Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Library Chronicle, 1884, Vol. 1: A Journal of Librarianship and Bibliography
The library-keeper's place and office in most countries are looked upon as places of profit and gain.
Rather a startling statement to us, who have been accustomed to look upon librarianship as under the special in?uence of the planet Saturn, which is said to preside over all occupations in which money is obtained with very great difficulty. It would seem, however, that mean as the prizes of librarianship might be, they were yet scrambled for.
And so, he continues, accordingly sought after and valued in that regard; and not in regard of the service which is to be done by them unto the Commonwealth of Israel. For the most part men look after the maintenance and livelihood settled upon their places more than upon the end and usefulness of their employments. They seek themselves and not the public therein, and so they subordinate all the advantages of their places to purchase mainly two things thereby, viz., an easy subsistence and some credit in comparison of others, nor is the last much regarded if the first may be had. To speak in particular of library-keepers in most universities that I know, nay, indeed, in all, their places are but mercenary, and their employment of little or no use further than to look to the books committed to their custody, that they may not be lost or embezzled by those that use them, and this is all.
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