Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-12-20
VILLAGE LIBRARIES.
INFLUENCE THEY EXERT ON MUNICH
PAL PROGRESS.

United Effort.
The advancement of the country viii
lage and the work of village improve
ment societies may rightly be classed
among the timely topics of this decade,
says w. f. Mcclure in the st. Louis
Globe Democrat.
Those who have visited the more pro-
gressive hamlets will not dispute the
statement that in some important re-
spects the country borough may excel
many cities of 5000 to 10000 inhabit-
ants. In the case of public libraries it
is a remarkable fact that scores of cit
les the existence of which dates back
half century are yet without even a
suitable room for public library pur-
poses, while in villages of 600 and 500
inhabitants an adequate public library
is housed in suitable building devoted
to its uses exclusively. The work Of
many village improvement societies,
too, should put to shame the accom-
Dlishments of city councils and cham
bers of commerce in hundreds of Amer
lean cities of the third and fourth class.
AS an example with reference to vii
lage libraries Kingsville, in northeast
ern Ohio, is a township five miles
square, one side of the square over
looking Lake Erie. Its population in
the vicinity of it's two little trade cen
tiers does not much exceed 700. One Of
the trade centers is known as South
Kingsvlle and the one next to the lake
as North Kingsville. Each has it's
school, its churches and it's postofficc,
besides a few small stores. At South
Kingsville, in a shaded spot, is the lit
tie public library. 1t is a frame struc-
ture built at cost of some $500 or
S400. 1t is tastily arranged within and,
best of all, is filled with sensible books.
1t is said that there are fully 1000 vol
umes on the shelves, which number is
twice the population of the township.
Although much of the progress of the
country villages is due to village i'm
provement societies, in this instance it
is a separate object. Each year on the
Fourth of July a celebration is held in
front of the school building. The pro-
ceeds of all the lemonade, peanuts and
meals on that day go to the library
fund. Instead Of spending their mon
ey with vendors in the larger cities not
far distant the citizens pay it in this
way into a fund for their social better
mcnt The receipts from one Fourth of
July day often run into hundreds Of
dollars and go a long way toward
paying the expenses of the year. A Ii
brarian is kept in attendance. The H.
brary is open both afternoon and even
ing. The current magazines are always
kept on the table. The library is not n
memorial. 1t is not a gift. 1t is by the
people and for the people.
In some states the legislation Of
some forty years ago was the means
of furnishing a nucleus for the village
libraries Of today. The state printed
and furnished a circulating library to
each township, the school directors
having charge of the books. Today
these volumes in the possession of the
schools can be placed in the village IL
braries. In starting library before
sufficient funds are raised to erect Il
building the township school building
some instances the volumes af n de-
funct literary society form a nucleus.
The village public library in many
places is beginning to show a decided
effect for the better upon the rural
populace.
Katonah, N. Y, offers good exam
pie of the accomplishments of village
improvement societies. Here first the
interest started in public library and
then launched into wider field, with
the library plan as department When
once the library building was complet-
ed, it became the meeting place for the
committees not only of the society, but
| for all movements looking toward the
prosperity of wide section of sur
rounding country. A debating club and
chorus club were organized The
number of books in the library at this
place exceeded 1000.
But the work of village improvement
societies consists in other than the ed
ucational pursuits. Its departments
cover the planting of shade trees, the
Improvement of highways and build
ing of sidewalks and the like. In Ka-
| tonah many years ago-for Katonah is
one Of the pioneers in the matter of its
village improvement society-the early
morning hours would find the citizens
engaged in laying. sidewalks to the lit
tie churches. Royal oaks were planted
many years ago, and today they are
monuments to the industry and public
/ spiritedness of the residents. Deer
park, in the shape of a triangle, is much
admired in Katonah today. 1t was one
of the first accomplishments of the i'm
provement society.
I Trees were not only planted on the
village streets. but were set out beside
the country roads leading into the vii,
lage. The rapid and successful growth
of 200 trees set out by the village i'm
provement society in 1870 furnish a
substantial impetus to renewed effort
along the same lines as they spread
their shade farther and farther with
each year.
The most influential and substantial
niti1apc ora icuolIv found u, +baso co