The record-union., 1898-11-26


store the thousands of useless Volumes
here, the shelfroom would have 20 be
materially enlarged each year and pos
sibly the law library would be crowded
out. He doubted the expediency of
such an arrangement
Professor Nash said he had been mis-
understood. 1t was not the intention
of the committee to ask for five, but
Tor one copy of each book copyrighted.
Librarian Coombs said the question of
ghelfrOom was one of considerable mo-
ment, and one that would have TO be
settled before wholesale extension of
books could be taken care OF properly
He intimated that a separa-ay or libra
ry building might be constructed hav-
Ing sufficient room in which to store all
books obtained
TRAVELLING LIBRARY.
w. P. Kimball read an interesting
paper, entitled Travelling Libraries,
In which he handled the important
question from nearly every conceivable
point of view. He told of the system OF
portable libraries that maintained in
England fifty years ago, and by means
Of which about fifty books from large
free Libraries were boxed up and
loaned to other localities for a speci-
fed period of time, thereby doing much
to disseminate knowledge among per-
sons who would not otherwise have
had the chance to procure it.
Mr.. Kimball traced the history of the
travelling library in the United States.
He thought the ideas of popular edu-
cation and travelling libraries were
the fact that only per cent. of the
pupils of the public schools ever take
a high school course, and said that
after they left schools the course of
their studies were stopped unless they
( brary.
G. l. Weller Librarian of the Ala
media Public Library, in opening the
discussion, said he agreed with Will
S. Green that there were books in the
State Library that would be of no
value to the people at large. but con-
tended that while the tySo-b editions,
SO common. and the $3.50 volume of
Shakespeare would do no good: that
other books could and would, if given
a chance to circulate among the peo-
pie of the State. He said there is not
the State Library that is demanded by
the taxpayers, who were not in it for
a minute. He thought some method
ought to be contrived whereby other
libraries ought to be able to get
loan of a number of books
for a specified time, the libra
rians of the institutions to which
they were loaned to be held response
bic for their safe return. Many books
might be loaned out that would do
incalculable good. He did not care
whether or not the library was taken
out of politics, but he would like to
see the people who paid the taxes to
maintain the institution derive some
benefit from It, He said the taxpayers
have no more to say about the State
Library than they have about China.
Will S. Green, in replying to Mr..
Weller, said the library was not main
tanned by a direct tax on the people,
but by fees collected in the Secretary
of States office. for filing articles of
incorporation. He said that the money
so raised might, if not put into a IL
brary fund, get into the Stc1e Treas
ury, but in either case it would not
be the result of a direct tax. Mr..
Green referred to w. w. Seaman's
statement to the effect that hundreds
of thousands of dollars had been spent
in the State for school libraries. School
libraries were, he said of very little
value and had the money sunk in
them been expended In stocking and
maintaining a good travelling library
for the schools and circulating IL
braries, much good might have been
done Since listening to the papers
which had been read he was inclined
to favor expending the money USE
lessly used to maintain school libraries
for the Quitting Of a good travelling
library. the books to be selected by
the Professors of the State University.
ARMIES ON NEEDED LEGISLA-
TION."
William D. Armes spoke on ''Legis-
lation That is Needed He favored
an extension of the copyright depcsi-
tory system as needful piece of ma
tional legislation. He believed that the
State laws should be so amended that
it would be impossible for such iniqui-
ties to occur as had disgraeed a town
he might name (meaning Oallland), and
that no Board of Supervisors should
have power to cripple library and de-
stroy its usefulness. He thought it
great defect in the law that band of
men wholly antagonistic to libraries
could for private, political or corruft
reasons force the managers of libraries
to plead in vain for meager funds. The
speech was applauded.
Mr.. Weller moved that the associa-
ton pass resolutions condemning the
conduct of the Oakland officials, but
the matter went over until to-day.
MR.. MILLS ON EDUCATIONAL
VALUE OF LIBRARIES"
Chairman Coombs introduced w. II.
Mills with the statemenI that ne
thought the association should be con-
graduated on securing Mr.. Mills 10
speak The subject was '"The Edu-
cational Value of Libraries"
Mr. Mills had not prepared a paper,
so he began with the statement that he
had on that account hesitated about
accepting the invitation to speak. He
said that he had noticed that there was
a tendency to argue for depository for
copyrights, and that the State Library
be made such. He suggested that there
was a better scheme already under
way-a bill about to be introduced in
the National Congress providing tnat
there be a department for deposit of
documents on this coast. He urged
those in favor of the copyright :dea to
join forces with those advocating this
department idea, and thus accomplish
some good al an early date.
The entire gist of his speech was an
argument for making the State Library
q great depository of valuable refert nee
works. He said that fiction OF pOpu-
lar and commonly sought character