A noble task

"The story of Saint Paul's Public Library, from its founding in 1882 by a determined band of public spirited citizens, to its exuberant presence today, is a roller-coaster account of both public enchantment and public neglect. Until recent years, the library system was the last public institution to be funded and the first to be cut when municipal budgets are tight. Often treated as the orphan of city government, the Saint Paul Public Library survived and prospered largely because the institution was blessed with the dedication of a cadre of extraordinary librarians."--Jacket.