Newark post., 1912-01-24
HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS FROM
NEIGHBOREMG STATES

Miss Sarah ASkcw. Of the New
Jersey Library Commission. who
addressed the D. :. f. W. c. and
the Library ComiSSion at Dover
last Thursday. impaired much
useful and Interesting information
to the social workers of Delaware.
Her remarks were based on eX-
prIirncr in New Jersey where the
law under which the work is car
ricd ON is very similar to our own.
This makes the facts stated partic-
ulariN interesting and useful. .
Investigations of books read by
boys and girls in 80 towns with H.
braripS and 80 towns without Ii,
braricS We're presented by Miss
ASkew. and she told how towns
proceed to start free libraries and
how they conduct them
In towns having no library the
girls tavorite books were those Of
Laura Jean Libbey. Mrs. f. D. f.
y. Southworth. Mary J. Holmes.
f. =. Roe. Augusta +. Wilson.
"Madalon Rivers" was voted the
best and "Nelle. the Beautiful
Cloak Model' was second best.
Nick Carter was the boys first
choice. Nrwcome. WAS next. then
Jesse James. the Hathaway series
and a few others.
Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak
Modcl' and Ragged Dick, the
office Boy, > are responsible for
many boys and girls being Iilrrd
from country to city. Books. be
ralSr read in thinking moments.
arr closer than parents or friends
and more influential. Such rs
these teach money as the end and
aim Of existence, and give false
ideas OF life.
In towns with small libraries
the girls preferred George Barr
MrCutcheom. +. p. Roe. Louisa Al,
cott. Susan Coolidge. Laura f.
Richards. Amelia Barr and Rosa
Carey. The boys liked Ralph
Henry Barbour, Tomkinson, &. A.
Hptny. Sir Walter Scott. Abbott S
Histories. Olive Optic.
Asked about their leisure time.
boys and girls in towns without IL
braries. said they 60 to the station
or take a walk in the woods and
Miss ASkew found that in "A town
with library they would 90
there and that they discuss books.
Miss Askew described the way in
which 36 towns in New Jersey are
supporting free libraries. Blanks
are prepared and those interested
90 from house to house asking
people to sign for an amount from
30 cents up, to be paid annually
for three years. Each subscriber
gets a vote and Il board Of truS-
tees is elected and later incorpo-
rated. SiXty-three towns have IL
braricS supported by taxation.
Several towns unite in New .Jer-
sey in some communities and build
neighborhoOd house, for IA IL
brary and dances, plays and other
anluSementS.
Mrs. Beniah Watson. Mrs. Cecil
Fulton and others told how Do
ver's Free Library was brought
about and to show it's increased
usefulness they stated that it had
less than 100 paying subscribers
and now has 1000 borrowers.
Their subscribers turned over
their stock for the free library as
a beginning, the women all turned
out to vote for property tax to
support it, from the State they re-
ceived $3.50 annually. $500 from
the town school board. 800 inter
est from 81 1000 given by Manlove
Hayes and $1,000 raised by the
Century Club and one citizen
gives $50 annually, another $25
They have two librarians after,
moons and evenings.
The chief topic under considera
tion at the morning session wa,
that Of wholesome paStIme for the
young people. 1t was evident tha'
in nearly all the towns boys anC
girls between 10 and l6 years ar
ON the streets until 10 O'Clock ant
in some instances it was trankl,
stated that they are troublesome
There are moving picture shows i
nearly all the towns. Wholesom
and otherwise, and some delegate
did not know their character
Wherever there are libraries the
are largely used by the boys an
girls. who come in for big shaI
Of consideration when new book
are selected.
May this enthusiastic meetin
be the forerunncr Of a cooper