The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-17
Workingmen and the Library.

tIuiitoFs OF Inc IlmeS-OlSpatch: 8sif
Richmond. the cultured capital OF one
Of the grandest States In the Union. a
center OF learning With her seminary,
coileges and extensive system OF schools,
public and private. should be without a
accept the offer OF 100000 FOR a library
building. the impression was made that
me working people were. somehow to
blame Ole for the failure 70 utilize this op-
p ?. to secure a library was not
IN the city then, and do not know the
merits of the case; but years OF close
association with working people leads
me to believe that II any or the city
fathers opposed the gift because they
nor desire q library. they We're probably
perfectly honest but simply misunder-
STOOD o., both the needs and desires OF the
working people The working people
pes Interest to spare time to look after
their own, and 30 may be to blame for
sin OF omission In permitting the de-
feat Of the library. but that they do
iiperately opposed such a blessing
rience, to believe, am speaking now
OF. the genuine working people, not OF
those independently rich. nor those In
poor neither OF whom
= 8.
several years ago. In Petersburg,
number of working people raised money
TO start a library. Each wrote on a card
the naiTes Of the best two books he had
like best to read. From these books
they selected those TO start the library,
y Clergyman. reading this list. remarked
mat. With one exception, he would like
10! place !; ne entire lot IN his own library
Works The working people not only
read, but they read good books
Tie Mechanics Library. in Peters
burg, first-class library, the only one
in that city worthy OF the name. was
Only by being mechanic OF some kind
can one become member. gained fire.
quent access to the library through the
courtesy of my numerous mechanical
friends.
Here In Richmond ST. Andrews Free
Parish Library is open from ; p. NJ.
to 10 p. NJ. 1t has always been we'll
patronized. It is furnished with daily
and and weekly papers and magazines.
The magazines are frequently taken
home, as we'll as the books One mem
Der often takes four books and a maga-
zine at one time. AT first this library
parish. but there seemed 20 be such a
longing for. books that 1t was quietly.
opened to the public. say quietly. he
cause 1t was feared that IL 1t was lloised
abroad the demand for books would far
outgrow the capacity OF the library.
The opportunity was eagerly embraced
the number OF books taken out RAPIDLY
grew from twenty to sixty, and some
times even one hundred per day. This
does not include the number OF books
read in the library without being taken
out. In January 1926 and in February,
j ZAP. or 2,5GS books were taken out in
the first two months of this year Dur
ing the Same two months 2,l45 per-
sons came to consult books Of reference
or read books In the library, who took
none away The shelves always look
bare. comparatively. because the books
are out. The books look old. because
constantly used. A new book does not
stay new long. We are a workin . Acon,s
nunty and these facts don't look much
as II we working people failed to appre-
gate ga or. or use library Every afternoon
borhood frequent the library and use
the books In connection with their
school work. Tables are there and they
frequently write their compositions in
the room. These little ones now III
school nre the ones for whom Richmond
must provide. With the constant use
the working people are making 81 the
only free library in town and the dailv5
records are there to show what that
use IS. II Richmond loses the present
magnif1cent opportunity to secure =
1900 coo library, the blame cannot fairly
be laid on the workingman's shoulders
Richmond. Va. W. W. GILLETTE a