The farmer and mechanic., 1912-07-30
The State Makes Progress
In Educational Libraries
B Y
DR. Louis K Wilson, Librarian of University of North
Carolina.

IN May, 1904, four librarians and /,
one library trustee met with Or.
Charles D. McIver, at the State Nor
NAL in Greensboro, to form a library
association. They believed in the IL
brary as an educating power. They |
wanted to see it touch the whole life !
"f North Carolina and assist in the |,
educational development of every citi- |
zen Of the State.
New Libraries.
While their wish is far from COM
plete realization, the library idea has
grown daily from that day to this,
and the progress in 1911-'12 has been
unmistakabIe. Six new libraries es-
tablished during the year evidence
this fact. Concord opened it's library
in the summer of 1911. Salisbury and
Washington followed in the fall, the
Niagara library was opened in jan
uary, 1912, Mocksvilles in June, and
Southport will open it's in few days.
Asheboro, High Point and Shelby are
working on the question now.
Libraries ReOrganized.
A further growth is to be seen in
the extension of the idea that col
lection of books is not library. The
books must be classified, catalogued,
and so arranged as to be Of easy ac-
cess, if they are to be Of service. In
keeping with this idea the Appala-
chan Training School, the Salisbury
City Schools, the ThOmasvilIe Orphan
age Library, and the East Carolina
Teachers Training School have called
in library expert during the year
and have at least classified and in
part catalogued their respective col
lectiOnS.
Library Buildings.
Provision for two Carnegie build
iDgs has been recorded at Canton and
HenderSonVille and the Webster Lii
prary building, at Niagara, the gift Of
Mr.. j. c. Webster, of Hartford. Conn,
was completed and occupied in Jan
uary, 1912. The University Library
spent over $4,000 in August, 1911, for
new stocks, and the State Library and
Library Commission have been assign
ed quarters in the new administration
building now in process of construc-
ton in Raleigh. In New Bern a resi-
dence has been bought in a central
part of the city and the library has
been placed in it's own home.
Public Support.
In the matter Of public support IL
braries have had the same experience
that the public schools formerly had
But they are winning in their fight
and it is being demonstrated that g
dollar spent on the library yields as
large a return educationally as one
spent on the schools. The record fol
the year has been: Concord appro
priated for library purposes 2 pei
cent Of all it's general taxes; Hickory
made beginning with a small di
rect appropriation; Reidsville secured
$3.50; Durham increased It's appro
priation from 5000 to $1,000; ant
Charlotte increased its from $3.50
20 $4,000. The University spent as
special appropriation for shelvin,
$4,000, thereby bringing it's total ex
penditures for the year ending Au
gust IS, 1911, up to $16,625.
Library instruction.
IT has ceased to hold that any on
can be librarian That is the mos
advanced conclusion yet reached b
library trustees and it augurs we'll TO
further library development. Char
lotte, Durham and Wake Forest EN-
ployed graduates of library schools i
1911, and special training classes 70
school and public librarians were con
Quoted at the University and at tn
State Library for six weeks durin
the year. Sixteen persons receive
instruction in these courses and re
turned to their schools or their 1
braries to render a better service b
reason of their training.
In furtherance of this same idea, /
brary meetings were attended by mo1
than twenty-five library workers du1
ing the year. Two attended the NEE
ing Of the American Library ASsocis
uoH at OttaWa, one the meetlHS
the League of Library Commission
at Atlantic City, one the meeting
the Department of Libraries of tt
Southern Educational Association
Houston, and twenty-one the annu
meeting of the State Library Associ:
tIOn at Durham.
The North Carolina Library Bull
tin has played no little part in tn
matter. 1t has appeared quarter
and in each issue it has dlScuSs<
problems which are vital to the be
work Of the libraries in the State. ]
articles have been short, clear al
distinctly helpful and it's columns ha