re is a certain number of thousands of volumes — a great many volumes, as there are in most public libraries. There are books of all classes, from ponderous unreadable folios, of which learned men know the title-pages, down to the lightest literature. Novels are by [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] no means eschewed — are rather, if I understood aright, considered as one of the staples of the library. From this library any book, excepting such rare volumes as in all libraries are considered holy, is given out to any inhabitant of Boston, without any payment, on presentation of a simple request on a prepared form. In point of fact, it is a gratuitous circulating library open to all Boston, rich or poor, [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] young or old. The books seemed in general to be confided to young children, who came as messengers from their fathers and mothers, or brothers and sisters. No question whatever is asked, if the applicant is [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] known or the place of his residence undoubted. If [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] there be no such knowledge, or there be any doubt as to the residence, the applicant is questioned, the object being to confine the use of the library to the [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] bona fide inhabitants of the city. Practically the books are given to those who ask for them, whoever they may be. Boston contains over 200,000 inhabitants, and all those 200,000 are entitled to them. Some twenty men and women are kept employed from morning till night in carrying on this circulating library; and there is, moreover, attached to the establishment a large reading-room supplied with papers and magazines, open to the public of Boston on the same terms.
Of course I asked whether a great many of the books were not lost, stolen, and destroyed; and of course I was told that there were no losses, no thefts, and no destruction. As to thefts, the librarian did not seem to think that any instance of such an occurrence could be found. Among the poorer classes, a book might sometimes be lost when they were changing their lodgings; but anything so lost was more than replaced by the fines. A book is taken out for a [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] week, and [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] if not br
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