The Direction of Development

Most Important Sentence: "Nevertheless, the otherall difference between the public library performing a general function and performing a special function on behalf of out-of-school enlightenment is worth maintaining" (Leigh, 225).

One major argument of this article is this: should libraries just give the tax payers what they want, or should libraries exist to further one's education? (especially once a person is out of the hallowed halls of school).

Another important distinction the article makes is between small, local, rural sorts of isolated libraries versus larger libraries that network with one another. The author seems to feel that the smaller libraries that need tax payer initiative taken in order for them to succeed often do not. "As long as the libraries remain small and isolated from each other these limitations are inevitable" (Leigh, 232). When libraries work together, however, through programs like inter-library loan, the larger operations have seen success. With more of a selection to choose from, it is not too hard to see how this is possible.

On page 234, Leigh (in summary) asks the question of what kinds of materials to get for one's library? It seems to me that while a library with more limited resources should reflect the will of the community, simply reflecting the community will not teach the community in question much new information. Perhaps this is a dangerously elitist view, and my library would fail. What good is a library however, without serendipitous experiences for its patrons?