Miss PLUMMER deprecated any desire to make a comparison between foreign
and American libraries. They served so different a purpose, for the most
part, that comparison was impossible. Libraries, like systems of
education, were an outcome of the history, of the race-temperament and
characteristics, and of the social conditions of a people. And it was
according to one's point of view whether such a comparison would be
favorable to one side or the other. One thing seemed almost
predicable--that, wherever democracy was making its way, there the
library supported by the people and for the use of the people had a
tendency to appear patterned more or less after those of England and
America.
English libraries were not touched upon, but the leading collections of
Germany, France and Italy were briefly described. At the Bayreuth and
Nuremberg libraries books were secured without formality, and all
privileges were extended to the visiting colleague, with entire
trustingness and fraternity. In Italy more formality was required, the
libraries being government institutions for reference use, but courtesy
and a desire to be of service prevailed throughout. Considering the
question, "What do people do who want to read fiction in Italy--the same
people who are always wanting the new novels in this country?" Miss
Plummer said: "Apparently, these people do not exist in sufficiently
large numbers to be considered in the libraries. If a work of note comes
out, such as a new novel by d'Annunzio or Fogazzaro, it can be had at
the book shops in paper for two lire or two and a half, _i.e._, 40 to 50
cents, and people buy it and lend it. In some of the little book shops
books circulate for a small fee, but not by any means the best class of
books. The government libraries may purchase the novels of such authors
as those I have mentioned, but they do not make haste about it, and in
one library (a municipal, circulating library) no book can go out that
has not been in the library's possession three months. The novel-reading
class is chiefly composed of visiting or resident English and Americans,
and in all Italian cities of any size there is a subscription library
where books in English can be had."
At Florence, when one discovers the large and enterprising subscription
library which the Viesseux, father and son, have carried on for several
generations, one's troubles in getting books seem ended, for they have
all the books that the government libraries cannot and do not buy--a
large subscription list of periodicals, open shelves, late books
separated from the rest, and they will get what one asks for if they
haven't it already. If American publishers sent their lists regularly to
Viesseux one would probably find more American books there. Further than
this, one's subscription entitles one to a book or books by mail to any
place in Italy or in the surrounding countries where one may be staying.
Of the Florentine libraries, the Marucellian is the nearest our ideal of
a modern reference library in its collections as in its methods. It has,
as its chief field of purchase, the best modern books in belles-lettres,
and as it is open in the evening its rooms are often crowded with
students and readers until closing time. It has a card catalog by
subjects and a duplicate card catalog of part of the collection of the
National Library of Florence; a ms. catalog in book form by author,
which is accessible to readers; a room set apart for women students,
with a woman, a university graduate, to preside over it. The National
Library is a much greater collection and older, in its 87 rooms; and its
periodical room is the most modern of all, with its magazines from all
countries, even our own _Harper_ and _Century_ showing their familiar
faces on the racks. A special room here is devoted to the catalogs,
which were partly in ms. book form and partly on cards, and students
were always searching the pages or the cards without let or hindrance.
At Rome the Victor Emanuel Library had a small room shelved with the
Leyden catalogs, in constant consultation. As in most of the government
libraries, there was a table reserved for women, though it did not seem
to be much used.
Among the Paris libraries described were the Ste. Geneviève, the
Sorbonne, and one of the ward or "arondissement" libraries. The latter
was in the Mairie, and open at 8 p.m. only. The books were in floor
cases, with a counter between them and the people, and on the counter
lay small pamphlet finding lists. It is not hard to keep these up to
date, since the libraries themselves are far from being so, and new
books are not often added. The librarian, who had some other occupation
during the day and served here in the evening, to add a trifle to his
income, got books and charged them in a book as people asked for them.
Use of the library was permitted only after obtaining as guarantor a
citizen living in the same arondissement with the would-be borrower.
While this kind of library is of course much better than none, and the
situation in Paris is that much better than in Italian cities, the fact
that the hours of opening are only in the evening is a barrier to much
usefulness. On the other hand, a library to each arondissement is a fair
allowance, and no one has to go very far to reach his library. For the
most part they are patronized by the small tradesmen of the neighborhood
and their families. A large proportion of our reading public is missing
from these municipal libraries--they buy their own books, in paper, at
the department stores, and make no use whatever of the government
libraries or of these small circulating centers.
In conclusion, Miss Plummer said: "If I were asked what sort of library
was most needed in France and Italy, I should say first _good_ libraries
for children and young people. The children of these countries read
earlier than ours, the language presenting fewer difficulties of
spelling and pronunciation, and many of them are fond of reading. Good
material is not plentiful, and what there is the child has no help in
getting hold of. Bad reading there is in abundance, in the shape of
so-called comic papers, etc., at every turn and for an infinitesimal
price. One is ready to say that it is better not to know how to read
than to be induced by one's knowledge to make such acquaintance as
this."