A paper that originally appeared in _The Springfield
Republican_, Dec. 1, 1899, and was reprinted in Home
Education Bulletin No. 31 of the University of the State of
New York. The author, Miss M. Anna Tarbell of Brimfield,
Mass.
The use of the word cooperation in connection with the public library
implies that the library is not simply a collection of books, that it is
not a passive institution, a repository of treasure, but an active
institution reaching out to bestow benefits. The library spirit means
not only cooperating with all uplifting forces in the community, but
creating and stimulating such forces. The library spirit seeks to carry
brightness into gray and toilworn lives, to give broad vision in place
of the narrow and distorted view, to awaken generous sympathies and
noble thoughts in place of sordid desires and petty interests. Imbued
with this spirit, the librarian will be a lover of humankind,
sympathetic, earnest, self-sacrificing, a true missionary, enthusiastic
withal and eager to seize upon ways and means by which the library may
more and more be made to enrich human life. But however abundant in
resources the library, and however zealous and efficient the librarian,
there is a limit to the work that can be accomplished on the library
side for the promotion of intellectual life and general culture. There
needs to be a larger and more intelligent demand on the community side
for the supply which the library offers. To stimulate this demand there
is needed the cooperation of those people and those institutions in the
community that possess special opportunities for increasing the use and
influence of the library, or in any way making human life wiser, better
and happier. This cooperation may be both direct and indirect, since all
culture influences are by nature cooperative with that of the library. I
shall dwell specially on the need of stimulating cooperation on the side
of the community, for the reason that the library has already taken the
initiative, and because library privileges are so abundant in
Massachusetts, so freely offered and eagerly extended, without a
proportionate response to these privileges on the part of the public.
While dwelling most upon the importance of its educational influences, I
would not underrate the province of the library in providing
entertainment and recreation, which have their culture value. But the
following are impressive words from the editor of the New England
magazine in its current number: "Education in a democracy is so
fundamental that education may almost be looked upon as another way of
spelling democracy." "We are to consider more carefully the educational
function of everything which affects the mind of the people: the church,
the newspaper, the library, the platform."
Considering cooperation with the library on the part of individuals, we
naturally think first of those who are connected with the library by
virtue of their office, namely, the library trustees. The trustees have
special opportunities for increasing the use and usefulness of the
library on account of their acquaintance with, and influence upon, the
library on one hand, and their daily intercourse with the public on the
other. There has so far come to my notice such assistance by the
trustees as inviting people, specially newcomers, to the library,
carrying books to outlying schools, personal assistance in the library
and collecting historical material for preservation in the library. It
is true that the literal requirements of the office of library trustee
are only those of a conservative nature, just as the duties of the
librarian were formerly considered to be those of the careful custodian,
but as the library spirit gains ground and the conception of the library
as an active mission grows, we may look forward to the day when every
town will be sure of having six or nine persons, as the case may be, not
only engaged in improving the character of the library, but in promoting
its increased and more effective use, a standing committee for the
culture interests of the town. This cooperation will be promoted by
trustees attending the meetings of library clubs, joining the clubs and
assisting them, as well as by giving the librarian every encouragement
to do so, such as granting leave of absence and possibly paying
expenses. The _Library journal_ and _Public libraries_ should be on the
subscription list of every library, and trustees as well as librarian
need to keep informed of progress in the library world.
There are other people in every town who would be willing to assist in
the work of the library, or help people to get books or encourage more
and better reading if asked to do so by the librarian. To seek out such
persons, then, is the duty and opportunity of the librarian in this work
of cooperation. Suggestions regarding "Volunteer aids in library work"
are admirably given in the report of the state library commission for
this year in the bound volume, _Public libraries of Massachusetts_, and
should be read by librarians and trustees and shown to all patrons of
the library who are available for assistance.
Surely the home should cooperate with the library by the example of the
reading habit, and by the direction of the reading of the children;
while it would be an excellent thing for parents to pursue lines of
reading that would keep them in touch with the children's studies. As it
is, I fear librarians will bear out the recent statement of a school
supervisor that "The home is not even inclined to supervise the
children's reading, and, the selection of books being left largely to
themselves, many boys and girls read books not proper for them to read."
The church, the school and the library are institutions which naturally
constitute a triple alliance. Cooperation between the library and the
schools, which has received so much consideration and is being so
rapidly developed, I need not dwell upon. But there is need for
increased cooperation between the church and the library. This
cooperation should be both direct and indirect. Ministers should feel a
responsibility for the intellectual, as well as spiritual, welfare of
the people. They should show that intelligence and breadth of mind make
a better and more efficient Christian, and that the church will become a
greater power if its members read and think. The minister has had
special privileges for his own culture, and he has peculiar
opportunities for recommending books, guiding library taste, and
directly increasing the use of the library. There should be some kind of
study club connected with every church, and those young people who have
finished their school course should be taught their moral obligation to
cultivate their God-given mental powers and grow in intelligence and
wisdom.
To advance the special interests of the church along intellectual
lines, the library should be provided with books that will improve
Sunday school work, aid in the study of the Bible, and the growth of
intelligence on religious subjects. It should be provided with up to
date histories of Bible times in the light of archeological discoveries,
with works of modern reverent scholarship concerning the Bible, and
books which record the development of religious thought. Much excellent
study is being done by members of the women's missionary societies. It
is very desirable that these women cooperate with the librarian in the
selection of standard works revealing conditions in the countries
studied.
Among organizations, women's clubs have probably done the most to assist
library interests. This is especially true in some of the western
states, notably in Wisconsin. Literary and other study clubs which
prevail in New England are certainly in their nature cooperative with
the library, while they might be of more direct assistance to it. The
library, of course, should give these societies all possible
encouragement and help. The clubs will react favorably on the library in
creating a demand for books which will improve the character of the
accessions to the library. Where a study club does not exist, the
librarian should help to form one. It is possible that there is a
tendency to exclusiveness in women's literary clubs. If the number limit
keeps out those desirous of joining, or those who need encouragement in
literary interest, a branch club for their benefit should be formed.
Besides working for their own improvement, the members of study clubs
should have a missionary spirit and should feel a responsibility for the
intellectual welfare of the town. A woman's literary club is capable of
being a strong ally of the public library.
The newly developing local history societies and the public library are
naturally allied, and promise to be of increasing mutual benefit. The
library should buy town histories and books needed by the historical
society, while the latter will contribute to the library records, maps
and published memorials. Further, the historical society, by sustaining
lectures in which the principles of colonial development are illustrated
by local annals, should develop a perception and interest which will be
manifested in a demand for volumes of history now lying dusty on the
library shelves.
The grange is another organization whose objects affiliate it with the
library, since the grange movement is an important culture movement.
There is opportunity for more active cooperation between the library and
the grange. The grange, and also the farmers' clubs, should be asked to
recommend the best works upon agriculture, while the lecturer of the
grange and the committee of the farmers' clubs should confer in advance
with the librarian as to material needed in carrying out their literary
programs. More than one other organization might be mentioned which
would help the library and be helped by it through increased
cooperation, thereby extending the influence of both. It is the sense of
obligation and responsibility that needs to grow.
The public press is an agency which certainly ought to be a firm ally of
the public library, cooperating with it directly and indirectly.
Newspapers should be ever ready to give space to any matter that will
bring the library to the attention of the public, and they should also
keep the public informed of progress in library interests. Deeper than
this, the press should constantly exemplify and teach culture ideals,
the true mission of journalism.
The hope of stimulating greater cooperation between the community and
the public library seems to me to lie largely in the library club or,
better, library association, movement. First, local library clubs should
increase in number, becoming more truly local, thus exerting a stronger
influence upon the libraries in the section represented and coming into
closer relation with the community. The membership should include people
who are neither librarians nor trustees, but whose sense of
responsibility will be awakened as their interest is increased. The
district represented should not be so large as to prevent meetings being
frequently held in the same vicinity. These local clubs should be in
close relation with the state club or association, and the state library
commission. The local clubs will do the actual close work, while having
the support, advice and assistance of the state club and state
commission. The local clubs will give information as to conditions and
needs, and will be agencies for the application of progressive ideas.
The study of conditions, of what may be called the environment of
libraries, comes within the province of library-club work. The study of
the conditions and needs of the small towns and rural communities is of
leading importance. From what other source except from the library
movement with a greater development of its possibilities is help for
those towns to come? The initiative in personal effort to give
advantages for want of which some of the small towns are suffering has
been taken by the women's education association in the loan of their
traveling libraries accompanied by personal visits and the study of
conditions and needs.
But there is another want besides that of books in the small villages
and towns. There is needed not only the printed page, but the speaking
voice, the influence of personality through lectures. A story from
experience will illustrate this need. A few years ago there was held in
our town an exhibition of antiquities which awakened intense interest on
the part of old and young. This interest made a good opportunity for the
study of colonial history, which a few of us carried on. Certain books
not in our library were needed, although the library is a good one and
well equipped in American history. Our want came to the knowledge of
Miss Chandler, chairman of the library committee of the woman's
education association, and out of this grew, another year, a special
library lent to us upon American history which formed a valuable
supplement to the works contained in our library in that department. At
both times, when we had the exhibition and when we received the
traveling library (which we still possess, having bought the books) I
realized the opportunity and need of lectures. What a strong combination
the group would have made--the exhibition, the working library, a
lecture course. This would have been in reality an adaptation of the
idea of university extension, which I believe could be developed by the
library club movement. Each town would have its standing library
committee composed of members of the local library club, and several
towns in the district represented by the club would form a convenient
circuit. But if this scheme, which I believe to be feasible, can not be
immediately developed or applied, there should be no delay on the part
of those interested in library work in Massachusetts in considering some
plan of promoting popular education, the leading object today of library
work, through lectures of some kind, if not sustained courses having
continuity of subject.
Two difficulties meet this need of lectures in the smaller and poorer
towns and in many villages, that of the expense of securing the best
talent (and nothing short of excellent ability will serve), and that of
knowing where to find available speakers. The last difficulty can be met
by organizing a committee who will search out those who can be secured
to speak under the auspices of the libraries of the small towns. A plan
for bringing the expense within the means of the people of those towns
might also be developed. One source of help might be found in the
increase of the powers of the state library commission. In Wisconsin the
efficiency and powers of the state commission have been extended by the
passage of a bill through the legislature increasing the appropriation
awarded the commission and adding to its duties. The commission is
empowered to hold library institutes in various parts of the state, and
to encourage the growth of study clubs connected with the traveling
libraries. To carry out the duties of the commission, among which is
mentioned "to aid in building up a better system of popular education,"
the additional sum of $3500 is awarded to the commission. Why should not
Massachusetts aid in building up a better system of popular education by
helping to provide speakers for the smaller villages and towns where
needed, thus supplementing and aiding the work of the public libraries?
It is possible that a beginning could be made through the establishment
of library institutes. If it should be considered wise to establish
library institutes in this state, as important a feature of them as
instruction in library matters would be lectures for the public on
literary and educational subjects of a popular nature. The first step to
be taken is for a committee representing the three existing library
clubs and the Massachusetts library commission to consider what plans
are most feasible, not only for the improvement of library work, but
also for increasing the intelligent and effective use of the library by
creating new ideals of popular education in the community, and thus
bring about cooperation in its deepest sense.