The Somerset reporter., 1906-11-22

Miss Coburn's most excellent address,
which is given below in full, was deliv-
cred at the afternoon session on We'd
nesday and was listened to with great
interest
The Public Library system Is some.
what recent product of modern demoo-
racy. 1t has marvellously expanded
within the last few years; 1t has branch
ed and budded in hundred rsmifoa-
tionS, and no reasonable person can
affirm that its period Of growth Is pass
ed. The aim of the public school sys-
tenn of America is TO furnish a good ed
ucation to every child in the country.
The corresponding aim of the public
library tystem is to furnish good read
ing to every person in the country.
Men are now, as they have always been,
obliged to earn bread for themselves and
for their children, but the spirit Of the
age offers mental nutriment on which
the young shall intellectually grow and
the adult shall intellectually live,-
offers it free as the air and the sun.
shine to every conner.
Now in the Public Library as an in
stitution there are three factors to be
considered, the management, the col.
lection OF books, and the public, or, re-
duoed to the lowest terms, the librarian,
the book, and the reader. 1t has some
times seemed to me that in the discus
sion of library principles and methods
more attention is given to the two for
mer than to the last am not forget
ing the immense work which has been
done in photography and the numerous
and valuable lists of best books for all
sorts of readers on all sorts of subjects.
1t is just possible that more pains has
been taken to get books for readers
than readers for books? However that
may be, it is the third branch of library
work that | desire TO emphasis the
reader,-th beneficiary of the library,
as he is sometimes called This mis-
homer will serve to illustrate a common
inversion of ideas. For the reader is
not debtor to the library, but the library
to the reader, to whom it owes its rea-
son for existence, its potentiality of use-
fulness, it's place on the scheme of civ
ilization We have it on good author
ity that the Sabbath was made for man.
and not man for the Sabbath, and this
phrase suggests the up-to-date point of
view of every human institution. The
college of yesterday generously bestow-
ed it's privileges upon grateful youth.
The college of today advertises, argues
entreats, sometimes-shall dare to hint
t?-stoops to bribery, to fill its cata.
logue. The od-fashioned country store
keeper kindly and in leisurely manner
obliged bis customer with the goods he
was in need of. The new shop keeper
is profuse in thanks and invitations for
further trade. The country bank even
today is inclined to the opinion that it
confers favor upon those who come to
borrow of it. The city bank expresses
thanks to those who bring business to
it and makes request for more No,
the person is not the beneficiary of any
institution which has a place in the
body polite, but the institution owes
its place and life to the people whom 1t
serves.
There are several theories as to the
relation of the library to its readers,
ranging from that of purveyor of enter
tainment to the strictly educational.
THE library is the peoples university"
Regarding each as legitimate in its
sphere, all may be included in the
phrase, 1T is the giyer of the larger
life F." The library represents to the
reader the larger life,-it opens to him
a new world,-the world of knowledge;
indeed, 1t opens to him constellation
of worlds. The beauty of every cline,
the life of all lands, the riches of knowl-
edge and genius garnered by the cen
turtles, the whole body of truth which
has been wrested from nature, these lie
at the feet of the one who enters the
library door. That it may do its true
work, and fulfil the end of its existence,
it must offer its treasures to those who
can use them most unstintedly.
There was once young surgeons ap-
prentice who in happy moment light
ed on book,-it was translation of
an ancient poem by one George Chap
man Then" wrote John Keats,
Then felt like some tcher of the skies,
When a new planet swims into his Ken,
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He stared at the Pacifc--and all his men
Looked at each other with wild surmtse,
Silent upon peak In Darien
Many a writer has recorded the meet
ing with some book at the psychological
moment, as an event in his intellectual
and even in his spiritual life. sat
last" said Aurora Leigh, because the
time was ripe, l CHANGED upon the
poets" The book, the moment and the
reader from the fortuitous combina-
ton of these three will sometimes come
q spark that will transform life. Now
this kind of electricity is not likely to
be the result of the best of lists of best
books, nor of the m ost scientific of cata-
logues. 1t comes from lingering over
book-shelves. from handling and look
ing at and dipping into many books.
My plea, IL will be seen, Is for the open
shelf, the open stsck-room. Bacon tells
US that some books are to be tested,
others to be swallowed, and some to be
chewed and digested. How can books
be tasted except by the freest inspection
and handling, by easy opening and shu'-
tingP The educational effect of famil-
iarity with books In their Systematic
order on the shelves, the mental broad
ening that comes from acquaintance
with more books than one can possibly
read, the possibilities that are waiting
as the hand hovers like butterfly over
book after book, before settling upon
the chosen one these should belong to
every reader, young or old, who does
not abuse the privilege,
Within a few months have visited
two libraries for the first time. In one
of the largest libraries of our state l
found children's room, with ohildren's
books on shelves along the walls, and in
front long iron bar like those one finds
in Zoo before the cages of the lions
IN nv aslinu the vounp lady in charge