The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-09
MANY BOOKS FOR
Use OF SALONS IA|IL
Librarian Kennedy Will Do
Much for Convenience Of
Legislature.
ALSO HAVE A sTENoGRAPHER
References Will Be Given to the
Members in Neat and At
tractive Form.
also HAVE A sTEN0GRAPHER

a room in the mez2anine floor of the
new Capitol has been assigned to the
Department of Comparative Legislation.
to be established by the State Library for.
the benefit of the members of the General
Assembly. The room. which measures
1G by IL feet is in the southeastern por-
ton OF the building and work of fitting
1t up has already begun.
The department promises to be of the
greatest value to the legislators. 1t is
distinctly novel plan, introduced by Libra
rian Kennedy, and hailed with delight by
the solons, who will find 1t of daily SER
vice during the coming two months. ~
small library of about 900 new books,
touching subjects likely to engage the
attention of the General Assembly has
been secured. and will be placed in the
room at once. In this collection are
encyclopedias and reference books of all
sorts, learned volumes on the Torrens
system. immigration bureaus and move
ments, and other topics that will be of
live interest at this session. AS fast as
new subjects arise In the Assembly for
consideration. authoritative works on
them will be obtained at once and placed
az tlie ulSpoSil Vi luc llltIllpSlS. III tlila
way the library will he always backing
up the Legislature and the collection
of books will be steadily growing When
the session Is over the collection will be
removed to the State Library. but held
intact and will be returned to the Capt.
tol when another Legislature meets
Laws of Other States.
But this will not be all the depart
will In addition tn N
books upon general subjects, it will con-
tain the acts of the legislatures of the
different States and the Senate and
House bills of Virginia carefully arranged
(; for quick reference. This will in fact
be the chief work of the department.
from which it geits its name-to fur
nish to the lawmakers for comparison the
acts OF many different States upon
given subject.
For instance should "A member OF the
present Virginia Assembly desire to in
troduce a bill establishing an immigra-
ton bureau in the State he will, by
means of the department. have before
him not only authoritative works upon
the subject of immigration, but the actual
laws adopted by New York. Massacht-
sets and other States. upon which he
may model his own measure
Stenographer's Service.
stenographer will be stationed In the
room for constant service Upon legal
questions. the inquring member will be
referred to the Law Library hut refer
ences will be furnished to him on the
spot and these references will be type
written for his use. instead of being
simply verbally given. When the de-
partment is not in position to furnish
information desired 1t will indicate when
this information can be secured and. if
the matter is one of some Importance.
will itself. should this be necessary. send
OFF to other cities. to get first hand and
official data.
The value of such department is an
parent at a glance. Nothing OF the sort
has ever been attempted in the state
before and Mr.. Kennedy, whose labor
In this direction Is entirely gratuitous
Is receiving many expressions of satisfac-
ton and gratitude from the members
of the Assembly. The department viii
not be allowed to shift for itself The
state librarian himself or his ASSISTANT
Mr.. Evans. will be in charge. A telephone
ls now being installed to connect the
department with the State Library.