The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-18
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
"a PLEA FOR THE LIBRARY.

success of such an institution have won
an honored rank and title IN the
professional world. not only as scholars
but as great public educators.
Library buildings, their architectural
fitness and beauty. their adaptation to
the particular needs Of constantly
growing lib1 airy for the present and fu-
ture, and their furnishing: the selection
and buying of books for dts many and
varied departments; the classification.
ma rking. and shelving of the books SO
that they can be promptly found ana
kept in their places; the cataioging ac-
! cording to the several ways found to be
| most helpful to readers and investlga-
tors: delivering and receiving books of
borrowers, answering their questions,
and keeping statictics of the circulation;
the making, Of annotated lists of books
on special popular subjects; the making
of photographers; reminding of books.
| binding and indexins of periodicals.
pa mphets, ETC.; the collection and care
| of all society and convention reports
transactions and proceedings; these are
some of the many subjects developed
during the past twenty years by the eS
perienced librarians Of the ialge anu
successful libraries Of the country, anu
they make up tho contents OF hoidAS
economy.
One of the most delightful and en-
couraginy subjects before the earness
librarian to-day is Mr.. Carneg1e,s es-
pousal of the free public library cause,
The story Of his wise and unpreceueiiteu
expenditure of millions for the npraiy
phase of public education and ms oe-
clared purpose to spend his surplus -,
come of s12O00,0o0 annually ou,ihs ms
life in giving town libraries ana o ,f.,,
to music-loving communities, IS aS -.
ho cd
Ia I'd as the record Of his rise from
bobbin boy at s1.20 a week, nifty years
ago. to the head of the colossal Carnesle
steel interestss that sold recentiy III
$500. 900, 900, is to the students or eco'io,
mics and the ambitious boy Rlchi1loi.u
in her ship building is doing much III
fr!jllment of Mr.. Carneg1es ptopi,ees
when he said: "The future seat OIL snip
building is to be found not on the SHORES
~ Great Britain, but on our Atlanlic
Sc aboard I see nothing to prevent .iiis
country of ours from being the cileh
cnnnlv of steel and the articles made
from steel for the rest Of the Tess ia.oi
cd world His offer Of slooeoo TO i.ieii-
n1ond for a library is one ahlons mo-
than four hundred gifts or sums va -
from 81 COO to 100000 each to hprar1es
in Great Britain, Canada, Cuoa' any
the United States oe,;,,s
Richmond has a good ana pios .a 1e
.,.sten1 of public schools; her seiii1nt
,.ias and colleges are advancing TOWARDS
tha hest modern educational loea.s. liz
hundreds of bright talented nlsn ,.nfoel
students and alumnae. her ma ihais .pman,s
sionai students, study CLUBS, MG Vol ~
cIIh and professional men Woulu a.,
find a wonderful field of further researi -,
stretching cut temptingly before t,ieii -
an date public library ana .n nrdars
they would be kept in the stllnulatiiS
current of the highest thought ana
achievement in all lines of present oas
= Richmond was and is the capital OF the
plorious ''o1d South" Need she allow At
lanta Ca. to be the capital OF the new new
industrial and educational South: me
| wealth, culture leisure ana ao1iits 81, ~
Richmond women alone, ORGANIZED. cow ~
accomplish wonders for education IN tlle
South. The woman's club of Atlanta mas
charge Of the travelling libraries. II car
tabi,shing a State Library Commission
which will prepare bills to enable towns;
encoura ged by State aid, to estabi1sh t ana
maintain free libraries by Eolunta a,,h .aI is
moving in the same direction IN SCUM
Carolina It was largely the work or tt'e
woman's club of Atlanta. that. mace an
Mems Library Association OF that city
under the influence of It's librarian. Miss
| Wallace, gave its property and DOCKS
valued at 100000, to the city, and Andrew
Carnegie gave 100000 more for a new
building. The history of the library mova-
ment and library State legislation In most
of the States in one broad land is full
! of inspiration and information for us ana
Richmond certainly wants to lead in the
South. A glorious past is a great her1-
| taec and inspiration; to keep the present
worthy of it is a great achievement
There are greater opportunities IN TINS
! living present and nobler possibilities IN
| the unfolding future than was ever
! dreamed of in the grandest past.
| ELIZABETH NINEAL.
May IA. 1902