Another Activity of the Garden Club of Illinois 
Of all the elements necessary to the success of a public 
library there is one that stands out with supreme importance 
in the mind of this librarian, namely, the atmosphere of the 
library. There may be books on the shelves; there may be 
untold wealth of reference material in the stacks, but unless 
the library rooms are kept attractive the wealth of worth-while 
reading" matter will be discovered only by the select few. The 
reading room should be a place conducive to browsing and 
loitering among the books. How to create this atmosphere and 
how to maintain it are crucial questions for the librarian. 
They have been answered in a large measure for this library 
through the though fcfulness of the Lake Forest members of the 
Garden Club of Illicois. 
The plan is simple, but the results astonishing. Dunng each 
day from June first until October thirtieth this public library is 
kept supplied with fresh cut flowers from Lake Forest gardens. 
Each member of the Garden Club is assigned one week during 
which she is responsible for the library's "good cheer," for the 
presence of flowers is just that — supplying as only flowers 
can — the necessary atmosphere of congeniality. The members 
of the Club supply their own vases and arrange the flowers 
personally. This gives limitless scope for individuality and 
the opporttinity to demonstrate the possibilities of charming 
effects obtainable from few blossoms or very simple blossoms 
tastefully arranged. 
The only return that the library can make for this courtesy 
is through its book shelves. Here are simple books that please 
and help the amateur and books on landscape architecture that 
are used by the men in charge of the largest estates in and 
around Lake Forest. These benefits are more or less practical 
and tangible. There is another result which, though difficult 
to explain, is undoubtedly of equal importance — the daily 
presence of fresh flowers is a distinct inspiration to the library 
staff, and a source of enjoyment to the hundreds or more people 
who daily visit the library. 
Frances E, Kemp, Librarian 
It is the little things tint count. What is it that keeps the 
earth fruitful — that is, tlu't keeps the soil which we depend on 
for producing vegetable life from becoming sodden and unpro- 
ductive? Earth worms. 
The Atlantic Year Book. 1920. 
29 
