lOO PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



every six months, fresh life would be thrown into them and their readers brought 

 into contact with the literature of the day. 



The Minister of Education might justly consider the proposal to curtail the 

 grants for libraries, amounting to over $42,700, and devote the saving to the estab- 

 lishment of travelling libraries. 



The second want is found at the other end of the scale. Our best libraries have 

 not reached the stage of meeting the wants of our best' scholars, and with the 

 limited means at their disposal the time seems far distant when they will be able 

 to do so. Rivalry is out of question with such great libraries as those of Harvard, 

 the Astor-Lenox, Smithsonian, and others in the United States, not to speak of 

 Great Britain, France and Germany, or even Russia; but if our students are to remain 

 at home, some provision must be made to meet their wants. As a nation we cannot 

 afford to be entirely dependent upon others for our highest culture, so that it is 

 incumbent on us to consider carefully our position, and if possible, by combination 

 and economy of energy, endeavour to supply our want. 



We have in the City of Toronto some fifteen, more or less, public libraries, 

 all of which, except four, are devoted to special subjects. These four are: the 

 Legislative Library, the University of Toronto, the Public Reference Library, and 

 the Canadian Institute. The first three mentioned are somewhat on the same lines, 

 special departments being added to each to meet special requirements. In the past 

 efforts have been made by the librarians to prevent the duplication of expensive 

 books and sets; but necessarily a large proportion of the books are alike, and much 

 waste of money, time and energy has ensued. The Legislative Library, established 

 to supply the demands of our legislators, has been forced to add to its shelves quan- 

 tities of general literature. It has now outgrown the chamber provided for it, and 

 it will be necessary for the Government at an early date to provide further accom- 

 modation. The City Public Reference Library has in like manner grown to about 

 45,000 volumes, which are housed in a building unsuitable for the purpose — exposed 

 to danger from fire and in need of additional space for expansion. The Canadian 

 Institute, with its valuable collection of Transactions, is in much the same condition, 

 with the additional disadvantage that the student finds here only a portion of his 

 work, though an important one, and a lack of proper catalogues and literary 

 assistance. 



We have here three libraries which partially overlap and which fail to make 

 full use of their opportunities by reason of special circumstances, and yet which 

 if worked in harmony would do much to remove the present reproach. 



It has seemed to me, after careful consideration, that the best interests of the 

 Province and city would be served by adopting a proposal such as the following: 



The Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto to unite in the maintenance 

 of a common Provincial Reference Library, the books in which would be free to 

 every person in the Province. 



The Province, in consideration of the value of the books in the Public Library, 

 to erect suitable buildings in a suitable locality. 



The Legislative Library to be confined to such books as are actually required 

 for legislative purposes, and the balance of the books transferred to the joint library. 



The Canadian Institute to hand over their collection to the joint library, receiving 

 in consideration a suitable meeting room. ' 



Regulations made by which students in all parts of the Province could share in 

 the use of the books, due regard being had for their safety. 



In this way a library could be instituted— free to the citizens of Toronto, as their 

 own is to-day — furnishing the highest literature to every student in the Province, 

 properly housed with little more expense than the three libraries are at present 

 costing, in which would be found room for extensive geological, mineralogical, 

 botanical and other departments, so much wanted, forming a National Library 

 worthy of the Province and of the City jn which it is placed. 



