The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-22

The Executive Council is given very important powers in directing the af- fairs of the Association. It is charged with the duties of electing members. regulating the time and place of the meetings-when this is not done by the Association at previous meetings arranging and providing the pro- gram for all gatherings. regulating the expenditure of the Association funds. regulating and fixing the duties and compensation of officials or employees. directing and providing for the publi- . cations of the Association and shall have other necessary general control and supervision of the work. The discharge of these duties and the ex- ercise Of their powers by the Execu- tive Councilmen are always subject to the approval of the Association.
 The Gall to order.
 |. Dr. Thomas owen called the meet ing to order a few minutes after 10 o'clock yesterday morning. He pre- sented the proposition of State Li- brary Association, briefly reviewing the history of the movement and tell ing the purposes for which the organ ization should be effected. Such an organization was conceived by pr Owen as early as February, 1902, when he would have called a meeting simt- lar to this one had 1t not been that heavy additional duties were imposed upon him in the position which he holds.
 Impressed with the belief that 2 State library organization should be effected for the better encouragement of library growth and spirit said pr. Owen. in February 1902, l prepared a circular call for a meeting of libra rians and library workers. and at the same time l wrote the United States Bureau of Educa tion, the American Lt- brary Association, and the Library Journal for hints and suggestions 8s to proper procedure. From each Of these I received prompt and encourag- ing responses. About that time, how ever. my official duties largely ln- creased. and I was unable to then push the movement further.
 Tt was with much reduction that the effort was abandoned even temporarily, and I never ceased to hope for an op- portune moment to take it up again. The completion and opening of this beautiful structure. the first Carnegie library in Alabama, seemed to me to afford such an opportunity, and after a conference with Miss Elmore its accomplished and enthusiastic libra Eldnt some lUul liA'iLNAA9 -N5Vt "~ N|T cided to proceed with the organization. The old call was revised, program was projected and the local library interest were asked to unite in the ef- fort Circular No. l, embracing the Preliminary Announcements, and a Tentative Program. was issued and cop les mailed to every public college and school library in the State, to library trustees, librarians, library workers, club women, and all others supposed to he fin any way interested in the pro- posed Association. over two hundred and ffty copies were distributed. Wide pubiIcIty was given the movement through the press.
 s'Copies of the call sent librarians, were accompanied by d statistical blank. for the report on the extent cbaracter. etc. of their libararies. About one-fourth of these have been returned. The information to be thus obtatbed was intended to be used in description of all libraries in the ctate to be included in the proceed inps of this meeting when printed.
 "WhiIe we have not had the fullest co-oneration sufficient interest has been aroused to assure the success of inc movement We are now gathered together for the purpose embraced in the call Let us demonstrate by what we do at this meeting that we are alive to an appreciation of the library