Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-12-26

Any IOWA May uaye Oae-Hints on
LIS Establishments.

best to keep up with their aeignbofs OF
large population. IL Is guile the thi"g
for some former resident OF the to"a VINO
has goue out iuto the world and met with
good fortune to present library to his
o d home, rs a sort of expression OF graft
tude for the good things which have come
to hin, aud it sometimes happens ths'
the most art Ideally beautiful. snd hue'y
appointed library will he found in some
small pisce, where 1t stands out rs CON
ira-t to all its Surroundings, causing the
stranger within the gates to ask wonder
irgty about IL, aud to hear the story OF
the donor told with pride by some one
sno remembers his boybood, perhaps
shared its sports aud it's school work.
Public libraries In country villages, es-
pecialIy in New England and the West,
are growing more Numerous each year.
but, even now, there are many places
where they have not been established,
and II 1t happens to be one where there
l. little expressed desire for one aud littie
money to be spared for the furnishing OF
a room, the purchase OF the needed books
and the salary OF u librarian, the starting
OF one is not an easy matter. There are
fe 5nuiumities " here tue reading habit
has not been cultivated except by the few.
aud rs they are decidedly in the minority,
Ii ls not possible for them 10 influence
| town appropriation for anything SO need
| less ~ "a lot OF books"
Still, in spite of such encouragement
aud in the face of such opposition, 1t IL
| quite possible 10 arrange pubic library
| wtnout any town assistance. There are
| usually among any number OF people
certain few VINO are sufficiently energetic
aud capable enough OF carrying out Whist
ev pt-u- tuey undertake, and whea
village library has once been decided upon,
these few should unite by committee,
a . " sinai, AS tue matrriai affords, aud
decide upon some method of raising
money. First of ali they should make up
their minds that the thing is to he done
AT ali hazards, aud then 20 ahead aud do
OF course the initial step Is to make
the movement popular one, aud to enlist
I. nS nnu support OF ~ many OF
the residents of the town Is possib,v.
l., T., ln.., woman aud chtid should be
approached and made to feet that the
Establishment of library is personal
M sr aud a personal benefit. How the
work shall be begun aud the money
....,,4 ,ne subjsct Ior the committee TO
decide.
ii he viI4#ge il smsii one, there should
Toe uo attempts to solicit donations, but IL
some one offers sun of money as nest
egg. 1t need not be rejected. IL won't be.
Entertainments OF different kinds must
6e reited upon In great measure, and
they will accomplish good deal, although
the Work viii bs hard; out then, what Is
worth having is worth working Tor.
A town supper is one way OF raising
money. OF course the town will give he
use OF the hall, or IL there is no town hall
som. Que OF the churches Will, no doubt,
let its vestry be used for the purpose.
Then all the housekeepers Of the town
should contribute food for the supper,
the young women make home made can
dies and put them up in pretty boxes
for sale AT q small amount-and then all
the town should be expected TO take sup
per there at 25 cents apiece. Quite little
sum would be Melted as a beginning. At
ter the supper there could be games for
an hour or SO.
Another plan would be to arrange for
series of "o.me parties" to be given at
the different houses during winter,
once u month or oitener. II desired. AT
these parties, tor admission To which a
din. a. evening should tie charged, there
may lac al SORTS OF amusement~, the
hostess Tor the evening planning them.
No refres hments should be served. except
where tue entertainers have an orchard.
aud apples are plenty there may he large
plates OF apples passed at intervals during
tue evening.
Tabiesux and readings interspersed by
music, all the work OF home talent, are
very popular, aud will be we'll attended.
One evening play or series OF short
pays may be given. rlere int commu
nifty. however small. that cauno; iind good
entertainers among liz uSn people, and
often OF thi- KIND bring out hitherto
unsupported ability. fne entrance Zee
should never be over % cents, NJ few feel
that they can fprd larger sun
Oae town gave a library party, the
entrance Tee to which was a paper covered
book whose title the guest personsted.
Uf course tne-e books were selected by the
committee. to avoid duplication, and to
be sure that only desirable ones should
hnd admission to the shelves of the
library. Pastebosrd covers were fitted to
these paper books and a strip of eliot h
| pasted to the back OF each one, and then
| the books were covered in the regulate ion
| library fashion.
| As nearly all the standard authors are
now published in paper form, very good
books can be bought at low rates. OF
course they will not stand rough hand
ling, but the rules OF the library In re-
gard to the care of books will be as
stringent in the village as in the city