The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-10

cent; j. G. Mctcalf. first vice presidents;
Mrs, Melville {. Branch. second Vice
president; ~. III. Hill. secretary: j. &.
l.iarwood. assistant secretary. and !.
i. WinGo. treasurer.
executive Committce--IIunsdon Cary.
Mrs Joseph NJ. Rosenbau,n. Mrs
Charles " Meredith and James ID.
Crump.
), Mrs Mr., Munford declined denomination.
head for nearly ten years.
In his address Mr.. Bowerman tolu
OF The experience OF Washington In
securing and utilizing n public library.
re spoke at length OF the work of tho
institution OF which hc is the head.
Among other things he said.
The free. public library is not on
one hand charity. nor OH the other
mana luxury, nOn-cssrntIal In.
stead OF either OF these. public libra,
ry work IS now regarded, according
10 the best thought Of to-day. as a..
integral part OF the system Of pubnu
education of whatever grade.
Conditions IN Richmond.
First. however permit me 10 draw
some comparisons between The library
conditions in your own city ana ,hose
or Washington before we had a free
library there Here you nave the rich
and efficiently conducted Virgins.
state Library and n email endowed
library. chiefly supported by member
snip lees, bu, receiving some city aid.
and In return therefore granting fren
memberships to certain few lndivi-
duals II Is contendcd by some that
this Us sufficient to meet tho local
needs. In Washing on. when In 4 $50.
atter long years of effort, Congress
passed the act creating the free pub
nc iiorary there vas not only The
great National Library OF Congress.
men about 10 be transferred to tho
nnest library building in the world.
put also a large number OF other gov
crnment libraries. more than MY in
All believe. The District Of coium-
pia probab bly, had ,nen, n, now moro
BOOKS In publicly supported librarie1
thnn any other political division In the
world. BY law also all OF these H..
prarieS were omen to the public for r,-
ference use :, limited number OF
public officers might draw books Tor
nome use: TO other persons similar.
privileges might in some cases DO
granted.
surely you Viii ser that the resources
OF tho WASHINGTON libraries OF that
time were KS adequate and fully as
available to the Washing ton populu-
t!on - the resources OF the Virginia
state aud your subscription iiirar;.
now are 10 the genera population OF
Richmond
Great Need for Library.
II am the farthest possible from any
desire 10 minimize the essential I'm
portancc OF school education. Al tle
same time think you viii agree With
me that given condition In which Tia
educational agent ceases directly 10
influence 90 per cent. OF the popula-
ton after they reach fourteen Years
OF aSc, the State should not tiiscOn-
'lnno tho education OF Its future eiti-
1ens. provided another powerful educa-
iional agent can be fourd to stumble
mcnt the rulimcnts she has thus been
a bic TO teach
The product OF school education
caves with some ability 10 read and
more or less desire 10 read No matter
whether me pupil has left school at
ten or at thirty. the public library ca n !
furnish suitable material for CARRYING
on reading and study
liaving compared library conditions
ana needs i'll Richmond with those in
Washington before the creation Of our
public library, my preference would be
TO leave all discussion Of ways and
means TO your own people have
however, been asked to touch briefly
on this matter. with special reference
to the possible acceptance of money from
Mr. Carnegie for a building My 5uE-
sestion is tina when you finally decide
10 establish free public library, the
question OF building be not Your flrst
N oo''S'uot d 'ioil.j secure your city APP
preparation; supplement il by coitribu-
tiona; rent or secure the free use OF
rooms In II public school building or "a
business building or adopt some such
means to get a library that is a going
concern. Unless 1t is established on so
narrow n basis that II has no real
chance for It's life, predict that II will
soon so win It's way as ,orbe recog-
nized as necessity, and that the peo-
pic Will demand bettcr quarters and
more ample ma ptenance."