The Somerset reporter., 1898-10-27
Free Public libraries.


Bulletin No. ? Of the State Board Of
Agriculture is Library number. In
this Secretary McKeen gives the law
relating to free public libraries. chapter
233 of the public laws of 1897 as follows:
Section. I. Any incorporated village
within this State located in a town where
no free library exists, is hereby authorized
and empowered to establish library
within its limits for the free use of all of
its inhabitants and to levy and assess a
corporate tax and to appropriate there
from for the foundation and commence
ment of such library, sum not exceeding
two dollars, and for its maintenance and
increase annually sum not exceeding
one dollar per each ratable poll resident
within such village corporate limits in the
year next preceding. Snch library so
established and maintained shall be
entitled to receive from the State treasury,
a sum equal to ten per cent of the amount
annually raised and appropriated by the
village corporation therefor. Village.
libraries established under this act shall
be subject to all the duties and entitled to
all the privileges prescribed by the laws
relating to free public libraries in towns.
Section 2. Any town in which there is
free public library is hereby authorized
to establish and maintain under the same
general management and control, such
branches of the same as the convenience
and wants of the citizens of said town
seem to demand.
But two correspondents in Somerset
County have anything to say in reply to
the inquiries of the secretary. Following
are their reports:
Observation-Disclosures grange is
without library. The most of us are so
crowded with affairs connected with the
farm and grange work that we haYc but
little time to get outside of newspaper
and magazine reading, however much we
may desire to do so. do not ignore the
fact that standard work on any of the
different branches OF . farming would be
helpful to any one engaged in farming;
but whether of greater help than few
lively agricultural papers, is an open
question. Our New England agricultural
press. as whole, is up to date on all the
great questions touching upon farm life
and business, continually giving the latest
practical experience of our best farmers,
and if circumstances are such that we
must dispense with either one, let us
hold on to the agricultu' al papers and let
the books 60. We have only limited
time to devote to reading, and it becomes
us TO take the cream and the cream only.
The secretary is correct in saying. "The
highest and most successful agriculture is
based upon the best practice and has its
foundation in the greatest intelligence-an
intelligence derived from study and
reading as we'll as from experience" OF
course we must expect the schools and
standard publications to furnish whatever
science there may be in agriculture, but
the experience we get from written
observations of others coupled with our
own, are of much value S. F. EMERSON.
ANsoN-I have but one statement to
make in regard to books on farming: viz,
the secretary of the Maine Board of
Agriculture has published the best works
for instruction on the various subjects of
farming that have come under my
observation. The agricultural papers are
not to be rejected by any means, as they
furnish timely articles on many subject
Immediately connected with our own
efforts. GEO. FLINT.