Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-04
OUR MUNICIPAL LIBRARY
RETROSPECT AND COMPARISON

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 26.-[Editor
Herald. When | arrived some nine
years ago "A stranger in Los Angeles,
one of the things that reconcilcd me
To my strange surroundings and my
not TOO prosperous fortune WAS our city
library. Easy of access, the city hall,
AT the hub Of the business quarter, the
library proved very useful to me in
many ways. My recollection is that the
books of any well known author could
ae cot there without much difficulty.
And any book that was not on the
shelves might be rcquisitioncd with 4
moderately good chance Of being pro-
cured. Now, whether the golden hue Of
months waiting. For books by David
my mindpicture Of our library in ret
respect, or whether our library (while
growing more pretentious and more
expensive has at the same time de
Perforated in usefulness, l will not VEN
ture to decide without consulting the
experience of others; but certainly my
own eXperieEces of the city library are
Of distinctly disappointing nature
Passing from the fact that the libra
ry is now away off in location, what
do l find in the way Of accommodation
when l get thcre-abOut one third as
often as 1 used to? Here's just bit Of
my experience:
Just twenty-one months-not days,
not weeks. but months--one year and
nine months ago I first asked at the
library for Jack London's Sea Wolf "
have been asking for it almost week
ly ever since, but have not got il yet.
was more lucky with one of Lloyd
Osbornes books--I got it after four
months waiting. For books by David
Graham Phillips. Brand Whitlock and
Richard Whiteing I have had to ask
week after week before getting one or
two--others I am still waiting for. In
deem Whiteing, one OF our most forceful
as well as keenly analytical writer's
along sociological lines, is represented
by only about three of his books, his
later and ripper works not being in the
librar-.
Many of Zola's books are not to be
found on the shelves. Clarence Dar-
rows you will ask for in vain.
OF at least one Of the best books of
so popular q writer IS Rider Haggard
you will find but one copy, and that a
mutilated one, many pages being
missing And speaking Of this missing
page feature-Out of about ten books
that I have had in as many weeks, no
fewer than four have several pages
missing. q suggest that public libra
~ should scrap a book when it is no
longer wholeD
In the non-fction department one
asks i'll VAIN lOl SNtlt ottliiNhlb WV No
as Reelus' Man and the Universe"
Again. in the fiction department I
look week after week on the counter
for a selection of books, only to find
very largely the same old array-"Con-
Jurors House." THE Ship of Stars, "
''The Ladder of Swords" "The Dragon
Painter" and a few others, often in
duplicate, while standard works of solid
merit are not given half show.
Now / am not saying whether the
foregoing is or is not legitimate ground
for dissatisfaction and complaint. 1t
may be that our library is as good as
we ought to expect, and that its draw
backs are only such as we should
grin and bear; but for my part | can
not help a feeling of disappointment,
especially when / reflect that our Ii
brary has grown to be quite a costly
institution.
will some other readers say what is
their experience and opinion? Also
what they think of the new rule by
which you cannot visit the reading
room for ten minutes without having
to deliver up and re-collect your hat at
n desk V. :.