Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-02

At the closing sessions Friday of the library institute at StorTs the subjects of book classification and subject in- dexing were considered.
 Prank C. Wilcox, librarian, Hoiyeke.
 Mass. leetured on the subject Our
 Widest Field, He traced the devel- opnent of libraries from the private
 library, which had a field of one,
 through the libraries of royalty, the seeiesiastieal libraries. the university
 middle ages, up to the dawn of democ- raey. Then first appeared the free
 public library, the true daughter of democracy.
 Our present form of free libraries,
 Tree as to borrowers and free as to material included would be possible only under democratic governments. Under monarehical governments hbra- rtes ara so Figidfy censored and re- etrtcted that, in one country at least, the socialists are founding their own
 libraries. for the sake of freedom in Mir. Wilcox then defined the field of the public library as the people the
 whole people. For purposes of study and service the field may be divided into the following intellectual classes. Upper, middle and lower. In the up- | live the intellectual life, producers of intellectual matter. The lower class | If they are able to read, can never be | got to do 90. They have no powers of Acquisition. The middle class may be
 and lower middle. the latter having some ability, but being prevented from reading and intellectual living by their station in life or other circumstances. Now the public library while en- II rI a.n-1w- 1 ~~n.
 for the upper class because their wants are too highly specialized. It can do very little for the lowest intellectual
 class. except for those who have abii- ity to rise.
 There Is much we may do for the middle class (the class which includes ! us), for few in this. class keep up in- tellectual labor through life. Much of 1 what we provide for this class must be popular in nature-must not require too hard labor mentally. When the keener mental powers have been allow ed to rust, the readers must get what they can with ease.
 MT. wiiieox presented a plea for fic- | ton reading for this class of readers, net only the classics, but present day
 fiction, which gives us knowledge of the life of the world and views on cur
 rent questions.
 One afternoon was devoted to the consideration of books on agriculture and country life, the club work in rural
 communities, and to book selection in | the extension department of the col- | lege. spoke of the club work made possible by the passage of the Smith Liehler bill. which gives each state $f0,000 for extension work the first year an dincreased amounts each sue-
 Miss Edwina Whitney. librarian,
 Connecticut Agricultural college. spoke on the literature of country life. She referred in delightful way to the early writers on the subject, going
 back to the Greek and Roman authors
 and quoting some instructions for farmers wives from Greek. Roman and Old English authors.
 The twentieth century has brought a flood of textbooks and treatises upon | every phase of agriculture and coun- Il try lige, and the rural librarian who aspires to know her people and suit | the books to the special needs of the people, should certainly specialize in books on agriculture. It will take some | time for the average farmer to learn that he has anything to learn rom books but he should be led to good | collection of books on his calling. A collection of poems, essays and stories | of genuine country life would also be most useful in the rural library. The
 state and government documents are
 of great value, but too little used.
 Every rural library should receive and
 use the state agricultural experiment station bulletins and reports, which may be had free. and such United States documents as will best meet the needs of the locality. Miss Whit neyIk presented a list of 100 books on agriculture, list of farm and garden periodicaIs and a. list of poems. bi- ographies and stories of country life. Mrs Johnson and Miss Hadlsy gave ! talks on recent books suited for prr- chase for small libraries.