Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-11-14
Library Delegates Report.

The Manchester Public Library sent
Mrs. E. M. Carr as its delegate to the
annual meeting of the State Library
Association, which was held In Sioux
City on the 18th and 10th of last month.
Her report was read at the monthly
meeting Of the Library Board last
Wednesday, and resolution was passed
by the Board requesting the newspapers
of the city to publish it. The report is
as follows:
TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
MANCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The Eleventh Annual State Library
Association met In an interesting Bes-
sion on the 18th and 10Th of October,
aud of the fifty members who attended
not one went home feeling that their
time or money had been spent in vain.
Every year there is marked increase
in interest and general results of the
conference.
After the words of greeting Of old
acquaintance, came the invariable COM
ment and congrstulation upon the Iowa
Library Commission, which has been
created since the last meeting of the
association, and for which each member
had so earnestly worked and hoped for.
1t has been the burden of our song for
80 long that we have felt our efforts
were almost in vain, until the Women's
Clubs of the state took it up in good
earnest, and talked and agitated it at
their public meetings, until last winter
Judge Towner, Corning, the husband of
a Jealous club woman, drafted bill to
place before the legislature. And after
many questions and objections 1t was
passed, and Iowa is the last of seven
teen states to secure a Library Commits
sion.
| All who are interested in Library
work are very proud of the step our
state has taken to keep well to the front
/ in all educational matters. 1t may
be interesting to state few of the aims
and duties of the Library Commission.
The Commission is composed of six
members, President, johnson Brigham
Secretary, Alice Tyler; Geo. E. McClain,
of the State University, State Superin-
tendent Barrett, w. II. johnson, Fort
Dodge, Mrs. Norris, Grinnell, Miss
Waite, Burlingt on, Mrs .Towner Corn
ing.
Their common aim is to inspire com
munities with desire for Library scr
vice, and to foster zeal and earnestnest
among library workers; to make the
public library indispensable to the pub
lie. The members of these commissions
do not receive compensation for services
In some states small sum In the nature
of bounty is given to librarians max
ling s,beginning, sometimes in money
sometimes in books. This commission
pledges to help establish library il
every town and city in the state thai
wishes one. They help in every way
possible the libraries already started, by
assisting in the selection of the best
books by means of suggestive list
which they will prepare in the near flu
ture. Then they expect to issue quar-
terly bulletin which will keep the hes
interests of the library constantly before
the public and arouse interest. Ther
they have plan to collect old magazines
and periodicals which people have storet
away in attics and closets, and wheI
! collected and sorted will be given II
new libraries, library cleaning house
: it has been termed.
1t will be we'll to bear in mind tn
| facts concerning the help that the Stat,
, Commission holds out to all small com
munities desiring information in regart
/ to school and township libraries. John
) son Brigham, state librarian, is sending
: out many sets of travelling libraries a
over the state to rural districts for thre
! months or more as needs to form fire.
public libraries. Our state has no,
3 over 100 sets of fifty volumes each an
3 more are demanded as they are con