St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-10-25
How Vermont WOman's Clubs may
help the State Library Commission.

An Address ut the Lyndonville Meet
ing of the State Federation of Wo-
mans Clubs, by Miss Mary l.. TitcOmb.
| have been asked to say word to
you today on "How the Vermont Wo-
mans Clubs can help the Library Com
MISSION" but perhaps it will not be
amiss if first tell you something of the
establishment, scope and object OF the
Commission. In 1894, the Hon. L. D..
Hazen OF Saint Johnsbury, melted there
to by the trustees and librarian OF the ST..
Johnsbury Athenaeum, introduced a bill
before the legislature which provided for
the appointment by the governor OF a
board of five Library Commissioners
who were to have general supervision
of the library interests of the state of
Vermont. Their work was to be largely
advisory; they were to hold themselves
in readiness to answer questions and to
give advice as to methods, management,
maintenance and establishment of libra
ries, in short to constitute themselves
library missionaries for the state. The
bill also provided that any town which
voted to establish public library, ap.
pointed board of five trustees, and
voted to appropriate annually a certain
per cent on their grand list, should be en-
titled to one hundred dollars worth oil
books from the state. The selection and
purchase of these books was also left to
the Library Commissioners. During the
two years following the passage OF this
bill, sixty towns took advantage OF the
law. At the present time there are
eighty.four towns in the state which
have libraries which are the result OF this
law, conclusive evidence that the state
was ripe for measure of the kind. Per
haps you will see more clearly what the
establishment of these libraries means, i
l tell you that today there are only
twenty-nine free libraries in the state
which have not received aid under thi.
law. To make an end of statistics
which, though necessary, are always tire
some: there are now 1874 towns in thu
state which have no free library
Twenty-nine of these towns have libra
ries which are not free, being supported
bv subscription, or free to stockholders
only.
Now we shall not be satisfied as {
Commission until we can show an ever
better record than Massachusetts, which
with law similar to our own, reports
today only four towns within it
borders which have not free library
But in order to do the work whicl
should be accomplished, we wish at tn
next session of the legislature to ask TO
some further legislation in our favor
First, the Commission is greatly hamper
ed in effectiveness by it's lack OF funds
Our present law allows only $500 annual
ly for expenses and though the members o
the board serve entirely without remune
ration, you can readily see that such ;
sum does not permit OF anything but tn
most rigid, and often the most unwise
economy. 1t is not seldom that we hav
to leave something undone which we fee
would greatly further the work, simpl,
because we cannot afford it. Then W
consider that the time has come whel
the travelling library should be introduces
to supplement the work already begu
in the smaller towns, and to arous
other towns to an interest in the estah
lishment of a library.
Let me show you just why the travel
ing library is exactly what we need a
, this point in our work. The amour
which the state requires for the yearl
support of library is very small; name
: w. not less than fifty dollars if its gram
, list is ten thousand dollars and upwards
not less than twenty-five dollars IT 1t
, grand list is below ten thousand an
/ over twenty-five hundred dollars, an
not less than fifteen dollars if it's gram
list falls below twenty-five hundre
dollars. Most of the libraries establish
ed fall within the SIS and $25 rate. Q
the "a towns on our list only eight hav
grand lists sufficiently large to requlr
them to appropriate $50. You will a
once see that however small the town
or however great the economy an
philanthropy of the librarian, who /
| most instances gives her services, lit
+ rary cannot thrive on this sum and othe
means must be devised to keep it alive
once heard distinguished divine re
mark that the principal income OF tn
churches in Vermont was derived fror
! church suppers. sales, entertainments etc
The same. remark might be made wit
: equal truth of the libraries Of the state
One town sets aside the Fourth of JUL
as Library Day, and the proceeds fror
the foot ball game, the potato race, an
: all the other features OF the tine-honore
: Fourth Of July programme go to swe