The significance of public libraries in the provision of post-school educational services by local authorities in nineteenth century England

Abstract

This study was undertaken as a contribution to educational historiography, in order to help fill a gap as evidenced by the paucity of references in the standard histories of English post-school education to the work of local government authorities during the second half of the nineteenth century. Several research questions evolved, from which was derived the working hypothesis: 'that the local government authority facilities provided under the Public Libraries & Museums Acts in effect created the Public Institutions for which socio-political reformers had called in the 1830's and 1840's'. The 'aim' was to elucidate the patterns of post-school educational service provision by local government authorities between c.1845 and c.1902. More particularly, the 'objectives' were to determine: (a) what services were provided (b) how they were provided (c) why they were provided (d) what obstructions were encountered (e) the consequences cf that provision. Initially, the research consisted mainly of an examination of contemporary books and professional periodicals, supplemented to some extent by local newspapers, to identify those activities of local councils which could be classed as educational or educative. This was at a period when local councils were not legally education authorities 'per se' under the Education Acts. In fact, apart from educational provisions under the Factory Acts and other central governmental measures, primary education was not the subject of effective rational legislation until 1870, technical instruction until 1889 and secondary education until 1902. Adult education itself remained outside the legal framework. The research project disclosed that many English local authorities became 'de facto' post-school education authorities through the adoption of the various Public Libraries & Museums Acts from 1845, which enabled them to operate classes and lectures as well as book-based and artifact services. These services were based on those offered by the mechanics' institutions and similar voluntary bodies, and were often facilitated by the public institutions taking over the premises and stock of those bodies, and sometimes their staff also. To some extent these rate-supported community complexes (consisting of libraries, museums, art galleries, classes and lectures) were moving towards fulfilling the calls for public institutions made earlier in the nineteenth century by J.S. Buckingham, the educational Chartists and others. From the evidence presented it appears that the working hypothesis may be validated for an important minority of the townships-though only partially so for many others.