AUTHORS AND LIBRARIES.
Public libraries have not always received the support that might have been expected from famous writers. Provoked by a request for gift copies of his works for a new public library, Herbert Spencer declared: "I -disapprove of free libraries altogether,' the British Museum included, believing that in the long run they are. mischievous rather than beneficial. ... I no more approve of free libraries than I approve of free bakeries." Arguing that no book was worth reading unless it was worth., buying, John Ruskin eneered: "We call our-! selves a rich nation, and are filthy and foolish enough to thumb each other's books out of circulating libraries." It! is a safe guess (says the "Manchester] Guardian") that both critics owe most of their readers to-day to the institu-l tioaa-they. dwgi—d. '
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19380908.2.39
Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 212, 8 September 1938, Page 7
Word Count
132AUTHORS AND LIBRARIES. Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 212, 8 September 1938, Page 7
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Auckland Star. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries.