Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-05

| library case, a charging outfit, and a
! number of small. printed. annotated eat
alogues. Each library was to be man
aged as far as possible like a small public
library The main purpose was to show
people how greatly a library may bene-
fiji community and create a desire for
local library. From larger commute
les Mr.. Dewey asked pledges that efforts
would be made to establish permanent
libraries.
The movement grew and grew and in
1898 the State library of New York sent
out ga travelling libraries. There are
now libraries sent out for special stud
ents and study classes in many branches
OF literature, science, and art as well as
for the general reader. Lantern slides
and pictures are sent out under SINH
lar conditions. Five dollars is charged
for the use of library of one hundred
dollars, smaller fees for the smaller Ii
braries.
In order to get the travelling libra
ries before the legislature. the club wo-
men of Michigan had one on constant
exhibition before the legislators and they
got their apportionment too. Different
legislatures have appropriated different
sums. some large. some small. Many
clubs have travelling libraries which
they send out, generally to small VIII
lagos. In Salt Lake City, Utah a num-
Der of women send libraries to remote
valleys in that state.
The great blessings resulting from the
Introduction of the travelling libraries
have been so great, the expense so small
the friends and aid Won for it have been
truly wonderful. The pioneers of the
movement are all the time overwhelmed
With calls for advice and information.
SO many interesting stories have been
told where the individual, the family.
the community has been frightened,
quickened to new life by the whole
some and entertaining books that have
found their way to isolated villages and
hamlets that if printed they would
form travelling library themselves.
Mr. Dewey suggested that wherever
feasible each federated body appoint a
standing library committee to work with
the member of the state library COM
mittee in whose territory the club is.
That is of course after the women have
secured the appropriation. The law
makers of the state must be forced to
recognize the needs of the people and
provide for them. 1t is for the women
of Montana to make them see the neces-
sity for travelling libraries. Any one
who has spent any time in a small in
land town knows the urgent need of the
people.
1t needs no argument to prove that no
small collection of books for temporary
service can be as helpful to a village as a
permanent public library and that
travelling library which educates the
people to desire and support good
permanent libraries and futile It's
highest purpose. And it has also been
found that many isolated towns cannot
or will not sustain permanent libra
ries and must depend entirely upon
travelling libraries for their reading.
There will always be permanent need
for travelling libraries in experimenting
the small collection of small libraries
and in supplying the needs of isolated
study clubs. A special library on Ameri-
can history with a suggestive outline
may incite careful study in small places.
dozens of them, before it is Worn out
1t will encourage the discouraged stud
ent who has meagre local OppOrtunit
les.
Experience seems to have proved that
travelling libraries managed by state
commissions result more often in the es-
tabishment of public libraries than
York large number of public libraries
have sprung up in communities which
We're at first supplied by travelling Ii
braries State commissions sesn to offer
/ more effective assistance in organizing
new libraries. They put their travelling
| libraries more generally in the villages
| and they have at their command the IL
! brary experience of the dorld; their
! books are better adapted to their pur-
| poses: in a word, they make the travel
/ ing library management a business.
1t has been found that where city
and village libraries were free to the
| farmer, they do not generally appre-
ciate it, and are unwilling to bear fair
share of the burden Of supporting them
/, And the best way to educate them in tO
supply them with travelling libraries In
Illinois the Farmers Institute has a
travelling library, a number of them
rather, dealing mostly with agriculture
subjects.
Travelling libraries must first have
books that will interest the people whom
they are intended to benefit. They mus
be put in the right places, in charge o.
the right peolie, and they must be right
fully supervised. An habtual reade1
we'll read any respectable book when h
cannot get what ne WanlS, put the rang
of books which will hold unframed read
ers is very limited. Libraries in countr.
communities must he in homes or publ
places where all the people will feel FIRE
to go. And when the books come bacl
from one station they must be mende
and cleaned before sending on to othe
stations In New York the books ar
packed in stout chest and shipped wit
a book case which accompanies the book
, in all their travels. In some places the
are sent out in strongly made case
!. which serve as packing boxes and the
as library cases when they reach the
e destination. In still others the books al
r sent out in strong packing cases, tn
communities where they are sent suppl,
+ ing the shelving. This is a good pla
where economy must be observed. tt