Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-12-15
The Need of Public Libraries.

an article liz Midland Monthly. April
1896 after commenting at length upon
the lamentable lack of places of enter
talnment and amusement for the
young in our western towns adds:
Among all the plans, projects, pam
aceas and schemes proposed nowadays
to improve the lot of man and make
lie more attractive and enjoyable
There is one that comes nearer meet
ing this growing need in our midland
towns and cities than any other. This
is the Public Library in the largest
and most modern sense of the term.
The "model" public library, in these
days, comprehends vastly more than
1T did not many years ago. 1t means
now complex or combination of sew
eral closely connected institutions or
instrumentaliiies that serve to pro-
mote socsal welfare. 1t no longer Sig
mites, as it used in days gone by a
place full of books, where one might
possibly go and obtain chance
glimpse OF them, and very rarely get
them out for private perusal at home.
The model town and city library of
today means an ample, commodious
building where one will find books of
all descriptions, IN numbers running
up into the thousands, duly cataIog-
ued, which can be taken out for one
or two weeks at discretion and under
proper regulations. 10 contains a
large and cheerful reading room, with
racks full of papers, magazines, period
lcals, provided with chairs and setees
SO that one can comfortably pass an
afternoon or evening reading or look
ing leisurly at Illustrated books and
papers amid quiet and cheerful sur
roundings. Beside the stack room
and reading room it contains other
rooms, where evening classes may be
held or where young men may indulge.
in quiet games, such as chess, checkers
crockinole, halma and other suitable
games. Prominently connected with
the modern city library is the lecture
or concert hall, where oIgan recitals,
extension lectures, speeches and any
other form Of reputable entertain
.ment may be given. These are es-
specially noticeable features of the
magnificent libraries established by
Mr.. Carnegie's generosity here and
there over the country. Provision is
also made for art collections, sculp-
ture, painting and valuable curios,
manuscripts, coins, relics and other
rarities. Last, but by no means least,
IN Importance, is to be mentioned the
setting apart of room for athletics,
where all the necessary appliances of
we'll ordered gymnasium, like clubs,
chestweights, bars, dumb-bells, rings
and ropes, ladders, rowing machines
etc., are provided, and young fellows
can work off their surplus animal
spirits, or take much needed exercise
in order to keep their bodily strength
in proper trim and bodily sorength in
proper trim and yigor. All these
things are necessary now adays to the
making of a model town and city lib
rary. They make it in very truth a
social club house" of the best sort.
And the erection in any town or city,,
and the endowment with funds sufi-
Gent to maintain all of these various
facilities, means untold and immeas-
urable blessings to the community
that falls heir tosuch public library.
Consider for moment what such
an Institution would mean to the peo-
pie of any average western town in
which the conditions of life already
described prevail. The youth or
young man whose mind and desires
run to sober things and studious ways
would no longer need to walk the
streets or loaf around the stores to
While away the evening hours. He
would have place to go to where the
are not only pleasant
but conducive to the best mental and
moral habits. Here he could bring a
friend and indulge in games; or with
a number of boon companions he could
resort to the gymnasium and spend |
the time in healthful and celebrating
running, boxing, jumping,
in handball and other athletic sports. |
The rules and regulations of such a
place prevent all rowdism, and the re-
suit is that those who assemble at this
social club house leave for their rooms
at ten or half past ten in the evening
not only not degraded by their evening
ana ashamed of what they have heard
and done, but refreshed and improved
in body and mind in every way. The
library and its facilities have made
better citizeus of them all
Let anyone go into city library in
the afternoon and evening, particulars
~ Saturday, and watch the interest
Ing throng he will find there. At the
desk or delivery counter he
will find file waiting their time to-.
get out books to read over Sunday or
Turing the coming week. In the read
ng room he will find the chairs full
If people; boys looking at Harper's
Weekly and laughing at Puck and
Judge, simply looking at the pic
lures" and nothing more. Some may
lot see much in an educational way in
ibis mode of spending time but there