Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-11-11
Mrs. Hurd's Report.

These are items of interest culled while
attending the meeting of the Iowa
library association held at Des Moines
October y and 18th. Mrs. Cope, of the
state library, said there had been 1856
applications for the fifty ira veling librar-
les of the state. Schools had applied for
them, but she had rather avoided send
! ing them to schools, but rather to out
OF the way places. She preferred to
send them where there was disposition
to organize public library and ten
! libraries had been started through their
! influence.
State Superintendent Sabin, who gave
an address on Relation of schools to
! libraries said that the most serious
charge brought against the public
schools at present is, that it fails to
develop right mindedness among the
pupils and that it does not reach out
into the homes Of the pupils. He SAID
that the school library promised to fur
nish the missing link between the school
and the home. The books selected
and the mental development of those
who use them. The new law provides
that school boards shall have power to
use the contingent fund to the extent of
$50 for each school annually (sec. 1888
and this doubtless, will give great
impetus to the work Of upbuiding school
libraries. Mr.. Sabin told of model
plan which is pursued in some of the
school districts OF the state. In some of
the small districts where there are only
a very few pupils of school age, the
schools are closed and these few pupils
are taken at public expense, to the larger
schools adjoining the district. 1t is a
plan which would be worth trying in
library matters and particularly in
school libraries.
Miss Stearns, OF Milwaukee, gave an
outline Of the great work done i'll Wis
consin by the library commission. She
spoke on how to arouse interest in the
organization of public libraries. Fore
most among the agencies in this work
she placed the press.
Miss Ahern, of Chicago public librar-
Use, beng called on, said that she hoped
none of those present Woud feel dis
cOuraged because library matters with
them were perhaps yet in the day of
small things, these have their place in
the work to be done. The small things
were needed even in "Public libraries"
This being the monthly magazine puo
lished by the library bureau OF ChicagO.)
The Only thing to take heed to were the
opportunity to do sincere, earnest work
in The place appointed and to be sure
that it was real and not effort put forth
for display or because it was fad.
Mr.. Burtch, of A. G. McClurg & Co.,
gave a very helpful talk on book buying,
and said when at all practicable, to buy
of your local dealers.
The evening session was occupied by
Johnson Brigham, editor of the Midland
Monthly, with paper on "The danger
line of literature" 1t was scholarly
bright criticism of the things which
make for worth in all classes of writings.
"How to stimulate interest in the
library by Judge Deemer. He divided
the subject into two parts. First their
relating to the library itself, and second,
those relating to the people who are ex-
pected to use it, The librarian should
be scholarly person. but not book
worm. The library should be well ar
ranged and we'll equipped with appli-
ances. In its contents old novels average
better than new. In history, biography,
travel. economics, sociology, the new
authors are better than the old. A reso-
luton was passed asking for the ap-
pointment of library commission and
a committee appointed to work upon the
next legislature. LIBRARIAN.