Point of View

This poem is told through the third-person omniscient point of view. It particularly focuses on librarians as the central figures, using the pronoun “They”. The omniscient point of view gives the speaker the ability to see and understand the entire catalogue of these libraries, as well as their potential to enlighten or corrupt. The perspective moves from the more general to the more precise as it progresses from images to names. The speaker presents a broad overview of what these books are capable of, and hints at the responsibilities of both readers and lenders to use the knowledge contained within them wisely.

Language and Meaning

The language of this poem leans slightly archaic, using words like “heathens / and heretics” (Lines 6-7) which aren’t as prominent in popular usage today. Other phrases are more elaborately evocative, such as “sensational novelties, / a scandalous, permissive mingling” (Lines...