Chicago, April 9, 1913.
In reply to your letter of April 5, 1913, would say—The modern city library is covering a most desirable field in meeting the needs of a large element of the public, which looks to it almost exclusively for information along library and allied lines. A popular library should be able to supply information on all subjects of a general character and should not proceed along lines of reference facilities except in a general way. This ground is covered by private gifts and educational institutions. The city library should, it seems to me, be constituted along liberal lines, adapted to entertain as well as instruct. Any means adapted to stimulate the public desire for the use of its privileges properly guarded, cannot fail to be of general benefit. Thus lectures, story telling, art exhibits, and even victrola concerts, loan of pianola rolls, etc., may serve to induct the mind into the wealth of knowledge embraced within its wonderful collection of books. The portals of the city library should be made insidiously alluring, with the expectation that once within them, the reader will go farther.
Very truly yours,
C. C. KOHLSAAT.
Northampton, Mass.,
June 12, 1913.
To My Fellow Workers in Libraries,
Greetings:
I always feel a little bashful when I go into a strange library as I sometimes do and happen on a librarian who confronts me with things I say about librarians in the "Lost Art of Reading." Usually I speak up quite quickly and say to a librarian, "Oh, but you know I do not mean YOU!"
But in speaking as I am now to all the librarians there are in the United States and Canada this seems to be inconvenient.
I am afraid that if there were any nice thoughtful benignant way of taking each librarian in this great mass meeting, of all the librarians there are, one side and whispering to him quietly, "Oh, but you know I do not mean YOU," I would probably do it!