BY THOMAS L. MONTGOMERY, _Trustee Free Library of Philadelphia_.
When, in the course of human events, it became necessary for our people
to dissolve the political bonds which connected them with another,
pretty much everything was declared a free and an inalienable right with
the exception of the public library. Whether it would have escaped the
attention of that founder of circulating libraries and everything else
that is useful, had it not been a time of extraordinary pressure of
business, or whether he purposely neglected it in the belief that a
people that had expressed such lofty sentiments as to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness might well be trusted to consider such matters
in due time it is not our purpose to discuss. He does not hesitate to
give credit to the libraries in his autobiography for making the common
tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen in other
countries, and for contributing in some degree to the stand so generally
made throughout the colonies in defense of their privileges. It was not
until about 1850 that the desirability of a city library was suggested
to the City Council of Boston by Josiah Quincy, then mayor. The council
cautiously Resolved, "That it would accept any donation from citizens
or others for the purpose of commencing a public city library and that
whenever the library shall be of the value of $30,000 it will be
expedient for the city to provide a suitable place and arrangements to
enable it to be used by the citizens with as great a degree of freedom
as the security of the property will permit." In July, 1852, the
trustees made a report "that in their opinion the finances of the city
will not permit of the erecting of a building and the purchase of an
ample library." They suggest "a moderate expenditure on the part of the
city for the purchase of books and the compensation of a librarian." It
was soon after this that Mr. Bates made his famous gift of $50,000 worth
of books "on condition that the city provide an adequate building which
shall be an ornament to the city." A complete history of this
institution would seem to be the best possible answer which could be
made to the question before us. What can the city do for the free
library. With a magnificent collection of 700,000 books, selected under
the administration of some of the best men who have dignified our
profession, and housed in the most expensive building ever erected by a
city for such a purpose, it would appear that the citizen of Boston
might rightly exclaim "Si monumentum quaeris, circumspice."
The things that can be done by a city are innumerable; what it _ought_
to do and what it _will_ do are perhaps more easily dealt with. Thinking
I might obtain some information on the subject I asked the question of
the librarian of the Free Library of Philadelphia. He settled himself in
his chair and assuming the tone of an oracle said that there were three
things that the city should do for its library. 1. Provide an adequate
appropriation for its maintenance; 2. Provide an extra appropriation for
emergencies; and 3. Provide a special appropriation for some particular
work which the librarian might be particularly interested in at the
time. I asked several other prominent librarians the same question and
their answers were to the same purport--namely, if the city could
furnish sufficient money they felt themselves fully competent to build
up an ideal institution.
We all know as a matter of fact that the strong libraries of the country
have been built up by other means than the mere appropriation of money
by city councils, and it is not unreasonable to mention as the first of
these the librarian. The city should see to it that this individual is a
man (or woman) strong, intellectual and vigorous, without bumptiousness,
which is often mistaken for vigor, and with those qualities which will
procure for him respectful attention from even those who may be opposed
to him. I have often heard addresses made before this Association
bewailing the fact that the city librarian had to deal with certain
political elements which very much hampered him. I should regard this
state of affairs as belonging to the time when the college president was
necessarily a professor of moral philosophy whose duties consisted of
receiving the senior class for one hour a week to discuss Whewell's
"Elements." Such an officer must now be an active administrative power
as well as an intellectual entity to at all meet the modern
requirements, and in like manner the public librarian should deem it a
privilege to meet the representatives of the city government and to have
the opportunity of impressing the needs of his institution upon them.
There is no better test of the capacity of the man for the great work in
which he is engaged.
Speaking practically I would state that in the building up of the
Philadelphia Free Library in which I have taken an active interest, the
political elements have always responded most generously to our
requests, and that the library has been more inconvenienced by the
writings and personal influence of certain well-to-do-citizens upon whom
the word "paternalism" has acted as a nightmare than by any difficulty
with the city government.
While the city should provide means and a proper official to conduct the
institution it should take much more care in the selection of the board
of trustees than is usually the case. They should be representative men,
who not only should be able to assist the librarian in the formation of
an educational institution, but also be able to devote a considerable
amount of time to matters relating to its policy. If the librarian is
not a systematic business man, one of the board or a committee should be
delegated to attend to the financial affairs, as it is absolutely
necessary that the accounts shall be at all times in as good condition
as in the most punctilious business house.
I would also suggest that a certain modesty be observed in the carrying
out of such work by a municipality. It is hard to think of anything that
could be said for this proposition when the magnificent buildings of
Boston, Chicago and Pittsburgh are taken into consideration; but I would
respectfully submit that the feeling of unrest among the great army of
industrial workers throughout the civilized world is growing. With the
tremendous progress in science and industry these people are claiming
that they can see no gain in the position of the common people. This
discontent has manifested itself lately in the opposition of the labor
organizations of certain towns to the munificent proposition made by one
of the most conscientious men who has ever been numbered among the
multimillionaires of the world. While it is not always wise to consider
too seriously the socialistic murmurings of a few negative people, I
submit that it is our duty to consider the effect produced upon the
poorest and most scantily clad patron of our libraries.
It is necessary that the library should be housed in a fireproof
building as soon as possible, and the owners of valuable books will
always choose such an institution for such gifts as they may make. I
believe that the Boston Library has received donations equal to half the
cost of the building since it has been housed in Copley square.
Finally, the city should insist that the library be an educational
institution and not receive its appropriation for recreation mainly. The
extraordinary demand for light fiction in public libraries has led to a
very unsatisfactory condition of affairs, and it is not uncommon to find
300 copies of a new novel necessary to at all meet the demand. There is
every indication that the public library will be furnished with a happy
release from this call upon their resources by the institution of the
Book Lovers' Library which has now extended its branches to all the
important cities. If this system can be extended on good business
principles, the happiness of public libraries would be complete
notwithstanding the slight falling off in circulation that might follow.
The motto of every such institution should be: _Libri libere liberis_,
which being freely translated, means: "A free people should have open
shelves if possible."