Books Read in an Agricultural County

THE county librarian is often asked in amused, curious or contemptuous tone “what do the “villagers” read?” In a purely agricultural county consisting of small villages with no urban area it is possible that literary appreciation is on a lower level than in counties where there are a number of towns; for it is an undeniable fact that although a country man's ability may be equal to that of his town cousin, the standard of education is higher in the towns than in the country. Town dwellers have more varied interests and as a rule have had to make more use of the education received in youth than the village folk whose daily work makes less demand upon the mental faculties.