"It has not been possible to avoid

In 1848, the number of volumes lent all loss of books from the practice

XXVIII. TUSCANY:

(1.) Florence.

rence, during the hours at which it is lic has not given rise to any dis

Conditions.

IN TUSCANY.

1023

Results.

open to the Public, without any special order in the Laurentian Library;" nor in the Magliabecchian Li

permission." Ib., 367.

"No permission is necessary for access

....

to the Magliabecchian Library of Flo- brary; nor in the Marucellian Li

rence."-Ib., 368.

"Any person may have free access

to the Marucellian Library at Florence for purposes of study."-Ib., 369.

brary." 3

"The free admission of the Pub

lic has not occasioned any incon

Access to the Riccardian Library at venience in the Riccardian LiFlorence is entirely free."-Ib., 370.

From none of these Libraries at Flo

rence are books lent out.

brary."4

1

(2.) Prato, etc.

"No permission is necessary for the

Public Library at Prato.

"No permission is necessary for the Public Library of Terra di Empoli.

"No disorder whatever has oc

6

Books are not removed from this Li- curred from the free admission of brary."-Ib., 370. the Public" to the Roncioni Library at Prato; or to the Library at Terra di Empoli; or to the University Library at Pisa; or to the Public Library at Volterra; or to that of Lucca."

With few exceptions, books are not lent out from this Library."-Ib., 371.

"Access is free to the Library of the University of Pisa; no ticket of admission is required. Professors and their Assistants have permission to take books from the Library-not exceeding ten vo

7

"The practice of lending books"

lumes-on written demand and on condi- from the University Library of Pisa,

tion that they be returned at the end of the academical year. Periodical works are not lent for more than eight days, and only one volume at a time."-Ib., 372.

1 App. 1850, 367.
2 Ibid., 368.
3 Ibid., 369.

+ Ibid., 370.

5 Ibib., 370.

6 Ibid., 371.

7 Ibid.

8 Ibid., 372.

9 Ibid., 373.

"The admission of the Public is entirely unrestricted" to the Royal Library at Stuttgart.

"The results of the practice of lending are not injurious. The

"Books are lent; on permission from books are punctually returned;

the Board of Direction."-Ib., 376.

On the average 5000 volumes have been lent yearly, during the last ten years." Ib., 376.

To the University Library of Tübingen, "admission is also unrestricted."

"Books are lent

Ib., 377.

and, setting aside the unavoidable wear, any serious damage is of very rare occurrence." 2

"No disadvantage has hitherto arisen from the free admission of the Public" to the University Li

1. to Professors and Tutors of the Uni- brary of Tübingen.3

versity and to other Functionaries resident in Tübingen;

2. to Students and other inhabitants of Tübingen, on the guarantee of a Uni

versity Tutor;

3. to other persons belonging to Wir-
temberg, by permission from the Li-
brary Commission;
4. to Foreigners, with the sanction of
the Ministry of Public Instruction."
Ib., 377.

"The works lent yearly are, on the average, 8000."-Ib. 377.

"The loan of books from the Library has not been attended by injurious consequences; but few books are returned in really bad condition; and actual loss is extremely rare."4

1 App. 1850, 375.

2 Ibid., 376.

3 Ibid., 377.
+ Ibid.

Vol. II.

BOOK IV.

Chapter V. Public Access.

Recent evidence taken by the Commission of Inquiry into the Imperial Library at

Paris.

The evidence which has thus been collected, from
no narrow field of inquiry, is plainly on the side of
free accessibility, as the broad and general rule. It by
no means follows that every Public Library, indiscri-
minately, whatever its character or contents, should
be open without any sort of introduction or voucher
of character. But, as respects ordinary Town Libra-
ries, there is, I think, no room for hesitation.

Of late years, there have been not a few complaints,
in Paris, of the abuse of the unrestricted access to the
Imperial Library. The recent Commission made careful
inquiry on this point. Many of the Officers whom they
examined were adverse to unrestricted admission. These
witnesses complained that, under that system, the Li-
brary became the habitual resort of loungers; that
sons of a degree of ignorance scarcely conceivable came
frequently, to waste the time of Officers and Attendants;
that frivolous and even infamous books were often
asked for; that valuable books were sometimes muti-
lated and leaves torn from them, to save the trouble of
making extracts; and the like.

per

Other witnesses contended,,from an opposite point of view, that it is difficult to change the settled customs of a country; and that to throw away that honourable renown for liberality, which had been so long the pride of the public establishments of France, would be to lose caste amongst nations. In France, said they. Equality is Law. An establishment maintained by the State must be free to every body. Would you', they asked, 'exclude from our collections a Foreigner, possibly a man of learning, - because, newly arrived in

6