Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-02

Library association, also spoke along the
lines.
Mrs. Kate w. Barney, librarian town
library. Springfield, read "A paper treat
Ing on books for men. She found that
books treating Of agriculture, mechanical
art, electricity and mechanics were In
great demand by working men and that
after such books had been installed the
demand for works Of fiction fell off from
IS to 70 per cent. Redneld Proctor re-
GREETED the fact that mon use the library
much less than women and children He
thought that works that treated on
mechanics should be more concise for
working men as these men were usually
in search OF some definite Information
and did not like to wade through n whole
treatise on any given subject. He said
that prisoners in the State institutions
used very good Judgment in the selection
Of books, calling for such works as The
life of Thomas Jefferson" and the
Evolution of Music"
Miss Lucy u. Cheney, librarian of
Free Library, Rutland, read a very
Interesting paper on books for chill
drcn She found that many standard
works that pleased Adults were also
most pleasing to children. Some of
tho works of Ernest Thompson Seton,
Rudyard Kipling and others. written
for adults, have become favorites
for children. She thought that chill
dren used very good judgment in the
selection Of books. Invariably cnoos-
ing works Of good English AMI sense.
Their criticisms, she thought, were also
well worth listening t. NJ. NJ. Will
cnl chairman, nf fha state TfhYnrN-
association. also spoke on the same
subject, relating his own experience
when a boy in the selection of reading
matter. Boys, he thought, naturally
turned to works that were alive with
good. healthy action and adventures
He thought that there was no beaten
path laid down for tho selection of
books for children, but rather favored
letting them browse around and select
their own literature. lie thought that
the books in the Sunday school and
church libraries were not we'll calcu-
lated to please children, boys especial
~.
Miss May Congdor, librarian Of GIL
bert Hart Library, Walungford, spoke
on branch libraries and Mrs. W. r.
Smith OF 81, Johnsbury. state library
commissioners. spoke on buying books.
T.. NJ. Goddard. assistant State librar-
ian, Montpelier. also spoke on the
same subject. 1t developed that works
of fiction have not advanced In price
but that hooks have advanced for var
ious reasons. Books Of value and Of
rare editions, It was thought, could be
purchased more cheaply from second
hand stores In the large cities, while
It was thought moro advisable to our
chase fiction and works of lighter
vein from established book stores Of
reputation. Mrs. Smith was OF the
opinion that where one dealt exclu-
sively with one company the company
could help the librarian in many ways.
She thought they would take interest
in the library and would also help in
| the selection of books.
OFFICERS ELECTED.
The following officers of the Vermont
Library association were elected: Presi-
dent. Miss Frances NJ. Pierce OF Ludlow;
vice-presidcnt, Mrs. Kate W. Barney Of
Springfield; secretary-treasurer, Miss
Edith f. Clarke OF Burlington: second
vice-presidents, Miss Lu,y Holmes Of
Sheldon. Mrs. c p. Akley of Vernon,
Mrs. John V. Merrill of Bennington Cen
ter, Miss Elizabeth Hills Of Lyndonville.
DR.. Mary Mixer Plat of Shoreham and
Mrs. Abbie Doten Chamberlin of Pom
fret.
MIR. DEWEY'S LECTURE.
A lecture was delivered In the evening
in the apsc of the Billings library by
Melvil Dewey. founder of the New York
State Library school and author Of the
decimal classification. The subject of the
speakers address was The Librarians
Share In the Worlds Work. At the
outset he traced the evolution of the
library idea from the early days to the
time when the library came 10 be a place
in which to store books TO be studied and
examined there. In those times no books
could be taken out of the library and at
oxford there still may be seen books
heavily chained to their stalls, a relic of
the old library idea. At that stage of
development the library was for the
privileged few.
Thus the movement grew to the pres
ent free public library system and the
tendency is more to encourage everybody
to take books freely. We know that
knowledge is power and cannot do better
than to put the best books In the hands
of the masses. We have come to have a
conception of a library as a fountain
rather than az a cistern and this idea
has led in the great cities like New York
to the establishment OF branch libraries
with deliveries. Moreover. books are
sent out on orders by telephone and by
post card. We have como to have the
same conception of the library as a
modern business house does of It's out
put. We Try to make 1T as interesting
and valuable to the public as We can, 80
as to compel their patronage.
The purpose of the public library Is to
give information. inspiration and recrea-
ton and the library Is coming to be re-
cognized as an absolute necessity Just
as the school is. No movement has
spread with so little opposition, so much
commendation. so many munificent gifts
and such liberal tax support as the IL
brary movement. The library Is going to
take to Itself n great many new func-
lions. The speaker designated the year
1876 as the beginning of n period which
will be known In history as the library
PERIOD and the breadth OF the work to
be accomplished cannot yet be estimat-
ed.