The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-11-16
FARMERS DISPLAY
INTEREST IN BOOKS
Circulating Libraries Have
Done Much to Advance
Education in State.

Indianapolis. Nov. 16.-The forth
report from the state library
in charge Of Carl H. Mil
am. secretary and executive oficer,
will show that in the travelling library
the number of books sent
out by the commission into various
corners OF the state from Sept 80.
1908. to Sept 80. 1910. was approx
mately two and one-third times as
many as were sent out during the pre-
ceding two years.
The figures in the report are az fol-
lows Volumes circulated from 1906 to
1908. 1878; volumes circulated dur
ing the ensuing two years. IS. 405.
During the former period. s0S travel
ing libraries were used. while in the
latter period. 1.4O5 were used.
Circulating Libraries In Demand.
The large increase in the number of
books circulated has been due, Mr..
Milan reports. to an increased demand
from all over the state for the circulat-
ing libraries. In the two years just
closed a large number of points were
placed on the circulation list which
were not listed during the preceding
years. A large number of additional
circulating library clubs have been or
ganized, and the libraries themselves
greatly increased in number.
Especially among the farmers has
the increase been noted. There has
been evolved plan by which family
in an agricultural community has been
made the center for the library circula-
ton, and community clubs have been
organized about this family as cen
ter. Once established, the clubs have
never been dissolved, but have led to
the establishment of additional clubs
nearby, thus contributing to the gen
eral increase of the travelling library
field. These clubs in the farming
communities average about % families
each. Books sent to these communi
ties always return with signs of ex
cellent care. and the commission has
been able to make the books in the
collection serve wide territory with
out the expense of rebinding.
The commission has also found its
way into the schools, number oil
which have been made centers fol
club circulation. The books in de
mand by the schools are those which
are not usually found in school libra
ries In the country districts, and in
clude works on travel, biography, his
tory, art and nature study.
Women's Clubs Active.
Women's clubs over the state have
in the last two years turned to the
commission for their libraries, and {
large demand now exists for book.
on subjects commonly discussed il
these clubs. To serve this purpose
the commission has established wha
is known as an open shelf list" from
which are supplied books for specia
study in the clubs. or books which art
not included in the regular circulating
libraries. These are held to be sen
out on special requests. while in ad
dition sets of books especially adapted
to study club work are maintained
Mr.. Milan says that it is virtual,
impossible to estimate the number o
persons who have read the books. Ii
the figures setting out the circulation
o. 35,405 volumes, it is explained tina
they are equal to one book havinl
been placed in 35.405 circulating cen
tiers. Since each book when placed il
a circulating center is read by from
three to Is persons. the actual cir
culation among individual readers i
| impossible to estimate.