"The spirit of this great gift to the city has not the spirit of caste or exclusion but rather the catholic spirit which recognizes no artificial differences of rank or birth or race, but seeks to give all men equal opportunity to make the most of themselves. It is our sincere hope that this city will prove itself broad enough and just enough to administer this trust in the true spirit in which it was given."
The chairman asked, "Do you not think that allowing whites and negroes to use this library would be fatal to its usefulness?" Another member of the committee replied that they did not ask to use this library nor even ask equal privileges but only some privileges somewhere.
The chairman then made these points clear: (1) That negroes would not be permitted to use the Carnegie Library in Atlanta; (2) That some library facilities would be provided for them in the future; (3) That the city council would be asked to appropriate a sum proportionate to the amount of taxes paid by negroes of the city; (4) That efforts would be made to induce northern philanthropists to aid such a library.
Later Mr. Carnegie offered to give the money necessary for the erection of a branch library for negroes. When the details of its administration came up for consideration the negroes demanded representation on the library board. This was positively refused and the proceedings were so completely blocked that the negroes of Atlanta are still without any public library advantages.
Methods of Management
From the cases cited it appears that there are four distinct methods of dealing with this question in the South: (1) To admit the negro to the same building on equal terms with others as is done in Baltimore, Wilmington, Washington and some of the Missouri libraries. This method is not satisfactory to the whites. As one report says, "There are white people who are deterred from using the library because in so doing they must touch elbows with colored folks.... We could do better service to both races if there could be a separation, for we must take the people with their prejudices, especially in the use of the library, which is a purely voluntary matter." (2) To admit him to the same building but to a separate room, which is not satisfactory to the negro. One library which has this plan reports, "Many of the educated and cultured negroes (for there are some even in the South) will not come unless they can do so on the same social equality and use the same apartments as the white patrons." (3) To have a separate library under control of members of their own race. This is almost certain to produce inferior results on account of their inexperience and lack of knowledge regarding every phase of the work. (4) To have a separate branch in charge of colored assistants who are under the direction and supervision of one board and one librarian, who have control over the entire library including all branches and other agencies. This plan assures the greatest economy and efficiency and will probably be adopted by all the libraries whose funds will permit it. A separate colored board is as unnecessary and unbusinesslike as would be a separate board for each white branch.
On the advantages of a separate branch library one colored man writes: "In the South the separation is not only necessary for the peace and cordial relations desirable to be maintained but the colored branches are desirable because the colored people would use them so a hundred times more than they would otherwise. The feeling of perfect welcome, ownership and unqualified privilege are all necessary to patrons who are to get the best possible from libraries among them. These things in the South can only be had in separate branches as much as it is regrettable that there should be a mind and spirit demanding separate libraries."
Traveling Libraries
Delaware and Kentucky are the only state library commissions reporting special traveling libraries for negroes. Last year "seven traveling libraries of 30 to 50 volumes each were arranged for the use of the colored schools in Delaware, and the entire charge and care of these libraries was given over to the State College for Colored Students near Dover." The Kentucky commission has two libraries of 50 volumes each in circulation and is planning to send more. Hampton Institute also sends out traveling collections of books.
Another system of traveling libraries is that established in 1910 by James H. Gregory of Marblehead, Mass., for distribution through Atlanta University among the negroes of the South. There are about 60 libraries of 48 volumes each. They are sent to any community, school, church or other organization for one year and then exchanged for a different set. Two interesting articles on these libraries and their founder were published by G. S. Dickerman in the Southern Workman, August and September, 1910.