IF PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WHY NOT PUBLIC MUSEUMS? 779 



sLown in the arrangement of the collection, and to Mr. Jones, the 

 librarian of the public library, for cooperating so heartily m the work 



of the academy. , . , 



(^ourses of lectures are given in the academy hall every year, which 

 are practically free to the public. The city librarian usually supple- 

 n.ents these lectures by printed lists of books .f f -f^^^. f ^^^f^^^^^^ 

 matter of the lecture, and these lists are distributed to the auditors 

 A like service is often done for the free courses ot lectures given by 

 the Essex Institute. In this manner these three institutions cooperate 

 with one another in utilizing the collections in tl^^^^ P.^^^^^^^ ^"_ ^^ 

 educational way, and for the good of the general public. The collec- 

 ttns t^is made available are the results of years of devoted labor by 

 many ardent students and collectors. , 



Is it to be supposed that other communities may call into existence 

 even a limited collection of objects for a museum, as they might bring 

 tooether the material for a public library ? With any reasonable appro- 

 priation of money this can be done. At the present time there are many 

 reputable firms which stand ready to furnish, at reasonable prices, col- 

 lections representing the various departments of science. ^^^^^^T, 

 cantile features of a museum, such as cases, adjustable bracket^, table s, 

 insect boxes, jars, etc., can be got from the proper sources ^^JJ^'f^^ 

 library has its salaried oflicer and assistants, and buys it. books, why 

 should not a public museum be installed under precisely simdar condi- 

 tions^ There is no reason, save the fact that most of the museums in 

 the country have had a fortuitous beginning, usually due to a coterie of 

 men directly interested in science who, bringing together collections of 

 interest, have been generous enough to permit the public to enjoy them 

 on certain days in the year. In some cases a large endowment has 

 enabled the society to share its treasures with the pubhc more freely. 

 But we are digressing. With the facilities thus indicated for purchas- 

 ing material, a definite plan is to be laid out, upon which the collec^ 

 tions are to be brought together. An epitome collection ot the annual 

 kingdom, large or small as the case may be, is to be seemed^ This 

 will come to hand properly prepared, mounted and labeled. Having 

 obtained this, the museum has the models upon which to pi^pare the 

 local collection. Home talent will have to be looked to tor this mate- 

 rial- and if none are found competent to do the work, a collector irom 

 elsewhere must be employed for the purpose. The initial steps having 

 been taken, the lines are indicated along which it is possible to utihze 

 the voluntary aid of such collectors as the community may possess, 

 although the museum of to-day can not depend upon voluntary service 

 entirely. Special private collections of shells, insects,-minerals, areh.eo- 

 logical relics, etc., will naturally gravitate toward the public museum, 

 either by gift or by purchase; and thus, slowly but surely, the 

 foundations of a museum will have been fairly started. 



Finally, in the museum of the future the errors of tiie past should be 



