There have been a couple of messages recently (I think) about hygienic
libraries, which then expanded into notes about what was done with books
returned from households suffering from infectious diseases. Well, I was
wondering how far this concern is dependant on the type of library involved,
and whether it became an issue in the early days of the public library, as
a result of the expected clientele, the working class, the lower orders or
whatever you wish to call them.
I have for instance the rules of the Hampstead PL in front of me (ca.1906), in
which rule 23 talks specifically of disinfecting or destroying books returned
from a household with an infectious disease. I just wonder whether similar
statements would be found in rules from subscription or other proprietorial
type libraries. It might also be interesting to find the first instance of such
a statement in the rules of a British public library.
Dr Chris Baggs
DILS, UWA
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