Book Description

Excerpt from The Library Chronicle, Vol. 5: A Journal of Librarianship Bibliography Association, that, in however cursory a manner, I must endeavour to glance at that history. The Free Libraries Act of 1850 had not been on the Statute Book much more than twelve months before an attempt was made to apply its provisions to Birmingham. At a meeting of the Town Council on the roth of March, 1852, it was resolved that the Mayor should be requested to take the necessary steps to determine whether or no the Public Libraries Act should be adopted for Birmingham. A severe contest ensued, and among the most earnest advocates for the establishment of a free library were the late George Dawson, Mr. Sam Timmins, Mr. William Harris, and other local men of light and leading, several of whom are happily still keenly interested in the Free Library movement, as is testified by their long connection with this Association. But notwithstanding their zealous endeavours, the people were not to be aroused from their apathy about the matter as yet; and less than goo persons were found willing to take the trouble to record their votes, of which 363 were against the motion, which was consequently lost - there being less than a two-thirds majority in its favour. It is curious to notice that the cry raised at that time against the movement in Birmingham was that of Another State Endowment and voluntaryism plus apathy gained the day. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.