Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-10-10
PAY FICTION IN
PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

| permanent value and partly to III
growing conviction OF library board
and book committees that they hav
no right to spend public funds 70
ephemeraI books. Some Iibrarie
buy a late novel only after It ha
been out q year and proved It
worth.
| When Q history or book ON cA<
pentry is put on the shelf II Is o
value so long as II lasts, while {
novel unless exceptional soon be
ONES dead lumber.
Many eastern Libraries have en-
dowment funds, so that the waste
OF dollar Is not so important al
1t is to western libraries. which are
almost wholly supported by their
Immediate communities. For this
reason western more than eastern
libraries have adopted the pay shelf
to meet the demand for new fic-
ton without curtailing the expen-
diture for needed books along other
lines.
The charges for these pay copies
vary in different localities. In our
own state, Hutchinson charges two
cents a day, making fourteen cents
a week; Salina charges ten cents
week and two cents a day for
overtime; several places charge five
cents a week or for any part OF a
week; we have continued to charge
vat which was the customary
charge when we put in duplicate
pay copies; Lawrence and number
Of other towns charge five cents
a week and two cents a day for
overtime. This last is reported as
a most satisfactory charge and seems
the most just.
For several years the constant
against us for not having
, pay shelf like other libraries"
was met by the assertion that ours
S an exceptional library, in that
Ill our books are purchased with
he earnings of the ladies Of the
own, and that as they constitute
he majority OF the fiction readers
t seemed unjust to ask them to
,ay twice for their books. However,
he demand became so general that
hree months ago thirty-five novels
we're put on the pay shelf. Since
hen only three patrons have OBJ I
ected, in the library, to the sys-
EN-, while many have commended
/. Hearing that there was some
utside criticism the writer began
skiing patrons their opinions, and
p to date the answers have ex-
ressed only unqualified approval.
Following are desk comments for
nd against the system. Objections:
81 don't like this. It's no free !
brary." i
II am tired paying a nickel" i
zone might Just as well buy 4
lese books"
Concentrations: "There is some =
nse in this. One can get book |,
hen he wants one, and then fic- v
IN fund is provided"
please give me pay copies. I
mt do much for the library and
d glad of this chance"
Fl take pay copies because I i,
wouldn't think Of giving just 3,
arter to the library. while this n
" I can" \,
'I always take pay copies, be- 3
use I can help that way. If r
MT like the book when get it u
me, l think, We'll, 1t is that much Il
ward a new one" IA.
.'What is a nickel to me, when =,
want book to rest me?" w
TELL those who don't like the n
= shelf to go hang! but keep the er
elf. It's sensible" n
PAY shelves are customary else N
Iere. why should we be de- :,
ved?" %
Il can't understand why anyone IL,
,uld object to our giving the new
oks to the library, for that is he
Ictically what we do" "a
That the last statement Is true "a
proved by the following; r.
Three months ago thirty-five Il
yeIs were placed on the pay an
If For these $1,000 has been "
eived in fines and twenty-three %
oks have gone from the pay to e
free shelf. leaving the above ~
cunt to be put into new books; err
ereas II. as heretofore. the thir-
five had gone direct to the free