Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-01-27

throughout the state u ieatlet contain
ing much interesting Information re-
gardiug the free travelling libraries Of
Wisconsin, The leahot Is untitled liow
to Give Them and How to Get Them.
II will bo signed by Chairman j, II.
Stout, Secretary +. \, Rutehtns and
Librarian l., Il, Stetrns,
Certain friends OF libraries in Wis
CONSUL" says the commission, have
| offered the commission n number of
! FREQ travelling libraries Of fifty vol
umes each which may ho sent to those
enterprising villages which first estah-
| fish free public libraries, The eondt-
| tons are ns follows. The villages
must have shown population of be.
tween 500 and 1900 by the census OF
j 1895; the village board, or tho town
! board where the village Is not meorpo-
rated must establish free library
under The state law, when II is pos
sible the library should start with u
good supply of books furnished by
popular subscription. Each library
! sent out by the commission Will con-
/ tain fifty choice volumes, bound III
durable editions. IL Win he packed In
a strong chest Ii will remain IN u
community six months and must theh
be returned to the commission whleh
will send out auothor library contain
| Ing different books. The freight
charges must be paid by the library
7 NJ. Il ,,,,,tN{y., ihn hooks. InHN
viii also be responsible for tho cot
lection of fines Tor the loss of books
"The commission hns been prom
Used eighteen libraries which II can
send to villages but II hopes To nave
4 ntulv. luI ,,.a ....~e'.s A. .''
send libraries to the first oiEhtean VII
laycs which comply with The cona'-
lions. The people of four Villages arc
a,rorav 81 work to meet tho tohu'-
tions of this offer, In determ''llhk
which villages are to get these ""
hraries. tho commission VIII give INC
preference to those which are u'e
most liberal in proportion to their
,onulalicn and wealth. II Ia sugh as'-
ca that two or more citizens OF WI
t,apc may unite In making n giit OF
travelling library to the commission
undor the condition that their holhe
community be made one OF uhe SUI
Itfons for the travelling libraries OF inc
Ic,mmission. The commission cai'a''
agree TO continue sending libraries 'o
lnny community after those nov
nromisod which will last about I've
vears. arc worn out, but there IL ''t''o
donb thnt the travelling library syS-
Ian, hos come to stay and some menus
,,m undoubtedly be found Of making
ii permanent.
"of the libraries We have, eight were
elvon nv J u. Wltter OF Grahd h'l'
lao ono by the Madison Book clhp'
ono Nv the students Of MILWAUKEE,
bowner college, one by Garuher
Sticknoy OF Milwaukee, one ny !, -
Inpd ]. NJ. pereles OF Milwaukee, an'
DIV Inv Senator j, II Stout OF Meno"'''
ME.
"Interost In free libraries Is GROWING
,ary rauidly In Wisconsin. In 1871
we had nineteen such lprarl'e 80
we have forty nine and they recul'u'
p,f,s and requests from ,riVa'e lt"'~
yidnaIs in 1897 amounting 70 ''io'e
tb,r 500 900. or the forty-nine to"nS
n Wisconsin which had more 'hah
oo0 inhabitants in 1"'b thirty-s'A
a,,nnor, free ,braries and the others
will soon have them.
"The most serious problem III hp'"-
~ extension has been to heip tue
farming cor lUnitles and the smail
villages I'll. tt..I @"""aas or the
several systems OF free travelling ~
baries IN this state prove that 'hIS
nlan Of supplying the farmers IL eco
Lomical and practlnable. The clti-
zens who have f.rn'"t'' the means
for these libraries all agree that no
other philanthroplc work OF when
they have knowledge does SO much
good in proportion TO It's cost. There
are now 100 such libraries nj work In
eight counties In the state, but the
Wisconsin Free Library commission
ought To have number OF others 10
show the merits OF the plan In all
parts OF the state.
THE commission has for months
been getting most urgent appeals from
small villages In Wisconsin for advice
and help In starting free libraries.
The difficulty In small village lies In
the fact that the small annual In
come for a library IL eaten up by Its
running expenses~-librarian's salary
fuel, light and rent--and too little Is
left 10 buy sem-annnal supplies OF
fresh books; and library without
such supplies soon loses Its popularity
and support.
Gould the commission say 10 the
people OF these small communities:
n you will establish public libraries
under the state law, insure them per-
manent incomes and equip them In a
manner that is satisfactory TO the
commission, we will send yon a choice
library OF fifty volumes every six
months, TO be exchanged according
=