Library Ideals

Legler, Henry Eduard, 1861-1917Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.2

Word count: 142K words
Chapters: 15

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Library Ideals by Henry Eduard LeglerAuthor: Legler, Henry Eduard, 1861-1917,Language: English, Class: Z: Bibliography, Library science, Release Date: Jul 23, 2016

Editor's review

Library Ideals is a collection of essays by Legler on library philosophy, a library science text within the public-domain e-books of Project Gutenberg. Its value lies in presenting how early twentieth-century American librarians thought about the role of libraries, public reading, and knowledge services; it serves as supplementary reading for the history of libraries and the history of library science thought. The book discusses not modern digital resource management or specific cataloging techniques but broader professional ideals and public cultural positions, so readers gain both a historical perspective and a basis for reflecting on the place of libraries in communities and public education today. As an original English text, its length and themes lean toward conceptual exposition, making it suitable for reading in sections and taking notes. If you care about the spiritual tradition of public libraries, this small book offers an early sample for comparison.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students and teachers of library science, archival science, and information management
Readers interested in the history of public libraries and reading culture
Practitioners who wish to consider the social role of libraries from a historical perspective
Readers able to read original English texts who prefer conceptual short essays

Not a good fit for

Practitioners looking for a modern library management operations manual
Readers seeking guidance on digital resource development and cataloging techniques
Those who only want light stories and lack patience for conceptual texts

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the overall argument, then return to mark passages that resonate with contemporary library issues.
After each section, write a two- or three-sentence summary recording the author's core judgments about the role of libraries.
Compare with the current state of local public libraries to turn historical ideas into real-world discussion.
If reading English is difficult, start with the introduction or conclusion, then choose chapters of interest for close reading.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book discuss library management methods?

It is not an operations-level management manual. According to the materials, it is Legler's Library Ideals, a library science text that leans toward discussion of library philosophy and public cultural roles rather than specific technical processes such as cataloging, acquisitions, or digital systems.

Can someone with basic English read this book?

You can try, but patience is needed. This is a public-domain English e-book with a conceptual focus, and the sentences are not necessarily easy. Start with shorter chapters, using a dictionary and taking notes; if you only want the gist, read the table of contents and conclusion first, then selected key passages.

Is this book still useful to today's library practitioners?

Its usefulness lies mainly in historical perspective and professional reflection, not in directly applicable methods. Readers can use the ideals of early librarians to compare with the role of today's public libraries in community service, knowledge dissemination, and public reading, and form their own judgments.

Comments

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About the author

Legler, Henry Eduard, 1861-1917 Author · American · 1861–1917

Henry Eduard Legler (1861–1917) was an American librarian and writer who devoted himself to the public library cause in Wisconsin, promoting library institutions and professional ideals. Only a small body of his work survives, and two titles are held here. Walt Whitman, Yesterday & Today offers commentary on Whitman and his writings, showing Legler's sustained interest in American literature and its intellectual figures, while Library Ideals sets out his professional vision for librarianship, discussing the function and spirit of the public library. The available material suggests that his writing spans both literary criticism and professional discussion, in a practical style aimed at general readers and library practitioners, and is of value for understanding the American public library movement from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Because public information on his life is limited, this introduction relies only on his confirmed writings and professional identity.