allowed to
languish for lack of money. It seems to
be always in the province of newspaper
to make suggestions, even if they were
found not to be worth much, and we
have the following 10 make: This is an
age of personal canvassing. No bust ness
man, no school or college, expects to,,suc-
coed without it. and we believe that we're
q committee of ladies appointed, the city
laid of into di3trIcts and personal can
vass made, that the subscription list
could be easily quadrupled in the next
thirty days. Not the most pleasant work
in the world. we grant, but there are
LADIES among us, who for the sake of
good cause would be willing to undergo
some personal Inconvenience, and VINO
with such.a catalogue, and with member
sh'p.1ates so low (S2 per year., would be
able to secure dozens of new mem bers.
Again: While the library is most com
fortably and pleasantly housed we be
lieve, could rooms be secured more easy
OF access. 1T would be no small induce
meut for increased membership Rooms
opening off some prominent street with
sign prominently displayed would at
tract more attention to it. We venture
that there are hundreds Of persons in the
city who have no idea where the library