Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-24
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION MEETS.
Address by Miss Stearns on Travelling
Libraries in Officers.

The District -tOluilDld I-ipi fAS'o-
citation held it's regular January meeting in
the lecture hall of the Public Library last
evening beginning at o'clock. The chief
attraction was an address by Miss l.. T.
stearns. library visitor of the Wisconsin
free library commission. who spoke on the
methods of free library distribution
throughout the west. Miss Stearns is re-
garded as one of the most popular library
workers in the country, and after her add
dress she was given an informal reception
by the local library experts.
The work which she described is con-
Quoted by the state governments, and
nearly all of the western states are engaged
in it. 1t consists chiefly of sending out to
farmers, miners and lumber jacks '-lum-
bermen who remain in the woods for
months at time-small travelling libraries,
containing about fifty books and a number
of periodicals. These are great boons to
the recipients, who would have nothing to
read for a year at time II II were not for
the kindness of the state government
through the free library commissions.
When the little Libraries read they are
returned to the state capitals for redistri-
button. The only western state without
this system is Nevada, and the only terrific
ries within the limits of the country Okla
homa and Indian territory.
There are 800 of these travelling libraries
in the west. said Miss Stearns and they
contain over 100000 volumes. With many
of the libraries sent collections of pic
| lures, such fine Photographic reproduc-
tons of the works of the great masters in
painting and sculpture. To foreigners who
come to the western lands to settle or work
in the mines the states send literature in
their native tongues. In this way large
quantities of German and Norwegian liter
allure are distributed
Miss Stearns said the lumber jacks of
Wisconsin. Minnesota Idaho. Montana and
Washington are the particular care of the
library commissions. account of their
forced seclusion. To these men comic pub
through the evenings. Periodicals for dis
tributIon in this manner solicited and
received in large quantities from the resi-
dents of the cities.
The great Importance of this work in
educating the classes mentioned and of
keeping them from many ways of life into
which they would probably fall were they
without any reading matter to occupy their
minds was dwelt upon earnestly by Miss
Stearns.
DR.. Cyrus Adler presided at the meeting
| last evening The destinations of Capt
Howard l.. Prince as a member of the ex-
ecutive COMMITTEES, and David Hutchinson a 3
president of the association both OF whom
were elected at the last regular meeting
were accepted with expressions of regret
DI. Adler was elected to fill the vacancy
caused by Mr.. Hatchison's declination and
Mr.. Theodore l.. Cole was chosen to take
the place of Capt. Prince on the executive
committee.
The acceptance of Dr. Adler left the first
vice presidency vacant, and J. c.. M Han
son, chief of the catalogue division of the
Library OF Congress, was elected to that
! Office.
| Treasurer William s. Burns read his an
| a balance of siI9.06 remained i'm the treas
| ury.