The Function of a Public Library and Its Value to a Community

Excerpt from The Function of a Public Library and Its Value to a Community: A Paper Read Before "the Round Table," at St. Louis Club, Saturday, Nov. 8, 1884

The United States report of 187 6 gives a list of libraries, containing an aggregate of over twelve million vol umes, with permanent funds estimated at The private benefactions to libraries reported at that time amounted to and it was estimated on good grounds that there was as much more which had not been reported. Five sixths of the whole sum has been given within the last thirty fivc years. The statistics soon to be published by the Government will, I think, show a still larger-proportionate aggregate for the last eight years. The most notable dona tion is that of Enoch Pratt of nearly for the foundation of a public library for the city of Baltimore. A citizen of Providence gives for a new building for the public library of that city and there have been numerous endowments and bequests throughout New England.

The collected statistics of twenty-three libraries show that out of a total circulation of volumes in the year 1875, were lost through borrowers and were worn out, being a total loss of volumes, or less than two-tenths of one per cent, a considerably smaller percentage than the loss of a like amount of paper currency in circulation during the same period and it appears that nearly three times as many books wear out in honorable service as are lost through carelessness and dishonesty.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.