The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-05
INTEREST in LIBRARIES
COMMISSION Is SCARCELY ABLE TO
KEEP UP WITH ITS WORK.
Work Done I'm Indiana Shown by Sta
tistics at Hand-Use of Libraries
in Small Towns.

Working overtime each day the PUBIC
library commission office is hardly able,
even with its increased force, to meet the
demand made upon it for the organization
Of new libraries, the reorganization of old
libraries and the necessary preparation for
the summer school for librarians.
Under the recent law the entire custody,
control and administration of the travelling
Libraries was placed under the commission.
A shipping and storage room in the base
ment of the Statehouse has been assigned
1t by Colonel Huffman, the Capitol custo-
dian.
During the summer months there Is al
ways a lull in the demand for travelling
libraries. which sent mostly to farm
houses or towns In farming districts, or to
schools in small places, but there is enough
interest being manifested now in securing
Libraries in the early fall to justify the
commission in regarding this as the best
year for the travelling libraries, which Is,
however. only one department OF commits
sion work.
The commission has ninety-eight libraries.
containing over $500 volumes. These are
intended primarily for the small towns
which cannot take advantage of the priv
ileges offered by free public Libraries, and
also for the farming districts where there
is often great scarcity of good reading.
That these libraries made up of the best
and most carefully selected, readable vol
unes of biography, history and science,
with a generous selection of the best fic-
ton. are appreciated and read. and so slim
ulate an interest for the better things in
books and life. is proved by the number
81 g..
lilies and schools in the rural communities.
where the books are received with enthusi-
asm.
IN ONE SMALL TOWN.
In one town of 600 inhabitants the forty
books of the library circulated 249 times.
During the past few months eighty-nine
new centers have been formed. and upon
application libraries sent to them. So much
pleasure and profit have been derived that
the commission is frequently requested to
permit the retention of the books for longer
than the allotted three months. as all of
the books have not been read by some of
the members.
OF the ninety-two counties in the State,
seventy-one have travelling library associa-
lions. many of them four. five and six GEN.
tiers in a county. Delaware county has ten
associations; Hendricks county nine, and
Fayette, Marion and Sullivan counties
seven each. OF these library centers lis of
| them in towns with less than 1000 pop
ulatiOn; 81 are in places with less than 500;
| AZ towns where libraries are sent have less
| than 200 Inhabitants. and q Libraries are IN
| centers with population of less than 100.
| The travelling libraries sent out by twenty
| six States in the Union are Serving a pur-
| pose of education, and are helping to mold
| character which makes for better citizen
| ship.
| Especially are the children benefited, for
| great care is used in choosing the most
| wholesome stories by the best authors also
| the most entertaining travels and histories
! are selected in order to interest and awaken
| a desire for continued and helpful reading.
AS the summer months approach, many
| of the libraries are returned with the state
| ment that the members of the association
| are all farmers and too busy TO read dur
| ing the next few months, but that the
| same association will make application for
| others in the early fall. This cessation af-
| fords an excellent opportunity for the
! necessary mendng and reminding of a
| large number of the books. During the
summer ii is the purpose of the commits
| sion to furnish the small fishing and lake
| resorts throughout the State with libraries.
| A few Others will be in use at Winona dur
ing the summer session of the library
| school.
The boxes containing the volumes are OF
| rough implanted wood. These will be
| stained making them more presentable
| when sent out next fall, they are often
placed in private houses, in country stores
L
NUMBER SENT OUT.
Since last November Isl Libraries have
been sent out, 249 requests for application
blanks and information about forming as
sociations have been received.
| A limited edition of the supplement to
the finding lists, or catalogue of the trav-
cling libraries. was recently issued. The
first edition of the finding lists is almos,
x.,.II
| fore. during the summer months, prepare
| a complete revised catalogue of the books
| to be found in the travelling Libraries
| Books which have been found to be insult
| ed for the purpose of the travelling libraries
| will be replaced by other and better books
| II is not surprising that in the selection
proved unpopular. 1t is the intention OF
the commission to carefully revise the
book lists and the rules governing tnt
loaning of the travelling libraries so as tc
be ready for the fall work.
The commission recognizes the Study
Club as an educational factor and will dc
all In its power to aid such clubs as de-
them The Study Club travelling library
consists of fourteen volumes on specia
subject Just now the commission is pre-
pairing lists the Louisiana Purchase
Holland, American art and literature fol
the use of clubs and schools.
INSTITUTE FOR LIBRARIANS.
Scattered throughout seventy-one coun
ties of the State are librarians of travelling
Libraries. The commission will invite thes,
and all members of the associations which
they represent to come to Indianapoli.
some time in November to discuss bes
methods of conducting the work of tn,
travelling libraries, establishing stud,
clubs in connection with them, etc.
| Dates for the meeting will be selected
which will afford excursion rates to thos
interested in the extension of travelin.
libraries.
Miss Georgia Reynolds, of Elkhart, VIII
has served the commission as assistan
since last October. has recently been APP
| pointed librarian of the travelling libraries
At present the commission requires tn
services of shipping clerk only for shor
| time each day. Howard Huffman, who will
graduate from the Shortridge High Schoo
next week. acts as shipping clerk for tn
| commission
The demand for the travelling librarie
in the State is constantly increasing; tn
| men, women and children of the cross
road as well as the village and town wei
coming with eagerness the books which
1 oh he