THE
LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

An Address before the
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION
March 5, 1 9 1 2

By

WILLIAM F. YUST
LIBRARIAN
LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Louisville, Kentucky
1912

THE KENTUCKY
BOOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY
3 1 9 W. GREEN STREET, LOUISVILLE, KY.

UNSURPASSED AS MAKERS AND BINDERS
OF BOOKS

Regular binders to ten public libraries and numerous
private institutions. Bound 7 5 0 8 volumes last year
for the

LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

THE LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
In his Philosophy of Education, H. H. Home mentions five
great agencies of civilization, the home, the school, the vocation,
the state, and the church. QEach of tihese reveals man as a social
being and through them he gradually enlarges his field of
relationship with other beings.
In the home the individual comes in contact with father,
mother, brothers, and sisters, where the fundamental principle of
obedience is inculcated. In the school he comes in contact with
fellow classmates and teachers, where the primary purpose is
development. In his vocation he comes in contact with fellow
laborers and learns the lesson of interdependence. In the state he
comes in contact with fellow citizens, where the underlying idea is
justice. In the church his relations are with the ideal person, or
God, where the ruling requirement is righteousness. Through these
elements of his social environment man is to attain his full measure
of growth and self realization.

Function of the Library
It is the business of the library in a very practical way to
supplement and reinforce the work of each of these five great
factors. Mark you, how modest is this definition and yet how
comprehensive. What a large program is here outlined. It makes
no undue claim to independent achievement, but it does claim to
strengthen and vitalize all the agencies which make for human
progress.
It is therefore a good definition which says that "The funlction
of the free public library as an institution of society is the
enlargement and enrichment of the life of the community by
bringing to all the people the books that belong to them".

Libraries, Old and New
In the early days books were written with pen and ink.
Naturally they were very rare and costly. Occasionally they were
chained to a desk to keep them from disappearing. For a long time
a library was regarded as a collection of books carefully guarded
lest one should be taken out of tlhe building. To this day the chief
officer of the British Museum, the second library of the world in
size, is called "The keeper of the printed books". This name is a
*Note. The address, illustrated with stereopticon slides, was given March 5,
1912, under the auspices of the Richmond Education Association, which is enleavoring to develop public sentiment in favor of establishing a free public library
for Richmond, Virginia.
3

relic of the past, a survival from the time when t h e librarian's
business was to have and to hold.
The true librarian of to-day is the disseminator of the printed
books; his ambition is not to have them on the shelves but to keep
them out in the hands of the people. He regards the library not as
a cistern from which one may dip occasionally, but as a fountain
that sends forth streams of water which fructify the fields of
thought and vitalize every department of modern activity and
industry.

Purpose of This Address
It is my purpose this evening to show in word and picture how
we have been trying to carry out this modern idea in (Louisville.
Possibly through an object lesson of this kind I can best comply
with the request of the Richmond (Education Association to address
the people of this city on what a free library would mean to
Richmond.
Seven years ago Louisville had no free public library. To-day
it has a complete and well organized system, consisting of a central
library, 6 branches, 20 deposit stations and 208 class room
collections scattered throughout the city, making a total of 235
centers for the distribution of books. In the past twelve months;
there have been issued through these various agencies 683,215
volumes for home use among the people.

Leading Factors
Some of the chief factors in this rapid development were
1) the acceptance by the city of $250,000 from /Mr. Andrew Carnegie
for a central building; 2) the acceptance of $200,000 additional
for branch buildings; 3) the merging of an old subscription
library into the new library organization; 4) the altering of the
fifth floor of this old library building at a cost of $10,000 to arrange
it temporarily to meet the needs of a modern library; 5) an increase
in the mortgage on the old library building, which produced about
$75,000 for use in furnishing the new buildings; 6) a liberal yearl/
appropriation by the city for library maintenance; and 7) a keel
interest on the part of the people in the plans and purposes of the
library and a readiness to avail themselves of the advantages it
provided.

The Building
The location of the central building is on the boundary line
between the business and the residence sections of the city, one
block south of Broadway, the leading thoroughfare east and west,
Note. The building is described in detail by the librarian in the Library
Journal of September, 1909.
4

and between Third and Fourth streets, the chief thoroughfares
north and south. The site contains about two and one-fourth
acres. The building covers less than one-sixth of this area, leaving
abundant open space on all sides for air, light and future expansion.
It consists of two stories and a basement, built of limestone
and fireproof construction. The style of architecture is plain but
not without artistic features. Throughout the interior emphasis
is laid on simplicity of design and practical utility. Other features
are its compactness of arrangement for administrative purposes, its
openness of construction and absence of unnecessary partitions.
This lessens the cost of building, of supervision, and of possible
future alterations. It also gives greaiter beauty, dignity and
impressiveness as well as better light and ventilation to the rooms.
The total cost of the building was $435,000 including grounds, steel
stacks and other furniture and equipment.
The floor plans presented herewith show how provision has
been made for all the departments of a modern public library. In
some respects it is unique. On the whole it is well adapted to meet
the needs of a great and growing city. Let us now look into the
various departments.

Open Shelf Room
Prom the ^ery beginning this has been the most popular
feature of the library. In this magnificent room 38 by 98 feet
there are 20,000 volumes of the most recent and popular (books, to
which the people have free and unrestricted access. There is
abundant seating room and tables for the comfort of readers, who
may browse at will among the books, sit down and sample any they
choose, and exercise the fullest freedom in selecting books for
private reading at home.
I n this way the library saves the time of several assistants,
and serves the people more promptly; it also increases its
educational value and gives greater satisfaction as well as keener
pleasure to its readers. This room is the best illustration of the
difference between the old way and the new way of conducting a
lilbrary. From it are issued 8(5 per icent of the books taken out by
adults from the main library.
This is the most frequently crowded room in the building.
Here come men and women from every walk in life; the laborer,
the foreman, the manager, the owner of factories and industries;
the business man, the professional man, the club woman, the
student and the teacher. This bookline, where (books go out a t the
rate of one every minute, is an inspiring spectacle. There is noother one agency which brings all the people together on such
common ground, on such equal footing for such ennobling purposes.
5

It marks the free public library as the most democratic institution
of the day.

Reading and Reference Room
The Reference Department represents the more scholarly side
of the library's work. Here are kept the dictionaries, encyclopaedias,
and handbooks of all kinds, the bound magazines with their indexes,
also the current periodicals and the special editions of standard
authors. Other material belonging to the reference collection, but
located in the stack room, consists of bound newspapers, of which
the library has a fuller file than some of the newspaper offices
themselves, transactions of societies, pamphlets, public documents
of all kinds, especially those of the United States government, which
like the bound magazines have become such gold mines of
information since the completion of adequate indexes ito their
contents.
Any book in the library may be used for reference purposes,
but the more distinctly reference material amounts to over 21,000
volumes. This collection is being further rounded out and kept
up to date, so that the most recent and accurate information can be
speedily supplied on any subject desired. The most used reference
books are duplicated in each of the 'branch libraries.
The use which is made of these books is a revelaition to those
who think of the library chiefly as a purveyor of fiction. One of
our reports has grouped the many searchers who come here broadly
under the following heads: a) IPublic (Schools, upper grades and
high schools; b) Clubs and societies; c) Architects, engineers,
chemists, artisans;
d) Business houses, corporations and
manufacturing establishments; e) Special students preparing
articles or books for publication;
f) Genealogical students;
g) General public.
Hundreds of reading lists are prepared every year on special
subjects. When it is necessary, additional books are purchased to
make a list complete.
It is impossible to keep full records of all t h a t is done, but
the work has grown to such proportions that the recorded topics
which have been looked up reach over 18,000 annually. In addition
there is a vast amount of work done of which no record is kept.
Numerous requests for information, lists of books, and the
like come by mail from librarians, club-workers and others
throughout the state and the South. In response to these calls
many books have been loaned out of the city on payment of
transportation charges.

Children's Room
This room is on the second floor. The furniture all specially
designed and the low shelves broken at intervals by window seats
6

and surmounted by bulletin boards covered with pictures produce
an irresistible charm. Likewise in each of the branches the most
attractive part of the building is devoted to young readers.
The Trustees acted wisely in providing liberally for the
children, in giving them the best and in abundance. With them
lies the chief hope for developing the reading habt and the love of
good books. With them ithe educational opportunities are so great
and the effects so far reaching that no effort should be spared to
maintain the highest standard of excellence.
Special care is exercised in the selection of books for this
department. This is the one place where a rigid censorship is
maintained. Every book which enters here .must prove its title
clear. Much has also been done toward assisting people in choosing
the best class of juvenile books for private school, public school,
Sunday school, and home libraries. This advisory work in book
selection increased rapidly as soon ias the library had demonstrated
the reliability of its judgment. New lists on new subjects are made
every few days. Occasionally a special exhibit is made of the books
listed. The last holiday exhibit of this kind was entitled "Children's
books for 'Christmas gifts".
This list was neatly printed and
thoroughly advertised. As a result 30 other libraries and six state
library commissions in various parts of the country ordered 28,500'
copies.
|
Of the total number of books issued last year for home use
45 per cent., or 297,649 volumes were drawn fay the children. It is
impossible to estimate the effect of this work in one or two'
generations upon the intelligence, culture, and character of the
people.

Work With Schools
l
Co-operation with the schools is a watchword of the library.
It has recognized from the beginning that one of its chief functions
is to supplement the work of the schools and to develop the library1
hat)it in children while they are of school age. In this way it will
best prepare them through the use of books to continue through life
that education which in the case of most children unfortunately
reaches only the lower grades. But if they have learned how to'
use the printed page, they have an equipment which will enable
them through the faithful and considerate use of foooks and other
means to educate themselves. It thus grows more and more
apparent that libraries and schools are both integral parts of a/
complete system of popular education.
[For a time there was apathy on the part of the local school'
authorities. But beginning with individual teachers and schools;
and demonstrating its usefulness to them, the library has gradually
reached the position where it can not supply all the demands made
upon it. This condition has been brought about largely through 1
numerous talks to schools, teachers and parents by the Director of

7

children's work, explaining the advantages and methods of the
Horary and emphasizing what it is prepared and willing to do.

Teachers' Room
This room is a concrete expression of the library's attitude
toward the schools in general. It is an attractive place where
teachers may rest and read and keep in touch with the many aids
provided for themi Here are hooks set apart for their special use,
model collections of books from which they may choose for their
class rooms and many thousands of pictures, which circulate in the
same way as books and which they use in their class rooms.

Story Telling
One of the phases of our work which has attracted much
attention is the weekly story hour. "Tell me a story'' like "Show
me a picture" is one of the primal appeals of human nature. Stanley
Hall says "If I were king of the world, I should have an examination
of teachers as to their ability to tell a good story. It is the one
hypnotic influence that tends for morals". Although the telling
of good stories has many merits, the library uses it primarily as a
means of directing children's reading.
So much interest in the subject was manifested by parents and
teachers, who asked permission to attend the children's Story Hour,
that it was decided to have one for adults. The experiment was a
great success and resulted in the organization of the Story Tellers'
League, iconsisting of parents, teachers, kindergiartners and others
interested. The league has been holding large and enthusiastic
meetings once a month. A similar league has been formed at the
€olored Branch.

Books
In book selection efforts are made to supply much of what is
temporarily popular, but care is also taken to build up a well
balanced collection adequate to the needs of students and scholars
in every department. Standard literature, books of permanent value
and lasting interest, have the largest claim on the book fund. Strong
emphaisis has been laid on the proper classification and correct
cataloging of books. This is a fundamental feature of any first
•class library. Classification arranges the books in a systematic
manner on the shelves and cataloging produces the key which
unlocks their treasures and makes them available on demand.
8

Lecture and Class Rooms
An assembly room has been provided in the main building and in
each of the branches. The library encourages the use of these
lecture rooms for any public gathering which aims at education
and culture or general civic improvement. All such meetings must
be free, non-partisan and non-sectardan. There is also a smaller
room in each building which is used by classes and study clubs of
all kinds. (Last year there were 602 regular meetings held in the
libraries by 39 organizations and 206 meetings of a miscellaneous
character.

Art Room
This beautiful room on the second floor was designed for the
library's art books, which are a t present kept with the general
collection. During the last three years seven free art exhibitions
have been given here under the auspices of the Louisville Art
Association. At the exhibit in February of last year there were
14,600 visitors. By granting the free use of the room for this
purpose the Trustees are endeavoring to assist the association in
its efforts toward the establishment of a permanent art gallery for
the city.

Publicity
Keeping people informed on the resources and activities of the
library through the medium of the printed page is a potent method
of increasing its usefulness. This is advertising, which brings
results in the library as well as in the commercial world. From time
to time lists of new acceisisdoms and lists on special topics have been
sent to the newspapers, which print them in excellent form, thereby
rendering valuable service to their own patrons as well as to those
of the library and to the institution itself. In addition much credit
is due to all the local papers for their numerous items of library
news. The library also issues separately printed pamphlets, folders,
weekly lists of new books added and the like.

Branch Libraries
The Trustees early recognized that the extension of the library's
work would depend largely upon the establishment of branch
libraries judiciously located. Experience shows that the usefulness
of a central library, after a certain point is reached, is largely
li?:aited by geographic conditions, t h a t people will not frequent the
center from the suburbs. Therefore since the people would not
come to the library, the library decided to go to the people.
9

Accordingly a system of branch libraries was planned, of which
six have been opened. Plans for the seventh branch have been
prepared. These branch buildings cost about $26,000 each. In
addition to the necessary provisions for reference and circulation
work with adults, they contain a special department for children,
an assembly room and a class room. The residents of various
sections of the city have donated the sites for these buildings and
have vied with one another to secure the advantages to be derived
therefrom. Last year 251,742 volumes, or 38 per cent, of all books
drawn were issued from the branches.

Stations
But even the branches are too far from many of the people.
So deposit stations of several hundred volumes each were placed
in settlement houses, at puiblic playgrounds, in factories and mills,
in department stores, in distant schools and other institutions.
From these stations the books were circulatedd to the people in the
neighborhood. Then class room collections of 25 or more volumes
each were sent to school rooms in all the outlying districts.
Teachers were invited to come to the library and select from the
model collection such as would be specially suited to their pupils
for supplementary and home reading. Last year through 230 of
these agencies 139,018 volumes were issued.
In this way the library is vigorously striving toward its ideal,
which is that it shall reach every man, woman, and child in the city.

Colored Branch
In outlining the library system the Trustees wisely planned a
special library for the use of 45,000 colored citizens. This occupies
one o!f the largest of the branch buildings. Including its 8,000
volumes, it repreesnts an investment of $43,343. It was the first
building and institution of its kind in existence and has been a
marked success from the beginning. The circulation of books from
the branch proper and from the colored stations and class room
collections last year was 65,175 volumes. The library encourages
and assists tall efforts toward educatlom and advancement in the
neighborhood. With Its reading and study clubs and numerous
public gatherings of all kinds, it forms a center from which radiate
many influences 'for general betterment.

Staff
Time will not permit a description of many other interesting
features, such as the museum, the books for the blind, the music
scores, the special collections of books by Kentucky authors and so
forth. But a word should be said about the all important personal
element. A library though perfect in material and mechanical
10

dipment and methods, may still be a failure wthout competent
.ssistants.
The library began with an unusually large number of untrained
assistants, but these have shown fine enthusiasm and in many cases
marked ability.
Numerous classes of instruction have been
conducted and every effort has been made to stimulate growth and
development.
LUbrary service to be most efficient must be established on the
merit system, requiring candidates for positions to be specially
trained or to pass a reasonable examination, appointing only such
as meet the required standard, assigning them to work for which
they are best adapted, paying a salary commensurate with the
character and value of the service performed, and promoting them
according to demonstrated capacity.
The quest of this standard, though attended by continuous
struggle, has been marked by steady progress. The staff as a
whole is today better qualified than ever before to render efficient
service. The members are thoroughly imbued with the idea that the
people own the library and that the owners are to be assisted to
make the largest and best use of what belongs to them.
It will thus be seen that the Trustees have not only planned
for big things but that splendid results have been attained. What
has been accomplished in seven years is the strongest proof that
the library is filling a long-felt want and that it meets with the
approval of the people. The importance of such an institution to
the education and culture, to the business and civic life, to the
moral and religious growth of a city can not be expressed in words
and figures.

The Public Library a Paying Investment
To assist you in your campaign for a free public library in
Richmond, permit me to close with a comprehensive and yet specific
statement of what a public library does "for a community. This was
written by Mr. Frederick iM. Crunden, who was for 32 years
librarian of the iSt. Louis Public Library. In an article entitled "The
Public Library a Paying Investment" he says:
1. 'It doubles the value of the education the child receives in
school, and, best of all, imparts a desire for knowledge which
serves as an incentive to continue his education after leaving
school; and, having furnished the incentive, it further supplies the
means for a lifelong continuance of education.
21. It provides for the education of adults who have lacked,
or failed to make use of, early opportunities.
3. It furnishes information to teachers, ministers, journalists,
authors, physicians, legislators, all persons upon whose work depend
the intellectual, moral, sanitary, and political welfare and
advancement of the people.
11

4. It furnishes books and periodicals for the techniv
instruction and information of mechanics, artisans, manufacture? .
engineers, and all others whose work requires technical
knowledge—of all those persons upon whom depends the industrial
progress of the city.
5. It is of incalculable benefit to the city by affording to
thousands the highest and purest entertainment, by substituting
the reading-room for the bar-room, and thus lessening crime and
disorder.
6. It makes the city a more desirable place of residence, and
thus retains the best citizens and attracts others of the same
character.
7. More than any other agency, it elevates the general
standard of intelligence throughout the great body of the
community, upon which its material prosperity, as well as its moral
and political well-being, must depend.
Finally, the public library includes potentially all other means
of social amelioration. A man who founds a hospital does a good
act; yet the benefits of his (beneficence reach comparatively few.
An art museum is a very useful institution in a community; yet how
limited is its influence compared with that of a public library. A
library is a living organism, having within itself the capacity of
infinite growth and reproduction. It may found a dozen hospitals
and art museums and inspire to noble deeds oif every kind, all the
while imparting intelligence and inculcating industry, thrift,
morality, public spirit, and all those qualities that constitute the
wealth and well-being of a community.