André Maurois (1885-1967), today rather unknown, was once a famous French writer with an enormous production of novels, essays and biographies. From 1938 he was a member of l’Académie Francaise. But André Maurois was also the anonymous author of the first Unesco Public Library Manifesto, published in 1949. To be honest, later versions of the Manifesto have not reached an equal literary standard.

In 1961 another Unesco publication by
Maurois was published. That is the
pamphlet, Public libraries and their
mission. This official document is also
of an unusual literary standard.

In the 1960s Unesco was very concerned
about international library development.
And the pamphlet Public
Libraries and their mission is a massive
support of the basic values of public
libraries.

According to Maurois, books are the
only way in which we can learn about
past ages. Books are the best key to an
understanding of social groups that we
never frequent. Maurois further maintains
that books can take us out of
ourselves and are our gateways to other
people’s minds. And nothing is more
important than to broad our horizons.
Public libraries are important to make
books accessible. And, summarizes
Maurois, “every library is a centre for
international understanding. By its
very existence, free from propaganda
and prejudice and with no axe of its
own to grind, the public library serves
peace as well as democracy.”

According to Maurois, public libraries
are one of the most essential institutions
in a civilized society. He goes so
far as to state that … “education is but
a key to open the doors of libraries.”

His strong concern for the importance
of good children’s libraries is expressed
as follows: “It is early in life that a taste
for books and reading is most easily
acquired. Most children have not
enough money to buy books, nor have
their parents enough money to give
them books. Only in a library will they
find good books. A public library must
have a children’s corner.”

The design of children’s libraries is
important. In the words of Maurois
“... the setting should be bright and
colourful, so that the idea of books
may be associated in the child’s mind
with a feeling of well-being. The
shelves should be full of books among
which the child should be free to
browse.”

In the 1960s children’s libraries did not
have the highest priority. Libraries did
not always regard children’s literature
as important. Fortunately, attitudes
have gradually changed and library
service for children has improved a lot.

High standard in Nordic countries

In the Nordic countries library service
for children have reached a comparati
vely high standard. Public libraries
without a children’s department are a
rarity. Consequently children in our
countries are regular book consumers
which is evident from numerous
surveys on reading habits produced
during the last decades. Figures on
reading habits for Swedish children
usually show that somewhat 90% of
children read regularly. And what is
more, the pattern of reading habits is
that a generation appears to continue
its reading habits as its age increases.
That means, a 20 year-old in 1982 read
at roughly the same level as a 40 yearold
in 2003. Conclusions drawn from
this is that if we want to encourage a
nation to become a reading nation the
most strategic action would be to set
up well-equipped children’s libraries.

Most children in the world do not have
access to well-equipped libraries, or to
libraries at all. Too many children live
in countries where poverty rates and
illiteracy rates are equally high. Where
the education system is insufficient and
old-fashioned. Where libraries have low
priority on the political agenda. Where
a book market is almost non-existent
and where nobody would dream of
opening a book shop. Where the
chance to read for most children is
minimal.

When Maurois wrote the pamphlet,
Public libraries and their mission, in the
beginning of the 1960s the world was
different. Books still had a strong
monopoly status. Television was in its
infancy, and not many could imagine
its potential as mass distributor of junk
information. The entertainment industry
was still far away. And so was the
sex industry. The Internet was not even
thought of.

Not just books

Imagine that we today could ask André
Maurois to update his pamphlet, Public
libraries and their mission, and adapt it
to the current situation, he might have
made the following comments:

‘Yes, he might have said, I admit I was a
bit biased and too focused on the role
of the public library as intermediaries
for books. And books only. Had I foreseen
the development in the publishing
industry and the increasing amount of
international best sellers and the increasing
amount of nonsensical junk, I
had probably been less categorical in
my statements. But on the other hand
this fact does not reduce the value of
good books.
I am still convinced that books are one
of the best sources to knowledge, information
and understanding. And so far,
I can’t see that any new invention has
replaced the book.

With the ICT development public libraries
have become aware of the importance
of information, and above all
the importance of immediate information.
Information technology has
offered new opportunities for libraries.
Of course libraries today should use
the IC technologies. It would be silly
not to. But there must be a balance.
Books are still the most important
content in libraries. If libraries did not
exist, which institution could take their
role? Not any I am afraid. Public libraries,
as I said in 1960, are one of the
most essential institutions in a civilized
society. And they still are. I think that
today libraries are necessary as sanctuaries
and counterparts to the huge
amount of misinformation. Quantity
seems to have become more important
than quality. The strength of libraries is
that what they offer has to some extent
a quality guarantee.

In the 1960s it was necessary to emphasise
the need of good children’s
libraries. They were neglected. Today
there is a risk for a backlash, due to
lack of interest. So I would certainly
repeat what I said in the chapter on
children’s libraries more than 40 years
ago. Perhaps the language should be
updated, but that is all.

Children’s libraries are important.
Without libraries many children would
never come in contact with books and
reading. This is valid in rich countries
as well as in poor countries. For different
reasons, of course.

Top priority to childrens libraries

The international library movement
does not seem to be very concerned on
children’s library issues. Children’s
libraries should have top priority.’

The library profession today is very
concerned with ICT development, with
copyright issues and with digitisation.
The concept of lifelong learning has
got a new life. Here I would like to
remind you of the original concept of
public libraries as expressed in my
version of the Unesco Public Library
Manifesto, that public libraries are the
people’s university. This statement is
still valid. All the issues mentioned
above are of course very important.
But the library community does not
seem able to manage more than one
topic at the time. Maybe a better
understanding of library history would
help.

However, Maurois would conclude, it
would be a good idea to revise my
pamphlet from 1961. Maybe IFLA
should urge Unesco to initiate such a
revision. The public library movement
needs an updated ideological platform.
And if my pamphlet could serve as
inspiration, I would be more than
happy.