Why Public Libraries? S. Schneider

Ticknor believed in the library's potential as a means of restraining the Mr. Schneider recently obtained his Master's degree in Library and Information Science from St. Johns University. He is a member of the State Committee of the Free libertarian Party of New York. 534 "dangerous classes" and inhibiting the chances of unscrupulous politicians who would lead the ignorant astray, which explains his insistence that the library be as popular in appeal as possible. 1 However, the ignorant do not use public libraries and, to this day, still elect politicians of dubious qualifications. The public library movement grew at a steady pace with the aid of Andrew Carnegie's program to dis pose of his surplus wealth by provid ing free public library buildings to communities which would stock them with books and maintain them in perpetuity with tax funds. There was a notable effort on the part of enterprising communities to secure Carnegie library buildings.

Nearly 2,000 such structures were made possible in this way.2 1976 WHY PUBLIC LIBRARIES? 535 During 30 years after 1865 the Car negie gifts ran their course, and the free public library became an object of pride throughout the land. It was distinctly an American institution. 3 The argument in favor of public libraries is that they provide a place to obtain information and recrea tional reading that the users cannot afford on their own. The taxpayers underwri te the costs. The "Public Library" which we are to consider is established by state laws, is supported by local taxation or voluntary gifts, is managed as a public trust, and every citizen of the city or town which maintains it has an equal share in its privileges of reference and circulation. 4 But is there any public library which serves the entire public which pays for its upkeep? A study was made in 1950 of the users of public libraries. It found that: Most of the book reading is done by a small minority of the people. More than half the adults of the library live within a mile of a public library yet only one fifth of them visited a public library during the year preceding this survey, and only a tenth averaged as much as a visit a month. 5 A 1975 Gallup survey of adult use ofthe public library came to similar conclusions.

. . . only a substantial minority of Ameri can adults makes regular use of the public library ... The better educated, white collar and professional classes and the young use the public library more than their opposites. Book lending ser vices are seen as the most common function of the public library.6 Public libraries, like other public services, were established by well meaning citizens who assumed that the "public" wanted these services and were willing to pay taxes to support them. But there are those who disagree. Writing in Library Journal, Michael Harris questions the notion that the public library was established in answer to public demand: It is commonly believed that the origins of the public library movement testify to the power of popular democracy in this country. And yet, everyone knows that historically only a very small portion of the eligible users have ever crossed the threshold of a public library. 7 The First, in 1833 Peters borough, New. Hampshire was the first town to pass a public library law in 1833. In 1849 New Hampshire passed the first statewide act providing for the es tablishment of public libraries. Up until 1833 the only linraries in existence were private university libraries, church libraries, society and subscription libraries, and mer cantile and mechanics libraries .

The users of these libraries were students, the clergy and their parishioners, clerks and appren tices, and those people who were 536 THE FREEMAN September in terested enough in furthering their education to join a subscrip tion or society library. Prior to 1850, public tax supported libraries as we know them today were nearly nonexistent. The nearest approx imation were the subscription and social libraries which were voluntary associa tions of individuals for the purpose of buying books to be jointly owned by all those who belonged. 8 In the introduction to the 1876 report the Bureau of Education acknowledges the importance of the private libraries in existence. It will, of course, be understood that no attempt has been made to collect information respecting private libraries. While a multitude of these libraries exist, thousands of which are of great value, some rivaling in completeness, in special departments of knowledge, even the collections of leading public libr aries, it would be impracticable, if otherwise expedient, for the general government to gather and present rea sonably complete and satisfactory infor mation respecting them. 9 The 1870 census attempted this task, and although acknowledging that its figures were not complete, estimated that of 163,353 libraries containing 44,539, 184 volumes 107,673 were private libraries con taining 25,571,503 volumes.I° Had public libraries not materi alized, I do not doubt that private libraries would have been able to handle all the needs of their users.

All in all by 1850, 1064 libraries had been established in New England alone. In the services they gave, these institu tions f<;>llowed modern library practice; they bought the books their members wanted, allowed them to be circulated for a, month or so, and instituted fines for violation of the rules. In their later development they branched out into special libraries for mercantile clerks, mechanics, children, ladies, lyceum audiences, farmers, factory workers, law yers, and music lovers. This was a library system of a sort, and it is probable that almost every serious reader could get access to what books were in his community. 11 Many of these libraries went rout of business for various reasons. Some were forced to close because, due to low literacy rates and few leisure hours, there was a limit to the clientele they could attract, and could not afford to stay open. Others, after 1850, could not afford to compete with tax-supported libr aries and were absorbed into the public library system. However, while they existed, they fulfilled the services their users required of them. Why then public libraries?

Public Libraries in Trouble Today the public libraries are in a crisis. The 1960's, in which funds were liberally handed out for all kinds of library projects, have been replaced by the 1970's, in which many municipalities are on the edge of bankrul?tcy. All across the 1976 WHY PUBLIC LIBRARIES? 537 u.s. the taxpayer has had enough. The taxpayers are resisting higher taxes at a time when inflation is increasing the cost of government services. All agencies of govern ment are competing for the same money, and libraries are on the bottom of the agency totem pole. Although everyone is taxed to sup port the library, only a small percen tage use it regularly. Unlike the schools, the libraries have no law that com pels people to use their services. Library budgets are being slashed, personnel fired, and branches closed. Librarians, trying to negotiate the labyrinth of gov ernment to lobby for more tax money, are finding the whole pro cess frustrating and tedious.

Marilyn Gell describes the process in Library Journal. In seeking funding for a cooperative library project, for instance, it is neces sary not only to obtain a consensus from the libraries involved, but agency approval as well. The process can some times take several months, involve several policy committees composed of pumerous politicians, and can be an exhausting experience. 12 And no matter how valid the argu ments for your project, or how well they are documented, who you know is usually more irnportant than what you know; this is how things get done in the political arena. "Access to those individuals who interpret policy is valuable indeed:'13 As an example of the irrationality of government policy, the following appeared in aNew York Daily News editorial: City Hall geniuses have an Alice in Wonderland explanation for a decision to close three existing libraries while proceeding with construction of five new ones.

Their argument is that the actions are unrelated; capital funds are available for building new facilities, while the padlocking of already-operating libr aries is dictated by lack of expense budget money for staffing. But once the projected new branches are completed they will have to be manned. And if the city can't find the money to run the libraries now, where will it get the dough to operate five others later on? Or shouldn't we expect our officials to look ahead? 14 A Shortsighted View As evidenced by the state of the economy today, we see that govern ment officials do not look beyond the short range effects of their actions, that is, beyond the next election. Any business that tried to operate along these lines would find itself quickly bankrupt. The only thing that keeps local governments from going out of business is their sup posedly unlimited source of funds: taxes. But the climate is changing, the money reservoir is beginning to 538 THE FREEMAN September dry up. If librarians will look to the future they must realize that they cannot continue depending on gov ernment funds. What is the alterna tive?

Assuming no public libraries, where will people go to obtain reading matter for entertainment and information? Since 1850 there has been a revolution in the print ing industry. Due to higher literacy, and more leisure time, and a large class of people willing and able to buy books, there is a market for hundreds of thousands of books in inexpensive editions. Back then, books were few and far between, expensive to produce and purchase. Nowadays people do not have to be wealthy to have their own personal library. The paperback reprint industry has brought many books within everyone's reach. For more expensive hardcover books, the needs of readers can be taken care of by rental libraries. Some bookstores now have rental libraries as part of their operation. Without public libr aries, bookstores and other service type businesses would fill the vacuum for providing recreational reading. Some libraries now produce cable TV programs. It is possible to reverse this trend and have cable TV companies operating libraries as a service to their subscribers, with the subscribers and the library being in the same relationship as an on -line terminal user to acorn puter.

The reference services of public libraries can be converted to profit making information services. With the rise of computerized on-line data services which charge their users for the information they pro vide, this is already becoming a reality. Today the demand for cur rent information has mushroomed and only computers will be able to handle the increased traffic. On-line terminals are becoming a familiar part of a library's reference depart ment. Public libraries cannot afford to provide these services without charging their users for them. The Economics of Fact-Finding Information is valuable and scarce. In a world of ever-increasing dependence on information it is unrealistic, therefore, to insist on providing such a good free to all comers. Eugene Garfield, chairman of the Information Industry Association, testifying before the National Commission on Library and Information Science, said: User based charges must inevitably prevail. .. inform ation is the result of economic effort and its costs must be borne by someone. The depression type psychology that dominated library training cultivated the concept that library service should be free ... any thing you get for nothing is of question able value. Charge, and your service is better appreciated ... The existence of an already large information industry 1976 WHY PUBLIC LIBRARIES? 539 supports the assertion that the buyer of information is prepared to pay for those services he learns to respect. 15 There are many private libraries already in existence to meet the needs of scholarly researchers. The Henry E. Huntington Library in California was established as a free public research library open to qualified scholars for investigation and reference use and supported entirely by an initial endowment by Henry Huntington plus grants and gifts by others over the years.

Another example is the Henry Clay Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., housing a collec tion of the social and intellectual history of England from the inven tion of printing to about 1700, open to all scholars who have a serious problem requiring use of the materi als. Add to these the numerous private college and university libraries housing special collections of use to the researcher, from the small col lege with a history of its community to Harvard University,which rivals in size the national libraries of Great Britain and France. One library of special note is the Boston Athenaeum, founded in Boston in 1807 by selling shares in the library as well as annual and lifetime subscriptions. In 1853 it successfully fought off a move to incorporate it into the Boston Pub lic Library and today is still an important private institution. In 1907 the Athenaeum celebrated its centennial.

Throughout all its various changes, the Athenaeum has represented what was best in Boston. The "golden age" of New England literature grew with it and ever within its walls. Its traditions are a part of life, and are passed on from father to son. Because its ideals have been high the Athenaeum has appealed to men who lead as well as those who follow. And with their continued support success in the future seems assured.16 There are also special libraries for all types of non-fiction materials provided by various corporations and trade associations which will provide answers to questions asked of them and will open their libraries to people doing research on their special subjects. Improved Service Private libraries would be more responsi ve to the needs of their users. Instead of being open during the day only, as is now the case in many libraries, these libraries would be open when the users needed them, nights and weekends, and early in the morning. As was the case in the early 1800's, special libraries would develop to serve the needs of special classes of users. A children's library run by librarians specializing in children's librarian ship; a local fiction society catering to the wants of its members; there 540 THE FREEMAN September are many possibilities. People are so used to depending on the govern ment to get things done they forget how to do things for themselves.

Now is the time to start consid ering an alternative to public libr aries. A first step is to have public libraries· charge .fees for their ser vices. The next step is to offer the libraries. for sale, preferably intact, after passing a law that prevents the use of government funds for the establishment or maintenance of libraries. The next time a proposal for increased property taxes is put forth in your community to pay for li orary services, ask yourself if we really need public libraries. I) - FOOTNOTES 1 Barris, Michael, "The Purpose of the American Public' Library, A Revisionist Inter pretation of History," Library Journal. 98:2510. Sept. 15, 1974. 2 Lester, Robert M., "The Carnegie Cor poration and the Library Renaissance in the South," Wilson Library Bulletin. 31:255-9, Nov. 1956. 3 Ibid. Herbert Spencer 4 U.S. Bureau of Education, Public Libr aries in the U.S.; 1876 Report. Government Printing Office. 1876. p. 147.

5 Campbell, Angus and Metner, Charles A., Public Use of the Library; and other sources of information. University of Michigan Press. Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1950. p. 1. 6 Eberhart, W. Lyle, "A Closer Look: Gallup Survey of American Adults Assesses the Role of Libraries in America," American Libraries. 7:206. April 1976. 7 Harris. Michael, op. cit.. p. 2509. 8 Harris, Michael, ed., Reader in Ameri can Library History. NCR Microcard, Washington, D.C., 1971, p. 45. 9 U.S. Bureau of Education, op. cit.. p. xvii. 10 US. Census of Population and Social Statistics. 18'70. p. 472. 473. 11 Gareau, Oliver, The Public Library in the Political Process, Columbia University Press. N.Y. 1949, p. 16. 12 Gell. Marilyn. "The Politics of Cooper ation," Library Journal. 98:3230, Nov. 1973. 13 Ibid., p. 3229. 14 "Two Different Worlds," New. York Daily News, Oct. 17. 1974, p. 61. 15 "I1A Urges User Fees For Libraries in NCLIS Testimony," Am~rican Libraries. 4:335, June 1973.

16 The Athenaeum Centenary: The inf luence and history of the Boston Athenaeum 1807-1907. by the staff of the Boston Athenaeum, Gregg Press, Boston, 1972, reprint of 1907 ed., p. 56. IDEAS ON LIBERTY THE MORE NUMEROUS public instrumentalities become, the more is there generated in citizens the notion that everything is to be done for them, and nothing by them. Every generation is made less familiar with the attainment of desired ends by individual actions or private agencies; until, eventually, governmental agencies come to be thought of as the only available agencies.