Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Chapter XV The Older Libraries of English Towns, and Their Management By Munic
- Chapter XVI The Parochial and Quasi-Parochial Libraries of England
- Chapter XVII The History of The “Public Libraries Acts” of 1850 and 1855
- Chapter XVIII The Working of The Public Libraries Acts of 1850 and 1855
- Appendix to Volume I
- Part The First. History of Libraries (Continued.)
- Book IV. The Libraries of The United States of America
- Book V. The Modern Libraries of Continental Europe
Chapter VI - The Public School and District Libraries of The United States
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 August 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Chapter XV The Older Libraries of English Towns, and Their Management By Munic
- Chapter XVI The Parochial and Quasi-Parochial Libraries of England
- Chapter XVII The History of The “Public Libraries Acts” of 1850 and 1855
- Chapter XVIII The Working of The Public Libraries Acts of 1850 and 1855
- Appendix to Volume I
- Part The First. History of Libraries (Continued.)
- Book IV. The Libraries of The United States of America
- Book V. The Modern Libraries of Continental Europe
Summary
The glory and happiness of a Community consists in vigorous efforts, springing from Love, sustained by Faith, for The diffusion through all classes of Intelligence, of Self-respect, of Self-control, of thirst for Knowledge, and for Moral and Religious Growth.
… It is a plain truth, and yet how little understood, that The greatest thing in a City is Man himself. He is its End. “We admire its palaces; but The mechanic who builds Them is greater than those palaces…. You talk of The prosperity of your City. I know but one true prosperity. Does The Human Soul grow and prosper here? —
CHANNING, (The obligation of a Cityetc. 1841.)In addition to The various classes of Libraries which have been already enumerated , many of The States have School and District Libraries, more or less completely organized, but in most cases having a direct connection with The Common School legislation of The State to which They belong.
In The Twelfth Report of The Secretary of The Board of Education of Massachusetts(November, 1848), it is stated that The Then number of volumes in The Public School Libraries of that State was 91,539; and Their estimated value 42,707 dollars (£8540). “It would be difficult,” it is added, “to mention any way in which million of dollars could be more beneficially expended than in supplying The requisite apparatus and Libraries for our Common Schools.”
The School districts throughout The State of NewYork are furnished with Libraries out of funds annually appropriated (since 1838) by law to that purpose. The number of volumes in These Libraries was, in 1844, 1,145,250; in 1845, 1,203,139; in 1846, 1,310,986; and in 1847, 1,338,848 volumes. “Selections for The District Libraries are made from The whole range of literature and science, with The exception of controversial books, political or religious. History, Biography, Poetry, Philosophy, Fiction, indeed every department of human knowledge, contributes its share to The ‘District School Library’ ..... These Libraries are not so much for The benefit of children attending school as for those who have completed Their Common School education. Its main design was to throw into school districts, and to place within The reach of all The inhabitants, a collection of good works on subjects calculated to enlarge Their understandings, and store thier minds with useful knowledge.“
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- Information
- Memoirs of LibrariesIncluding a Handbook of Library Economy, pp. 237 - 240Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1859