The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-05-01
NEW OFFICERS OF
THE ASSOCIATION
Mrs. Annie Smith Ross
Re- Elected.
LIBRARY COM MISSION
Library Workers Will Petition the
Next General Assembly for the
Creation OF a Body to Advance
Officially the States Public
Library Interests

The North Carolina Library Asso-
citation adjourned yesterday afternoon,
having enjoyed the best meeting i'm its
brief history, and the Librarians re
turned to their posts Of duty with
new inspiration for their work III the
cause of good reading. During the Re"
years Of organization these Libraries
have witnessed an enormously IN
creased and improved use of books p9
the people. and better selection, ana a
higher taste. have been manifest IN
both Juvenile and adult patrons OF
public libraries.
huse by the Associations
achievements during the past year,
and hopeful for the future, the mem-
bers unanimOuSIy reelected as ITS
president Mrs. Annie Smith Ross, OF
the Carnegie Library. of Charlotte.
Mrs. Ross is onc of the best library
scholars in the South, and Is a master
of the library problem. She realizes
the growing importance of the library
in its relation to every phase of the
educational life of a community ana
state, and her efforts towards mn
proving public taste in reading, re-
awakening Il desire and o for the
classics. are having wide results IN"
North Carolina Library Association,
EIliel the dIiIlllllSt htI'i - II =. IN''''
will seek to advance the culture ana
intellectually of the State, by giving
To the various librarians and all others
interested in libraries, as we'll as the
public. a clear working knowledge of
how to use books, how to handle
them, and where to Dol for the in
formation that books impart.
The vice-presidents are: DR.. Chas.
-. McIver. of Greensboro, and Mrs.
Sol We'll of GOldSbOrO.
DIR. Louis II. Wilson, of Chapel Hill
was reelected secretary-trcasurcr.
The Executive Committee will be
appointed by the president.
The Association took a progressive
step before adjournment yesterday af-
ternoon in deciding to appea before
Tho next General Assembly with a pc
tition for the creation of a state LII
brdry Commission to control the work.
operations and government of the
public libraries. and the providing for
the maintenance of the public libraries.
\ committee of three. consisting Of
Mrs. +. T.. Mofit. Nj. j. Frank Wilkes,
and Mr. l.. r. Wilson. was appointed
to appear before the next Legislature,
and present a petition from the AsSo-
citation for the erection of a new. fire
proof library building. for the proper
protection and preservation of the
States valuable boOks n papers.
iiit 'Aii' tiNl'A 'it'ot '0' ''@Ah ''i-
mex annual meeting was left for The
Executive Committee to decide, but it
is hoped that the invitation from the
North Carolina Library Association to
the American Library Association to
meet in June, 1907. in AsheVille. Will
be accepted. and should it be thu"
state Association Will also meet i'll the
city in the Land of the Sky
= The opening address of the session
yesterday morning vas delivered by
Prof. f. 2. Moses. his subject being
Library and School"
state superintendent j, Y. Joyncr
spoke on Rural Libraries" He said
that next to the public schools the
public library is the great potent
agency for the dissemination of knoWl-
edge and spread of light and intelli-
gence among the people. Mr.. Joyner
related the inception and history of
the rural library movement. and the
legislation concerning it, and the es-
tablisment of rural libraries. He then
explained the government and opera
tionS of the rural libraries. and dis
cuSsed the ends which are being OBJ
aimed through them. There are
1866 rural libraries already estab-
1iShed, the Act providing for 1900.
There is now not a county in the state
which does not possess d rural library.
and many which have already re
ceived their full quota are nXiou to
secure more.
Miss Ida ]. Dacus. of Winthrop Nor
mai and Industrial College, South ar
Dina. spoke on college Libraries"
her lecture being comprehensive. and
exhibiting q careful Investigation and
study of the college library problems.
Miss Julia S. White. of Guilford Col<
lege, led in a discussion of the college
library.
Mr.. John P. Kennedy. State Libra
rian of Virginia. addressed the Asso-
citation on "A State Library Commits
SION which the Association intends
to be the 'opening wedge" for the ere
alton of a similar commission in North
Carolina He commended the excel
lent library administration of State
Librarian Miles @. Sheriff.. and an
phasized the necessity for better pro-
lection and preservation of the State
records.
Mr.. ShcrriirS Address.
state Librarian Miles O.. Sheriff.
spoke at the session yesterday after
noon on the state Library Commits
SION" and said i'll part:
"A commission is a formal act of
trust. a delegation of business 10 9th
ers, a bringing together. | presume
that A State Library Commission
would be a bringing together of all
N1AO 80 Gnu ii1NCI t'tS - III
people of our State. and then plan-
ming ways and means to furnish them
something to read. When we try to
look into the rapid progress made in
library work from the time the Puri-
tans landed at Plymouth Rock. and
founded Il college. and with it q libra
ry to the present time. we are mazed.
There are now about twenty-five or
tWenty-three State Library Commits
sionS in the United States. s1s-
pect hat many of our people do
not realize what Il great blessing they
are now enjoying. Let them ask the
men and ZONES who lived from 1871
to 1861 or 1881 to 1891 what they had
to read in the rural districts. They
will tell you that they would have
considered these little libraries d
boon. a blessing indeed. While we
are away behind Virginia in appro-
priations. and in the number of Ii.
brary employees, yet if some of our sis