The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-11
PRAISE FOR HOME.
Librarian Green, Of
Worcester, Talks
in Atlanta.
ON LIBRARY WORK.
He Says That Massachu-
sets Leads the
Country.

Atlanta, Ca, May 1O.-Librarian
Samuel S. Green of Worcester today
delivered the following address before
the members of the American Library
Association:
The free public library commission of
Massachusetts was the first free libra
nv commission established. Since the
appointment of its members in Octo-
Der, 1890, 1 have been a member and
wish to make a few suggestions in re-
gard to the founding of public libraries
in strictly speaking small towns.
There are 359 towns in Massachu-
sets. When the library commission
began its work in 1890 there were 951
towns and 1O5 of these had no free
library. That number has been so re-
duced that there are now only seven
towns in The commonwealth which do
not enjoy public library privileges.
An obstacle often encountered in es-
tablishing public library is it's loca-
ton, if a town has more than one vii
lage. In one small town, one village
already had an association library.
That the association gave to the town.
The town library, thus augmented,
was housed in a town hall in the viii
lage. In the two other villages branch
libraries were opened, one in a disused
school house and another in another
town building. Books kept in one viii
lage can, from time to time, be eX-
changed for those in another village.
Another solution of the problem for
accommodating persons in all parts OF
a town is to have the whole library in
one village and send from 1t boxes of
books at regular intervals to other vii
lagos.
In a small town with a little money
to spend, very simple library methods
are desirable. 1t seems probable
that one-half, if not more, of the libra
ries in the state, are without catalogues
of this kind, and they, without doubt
get along very well without them. In
small towns it is practicable to let
users of libraries go to the shelves to
pick out books for themselves.
Expense in management is to be
avoided and as much money as possible
should be used in buying books and
magazines to circulate.
Perhaps the small sum of money men
toned would secure a place for the Ii
brary in a conveniently situated house
as well as much of the needed service.
1t seems well for persons interested in
founding libraries in small towns to es-
tablish pleasant personal relations
with some person who has knowledge
of library work.
By personal correspondence difficulties
are removed and a wise selection of
books is made. Travelling libraries
are very useful in stimulating an inter-
est in establishment of libraries and
supplementing their usefulness.
A different spirit prevails in different
states The care in use in New York,
for instance, in supervising educational
matters would be regarded as excessive
in Massachusetts. Thus examinations
of schools are conducted in New York
by the board of regents, and public Ii
braries aided by the state are supposed
to be carefully looked after and held
somewhat in tutelage. Such a system
may be perfectly in place in New York,
but I feel sure that it would be disliked
in Massachusetts. Our towns like to
be allowed to manage their own affairs
in educational (including libraries)
matters as well as in other spheres.
In Massachusetts by awaken
ing interest through correspOn-
dence and personal interviews,
and by distributing printed matter, so
much interest has been awakened since
1880 that only seven towns are now
without free public library privileges.
Nor is compulsion needed in that
state respecting proper maintenance.
1t has been thought at times by some
persons that compulsion in this matter
is desirable, but the best opinion is, it
seems to me, that voluntarily the towns
in Massachusetts are likely to deal gen
erously with their libraries.
1t would be as foolish to require
towns to appropriate a certain per
centage of their wealth for libraries
as it would be to require them to do so
for schools. I should also fear that it
might have a tendency to limit the ap-
preparation to the legal requirement
thereby diminishing the amount that
would otherwise be appropriated. I do
not believe that any well managed,
live library in Massachusetts will suf-
fer for an appropriation.