The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-03-04

I'm the issue OF February 26th
OF the Diamond Drill we note two al
lusions to the question OF greater
public use OF the school library. There
is of course an implication that the
school authorities are not doing all
est service from our school plant. Be
fore judgment Is passed, we feel that
certain facts not apparently fully un-
derstood should be submitted.
In the first place. II has, for num-
Der OF years, been the judgment OF the
School Board and School Faculty that
public library, allied perhaps with
the school library, yet in part at least
separated from the school library,
should be provided for our city. With
this distinctly I'm view in 1910 a COM
mittee OF the School Board, accompan-
led by the Superintendent and the
State Librarian, visited the city coun-
ell and solicited their cooperation.
The proposition was that the city
should furnish the building site, Mr..
Carnegie should be solicited for the
| funds TO erect and furnish the build
ing, and the School Board should fin
ance the furnishing of books and the
the care and keep Of the library The
arrangement was practically conclud-
ed with Mr.. Carnegie, but, the city
Council failing TO secure the site, the
matter was dropped
Now, while the school authorities
are and ever have been in full accord
with the idea Of the largest possible
use Of our library, yet there are points
for serious consideration as TO wheth-
er under existing conditions Il were
wise TO attempt TO open in a general
way to the public, both day and even
ing, the school library as now consti-
tuted and situated Here are a few
facts for consideration.
We have an excellent reference lib
rary which might well serve both
school and public but the history Of
the circulation Of books from public
libraries is that a very large proper
ton OF books drawn and demanded in
communities like ours is i'm no way
suited TO school children and students
The lighter current fiction has abso-
lutely no place In the hands Of pupils
In selecting our library books we have
had constantly IN mind the cultivation
Of taste for good literature With
out any undue reflection, we may
safely declare that our present selec-
ton OF books would interest only a
small portion Of the public at large.
We could not possibly sanction mix
ing into this school library any mater
ial which would be questionable for
our boys and girls TO illustrate, We
noted but few days since, the pub
lished list OF new books purchased for
school library, and in this list was
| the title Of a book notoriously unfit for
boys and girls. We assume, however,
that Il was purchased In Ignorance
We have perhaps rs to 100 books in
current fiction which might interest
the general public az well as our older
boys and girls In high school. bur the
number Is so limited that we are not
nearly able 10 supply the demands of
our pupils.
This brings us 20 the point OF con
sideration OF the limited funds hither
to at our command. In 1914 we receiv-
ed from the County Treasurer for lib
rary purposes S46S.25; in 1915, S47S.-
OS So freely are our books circulat-
ed among our pupils. and through
them in the homes, that II costs us
annually nearly 10000 for rebinding
and az much more for the replacement
OF books actually worn out Thus II
will be seen that In proportion to our
growing demands we have after all
had available but limited amount for
the purchase OF books and magazines
Indeed. we have many times denied
ourselves reference and other books
actually needed, in order 20 keep with
in the legitimate library funds. We
have, therefore, up TO date boeen re
ceiving scarcely funds enough to sup
ply. the school needs Had we made
any special attempt 10 supply the
larger needs Of the adult public, an
added tax levy would have been neces-
sary
Were the present prospect for add
ed fines land from the penal fines
comes our library fund.-. the public
might we'll demand that some means
be taken TO enlarge our library and adj
just Il to the general needs; but this
at best would appear to be an uncer-
tain prospect In any case. none OF the
A. ~