6UPPY — TRINIDAD PUBLIC LIBRARY. 419 
.v bors are continually clamoring for an increase of novels 
and liglit literature. 
The committee have gradually yielded more and more 
to this demand, and at present uearly if not quite half the 
books (including serials), imported by the Library, belong 
to light literature. Nevertheless, to show the fallacy of 
giving way to such a matter, the subscriptions have actu- 
ally declined. This I take to be due, however, not to the 
character of the works imported, but to a diminution of 
interest in the Library — interest I mean of a purely per- 
sonal kind, and bearing no reference to books. 
If, however, as some seem to think, the light literature 
business will yield a profit which can be applied to the 
purchase of more solid works, I would recommend the 
formation of a separate branch for that department. " If 
separate accounts be kept of such a branch, it will soon be 
seen what the real state of the case is. The, competition 
of the Library, aided by public funds, has already, I be- 
lieve, had some influence in breaking down a private cir- 
culating library here. I think it very doubtful, therefore, 
how far any great attention is to be paid to that most use- 
less class of readers who read only novels. In the first 
place, the whole amount contributed by subscribers is, in 
round figures, only $600 1 out of $2,000, and it would not 
be fair to assume that more than one -half the subscribers 
balong to the class indicated. But at any rate, bearing in 
mind the public character of the Library, it is clear that it 
is not its proper function to act as a mere circulating li- 
brary. Let private enterprise supply such wants as tius. 
There is an ample field for the utility of the Library to 
develop itself within its own proper sphere, but its regu- 
lations must be such as to ensure its benefits to every class. 
According to the principles laid down by Edwards as in- 
