St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-12-07
STATE LIBRARY COMMISSION.
4 v Frs.
THEIR SECOND biennial Report.

st. Johnsbury people are especially in
terested in the work of the library com.
missioners as the board was created
through the efforts and bill of one of our
townsmen, L. ID. Hazen, when he was a
member OF the senate OF 1894, and one If
the members of the board is the librarian
Of the st. Johnsbury Athenaum, Miss
Louise l.. Bartlett.
The present report is a pamphlet of
nearly 100 pages and was printed at the
CALIFORNIAN office. In opening the re.
port one comes first to the latest man Of
Vermont. drawn by w. Fl. Sargent Of St.
Johnsbury, and printed in colors by The
CALIFORNIAN Company. The map shows
at glance the free public Libraries in the
state, which is what this commission il
seeking to establish.
One color on the map shows the free
public libraries organized with state aid
and another color free libraries other.
wise organized. From the table else
where published in the report it appears
that OF the 243 towns in the statc-245
counting Rutland and Barre both as a
city and towr-83 towns contain free
public libraries wholly owned and con.
trolled by the town; two contain free
libraries of which the support and con.
troll is shared by individuals and the
town; seven towns contain free public
libraries to which the town apprentices
money without being represented in the
management, while in seven towns there
are Tree libraries entirely supported bv
private beneiactions. This leaves IA
towns without free public libraries, but 20
OF these towns have libraries charging
an annual fee or used by stockholders or
for reference. In commenting on these
facts the board say I'm many Of the 142
towns there appear to be obstacles to
the formation Of free public library
arising from the claims OF different vii
lagos in the same town, scattered popu.
lation and the difficulty OF finding an &C.
cessible location" But the beard believe
that many of these questions have been
solved in a practical and satisfactory
manner in the histories of the libraries
already formed.
Looking to the table OF Caledonia
county one finds that 10 out oil the II
towns have a free library, while four
others have libraries that are not free.
The three towns that have no libraries
are Barnet, Sheffield and Stannard.
Next week we shall print the detailed
statement OF the libraries in this county
as printed in this report.
In the FIRST part OF the pamphlet much
interesting information is given for those
intending to start free public libraries
and apply for state aid. Among the helps
is list OF recent books recommended to
Vermont libraries by the commission.
AS the state gives S100 to towns start.
ing tree public library the commission
publish list OF purchased for one
OF the towns, showing what a wide
range OF subjects and what valuable
books such list can cover.
The last half Of the book is devoted to
histories of the Vermont libraries and
many hali-tone cuts are given of the
building. throughout the state. Pictures
are shown among others of the Pope
Memorial Library at Danvile, the Jeude-
vine Memorial Library at Hardwick and |
an interior view Of St. Johnsbury Athen-
9um. Most of the pictures were made |
especially for this years report OF the
board.
The board is composed of the follow.
ing members: S. w. Landon, chairman,
Burlington; II. E. Rustedt of Richford;
Fred A. Rowland of Montpelier. now
secretary OF state; Miss Mary l.. Titcomb
oil the Rutland Free Library, secretary;
Miss L. L. Bartlett, St. Johnsbury. The
commission serve the state gratuitously
and it is impossible to estimate the value
OF their work in its far-reaching and
bent fcent results.
Without the love of books the richest
man is poor; but endowed with this
treasure OF treasures, the poorest man
is rich. He has wealth which no power
can diminish; riches which are always
increasing; possessions which the more
he scatters the more they accumulate
friends who never desert him, and pleas.
ures which never cloy." In establishing
free libraries throughout the state the
are enriching the lives of
our citizens and placing them in touch
with the best thoughts OF all time.