Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-22
Iowa Library Commission Prac'
tically Ignored By Recent
Legislature
MISSIONARY WORK NEEDED
Neither the Public Nor the Lawmakers
Appreciate tho Value to this People
If Recognized and Patronized-scope
Of the Work Planned and What the
Commission Is Accomplishing.
,eciai to 1'imes-Republican.

| Special to 1imes-Republican
Des Moines. April 22.-There will be
an effort made during the next two
| years to get the members of the leg
islature and the public generally more
| familiar with the work that is being
done by tina Iowa library commission
| During the session that has just closed
Only one member of the legislature
went to the library commissions rooms
in the new historical building to inves-
| tigate it's work, and he remained only
ten minutes An effort was made to
get him interested. but about the only
thing he inquired about was as to who
was janitor. Two other members of
| the legislature went to the rooms.
One of them was Speaker Kendall, who
has made. use OF the department often
times and Is an enthusiastic supporter
of the work 1t is doing. The other was
Representative Mason of Keokuks coun-
ty, who went over there to get a copy
OF the check list of Iowa publications.
, When he went over he knew nothing
of the departments work, and when he
went away, he was an avowed sup
porter Of the department and prom
Used his best support.
There is no doubt but that the mem
bers of the legislature with q. very few
exceptions are ignorant of the work
that is being done by the department
and they have always been SO busy
with other details OF legislation that
they have not had time to familiarize
themselves with the work that Is be-
ing carried on there. But during the
next two years they will be made IA
niliar with the work. That it is inn
portant is evidenced by the fact that
the department is 80 organized that
any citizen OF the state can get prac-
tically any book that he wants for
merely the express. freight or mail
charges to his address and hack again
Vast and important as is the state
library it must ever be great collecor
or books. a repository for books. 1t
costs the state considerable to keep up
the state library and If any citizen
wishes to avail himself OF the advan-
tages of the library he must go to it.
The library commission is organized
Ito send books to the people. Any citi-
zen of the state can get from one to
fifty or more books at time by writ
ing to the library commission. For
merly ii was thought necessary in order
to protect the states property to re-
quire the deposit of a certified check
for the value Of the books taken. That
was cumbersome and troublesome NOW
the plan has been adopted Of requiring
lust such a reference as a city library
requires In all cities the citizen must
make out card signed by some prop
erty owner who guarantees the value
OF the book. The library commission
has adopted this plan but requires that
some bark sign the card certifying as
to the reliability Of the citizen. The
card is then filed and is good for all
time to come.
The on;. way In which the legislature
has overlooked the department Is IN
the matter Of appropriations to carry
on the work. The department started
out with little or nothing. BY economy
Of manaa,ement it has collected a large
Working collection Of books that are
being kent in constant circulation over
the state, but 1t needs more books than
it has thu. money to buy. Furthermore
there is not an employee in the depart
ment, from Miss Tyler the secretary,
down, but has offers OF larger sal
airy to gu elsewhere, but remains mere
thru pure love Of the work. The first
assistant in the department Is paid
$500. where similar positions in other
offices are paid at least $1,000. The
legislature this year did something for
the department, however, by adding
$1,000 a year to the appropriation,
making a total OF $1,000.
One OF the most important works OF
the commission just at this time Is CO.
operating with the agricultural extern
sion work and the new correspondence
school of agriculture that is to be
started this year at the state agricul-
tural college at Ames. With the in
PRODUCTION of the extension worl for
which the legislature appropriated
$4,000 In 1905 and 100000 at the ses-
sion just closed, there has come to be
a big d'smand for books all over the
state The city libraries are unable to
supply these books, and furthermore,
most of the people wanting the books
live in the country and do not have the
advantages OF the city libraries.
Furthermore, when the correspond
ence school OF agriculture authorized
by the last legislature gets under way
the demand for books of various
kinds will be still greater. The library
commission will be in position to
supply all of these. Up to this time
the commissions activity has been
conflne: largely to furnishing sections
',,f rs
on loans where the school was too
small 10 afford a school library. or
books :;upplementing the small school
library; and in furnishing books to
editors, ministers. lawyers and public
speakers who desired to post up on
some topic preparatory to delivering a
public address Every year. however,
It's sphere. of usefulness has been ex-
tended and the immediate future seems
likely to put the department to its
utmost efforts to meet the requests.
Scratch Nav Cost Arm,