Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-13

The Bureau of Municipal Research has
started a war of words. Hostilities were
opened formally today in the weekly bulle-
tin issued by the bureau under the title
of Citizens Business"
The momentous question. Is free
synonymous with "public?" is first pro-
pounded. A declaration of war then fol-
lows against the use of the word free" as
describing the various unsupported libra
ries in Philadelphia. The proposal is also
made that the library of this city be taken
out of it's present position in the Depart
ment of the Mayor and placed under the
control of the Board of Education
The bulletin points out that nearly every
where in the United States taX-supported
libraries are known public" Libraries
instead of free" libraries. as is the case
in Philadelphia. The term free library
1t is argued, would be a descriptive title
only If the library were under private con-
troll.
The time is particularly appropriate for
the change of title, it is suggested, since
Philadelphia is soon to have a magnificent
new structure on the Parkway which will
be comparable with other great community
libraries throughout the country.
How will the inscription The Free Lii
brary of Philadelphia on the new structure
on the Parkway look to posterity, in fact,
how would it look todaY?" is asked in the
bulletin. which reads as follows
In 1894 the board of trustees of the
Free Library of Philadelphia ceased to
be private body when the city government
secured representation thereon, through an
ordinance of Councils. This was three
years after charter had been granted to a
group of public.spirited men who saw the
need of q library which would be accessi-
BILE to all and free of charge. Not until
1895 was it possible for Councils to levy
taxes and appropriate money for library
purposes At that time a statute was
passed making possible the present library
system.
philadelphia was late in the field as
compared with Boston and Chicago, and
that is doubtless one reason why, although
most of the branch libraries are very at
tractiye structures. a suitable building has
not yet been erected for the central library.
Nearly everywhere in the United States
unsupported libraries are known as pub
lie Libraries" This seems to be a standard
name, such as public school. public high
way, etc. This being the, case. 1t is rather
strange TO find the local library known as
the Free Library of Philadelphia This
name perhaps would be a descriptive one
II IL were under private control. Would 1t
not be we'll for the name to be made har-
monious with those of the other great
community libraries throughout the country
before the new central building is erected?
democracy in education, and an extension
of educational facilities to those who have
had no opportunity or perhaps limited OPP
portunity, for acknowledgment. They should
take education to the people. Service is
the watchword of the modern library. The
business mems branch of the Newark Lii
brary is an example of this new spirit.
THE furnishing of good reading is now
very generally a public function. II is
one of the many things begun under private
auspices and later taken over by the COM
nunity. Private philanthropy has done its
part well in this and in many other direc-
tions.
For the first few years the Free Library
of Philadelphia was managed by a COM
mittee of the Board of Education. Clearly
this is where the control should have re-
mained. Libraries, after all. are distinctly
part of the educational system and the
drift will be strongly toward placing the
schools and libraries under the central di-
recting agency, utilizing the buildings for
both purposes. and efrecting great savings
in operation and maintenance. Most cities
have gone through the same experience in
separate management, and several are dis
covering that economy and efficiency in edu-
cation demand a simplifcation and unifica-
tion of educational facilities. They are
getting back TO the idea of the founders of
the first library-that 1t was to be supple
mentary to the public school,
In connection with the proposed new char
ter, IL might be well to take the library
out of its present anomalous position in
the department of the Mayor and place It
functionally where 1t belongs"