Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-12-08
MEETS IN FIFTH ANNUAL SESSION
IN THIS CITY.
Representative Attendance From the Leading Liter.
ary CeDtres of the State: Last Night and
Todays Sessions RepIete with Effec-
tive Work: New Officers
Elected For the En-
suing Year.

meek and unaffected grace of the ru-
raj pastor, but the loaded shelves, the
catalog and reference lists, the chairs
and tables, and the zeal unaffected,
though not always meek, of the mod
ern librarian.
The modern library and the modern
librarian are new things under the
sun. Our old library was a ware
house wherein were entombed many
and mighty volumes of books. This
storehouse was for the benefit of Uh4
fey. These few were supposed to be
only the Intellectual people of the
community. 1t was a secluded place.
1t was incidental. 1t was a luxury.
The modern library is laboratory.
a workshop. It is for the multitude.
It affects the social side of our life as
well as the intellectual. It is set on q
hill. It is a necessity. It is an or
ganic institution.
| And what change in the character
of the librarian! From mere keeper |
Of books-a sort of intellectual jailer |
HE has become an administrative Of |
ficer of no mean ability. The modern
librarian must be a scholar, a diplo-
Inat, business man, teacher, a dis
ciplinarian, an executive-above al!
things an organizer and director. And
permit me to say just here that We
l&ynlen have not yet come to under
stand and appreciate fully the value
| ut fn EIyG
Librarians. ALL of US do not realize
what a tower of strength you are in
the social, civic, moral and inte1lec-
! -ual life of the community. All of us
10 not realize and appreciate your
.ua4ny difficulties-your sacrifices, your
| item unappreciated toll, your strug-
g!es with uhard-headed trustees and
noughtless patrons, your sickening
| ask of funds. But we are discovering
these things. And 1 wish to assure
ou librarians as a layman and for the
aymen that we are not unmindful Of
our great service, and we render to
ou cheerful and grateful honor for
our unselfish and distinguished SER
ices, and pledge you our earnest and
l
Permit me, incidentally, to call at
| ention to some of the characteristics
: the modern library. They are its
atholicity, Democracy and Utility.
| ue province of the library. Science,
| 1T, religion, law, literature, military
! Iairs, manners and customs-these
institute its life. Moslem and Jew.
i ..ndoo and Hottentot, Christian anu
4 altar, here speak without let or him
4 ance and without fear or favor.
ere science s'unfolds her ample
/ age" here justice speaks without
| elcy, and here walk again III pain
| I'd undisguised attire all the poor and
| rineely peoples of the past. Here is
| . inquisition. Here is no bloody as
| re. Here is no fatal hemlock. You
| -ay range all the boundless seas of
| nitless thought and action.
L z. Democracy. The modern library
1 as been aptly described as the peo-
| les university. "Ho, every one that
/ lirsteth, come ye to the waters; and
| that hath no money come" Rich
nd poor, old and young, the lame, the
alt, yea, even the blind, may come.
/ | had some time ago personal ex
erience illustrative of this democrat
side of the library. While teach
of Sunday School class, l was
1 Utterly routed and put to flight in a
| lassroom discussion one Sunday by
| poorly dressed, ignorant-lookins
arpenter who was member of the
lass. The next day, while trying ts.
ain new light on the disputed ques-
on, found the carpenter in the Ii
rary. On the next Sunday I was
{ I gain put to fight by a travelling
| alesman, a man who sells axle
!. rease. Going to the library again
+. Tor aid, found both the carpenter
G ,nd the axle-grease man. On the next
i sunday I resigned.
5 Utility. It is the workshop of the
/ cholar, the teacher, the student. II
!. the schoolmaster of the public. II
II a social and civic center. It is q
) ! ONE for clubs, societies. guilds. Ii
) a sort of hub for the community's
J | EDUCATIONAL activities. It is the chill
,en's playground, the workng-man s
hool, the scholars laboratory, and
E.e gentle readers paradise.
J. But, ladies and gentlemen, shall
& / Ass by these characteristics and also
j ne ordinary, though by no means un-
Is Important routine, that the library
Il daily performs in the distribution OF
Il books, and as home for civic and So
d cial meetings, and call especial atten-
: Ition to three large institutional func-
e fcontfnuad IN para ~