The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-25
ment may be made. Let us hope
that each church will be at it's
best when the snapshot is taken.
CATHOLIC BOOKS I'M PUBLIC
LIBRARIES.

Apropos Of the agitation for the
placing Of Catholic books in pub
lie libraries a recent issue of
" America" offers the following
eminently practical advice: eff
Catholic voters insist, as they
should, that the works of our
standard authors be placed in pub
lie libraries, Catholics, to be con-
sistent, must see that these books
do not remain uncalled for and
unread. Otherwise librarians may
with some justice object to buying
books for which there is no de-
mand. 1t is quite likely that the
taste of Catholic patrons of public
libraries is now no better than
that of the common run of readers.
Ii there were added to the annual
list Of books taken out the names
of those who read them, it would
be found in all probability that
Catholics are not particularly
eager to peruse works written by
authors Of our faith, and are no
fonder of books Of permanent
value nowadays than are their
Protestant neighbors. The we'll
pulled novel Of the hour, as is
well known, is the one book con-
stantly clamored for today by
most library patrons, irrespective
of religion, race, color, or previous
condition of servitude.
"Yet if Catholics are to take
with credit that place in the civic,
social, and professional life of this
land to which our numbers entitle
us, we must have in our ranks
more men and women who are
well read and thoroughly edu-
Gated They must be Catholics
who not only love their Church
Ind reflect it's holiness from their
lives, but they must be Catholics
who possess such a sound knowl-
edge Of the Church s teaching,
such a clear understanding of her
attitude toward questions Of the
day, and such cultivated, we'll
stored minds withal, that in pub
lie life more Of our laymen may
be worthy representatives Of the
Mother Of Saints and Sages and
in their social intercourse with
their non-Catholic neighbors may
be better equipped for dispelling
the ignorance and correcting the
Misrepresentation Of Catholicity
that are still so common in this
country.
"For the attainment of these
desirable ends, our public Ii,
braries, which the money Of Cath,
olics helps to. build and support
should provide the means. Let
Catholics frequent the library's
reading room. Let them repeat
eddy ask for such reviews as
America, the Tablet, the Catholic
World, the Month, the Ave Maria
the Dublin Review, the Catholic
Quarterly, Studies, and their do
cesar weekly. lie there is a mani,
fest demand for these periodicals
they will doubtless be procured
Let Catholics observe the leading
articles and book notices in these
reviews and then apply at the
librarians desk for new books and
old that they observe are of spe.
cial interest or Importance to
Catholics. A gentle but unwearied
insistence in this matter will
doubtless work wonders. In most
instances, however, the library
authorities will probably be glad
to secure at once any good book
that is sure to be widely circu.
lated. Catholics, then, of. course
owe it to themselves and to the
obliging librarian to see that these
works are taken out and read. "