Some people are born with a thirst for knowledge, some acquire a taste for it through early training and environment and some must have knowledge thrust upon them if they are to have it at all. Of book selection for the educated in any of these groups this paper does not deal. The subject has been discussed often and well, and while we have by no means reached the point where we no longer need to study how to serve them, the question is not a gravely puzzling one.
The elimination of the educated brings us down to a study of book selection for the under-educated and the indifferent in the interest of universal education for the benefit of state and society.
Some of these uneducated ones may be found in each of the three groups. Many from the first two groups come to our libraries and should be served thoughtfully and wisely. In many cases the only indication of a thirst for knowledge is an omnivorous appetite for exceedingly poor novels. If they have already devoured many, their taste is probably hopelessly perverted and about all we can hope to do is to hold their interest and eliminate the yellow horror with its debilitating influence by supplying free, easily accessible books of even the lightest grade found upon our library shelves. This is a very slight advance, but it is a step forward. Others of this class if "caught young" can be interested in better literature, and are worthy of our careful thought and the wisest service.
There come also to libraries many in whom the real desire to know is awake but still rubbing its eyes. They must not be confused with that class of people, difficult to deal with in every sphere, who seek to appear wiser than they are, and some personal knowledge of the individual is imperative in order to avoid this mistake. They usually ask for assistance in book selection and great care should be taken in giving it, as it serves well the future of our race to help one of these "derive education," as one such borrower has expressed it.
And now we come to the most difficult group of all, those who must have knowledge thrust upon them if they are to have it at all. These do not come to our libraries, but we go out to them by means of various forms of extension work. We are inclined to take this branch of work lightly, but it is full of potential good for the commonwealth. Here we have the citizen at our mercy, why not see what we can do with him to help the cause of universal education?
Extension work can be carried on with a small staff, but every worker should be of the best, strong in knowledge of books and of human nature. The book selection for these smaller centers can be based upon some personal knowledge of the individual, and the collection may be made a powerful educational tool. The individual can best be reached through his personal tastes, for the developing of which he does not dream that books exist.
This personal work must be devoid of sentimentality. The worker's motive must be a desire for fair play, and he must not approach the people in a missionary spirit. They do not want to be uplifted by a missionary nor surveyed by a social worker. The only spirit in which we can study their needs is the spirit of good fellowship, with the honest desire to share with others what we ourselves enjoy. We can reach only a few of the people who need help most and books can give then only a small part of the awakening and training and broadening that the state desires for them, but our effort should not be gauged by what we can accomplish. We have to thank previous generations for many benefits which result from their aiming high above their power of achievement, and if by personal study of the under-educated we can raise the standard of their reading in the slightest degree, the general standard of intelligence of the next generation will advance in the same ratio, and this the state finds worth while.
After this paper the session adjourned.
THIRD GENERAL SESSION
(Russell Theatre, Saturday, June 29, 9:30 a. m.)