The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-07

By request the following splendid paper on the Social Significance of Literature and Libraries,' has been contributed by MT. Carl Milan, the director of the Bir- mingham Public library.
 MT. Milan has done much in develop ing the library along these lines that paper from him becomes an authority. The sociological department of the Birming- ham library has developed greater than any other department, and it is to the credit of the people of this city that the serious departments in the library are so popular that this Is possible.
 The Birmingham Public library under MT. Milam's direction is fast becoming factor in the conscious awakening of the community to civic problems and social uplift; as an educational factor we have always known it. but in social service fields it is comparatively new.
 MT Milan says:
 "All classes of books are now teaching social ethics. and the fact that aproxi- mately eOoOOO public library books and magazines are read every year in Bir- mingham is fact of tremendous social significance
 "A few weeks ago there appeared in this department an article about the ex- tension work of the library all of which has a special service value. But even more important than these things is the fact that every reader of library books is getting some instruction in social ques- tions whether he is looking for such in struction or not
 This fact is pointed out in the follow
 ing statement prepared for The Age-Her- ald by MT. Milan on request:
 Of all the millions of books circulated by public libraries in the United States every year about 30 or GO per cent are novels. Let us see whether they have any social significance.
 "As a test here are the titles of six novels that I have read within the last few years, which come first into my mind; 'The Iron Woman" by Margaret Deland; ; "A Certain Rich Man" by William Allen White; 'The Inside of the Cup" by Win ston Churchill; 'tPenrod." by Booth TarlS- ington; The Clarion" by Samuel Hop <ins Adams, and "Westways" by s. Wier Mitchell.
 "'Of these, "Penrod" is a character study of a most interesting Tom Sawyer No. 9 It has no social significance, ex- cept as mischievous boys are an impor- tant factor In all social life
 "Westways'' is a novel that treats of industrial. and to limited extent. social conditions in Pennsylvania during the civil war It has no more social value, and no less than a book of real history on the same subject would have. It teaches no particular lesson.
 "'The other four have. however, a spe- cial message. Though the authors might deny it for the arts sake, it seems clear to me that there existed in the mind of each of them a very definite desire to teach the world a social truth. In three out of the four cases, at least, these truths have been preached by the authors of the books in other ways. by essays, news paper articles and on the public platform. The novel was selected simply as one more very effective way of reaching the people.
 The Iron Woman is a study in preserving the ideal of the perma hence of marriage The effect on the reader can hardly fail to be wholesome.
 "'"A Certain Rich Man is by William Allen White, noted editor. lecturer and progressive politician. It deals with the problems of labor and capital as the title implies
 l" "The Inside of the Cup,p though it breaches a radical, social-religious ser mon, and talks theology as well as sociol- ogy for page afterapage. was for whole year the best selling book in America and even in the following year was second in popularity.
 '"rhe Clarion" is a 1914 novel by Gam uel Hopkins Adams famous for his expos ure of patent medicine frauds. In this | novel he shows that the modern news paper does not dare to print the facts as they are for fear of his advertisers. It is a tremenmously stimulating book one that | opens the eyes of the ordinary reader to l important facts that are too likely to pass | unnoticed
 Not all novels that are popular in | public libraries are up to these stan- l dards in social value Some, unfortun- l ately, seem to have little value of any | kind, save to rest the mind of the tired | business man, or. more frequently, woman. But no reader of fiction can | escape the problem novel. Even if he | tried to avoid it. he would run upon it | unawares.
 "Close to fiction in popularity stands I