This paper by Wm. E. Foster, Librarian of the Providence
Library, appears in the double number of _The Library
Journal_ for September-October, 1880. Written forty years
ago it is more advanced from the standpoint of
socialization, especially as regards group-action, than some
pronouncements that one might hear to-day. A sketch of Mr.
Foster appears in Vol. I. of this series.
This mainly resolves itself into a consideration of direct and indirect
methods. The one attempts only to supply the public with what it wants;
the other, striving after the truest improvement of the readers, in time
secures, with the growth of intelligent appreciation, an interest even
more active, and vastly more permanent, than the other. No library may
safely disregard either class of methods, and their proper adjustment is
a point which may very profitably engage much of the librarian's
attention.
It is true that the first of these is not likely to escape his
attention. "What the public wants" is a consideration which will meet
him frequently, from one end of the year to the other. No one needs to
be told, for instance, that the public wants to be amused. Doubtless the
class of books described as "humorous" would constitute, to a large body
of readers in any one of our cities, the true ideal of a collection of
books. The taste for imaginative literature begins early and lasts long,
with a large number of readers. "Something new" is a phrase whose
attractiveness is not far from universal. Still further, if it is a
question between a "true account," which deals with stirring adventures,
and another "true account," whose pages are devoted to an impassive
statement of scientific facts, there is not much question which will
find the most readers among the general public. "What the public wants,"
then, as regards the choice of books, while it certainly does not
indicate a high degree of enlightenment, has perhaps the merit of being
true to nature.
There are certain points of administration, also, in which the interest
of the public is concerned. It is in favor of having the library as near
its place of residence as possible; and here, unfortunately, "the
public" is a plural personage which cannot all be suited at once. It is
in favor of that method of obtaining the privileges of the library which
requires the least trouble and inconvenience on its part, and seldom
sees the need of a careful verification of the applicant's identity. It
is in favor of the fewest restrictions on access to the books, and on
the time for keeping them. It is in favor, decidedly, of that "charging
system" which will deliver the book soonest. It is in favor of finding
the library open on all days and at all hours, sometimes even not
regarding the specified hours announced as worthy of consideration. In
short, while it is by no means difficult to persuade the public of the
reasonableness of a particular restriction, yet its first thought is
undeniably largely influenced by selfish considerations.
Nor is the larger part of the public any more fond of bestowing deep and
painstaking thought upon the books which it reads, and of carrying the
mind systematically through a complicated mental process. It is not
improbable that some readers would be glad of some method of using books
which should save them the trouble of any mental process. And, while
these readers are so much averse to any troublesome efforts toward
improvement on their own part, it would be scarcely reasonable to look
for any very intelligent supervision by them of the reading of their
children, or of the pupils in the schools. Here, again, what the public
wants is "the royal road"--some "short and easy method."
That library, then, which would awaken and develop a lively interest
among its readers in the miscellaneous public, cannot certainly complain
of a lack of methods by which to secure such interest. It may include in
its selection of books a suitable percentage of fiction, and humorous
works. It may infuse "new blood" into the library by frequent and
regular purchase of the latest publications. It may add largely to the
department of voyages and travels, of books copiously illustrated,--of
popular literature, in short. It may place its main building in the
center of population, and establish branches for the accommodation of
outlying localities. It may recognize the desirableness of "the least
red tape" in registering readers, of open book-shelves, of expeditious
serving of readers, and long periods of time for the use of the library
and the retention of books. It may furnish its readers with explanations
and directions for obtaining and using the books which shall require the
least difficulty in understanding and applying them. It may, and it
should, recognize the value of all these principles, and the library
which fails to act on them does so at its peril. Yet these points do not
comprise all that demand attention; and the effectiveness of even these
is due to the limits which are set to them. A certain amount of fiction
is well enough, but to enlarge this department at the expense of all
others would clearly defeat the library's purpose. Diminution of
restrictions in the use of books is certainly agreeable to the public,
but the removal of all restrictions would result in such a loss of books
as would soon work its own cure.
The question, "What does the public want?" is not the only, nor, in
fact, the chief question to be borne in mind in the conduct of a
library. One has only to keep his eyes open to see how suggestive as to
methods is this other question: "Of what service may the library be?"
And it is safe to say that one who has not given the subject attention
will be surprised to find at how many points a collection of books, and
the thought there contained, touch human life. Here is a machine-shop
with its hundred or more workmen, many of whom are anxious to study some
mechanical work. The library has such works, and is glad to supply them.
Here again is a society of natural history, whose members are
systematically studying some department of natural science. To them,
also, the library willingly offers its resources in that department.
With no less willingness it offers its cooperation to those who are
following a course of public lectures on some topic of political science
or of art, to a college class studying topically some epoch of history
or period of literature; or to a public-school teacher, with a class in
geography; or a parent desiring some suitable reading for a child. Or,
with no specified class of persons in view, it seeks to make its
collection generally available, by regular references to its resources
on matters of current and universal interest.
Much more effective, however, than the best of such attempts at reaching
classes of readers will be the aid rendered to individual readers. Not
general and indefinite, but specific and direct assistance, is here
given, and, although at first this kind of work might seem to be
impracticable in a large library, yet one who tries it will be
interested to see how far such individual methods may be introduced. The
librarian almost mechanically learns "to pigeon-hole" in his mind the
peculiar tastes and lines of reading of single readers, and, when the
occasion presents itself, can bring to their notice books and articles
which they are glad to obtain. More than one librarian makes it a
regular practice, in adding new books to the library or in collecting
material bearing upon some one topic, to drop a postal to this and that
reader who, he knows, will be glad of just this information. The more
the conducting of a library can be made an individual matter, bringing
particular books to the notice of particular readers, the more effective
it becomes.
It remains to consider what may be called the "general effect" of such
individual efforts, continued from one year to another. They will
certainly result in giving the public a large amount of assistance.
Being exerted in connection with the whole community, they cannot fail
to leave an influence, like the school, the church, or the
newspaper,--an influence moreover, which, if wisely directed, and
intelligently shaped, will make the public library idea appreciably felt
in the civilization of the country.
Nor can it fail to have a reflex influence in securing the interest of
the public. If methods of the former class were able, by their direct
agency, to accomplish practical results, even more significant and more
permanent are those reached indirectly by this method. No class of
people will be so truly attached to the institution, by active interest,
as those who feel that they have been personally aided and improved
through its agency. The former methods are directly adapted to secure
popularity, the latter to win gratitude; and if it should ever become
necessary to choose one of these, at the expense of the other, there can
be little room for hesitation. The growth of public sentiment in
communities like Boston and Worcester, where public libraries have been
administered on these principles, and with these ends in view, for a
series of years, is very instructive. Public sentiment, like confidence,
is "a plant of slow growth"; but experience shows that when the
conviction has once thoroughly penetrated a community that an
institution like this is sincerely aiming to serve the public, a hold on
its sympathy and interest has been acquired not easily to be shaken. It
should be the aim of each librarian to make the usefulness of his
institution so manifest that the public will as soon think of dispensing
with the post-office as with the library.