The Irish standard., 1902-06-21
PUBLIC PuLsA1loNs.
Irish Books Ia Public Libraries.
Editor Irish Standard:

Editor Irish Standard:
Dear Sir-The lamentable dearth in
our public libraries of works written
on Irish subjects by persons competent
to take up such material and do it JUS
tice. prompts me to offer suggest IL
to the Irish people of the United States
through the columns If your paper.
with your permission. Let us effect Il
national organization throughout the
country that will demand of the public
libraries that such works he placed
upon their shelves. and then read them.
In most cases where the public library
is supported by Il municipal fund or
endowment. these books will be placed
upon the shelves ut the request of one
or more citizens. Therefore, such an
association as that suggested is not
handicapped by the necessity OF rails
ing any fund; organization is all that
is necessary.
Librarians usually complain that
when some patri tic lr.shrn Las Il
number of Irish works paced on the
library catalogue. they remain u.-
touched anu unread. proving that such
purchases are !: useless exp. n.;r.
can prevent by furnishing readers for
the books as $ OF: as they are available.
While good. wholesome Irish fiction
is always welcome. ii >h&ulu lie the
aim of the association to see that the
mnicr portion If the huo.s this placed
is Celtic in spirit and comprises works
ancient Ireland. Til, ST ii ou'd be CHI s.
en- very carefully by Il committee OF
able Irish literat. chosen for llic,r
kn ,wlclgp rf such subjects As we'll us
for general literary ability. 1t may be
difficult TO select Il large committees of
such men at first bat after Il while
is TO doubt that all such mtn will
heartily enter into the W, TX and serve
such IL cause With all th"ir hearts.
The nucleus of such an or@;,niZati II
could hr formed in each town with
five or ten people. Several small cir
cleS would. indeed. he more effective
meeting often would lie letter.
Summing up the foregoing. briefly.
the objects of the Association should
he:
Ito select at regular intervals IL
national committee or advis ry board
which shall select certain number OF
works each year for the purposes Of
the organization.
TO meet once every mon;h. at
least. to discuss current Irish liter; 4
ture and receive reports from the ;Nl-
visory board, in reference to works on
Irish subjects.
$40 see that approved works Il"
library.
Ito have these works read when
they are thus placed. each member
plalying to read as many Of them as
feasible during thu year. ann then in.
tcrcstin% as many acu,aintanccs as
possible outside of nhn association.
80 interest the newspapers of the
country in Celtic. particularly lbrrno-
Celtic literature. so AIS to bring the pull
licatan of such matter promiln ntIy be
fore the public.
Go encourage the production of I'LL
new works on important Irish subjects
ana give moral support to researches
into Irish antiquities.
To study the Irish clement in
American history and bring into prom
incncc the part taken by the Irish race
in the founding ana maintenance q
the American republic.
The foregoing are suggestions with
which to begin tllcsOcic!y. Other aim
ana work will he suggested later b.
the drvcl, pmcntS of the IN vrmpnt
The Importance Of such an orGaniZh-
ton can hardly be rstinln.cI. From il
national standpoint there is no subject
of more consequence than the literature
of II country. and THE apathy displayed
by the Irish pcaplc toward their litcr;l-
turc must be diSpcllcd if we hope to
keep the spirit Of the race alive.
For this apathy the Irish people,
however are mort wholly TO blame, as it
is a product of English msrule over
their native land. Dr. Sullivan, the
crrnlitc editor of O'Curry's Lectures
ON tile Manners ana Customs of the
Ancient Irisl," in writing on this very
subject says: During the first part
Of the eighteenth century the possession
of an Irish book made the owner a
suspected person and was often the
cause of his ruin In some parts Of the
country the tradition Of the danger in
Cured by having Irish manuscripts
lived down to within my own memory;
and have seen Irish manuscripts
which had been buried until the writ
n.. had almost faded, and the mar
gins rottcd away, to avoid the danger
their discovery would entail ut the visit
of the local ycOmanry."
The causes of the indifference Of the
; Irish people to their own literature are