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Standards in Fiction

Standards in Fiction 434 LIBRARY REVIEW book published in the early days of the county library movement was quite sound then, and was A reader refers to the Editorial based on an intimate knowledge of in our Summer number in which it is said that the circulation of many schemes in different parts of standard works as compared with the country. These schemes were the circulation of ephemeral providing books for people in material is too low, and naively small towns and villages who until then had had no library opportun­ asks the Editor to read the ities : some of them were not even following :—"There should not be book readers. Conditions have now too much idealism as to the selection; certain popular authors changed, the reading public has will require to be represented even widened enormously, and the though their literary merit is service generally is in a position to impose standards. We know, of small. The important matter is to course, that, as regards school 'get the people reading.' It will in education, standards have gone: due course be a chief duty of the county librarian and his helpers to the bright lad must march in time endeavour to raise the standard of with the dull-witted; but there taste and encourage a demand for seems no good reason why libraries should not make it their prime the best books. From a material endeavour to serve the needs of the point of view the supply of 'utility' best and most aspiring readers . . . books may seem the most valuable function these schemes may be In this connection it may be expected to serve; but the idea is observed that this subject of the an erroneous one, as real progress provision of whodunits, thrillers, and detective stories was recently is a matter not only of knowledge under discussion at a library meet­ but also of ideas. Books are valuable ing at Los Angeles, at which it was in spreading sweetness as well as light, and their importance and pointed out that in the large towns power in both aspects should be there were many rental libraries considered. The real need in the lending such . books; but the rural localities is for stimulating librarians of smaller centres said that in their areas the only reading matter of a mixed charac­ resources for readers were at the ter. The only wise policy of book local public libraries. No agree­ selection for any library scheme is that of providing the best books ment on the subject was reached, the potential readers will read. though the meeting agreed that This policy cuts every way." What libraries should be regarded as educational institutions. was written by the Editor in his http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Library Review Emerald Publishing

Standards in Fiction

Library Review , Volume 12 (7): 1 – Jul 1, 1950
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0024-2535
DOI
10.1108/eb012153
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

434 LIBRARY REVIEW book published in the early days of the county library movement was quite sound then, and was A reader refers to the Editorial based on an intimate knowledge of in our Summer number in which it is said that the circulation of many schemes in different parts of standard works as compared with the country. These schemes were the circulation of ephemeral providing books for people in material is too low, and naively small towns and villages who until then had had no library opportun­ asks the Editor to read the ities : some of them were not even following :—"There should not be book readers. Conditions have now too much idealism as to the selection; certain popular authors changed, the reading public has will require to be represented even widened enormously, and the though their literary merit is service generally is in a position to impose standards. We know, of small. The important matter is to course, that, as regards school 'get the people reading.' It will in education, standards have gone: due course be a chief duty of the county librarian and his helpers to the bright lad must march in time endeavour to raise the standard of with the dull-witted; but there taste and encourage a demand for seems no good reason why libraries should not make it their prime the best books. From a material endeavour to serve the needs of the point of view the supply of 'utility' best and most aspiring readers . . . books may seem the most valuable function these schemes may be In this connection it may be expected to serve; but the idea is observed that this subject of the an erroneous one, as real progress provision of whodunits, thrillers, and detective stories was recently is a matter not only of knowledge under discussion at a library meet­ but also of ideas. Books are valuable ing at Los Angeles, at which it was in spreading sweetness as well as light, and their importance and pointed out that in the large towns power in both aspects should be there were many rental libraries considered. The real need in the lending such . books; but the rural localities is for stimulating librarians of smaller centres said that in their areas the only reading matter of a mixed charac­ resources for readers were at the ter. The only wise policy of book local public libraries. No agree­ selection for any library scheme is that of providing the best books ment on the subject was reached, the potential readers will read. though the meeting agreed that This policy cuts every way." What libraries should be regarded as educational institutions. was written by the Editor in his

Journal

Library Review – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jul 1, 1950

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