St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-10-25

the funds OF the library. From this
original method of raising money, we
run the whole gamut of suppers, sales,
dramatic entertainments, etc, with once
in while good fortune in the shape of a
summer visitor. But only the larger OF
the small towns can resort successfully
to these methods. Many OF the towns
are really too small to have entertain
ments, and it is useless to ask for more
than the absolutely required sum at the
annual town meeting. On the whole,
Vermont is a well-to-do state, but still
we have many towns SO poor that II
spring freshet should carry away
bridge, the town fathers would have to
bond the town, in order to raise fifty
dollars with which to repair it. Now
what can be done to help these little
libraries? The answer comes from the
experience of other states which have
proved that the travelling library system
is the best to keep these struggling libra
ries alive, as well as to encourage other
small towns to establish them. For the
furtherance of this object we are looking
to you for help. All over the country the
Woman's Clubs are doing just this work.
Today, if any state wishes to establish a
library commission the first thing to do
is to interest the State Federation. In
Indiana bill recently passed the legis-
lature providing for Commission and |
think you will be interested to hear how
it was accomplished and so l am going
to read you an extract from paper read
by Miss Browning OF the Indianapolis
Public Library at the meeting OF the
American Library Association held at
Atlanta, Ca, last spring. The paper is
entitled "How Woman's Clubs may help
the Library Movement" and is very sug-
gestive, but l will only quote small
part. "In June, 1897, at the annual
meeting of the Union of Clubs a resolu-
ton was offered That the president Of
the Union OF Clubs appoint committee
of five, OF which she should be one, to CO.
operate with the Library Association o.
Indiana in framing law which shall
secure to Indiana Library Commission
and this committee to report progress al
the next annual meeting of the Union o
Clubs." The resolution was carried ant
committee appointed.
The chairman and other members Of tn,
committee visited libraries, ATTENDED
library association meetings. and wrot
to those posted on the subject until thel
were well up in three things: What the.
knew they wanted, and thought tn
state ought to give them: what the,
thought the joint committee from tn
Union of Clubs and the Library Associa
ton might endorse, and what they hope
the General Assembly might grant. TIL
first included practically unlimited in
come-which they knew they could neve
get. The second included more goo,
points than the General Assembly coul
be expected to grant; and the last mad
bold stand for a library commission
travelling libraries and the right of tn
citizens to vote to establish townshi
libraries.
The report Of this committee to tn
Union of Clubs in 1898. was adopte
land the same committee was continue
with instructions to draft a bill alon
the lines laid down in the report and &c
, it before the General Assembly whic
would meet during the following winter
Thereupon began six months of har
labor on the part of the committee an
: its friends. They wrote to the clubs an
/ sent copies of the report to their secret;
: ries explaining the bill that was to
] presented to the General Assembly, asl
l ing each club in the federation to see
: it that strong committee was appoin
f ed to instruct their representatives as
] their wishes in this matter as soon 6
, they were elected: and even before tt
e election to talk to the candidates, and
S possible to get pledges beforehand NAL
e ing the library Commission bill loci
e ISSUE Immediately after the election
i before they had time to forget that tn
5 was the same bill they had just hear
e about, the club committee sent thel
: letters covering the same ground an
e asking for their support. The count
f newspapers were besieged in the san
y manner, and club women who wei
e kno wn to be good workers were write
S to personally and their services enliste
!, in the cause Miss Browning then r
: counts some of the difficulties they e.
e countered, with which it is not necessai
?. that | should take your time. Suffice
: to say that they accomplished their o.
d ject, and Indiana today has libraI
S commission.
Now something similar to this migl
a be done | think previous to the NEE
n ing of the legislature at Montpeli
/, next year. hope that the discussio
S which is to follow this meeting w
S develop willingness on your part
:. organize in some such way as did ii
h Indiana clubs. II you do l have NJ
e much doubt of the result. In the mea
r time, one OF the immediate things th'
+. you can do, is for each branch Of the fed
= ration to pledge themselves to send OF
). one or more travelling libraries this ye;
l. that we may have an object lesson fl
If the legislature.
= Supposing each club in your federatic
a should gather up books, or raise mon'
e to equip at least one travelling librar
=, what help it would be to the NOV
e ment. And how much good it might a
Il complish! have in mind little libra
y that was established this year. The tt
e of SIS was all exhaustedin the necessa
n preparations so that they had only t
d state gran. of books, and two wee
n after the reception of these, the minist
,e of the place who is also the chairman
}. the board Of trustees, writes me sayin
"In the two weeks since our library h
l. been opened we have issued fifty sew
It borrowers cards. AS we had only nine
it seven books to begin with, you can judd
v how our shelves look" He then go
e on to say that the interest is increasi1
d and that he thinks there will be no dii
S; Guilty in inducing the voters to approp