The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-22
1T is A SUCCESS
Legislative Reference Library
Has Proved Usefulness.
Established by Last Legislature
After a Fight.
EXPERT is IN CHARGE.
She Was Trained in the WiscOn-
sin Library.
Information Assembled on All
Public Questions.
EXPERT is IN CHARGE.


last January legislative reference Ii
brary bill was introduced in the legis-
lature as an administration measure
and was finally passed after it had been
shot to pieces by statesmen Jealous Oh
conferrilg any commission powers upon
the governor The original appropria-
tion of scme $4,000 that accompanied
the bill was reduced to about 81 500 per
year. But in spite of this handicap the
reference library law has already prov
ed its usefulness and benefits.
The idea was new in this state year
ago, being copied from the Wisconsin
plan. Its value. as explained by its
friends during the legislative debate
on the bill, lay in the fact that 1t would
place at the disposal of men. berS or
the legislature data and information to
aid them in drafting bills. That the
legislative librarian would be able to
place in their hands the laws of other
states and the reports of officials and
the experience gained from trying new
plans In other words there was to
be assembled for the green legislator a
big dictionary of explanation of all
subjects under the sun about which he
wanted to legislate or which he wanted
to change, or improve or destroy.
1t was a progressive step; forward
movement dictated by modern thought
fl order to deal more effectively with
new conditions and to improve old
cedure of system in place of the old
haphazard way.
Established Last July.
The new library was established last
July 1t las beer in operation about
fIx months. The law provided, that in
stead of a separate librarian and a
corps of assistants, as planned in the
original bill, the supreme court should
have control of the legislative library
and conduct it in conjunction with the
o1rs f1r r oil 1NliC CHI
J.. L. King, the state librarian, should
Eave charge of it and be allowed a
couple of special assistants. Since the
legislature adjourned last March moth
ing much has been heard by the gen
cral public about the states new leg
i.;ative library. But it was in good
hands, and even though the appropria-
tion was small. there was magEif1-
cent state library already assembled as
a nucleus. All that was needed was
intelligent direction to establish the
groundwork for an excellent reference
library along specialized lines.
Specialists are in demand nowadays
in order to keep pace with the times. |
This library deals in specialties. Its
object is to furnish special informa-
tion on any certain subject that will
be complete and comprehensive.
An Expert From Wisconsin.
The supreme court. the trustee in
charge of the new library, first proceed
ed to employ 4 special assistant to Ii
brarian King and they secured Miss /
Edwina Casey from the reference Ii !
brary at Madison. Wis, the home of
the new idea. Miss Mary P. Billingsley |
of the Illinois state university. is the |
ether assistant. These two young Ia |
dies have been trained in this particu- |
lar line of work. They are experts and !
the first fruits of their labors here in |
Topeka are beginning to ripen into the |
knowledge of the general public.
Harry BOwman's Pleasant Experience.
For instance, H. i. Bowman of the |
state board of control wanted to gain |
some definite information about the !
laws of the other states in dealing
with insane persons. He went to Miss
Casey and applied for data. Two weeks
later she handed him a brief of the
case This brief is composed of some
forty or fifty typewriter pages and
therein are set forth briefly the laws
of every state in the Union on the
care of insane. The states appear in
this brief in alphabetical order. and
following each state is the quotation of
She laws bearing directly on the sub
ject. Mr.. Bowman. in an hours study
of this brief, had working knowledge
of the laws of all the other states on
this subject. What he had considered
an impossibility had been accom-
,.ished in two weeks by a girl who
handed him the invaluable informa-
ton without comment on the miracle
Information on the Commission Plan. !
is now a most important SUBJECT in !
the public eye. All the cities of Kan !
sas are discussing it, and Topeka in !
particular, especially the ladies of the
federated clubs. Well. if any inter |
ested party will apply to Miss Casey |
at the legislative reference depart |
ment Of the state library they can gain !
more information about this commits |
s;cn than they had ever dreamed ex- |
listed in the entire country in regard
to so new an issue. She has prepared |
q photography on the subject. She
has listed all the printed authorities
and works on the subject obtainable- /
Books reports, treatises, lectures, de- |
bates editorials, magazine articles, |
0amnhlets ETC.. written by men who |
have studied the subject taken part |
iu it watched it. reported 1t, sand men !
for ane against it; their views have all |
fashion that she can instantly find any |
one ~ them. There are 81 different |
works on the subject of the commits
sion plan, and by works Is meant |
ertis!e. rather, a book, or a report or |
q pamphlet. There are sixteen maga- |
..,ne articles of a general nature. So |
In the Affirmative and nine In the neg |
then in addition, are newspaper clip
pings by the hundred. All these au-
thorities are indexed in such fashion |
that they can be found readily oy the /
librarian If a brief is wanted on the
commission plan the librarian could
take this photography and in few
days or weeks compile a mass of argu-
ments and experiences about the plan
that would be invaluable
The subject of public playgrounds
has also been listed and can be at
once briefed. The public utilities ques-
tion has been listed and briefed.
Bv this system is assembled together