Question

Read the following passage:

In the late nineteenth century, the movement to establish free public libraries in the United States gained significant momentum. Advocates for these institutions argued that public libraries would serve multiple vital civic functions. Primarily, they believed that libraries would provide working-class citizens with access to educational materials, thereby fostering a more informed electorate. Furthermore, proponents asserted that libraries would offer a safe and productive alternative to taverns and gambling halls. Finally, they argued that by centralizing book collections, public libraries would preserve important historical documents that might otherwise be lost to decay or private hoarding. However, despite their enthusiasm, these early advocates rarely focused on providing entertainment or popular fiction, viewing the library strictly as an institution for moral and intellectual uplift.

Based on the passage, early advocates for the establishment of free public libraries argued that these institutions would serve all of the following functions EXCEPT: