Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-03
.lOWA'S LIBRARIES.
johnson Brigham Tells of Work o
the Commission.
MODERN METHODS SADLY NEEDED
Brigham Addressed Nebraskans on
"What Can a Library Commission
Do For Nebraska? "-He Discussed
Iowa Libraries.

Lincoln. Neb., Dec 29.-Johnson
Brigham, state librarian of Iowa and
pre-2aeLt of the state library COM
mission of Iowa, gave an address be-
fore the state library association of
Nebraska here taking for his subject,
What Can Library Commission Do
for Nebraska?" Speaking of what
has been done in Iowa and the work
of the secretary of the Iowa commits
sion, Miss Tyler, Mr.. Brigham said:
"On the first day of October, 1900,
Miss Tyler began her career as secre-
tary of the Iowa commission. With
no precedents to guide her, except as
supplied by the experience of secre-
taries in other states, where the con-
ditions are more or less different, she
entered at once upon an active SER
vice, a service so active and varied
that | find it hard to realize it is all
Included within single quarter-year
During the last twelve weeks our
secretary has visited sixteen libraries,
thirteen of them in the so-called cities
of the second class. Sc spent a week
in one of them, assisting the librarian
in classifying her library, and at the
request of the board ordering sup
plies for the accessioning, cataloging
and shelf-listing of the books, arrang
ing charging system and otherwise
preparing the library to do business
in business-like manner and without
unnecessary forms. In another town
she met the board and assisted the
members and their librarian in max
iy,rr r,,.l.o fD,, ~ 4o1<
brary.
Stirred Up the People.
I'm another she addressed a public
meeting, urging the opening of library
doors to the public and the support of
the library by tax instead of subscrip-
ton In another town her time was
given up to the most rudimentary in
struction in the modern art of hand
ling books for public use. Another APP
pointment was to meet county teach
ers' association and talk about school
libraries and the making of a little
money go a long way, offering the
travelling library to supplement the
weakness of their small beginnings
and urging the utilization of the trav-
cling library for county circulating
iioi al WhlSA WhOCl WlI1lu
wheel, l am happy to be able to say,
is already in successful operation in
two counties of the state.
Other visits of similar nature have
also been made, and wherever our sec
rotary has gone the library movement
has taken on new strength and enthu-
siasm, and much gratitude is express
ed for the practical help given and
the new hope and enthusiasm impart-
ed ].
Bear in mind, too, that all these
visits were on invitation and many of
them on urgent solicitation, thus dis
posing of the objection which had
been raised in some quarters that the
purpose of the commission was to
force itself upon unwilling commit
tees.
Field Secretary Badly Needed.
with number of appointments
for the near future, for club talks, pub
lie speeches, formal addresses and the
practical work of starting and organ
izing and recognizing libraries, if
there was ever any question in the
minds of the members Of our commits
sion as to the need of an efficient field
secretary there remains no question
now
And in addition to the field work
done and laid out, l have been surpris-
ed and gratified at the volume of cor
respondence carried on during the
last twelve busy weeks. One day last
week | ran thru our secretarys file of
letters, and found the correspondence
included wide range of subjects.
Chief among them, naturally, was the
subject of overhauling libraries which,
like Topsy, have just growed,' librar-
les now sadly in need of modern
methods.
'One librarian calls loudly for as
sistance in cataloging and wants adj
vice about library furniture. Another
wants the secretary to present the SUBJ
ject of cataloging to her board, giving
its members her estimate as to the ex-
pense involved. Another wants the
benefit of an experienced librarians
Judgment as to the kind and size of
bookshelves. Others want lists of
best books; desire to know about book
covers-if any should be used about
labels, gummed or not gummed; about
an accession book, the kind and size;
about the Dewey system applied to
her small library; as to general Ii
brary supplies; about the best book or
books of instruction in library science,
about book and periodical induces;
calling for the quarterly bulletin which
the commission announces for free dis
tribution, and about relative merits of
charging systems.
Flooded With Questions.
"Other conundrums submitted were
How to proceed to secure vote on
the question of free public library
How to make the new school library
law most effective;' How to go at it to
secure a gift of money from Mr.. Car
negie;' How to supply a library with
sets of public Documents How to Sc.
cure additions to a library without
money to spend for books How to
render assistance to neighboring
town that needs library How to
connect a weak local library with the
travelling library How to connect a
country school, also town high
school, with the travelling library etc
Nor have | yet exhausted the sub.
jects brought to our secretary's at
tention. The workings of our maya
Il