A colleague recently explained that the growth of public libraries in the
UK paralleled and in fact was one result of the proliferation of carnation
cultivation in coal mining towns.  In brief the story related to me was
that these flowers flourished in such regions and as the miners needed
increasingly diverse literature to support increasingly sophisticated
cultivation, communal book gathering evolved into libraries.

Perhaps this was told to me just because I'm so gullible.  However, if it
is true can anyone suggest any sources to support the tale?

Thanks in advance for the bibliographic references.

------------
Bernard Barryte
Associate Director / Chief Curator
Stanford University Museum of Art
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tel:  650/ 725-0466  fax: 650/ 725-0464