Recreatie en de bibliotheek…in 1896

Ik kom er niet vaak aan toe, maar als ik een keer de moeite neem om te grasduinen in het aanbod van websites als Gutenberg.org en Archive.org, stuit ik gegarandeerd op geweldige titels. Zo vond ik vannacht, in de catalogus van Gutenberg, drie oude werken over bibliotheken:

• Why do we need a public library? (1910)
• How to form a library? (1886)
• A Library Primer (oorspronkelijke uitgave 1896)

There is nothing out of place in the comparing of the library to the school and the college, but its true mission is not to be so limited. To a large extent it is to be compared, as an object of public care and expense, with the park, the modern common, where there are flower-beds, rare plants in conservatories, lakes with boats in summer and skating in winter, and music by excellent bands. Not very strictly useful, these things, but recognized everywhere as ministering to the real culture of the people.

Let this library, then, be the place where you will come, not merely to study and store your minds with so-called “useful” knowledge, but also often to have a good time; to refresh your minds and hearts with humor and poetry and fiction. Let the boys find here wholesome books of adventure, and tales such as a boy likes; let the girls find the stories which delight them and give their fancy and imagination exercise; let the tired housewife find the novels which will transport her to an ideal realm of love and happiness; let the hard-worked man, instead of being expected always to read “improving” books of history or politics, choose that which shall give him relaxation of mind and nerve, perhaps the Innocents abroad, or Josh Billings’ “Allminax,” or Samanthy at Saratoga.

Het is alleraardigst om te zien dat men toen al op zoek was naar een breder aanbod en manieren om het publiek te verleiden. Let ook even op die passage over vermoeide huisvrouwen en ‘de boeken die hen naar het rijk van liefde en geluk transporteren’. De klant is Koningin!

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Manybooks.net: gutenberg-titels downloaden voor PDA en iPod
De status quo van Project Gutenberg
Gratis audioboeken zijn overal
Juweeltjes uit de feeds van Gutenberg
Middelburgse volksverheffing in 1912
Met weemoed denk ik aan de leeszaal
De hitlijsten van Gutenberg.org

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