The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-22
STATE LIBRARY ASSN.
STATEMENT OF IT'S OBJECTS eY
SECRETARY WYcAE.
State Commission TO Take Up the Work
Which Is to Be Recommended TO
the Legislature.

! Austin, Texas, December 20-The effort
/ Tor the promotion ~ libraries which the
! texas state Library association is max
ing through its legislative committee. Of
| which Mr. A. p Woodbridge OF Austin Is
chairman, will no doubt, result In lasting
! good This committee is now striving To-
! interest our law makers In the question uf
! state library commission such com.
missions have been established in mum.
! per OF States and are doing effectnnl work
! Tor the cause OF libraries As stated I'm n
| circular which the committee viii send TO
members Of the legislature, these commits
/ eiohS are usually composed Of a body OF M.
salaried Officers, appointed by the governor
| Tor a term OF years whose duty IL is to
gather and distribute library information.
! recommend library legislation. give advice,
When requested. on all library subjects.
! publish lists Of worthy books. etc. 1t is
| pointed out that IN addition 10 this general
! WORK, the following specific objects might
! engage the attention Of commission,
should tae Legislature authorize such
body:
/. Establish state system Of travelling
libraries
= Secure the proper recognition aud On.
"a the state library.
3. Devise i satisfactory method Of dis
tubuuus and preserving an the documents,
reports ana other puuucatjons Of the State.
go. roHue library facilities for members
| OF the legislature.
~amam course Of library iustruc-
| Ton Ia one or Molu vi ugl state Iustltu-
! tious.
lue travelling library is one Of the most
! ltCcIl ANA popular tOgus of oJG modern
| lu1usurated la massachusetts about twelve
( years ago and has rapidly spread 10 neat
/ " all the States. The method OF operating
/ tutm is simple. Cases containing twuHtA
! I'VE TO 100 cGolce books are sent out gratis
! tlom a central library TO any village, rural
/ community, school or club requesting tlcm,
there TO ne luaued without cnatse to All
/ VINO "lA use lAyM. IN az communities
/ there are those who will gladly act as local
! librarians. These collections are tN-
changed several times a year. with the
result that localities which have had no
| library facilities now have access 10 the
/ best books NJ practically no ucst-the only
expense being the freight to aud from tle
( central library The cost OF getting tho
| libraries is considerable but experience in
. several States shows that phiunt1rupists
. willingly contribute books II assured by the
state That an Intelligent commission WI
select them aud direct their DISTRIBUTION.
1 should such system be inaugurated I'm
Texas, the collections might he sent out
either by the university library or the
in connection with them. Travelling
libraries would he OF special service IN this
state with Its large village and rural popu-
I lat!ou remote from library facilities OF any
kind Wherever these Libraries so ere
! grows am interest Ia good literature wnieh
! not frequently results IN the establishment
| OF local public library
lection Of books crowded ID d small room
at the capitol and known as the state
library the second proposition will appeal
uf Gr ffu tod ftnn gYIf p
ed and so crow dcd that many Of It's books
are almost inaccessible, while others are
Icing damaged IN the basement the state
library is a disgrace to tho state. Is II q
wonder that member Of the last legls
lHture expressed surprise when Informed
that Texas has a state library BY little
effort, no doubt, larger ana better quar-
tCIA might be found i'm the capitol II not
q hrenroof building is urgently uocde
The State library now receives annWNly
ubou, $50 for the purchase Of books, bind
ing etc AS ii center OF Information about
Texas, historically, economically and So
Cially, Il has duty TO perform which VIII
become more aud more apparent as time
goes by. For example, Of the hundreds
Of newspapers of the state ilcs OF all OF
which should be kept IN the state library
II preserves nnd binds only FIVE. Remem,
bcrug that the events OF today-puitical
and social.-wlil he the history Of tomorrow,
and that there Hrc no libraries In the state
10 cover this field IL lis evident the need or
larger appropriations for the state library
As 10 the need OF library facilities FOR
members Of the legislature, recent In.
stance. may be cited prominent mem.
bcr Of the next house was very anxious
20 see q copy Of the Australian ballot law,
hut &c could not be found In either tho
state library or the university library Re
quests for information on many other pub
lie questions would no doubt he Just as
frultless. How can our lawmakers act
with the greatest wisdom unless they arc
advised Of the rawlings and actions OF
gllAf gYf & a
library we need suitable room. collec
tidn Of selected reference hooks aud the
attendance OF trained librarian during
tho session OF the legislature TO look M
fonIcs and CLEAN the libraries OF Austin
aud elsewhere for information on subjects
under discussion. II should he possible Tor
a member Of the legislature TO have refer
cnccs on subjects Of possible legislation
looked up 10 advance and necessary books
providcd Library books for the legis
iamre! Where are theyi
The prescnt method OF distributing and
I preserving the publications Of the various
ltote dcpnrtmeuts Is not ideal. Some
method should he devised, not only 70 pre-
serve them but TO render them more ac'
70 he allowed to 20 10 wreck In the base
mont of the capitol. A system OF depooi'
tories for oil these publicail"ns i'll various
ibrprirs and centefs " population through
rt tbe state would wen be worth the
co1eJderotIon Of the commission. As n Is
! nov. n citizen OF Dallas, Houston or san
l Antonio having occasion 70 CONSUL uIeS OF
gtato tf,bIlcatlous would hardly mud them
en- Ills own city, nor can be be positive
ibof he would End them should he make
n trip 10 Austin. .,.,,.-
Another poiut mcnlohe9 N nv ..i.u'a :
&c tho question II providing a course OF
Ubrarr instruction ut one or more or our
Stgta institutions Through the inuniheehre
{ - Nir Rosenberg OF Galveston, Andrew
CARNEGIE and others over Ss~tuop mas beeh
ar h now being Invested tn libraries l9
oar,irrt these new libraries we need
, troined men and women. Librariansmp Is
now a recognized profession, Tor which sgpe.
. coi training IS absolutely necessary me
} nnivorsity offered q course OF library IN
} utur,,,,tior last wear and had more applicant.
st.r cnnld he accommodated For lack OF
ftndg and help, the course mas besh glYeH
NJ and there rs now no school N tue soutu
= ,shere snch training may be had
The free public library IS here 10 stay
Mailing cam stop iis onward progress ~ ~
stsio speuds vast sums 10 ieaeh hef eltl
g,rs how 10 read Since the apllliy 70 Itg9
} nt.roaess ope's capacity FOR good or eYl
] .nonid not the state interest itseu 70 son'
sEr,end IN what her citizens readf
irbc STATE Federation OF Women SluDa
a. recent meeting 90 BeaumonL ap
attts9 y committee 70 cooperate win iH'
g,,te u,rnrv association, the stare leacn
80 ossoeintion and the Women,s TICS az
.stotion An securing the esttnhsnlntnt W
Gee library commission az tue hauls %