News from the State Library

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NEWS from The State Library of Oh,. io ;
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No. 178, October 6, 1976
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IN THIS ISSUE
Excerpts from Public Libraries i Tl the United States
of America .. ..................................... .
Excerpt from The Philadelphia Inquirer . ................. .
LIBRARIES THEN AND NOW
Some Casua I Comments
by Walter Brahm
"Don't worry Mathilda, one hundred years from now nobody will notice the
difference."
133
146
Would Mathilda agree with her soothsaying husband's remark of 1876 if
she were around today? Indeed, does anyone note a difference in library ser­vice
from that of l876? More important, is there any difference? Statistically
there are more libraries, more librarians, more buildings with more materials
in them, and bigger budgets. But what about the subjective, human aspects which
determine the quality of library service? The philosophy and the issues of organi­zation
and management confronting librarians then and now? We found it interesting
and encouraging to review what our predecessors of 1876 were thinking and advocat­ing,
by reading the first (1876) issue of the American Library Journal~ and the
compendious report, Public Libraries in the United States of Americal Part 1
(GPO, 1876). The title of the report is a misnomer. Pearls of wisdom about
college, school, and institution libraries, state libraries, legal, medical,
and other special libraries also abound in it; counsel expounded by experts of
the day in those fields. The l200-page report provides a humbling perspective
for progress in the corning century.
Yes Mathilda, there are differences, but even these have facets of famil­iarity
with today. On the lighter side, the public library a century ago was
hailed as an act of government which replaced the saloon, that swinging-door
and sawdust concoction of the private enterprise system. Instead of the animal
comforts of spirits and tobacco enticing all male passers-by to sample them,
the damn government opened a spacious library, heated and lighted at public
cost. Instead of the barkeeper and his stooges there were modest a'nd pleasing
young women dispensing books over the counter. Well, the saloon towns of 1876
may no longer be, but a bar on every block with go-go gals is the 1976 version.
Some change! To convey the ultimate image of the hick town with all its hayseeds,
Justin Winsor referred to his mythical "Punkeyville." The modern day epithet
is "Podunk." Some change! Still more trivia: "lending library," a common des­ignation
of the public library then, is seldom heard today; "reference service"
is slowly giving way to "information service."
On the more serious side, we were impressed first and most with the absence
in 1876 of obsession about money and budgets which permeates, even dominates,
current library literature. Sure, the need for funds then was acknowledged, but
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