Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-19
ABOUT IOWA LIBRARIES
Iowa Library Commission Plans
General Program of Enlarge
ment of Its Work
SITUATION I'm PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A Systematic Effort Will Be Made to
Help in the Proper Use of the Books
That Have Gone Into the Public
School Libraries Which Are Growing
sery Rapidly.
ST. cial to Times-Republican.

ST. .cial to Times Republican.
s,es Moines, Dec. 19.-The work of
the Iowa library commission, while 1t
is work that has not come to the
attention of every person in the state
ans is not as we'll known nor under-
stood as some other of the things of
general interest in the state, has COM
mended itself to the people who are
interested in educational matters gen
orally; and with the next year this
commission will start out on gem
eral prograni of enlargement of its
work that may mean much for wide
dis semina'tion of learning among the
OF he commission was held in the state
Iii airy the past week, well attended by
Inc mbers of the commission, and some
things We're planned there which indi-
9 : pretty we'll what is being done. 1t
was resolved that the commission
should reach out into the whole field
Of libraries and include the libraries of
the public schools. Here is a field all
neE and untried. There is not a COM
mi ssion in any state of the union that
has undertaken to guide the library
work of the public schools or has made
systematic effort to help In the proper
u.s.. of the books that have gone into
the public school libraries. But the
81; ration here in Iowa Is just this. that
under a somewhat loosely drawn law,
tn libraries OF the state schools are
rapidly growing, that beginning three
or four years ago. with perhaps
100000 volumes scattered about in
hundred volumes scattered about In
the common schools there has been
added to the school libraries the past
few years about 100000 volumes an
" Slly until today there are upwards
of 100000 volumes In the school librar-
les. The school districts are given au-
thority to make these purchases. but
not all districts do this. 1t may be pre-
s,rmed that many volumes will be add
ed to these libraries in the next de-
cade and nearly every school district
in the state will have its school IL
brary What is being done with these
books? How are they selected? What
do the teachers know about them?
How are they being used? Are the
schcoi children protiting by the exis-
tence of the libraries? These and
many other questions are coming to
the front. The state library commits
sion is about to undertake the work of
finding answers to these questions and
in some degree seeing to 1T that the
answers are right. The work of direct
ing the policy OF the 60 or more free
public libraries of the state is not
great task, but here in the little school
houses is work that should not be
neglected.
The first step to be taken will be to
enlarge the work of the summer school
for librarians which Is conducted as
part of the state university. A class
may be provided for advanced teachers
and those who desire some informa-
tion in regard to special work in Ii
braries. The next and most important
step will be to arrange for lectures
or instruction in the county normal
Institutes on the right use OF these
school libraries. Two or three more
persons will be sent out at the institute
season to go before the normal insti-
tutes and speak on the use of libraries
to give some instruction in primary
elements of library work and to in
spire in the teachers zeal for use of
the Libraries for themselves and for
the pupils entrusted to them. State
Superintendent Barrett, member OF
the commission, presented this matter
to tae commission and 1t was taken up
readily The necessity for some gem
eral directing force in the library work
of the schools had not before been
suggest ed to the commission in such
forcible way. Mr.. Brigham, state Ii
brarian. and Miss Tyler, secretary of
the state library commission, were APP
pointed a committee to cooperate
with the president of the state uni
versity and the department of educa-
tion in carrying out the plans sug-
gested for enlarging the field to include
school libraries and school library
work.
The suggestion has been made that
in order to compel all school boards in
the state to take advantage of the law
which permits the diversion of some
of their funds for library purposes.
the law be amended SO as to withhold
from any district not engaged in build
ing UP new library Its proportionate
share of the interest on the permanent
school fund. There is some doubt as
TO whether or not such a plan would
be legal but it indicates the desire
to make the library movement state
wide and complete.
In his forthcoming biennial report.
State Superintendent Barrett summa
rizes nicely the whole public school
system of Iowa, and gives statistics
which include some branches not al
ways considered. His statement in
cludes the following:
State University, 15S instructors
LAP students.
State Normal School, sixty instruc-
tors, 2,460 students.
State College. eighty eight instruc
tors. 1920 students.
Town and city schools, s.2s2 rooms.