The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-17
BOOKS FOR
RURAL DISTRICTS
Preparing to Garry Out
the Travelling Library
Act.
pERFEcTlNG The PLAN
Good Work Accomplished by
the State Federation of
Women's Clubs.

-R<SA ' A4C
TRENTON. July II, 1Ss9.-The last ses-
sion of the Legislature authorized the
establishment of travelling libraries for
New Jersey in connection with the State
Library. An appropriation of $500 was
made for this particular purpose and
which will be expended before the end Of
the year. Nothing has been heard OF the
project since the adjournment Of the
Legislature.
State Librarian Henry c. Buchanan
states tina the plans for these libraries
are under consideration by a committee
of the State Library Commission, consist
ing of the State Librarian. State Comp
troller n the Secretary of State. They
are to devise a plan to be submitted TO
the State Library Commission at the Sep
tember meeting. The plans of other States
are being reviewed and the best of each
plan will be appropriated by New Jersey.
The proposed travelling libraries We're
the result Of the agitation of the State
Federation of Women's Clubs, and the
women Of this organization are exceed
ingly proud Of this pet child, and they
are to be accorded the right to offer sug-
g~estions to the special committee, as well
as to the State Library Commission, in
regard to the selection of books and the
manner of their distribution. Mrs. E. p.
Horton, of Crawford, who is chairman of
the Department of Libraries Of the State
Federation, has given the matter of tray-
cling libraries much attention, and has
frequently read papers on the subject at
local club meetings and at the State Fed
Grafton gatherings. She has written to
State Librarian Buchanan asking for an
engagement with the committee. SO that
she can present her own as well as the
views of the Federation. This conference
is not likely to take place until September.
Mrs. Mary Mexican, of Camden, who is
at the head of the kindergarten work of
the State Federation, has offered for cir
culation in connection with these travel
ing libraries the excellent library on kim
dergarten work gathered by the Camden
Club.
The committee are not entirely idle dur
ing the summer months. The member
are individually gathering information as
to the character of books and the method
of distribution. The report to the State
Library Commission will not be fragmen-
tary, by any
1t is evident that people outside of the
Women's Federation and the Legislature
are o familiar with the travelling lib
rary scheme. A diversity of ideas pre-
vail as to its object. The funniest notion
that gained currency was that the appro-
priation of $500 was made 10 pay the x
pense of a colporteur, whose duty it was
to go around the State to distribute and
gather books loaned by the State Library
to lawyers, judges and county and city
courts. Some of the legislators voted for
the bill making the appropriation because
they believed it was going to create an
additional political job.
The bill was no sooner passed than q
colored orator, whose principal occupa-
ton is keeping the colored voters in a per-
petual clamor for recognition" rushed
into the State Library.
Mr.. Buchanan. what about the trav-
cling library appropriation; when is the
thing to start? That bill was passed for
me and I am ready to go to work"
why, / did not know that. 1 thought
it was passed because Of the request Of
the State Federation of Women's Clubs
mo; you are away off. | was to have a
good jub under this administrator and
they told me the travelling library was
mime
The State Librarian had to look into the
pigeon hole labelled Jokes so he could
find a polite excuse to laugh.
.sWeil, they do funny things down
stairs. 1 understood that the $500 APP
propriated was to buy books, and only a
very small traction of it was to pay for
the expenses of shipping and packing the
books.'
mo, no; you are all wrong: the $3.50
was appropriated for my salary and ex-
penses and you were to take the books out
of the library
This colloquy is reported because It
serves to show the general idea that pre-
walls. AT least a score of men have APP
piled for the position of shipping and
gathering the books. There were even
lawyers who understood that the State
Library was to be made portable and that
awyers could borrow reference books at
random. This idea has been corrected by
the PRONUNCIATION recently of a series of
rules and regulations for the State Lii
brary, which prohibits the removal Of any
books whatever from the State Library,
except for the use Of the courts that are
held with the State House.
The travelling libraries viii be ready by
the time that indoor Life will be essential.
1t is expected that about $1,000 of the
81, 500 can be utilized for the purchase of