Page 132 - DLIS101_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SOCIETY

Unit 11: Library Legislation—II

Act 1845 should be amended and extended to allow for a tax to be levied for the establishment of Notes
public libraries. However, it was not thought necessary to sub sidise stock provision for the libraries
so the levy was to be used to provide buildings, furnishings and staff salaries. The authors of the
Report believed that donations from members of the public would be more than adequate to stock
the new libraries.
The 1850 Act was much more contentious than the Museums Act 1845. The major arguments against
the Bill included:
• Although the boroughs were represented by elected bodies, many people argued that the Act
enforced taxation without consent.
• There was opposition to the Act simply on the grounds that founding and maintaining the
new libraries would mean an increase in taxation at all, consensual or otherwise.
• Concerns were expressed that it would infringe on private enterprise and the existing library
provision such a smechanics’ institutes.
• Access to certain publications would neither promote civil society nor act as a form of social
control, and libraries would instead become sites of social agitation. This issue was linked to
the common concern that extending education to the lower orders of society would lead to
libraries becoming working class “lecture halls” “which would give rise to an unhealthy agi-
tation”.
• Others felt that there were more pressing concerns, and wondered about the necessity for a
library when literacy levels were so low.
In contrast many people favoured it, provided there was a cap on the level of taxation, on the
grounds that:
• Public libraries would provide facilities for self-improvement through books and reading for
all classes, not just those who were wealthy enough to afford their own private libraries and
collections.
• The greater levels of education attained by providing public libraries would result in lower
crime rates.
In order to get the Bill passed through Parliament, a number of concessions had to be made to its
original content. The compromises made included limiting the Act to boroughs with populations of
more than 10,000 where at least two thirds of local ratepayers had to vote in favour of provision in
a local referendum.[11] The Bill would repeal the Museums Act 1845 and so, in order to continue
funding museums of arts and science as well as the new free libraries, local rates could be increased,
but by no more than 1/2d. per £1. As stated in the Bill however, it was only permitted to spend this
levy on library and museum buildings and staff but not on books and other stock.

State your views how 1850 Act is much more contentious than the Museums Act,
1845.

Legacy of the Act

The Public Library Acts of 1855 and 1866 were the last to be advanced by William
Ewart, who retired in 1868.

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