Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-02-20
Selected.


Dear Aunt Madqe:
don't want TO monopolize our column 10 the |
exclusion of others. but must tell how pleased |
was to have the others recommend their |
favorite books, some of which have not read |
but shall try to procure, Old fayorites need not
be forgotten, think, and Janet's mention Of |
| "Eben Holden" reminded me of "Seven Oaks" |
in the library here, which was literally worn out
with reading, and some wanted new copy |
bought. |
Have you all read "su Gibbie" By George |
McDonald2 1t is one of my fayorites, and |
another is ale Fell in Love with His Wife" by |
Il r Roe. In our library here we have nearly
all of Rae's works, several bA DR.. Holland, most
of Dickens and nearly all of our beet authors
are represented. For boys and girls Elijah
Kenogg's and sophie Mays books, with all OF
| Miss Aleott's, are fine.
| With plenty Of good books there is not much
danger of children craving the flashy literature
which Used to be In vogue more than now l
think. l knew little boy whose grandmother
| read aloud the life of Washii gton to him on
winter evenings, and he as interested in 1t
as II II had been fairy tale. and | think 1t
| largely influenced his taste for reading as he
| grew older. EGO.
/
one of the mutual benefits OF our column.
l know that many of the ladies who are
our contributors are members of library
associations in different towns of our
county and so are interested in "what we
| shall read'.
| No doubt some of you know from ex
| perience, it is not an easy task to make
suitable selections for the library shelves.
There are many authors, of whose works
there need never be a question. But so
many books are written and so many new
authors are springing up, one has to read
for himself to discover whether the trend
OF many of the new stories is towards
| higher or lower plane. Some books
highly recommended, fall below the stand
| ard which some desire to see maintained
in public library.
Members of the buying committee are
not responsible; they have not the time
nor the opportunity to examine all the
books they are required to purchase and
especially II book is popular $50 calied)
they know it will be called for.
/ / have heard of an arrangement which
one library organization has adopted
which it seems to me is worthy of mention
At the annual meeting of the society a
committee of three is appointed as a
preference and reading committee and IL
there is any book among he library vol
umes W hich some may consider question
able in style or morals the committee
examines the book and decides upon its
merits or dement's; they can restore it to
! haE sbafy IL
may judge best.
This method was adopted for number
of reasons, one of which was this: book
would occasionally find it's way into the
library OF which some one would say:
'sSuch a book isn't fit for the public
library and so attention would be called
to the book; now it can be passed to the
com ittee quietly for examination.
! A few months ago an addition Of books
was made to the library in Ellsworth, and
a list OF the titles was printed in THE
AMERICAN. / was much interested in
looking them over and have no doubt
others were interested in them too, outside
! OF the city.
Ego's alIusion to 'sfiashy Iiteraturev
brings another thought to mind. / hope
| it is true that the taste for that kind OF
, reading is waning, but / fear there is
enough Of it yet afioat to work mischief in
some of the ''rising generation. The
chief disadvantage / see in having good
! literature printed in cheap form with
I paper covers, &c. is that 1t is harder to
/ discriminate between the good and the
bad. Thirty years ago Tor less) all paper
covered books were elassed in one category
and it was safe to leave all OF that kind
alone Now paper cover may be slight
/ protection to one of ''Ian McLaren's"
works or shelter one of the most improb-
able and exciting stories ever written.
/ 1t seems pity that when so many good
books for young people are written they
should be able to get possession OF and be
| fascinated with low, cheap class OF liter
allure. An excellent thing in family. for
cultiyating taste for good reading, is to
take one or more good magazines. The
children early become interested in The
illustrations and learn a good deal, if
little pains are taken to explain the pic
lures.
I Dear AUNT Mddqe:
/ have been an interested and devoted reader |