The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-25
AMERICAN LIBRARIES
NY FREDERIC ". HAsKIN.

AlVlLlNlSAlN
NY FREDERIC y. HAsKIN.
"The BEST reading for the greatest
number ut the least cost is the motto
Of the American Library Association,
which will assemble tomorrow at Min
netonka, MIMI. this being the Thrill
eth annual meeting OF that progressive
body. The convention will last until
July I'd. and the discussions. led by
men and women who have made life
work Of library keeping. library build
Ing and education in general as exem-
piitied In library work. VIII touch. on
every branch OF the work-work that
grows broader and more comprehen..
slve. every year: To secure the full
retaliation of this aim. Its activities
/ incluA. state library commissions. II
brary schools and training. classes. II
brary advertising. rooms for children
and for the blind. cooperation with
architecture and various other like In
terests pertaining 10 the development
OF the wock.
Affiliated with the association In It's
| Commissions. the National Associations
OF State Libraries and the American
Association Of Law Libraries. Two
hopes to lave affiliated with II soon
are the Pibliographical Society of
America and the American Associa-
s hn Sf Medical br erayies and
tic others interested In the work, the
latest roster Of members showing
little over 1000, OF whom twenty three
braries in any way. Permanent, head
quarters Tor the association Were es-
ltablished In Boston in September, 1905.
Public libraries have become one OF
I Sl,n tOut f,,,v, Nrfu uS fnr In
eral educatic nal movement OF the coun-
| try. Professor William p. Trent. OF
4 Columbia. recently stated that. four
things support the nation-the church.
the court of law, the school and the
library. In the thirty-two years of its
existence the American Library Assoc
citation has done much to raise the
The association was one OF the many
progressive movements that found its
be ginning In the Philadelphia Centen-
three days conference Of librarians.
ton OF library interests. the inter-
i change OF experience and opinion; the
/ obtaining OF hest results with the least
Expenditure OF money and labor and
the advancement OF the profession OF
| librarian. Since the Centennial the
association has. with the exception Of
The earliest libraries were those
j connected with educational institutions.
Charleston had q public library In
]17Oo 1t was not long after the open
ling OF this one that public library
Its eSistenns Y Mqrh
1 sitting In biennial session at the home
4 Of Captain Richard Saunders at Little
River in the. winter Of 17l6-l7ls. pass
brary belonging to st. Thomas,s parish
lin Pamlico.'V The first Harvard library
not especially rich books the
were the small beginnings. but from
such and from the private libraries OF
] early Americans has grown up the
There ure now about 1000 public. 500
ciety and school libraries OF 1000
volumes and over. These have n.,. over ,i
abont oo M's peopie even
when the village and travelling libraries
tIare not included, and every group OF
eighteen people may have free eleven
S S9Gfs a,i raad q statey there
books TO every 100 I.ersons, and the
proportion varies with the population.
I the wealth Or the STANDARD OF literaey
Ilumbia there are S25 books to. every
loo persons. in Massa chusetts. 25S; In
California. LAT. and IN Florida and
1 Der rst OF libraries shows as great a al
|versity OF figures. the States being LED
BY New York, which has nearly 1000
} libraries. one-seventh OF all IN the
7 United States, and about 1O,o00,OO0
4 Volumes, over fifth Of all the library
J books. Massachusetts ranks next with
) approximately $50 libraries and 5000
There were State libraries in New
Hampshire and Pennsylvania In 1777,
but It was not until after the Revolu-
ton that there was any general 81 ten
nect VITA state governments. Every
State and Terri tory has now long had
!; Its own library, the support coming
! from appropriations by the respective
legislatures. Subscription libraries
date we'll pc.ck into the Eighteenth CEN
fury. and BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was was one On,
! lsponsible for tho founding Of the Phil-
! adelphia Library in 1891. One hundred
:, land sixty years later free ltbraries
! were ordered to he established
I Throughout Philadelphia at public ex-
pense and under the drsction ,T 9fthe
/ brary alone distributes something liko
!, 100000 volumes a year. {,
!. The free public library as munl-
cipal building in the South owes It's
!, beginning to AndreW Garnegi e. There
, said once, and. rememberi the days
:, when he read In the ~. Anderson LII
!, brary Institute Of Allegheny City," an
i nstitution ablished primarily for
!, mill mon far back in 1850, Carnegie
decided to insure the IA nation " 3sod put Ut
! gave his trst library to the American
!, people, and since then has donated