The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-09-10
connratuIatorY Address.

sion, was present and congratulated
the library board and the city of o.
kaloosa in the following well chosen
words:
"To, bring to you the greetings Of
the library workers Of the state Of
Iowa might seem to be an assump-
ton on my part, did not know that
among no other class of the worlds
workers known to me is there more
of the spirit of generous interest in
the welfare of others, which makes
the opening of such an institution
as this the occasion for rejoicing
that another center for culture and
inspiration has been added to the list
of Iowa institutions. Coming as / do
in constant contact with the library
workers of the state in the work OF
library extension which the library
commission is carrying on I know
how genuine this interest is.
There is double reason for con-
graduation on, this occasion; first,
that Oskaloosa has G. free public Ii
brary as an institution organized I'M
der the state law and supported by
municipal tax, providing collection
of books accessible to every resident
of this community without discrimin-
alton; young or old, rich and poor,
without distinction as to religious
creed or political faith may here have
equal rights and equal ownership in
this collection of books maintained
at public expense for the benefit of
this community. And second, be-
cause through the generosity of that
princely giver, Mr.. Andrew Carnegie
a home is provided wherein is
housed this institution you had al
ready established. The provisions
for the establishment and mainten-
ance of such collections Of books as
this have existed in this state for
many years, but not until the magic
wand Of the library magician touched
us did we have homes for these col
lections in more than a half score
cities in the state; now, from this
generous source, buildings are spring
ing up as by magic and there have
been built or promised by him forty
buildings in Iowa which shall give
permanency and dignity to the free
public library in forty towns and cit
les of our commonwealth.
With the equipment of a modern
library building with children's room,
study room, general reading room,
auditorium and museum, etc, this
institution will touch the varied in
terests of this growing city in a way
not possible before and to no class
of people will this larger usefulness
mean more than to the young people.
1t is difficult for librarian to be
moderate in her statements regard
ing the possibilities Of work with
young people in influencing their
lives by means of good books. The
literature of power" that moves
men is more than all else the litera-
ture which arouses the inspirations
and ideals Of the young. The ten
der, abiding themes which have in
spired the poets of all ages, the
quickening suggestions to deeds or
valor and lives of bravery and SER
vice for others, the complications
of the virtues Of purity, honor, love
of home and country, which are
brought to the heart and mind of the
child through good books provide
one of the strongest elements in
character building, and it would seem
as If the influence of the library in
this particular was difficult to over
estimate. ...a
"True literature has well been
called the literatue of power, the
literature of the spirit. That is, it
has generative spiritual life. 1t is
not simply knowledge,it is knowledge
energized, charged with potency.
1t is the knowledge into which the
poet has breathed the breath of life.
The difference between bare knowI-
edge and the literature of power is
like the difference between statue in
stone and living, pulsing human
form.
This phase Of library work brings
the library in close relations with the
work of the public schools and the
cordial cooperation between these
two institutions for public education
in Oskaloosa will doubtless be real
and vital.
"The test of a good education is
not the stock of knowledge acquired,
but the stimulus given to mental ac-
tivity; and so in this larger view Of
education which sees in such an in
stitution as this stimulus given to
mental activity as well as the oppor-
tunity for information, the school
finds its strongest ally.
"The library has come to be recog-
nized as one Of the great educational
forces in the United States that is, to
have a large share IN guaranteeing
an intelligent citizenship, so neces-
sary In selfgoverning republic. ami
hence the librarian must be an edu-
Gator equipped with the ability and
training to make the most OF the col.