Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-26
ABOUT LIBRARIES.
State Librarian Carver Advan-
ces New Ideas on Subject.
Believes Such Institutions Should be
Conveniently Situated.
Ought to Be Easy of Access to Whole
People.

hon. l.. u. carver, Names ac-
complished State librarian, has ideas
Of his own regarding the establishment
and the location of public libraries, as
the following interesting interview
with him will demonstrate:
| MANY of the libraries of Maine, in
which we take most pride, are monu-
ments of eXtraVagant and misdirected
outlay, if one considers the real pur-
pose and service for which they are
supposed to be fitted and designed.
In olden times when only gentlemen
of wealth and leisure dreamed away
the hours of life in the lofty alcoves
| of a library and slowly turned over the
| leaves of its books, it was well that
| they should be surrounded with all the
| elegances of life their wealth could
afford, with all that artist, sculptors
| and library architects could devise to
| entrance their senses, TO refine their
| tastes, and 10 bring them into harmony
with life and mature.
1t is well, even in this utilitarian
| are, TO say that 4 beautiful building is
| Il work of art, and that people who
| visit it have before them an object les
son which ever after influences their
| thoughts and lives. All this may be
true in a larger sense than we can now
appreciate. But the hard fact forces
itself upon us daily that supplying any
community with good reading is as
much of a business, pure and simple,
as is the furnishing of food and cloth
ing TO the same people
The mission OF the public library of
today lies in a different direction and
leads along more busy and strenuous
ways than in years gone by. It's prime
purpose is to supply every man, woman
and child at his home in the commu-
nifty where it is located with good
books and pictures, statuary and art
1t goes without saying that the build
ing where the wealth of learning is
stored should be fitted for the purpose
of carrying out the work there is to be
done. A large part OF Il library build
ing, in its interior arrangement, should
be fitted for the business of receiv-
ing and distributing books and for their
safe, economical storage, care and
handling. The rooms where the stu
dents come into the study should be
fitted best for that purpose, by being
removed or shut off from the noise and
interruption Of the business portion of
the building.
uouDl whether any library SHOULD
nave a room fitted for loungers. for
mere social functions, where gossip
can gather and The leisurely disposed
may pass 4 pleasant hour in chat. The
club house, The church, the parlor, or
music hall and opera house are de-
signed for these purposes.
Very few libraries in our State have
sufficient funds with which to employ
INv- ali
ton for this kind of entertainment
Yet the day may not be far distant
when some one will build US a library
with room devoted to the children, |
where a competent teacher and reader |
may be employed to entertain and in |
struct the little ones, by reading to |
them from books, by describing the |
meaning and history of pictures hung |
on the walls! and by teaching in a |
simple and interesting way the differ
ent methods of self-instruction which |
every child may adopt for himself.
1.-THE fatal defect in library architec- |
ture in Maine, consist in the fact that |
no one of these library buildings is
fitted for the double purpose which it |
has to serve, as a place for business |
and as a quiet place for reading and |
study. Nearly every interior of these |
buildings bears witness of the vain |
struggle made by the architect to COM |
bine these two purposes in one, to the |
detriment of the business portion of the |
library and to the annoyance and con- |
slant interruption of its studious pat |
ronS.
I'm our finest libraries the walls are |
usually built of thick granite. or other !
stone: into these windows are deeply |
sunk. giving the minimum Of light. |
which often has to be reinforced by |
electricity They are usually one story |
with low roofs giving the least possible
interior space to the outward greatness
and beauty. The portion Of this interior
fit for use is usually found on one floor
and practically in one room.
IN the arrangement of the interior
some little evidence of separation may
be observed between the reading room
and the stack and delivery room, but it
is usually such that single person can
command a view of the entire floor In
the study room portion, there are rarely
found any place for books are open
shelves where the student can have al
his hand, without interruption or dis
turbance. the books he may want.
TT follows that after the learned
| trustees or directors of a library have
| collected from estates and other sources
| $4,000 or 100000 and have invested it in
a monumental pile of stone, and have
| dedicated the building for a free library.
we find ourselves with a building in its
| interior arrangement untitled for the
use it is designed for. Scant of room