Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-26
STATE LIBRARY.
Annual Report Of Commission
for the Year 1901.
Increase in Number Of Travelling and
Free Public Libraries.
Plans and Projects for the EnIaroeme Mt
of Library.

| OF George L. LAlttie, Leonard d. Carver,
Kate c. EstabroOke, Arthur J. Roberts
and Lyman G. Jordan. The report is
addressed to Governor Hill and the
Executive Council, and is as follows:
| The Library Commission respectfully
submits it's second annual report for
the year ending December /, 1901. The
| Commission has held four meetings the
past year and at each has discharged
the functions entrusted to it by law;
viz. the selection of books for the trav-
cling libraries and the consideration Of
measures for the establishment of free
public libraries.
| Seventeen new libraries, each Of fifty
| volumes, have been added to the forty
| two purcha sed last year. These with
| their predecessors have been in use in
| the various towns of the State practi-
| cally all the time except during the
| months of July and August when the
demand for them noticeably slackened.
The recorded circulation of fifty-six
returned to the State Library during
the period covered by this report was
S,S23 and the number of registered
readers was 1889. Statistical tables
showing the places and persons to
whom libraries have been sent with
records of the circulation of those re-
turned may be found in Appendix L.
The last mentioned records are Of
course kept by the local custodians and
errors of omission can, and, in some
cases, must be supposed to have oc-
CURED. To aid these custodians, who
receive nothing for their services, in
making these libraries more helpful in
their respective communities specially
annotated catalogues were prepared
and printed for gratuitous distribution
to borrowers. These two catalogues,
each twelve page pamphlets of the size
of postal card, described briefly nota-
bly, books of 1900, and books relating to
OUT door life. The collections thus
catalogued proved so popular as to
warrant the purchase of three dupli-
Gates of each. 81 - ~
Two facts may be mentioned as in
dicative of the work done by the trav-
cling libraries for the individual and
for the community. In one town there
lived a man, generally deemed destitute
of intellectual tastes and, from his her.
mit-like manner of life, thought to be
without interest in the world at large.
The advent Of a travelling library in
his neighborhood brought him out of
his retirementi and during it's six
months stay he borrowed and read
every one of the fifty volumes it con-
tanned. In four towns the presence of
a travelling library has been the APP
parent occasion of earnest agitation
for the establishment of a free public
library.
The Commission desires to express its
great satisfaction at the legislation of
last April by which the fee for the travel
ling library of the ordinary size was re-
duced from five dollars to two dollars
and half. The latter amount on the
average. fully pays the cost of transpor-
tation, and yet Is sufficient to discourage
misuse of the bounty of the State. With
this small fee the Commission has
thought it unwise by its own efforts to
push the libraries into places where they
are apparently needed. 1t rs convinced
that only when some resident is actively
interested in the matter, can commun-
ity be really benefited by travelling
library. The work connected with the
care and circulation of the books is con-
siderable and must always be a labor OF
love If 1T is we'll done.
The cooperation of the women's clubs
with the work of the commission, as in
the previous year. has been cordial and
of great value. While there has not been
as then, occasion for defraying the fees
of libraries sent to remote hamlets. their
activity in the even more important work
of arousing local interest and Of support
ing already existing libraries has been
most noticeable.
1t is we'll known that committee of
the Maine Federation of Women's Clubs
took the initiative in the movement that
resulted in the establishment of the IL
brary commission. The unselfish and
broad minded views that animated this
committee and the ladies it represented
have again brought forth fruit in a gen
erous gift from the Dial Club of Fairfield
of a carefully selected library on the his
tory, social life and literature of Russia.
This library, chosen in the light of the
donors own study of the subject, has
been placed in the hands of the commits
sion for the use of other literary organ
izations throughout Maine In this way
the State has become the custodian of a
reference collection which, as may be
seen from the catalogue of its contents
given in Appendix III. is better if not
| larger, than any public library in the
State could supply on this particular sub
| ject.
| Since the last report of the commission
| free public libraries have been estab-
| lished in each of the following towns:
Fairfield. Hiram, Jonesport. Norridge-
wock, Sanford. and Stetson. To each Of
these the secretary. as State librarian
| has made the legal donation of books
| To towns in which similar action is being
| considered he is ready to lend his assis-
lance So many instances are constantly
| appearing in which the best methods Of
!. library organization are not fully under
| stood that an actual letter of advice
/ from him is printed as Appendix III. with
| the intent that its contents may thus
reach some who might not otherwise
| learn OF them.
The work of encouraging the establish
! ment of free public libraries is so Deepen
dent upon a knowledge of the history ane
| present condition of library facilities ii
! the various towns in the State that tbs
somewhat extended review OF thess
which forms Appendix ". of this report
! has been deemed necessary. The accoun
there riven is the fullest that has beer