El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-17
lBRA4IES ON
Wheels ARE
POPULAR
leach Out to People Who
Are Unable to Get to a LII
brary Building.
OHIO TOWNS SEND
BOOKS OVER COUNTRY
by Frederic J. Hnskin.

BY Frederic }. Hnskin.
Washington, d. c. Feb. 17.-Of all
the benefactions Of the modern library
movement, not one is more appreciated
than the travelling library. This reach
es out to people who are not able TO
come to the library building Tor books
In the rural districts where lnere are
few diversions and few opportunities
10 secure new thoughts and ideas, the
travelling library is d GOdsend TO many
an isolated farm house. It's books are
frequently better appreciated tnah
those circulating from the city library,
where the. multiplicity Of interests ire
Quently tend TO distract the MIND from
The first travelling Libraries on rec
ord were those established IN Scot
land in 1910, where they were USED
principally for religious purposes ana
circulated from parish to parish IN
1871 the public library or Melbourne
Australia lent books in cases Of %
each to Out-of-tOwn branches clrculat-
ing in this way about 6OOU volumes
The first educational travelling ADra.g
was sent out from oxford university N
4ov-ns where the university extension
lectures were given 1t IS thus SHOWN
NAT the origin Of the travelling library
idea IS essentially British, although the
United states has developed II ana put
IL more broadly into use
Travelling Libraries Aboard ship.
The Seamen's Friend society OF the
effne libraries on board ships ABOUT the
middle OF the 18th century, and about
fbe same time the United states gov
eminent provided the various Hs ..5
houses along the Atlantic coast with
collections Of books which cou4o De
exchanged at Intervals. Inese Were
small efforts, however and New 1ork
p-as the first state to adopt the IraE-
cling library idea as IL now prevails
throughout the country me senulns
out OF libraries TO the rural qlstri l5ll
was authorized in New York IN loss,
but the first library was not lssueu
until 1888 Under the New 1ork state
library commission there are now near
IN 1000 libraries circulating IN FlIlaSes
In 1885 Michigan and Montana en-
q HE'D travelling library eas6sfSlOn a--u
in 1896 Iowa passed Jaw ptlul-.s
Tor this means Of book 9 ialLoLL-
several other states promptly ~ INTO
line but Kansas was the HIsl $50
10 recognize the Importance OF tIAee1-
ing Libraries to the extent OF the -
v,ofnfment OF a travelling library cum
Es-s5o- those duties consist IN the
MANAGEMENT and selection OF Aul-oL s-s
~ travelling collections OF BOOKS pro-
vided. by the state 10 meet the HeS@s
Of all classes Of readers.
Tbe use of good books has now pc
come recognized as essenliaL - - -
comfort Of ever american - I5 -. e-1-1
year Mrs Russell sage set aslue So
- money TO be used annually 10 pIo-
80 travelling libraries to circulate
among the fire stations OF New ~
civ as the leisure time OF IlIein l-
-5-ee him oDDOrtunity Tor SERUM
movement Through other sources - -
1-fo- has been made Tor UaNsull5
75F7-aries at telegraph stauons LOT -"
..es-1r-ar bovs. who. through the IN
gDfrafion of books thus supP1leu, -
0uentlv are able to prepare tneln mems -
for something more IMAM ~ -
aIlev'' occupation Of the messensei
The rural travelling library hoWe ..,5I,
fs the one receiving most 49,. S - -
especially now thal c0nsel . =. - the
socfsl and educational resources u -
country is receiving so much conslt-
Grafton In 1903 the New AOLA 800
library commission began OtLeL---5
hone libraries OF ten volumes 70 any
---aI residents desiring 10 recelt :
1ber1- and each year the circulation 81
rbese small book collections lncrea'e1-
ohio Leads in the WORK.
ohio is one Of the most actlFe slales
'fr travelling library work ana mas ar
ranged q system Of county LlD-e-l ~. -
7br0ugh its school system under me
e1InerVfsion Of the county sugeI-il -
- me Van Vert county library mas
IN extension system which is Dslns
v-idelv copied. Several years aso ~
undertook the problem OF ser %
200 nersons with books On an 4ACO-l--
not Exceeding $1,000 per year An area
of All square miles was 70 D5 GU 49, -
THE central library was al van WSLI
town had $4,000 populallon anu - -
rest Of the people served llFed IN sIllaL4
villages or on farms. me Do1As -
culated through schools cIuDs e1lo
churches in collections OF from % 70
100 volumes each. The persons taxing
charge of these collections are palo
the small salary Of $50 per year
While the credit Of the IlrsI county
ffbrar- system is usually given 10
ohio which passed the law proVlQlne
for it in 1901, the first law proFl9llie
for county library was aoopteu ~
wyoming as early as 1855 rms "a"
provided that the county commission
ers should levy a tax from one--els -
TO one-half mill for publc 4DIefy Pul
poses and the location OF a library ~
each county seat OF that state res44bSo'
While ali Of these county library cen
tiers do not provide for traNellng IL
braries most OF them 90 so, because
this seems to be the best means OF
complying with the law urging the
best possible provision for the use Of
books by Out-Of-tOWn people
The federal department Of agrlclI-
fure has done much to forward the
work of travelling Libraries in the rural
districts, and has issued several DuIle-
tins referring 10 this SUBJECT Inc
Farmers Institutes Of many states nave
become interested in the travelling H.
brarv movement and have given II q
prominent place in their work. j ne
Illinois Farmers lhstl!ule oeean - ~
travelling library work IN 1901 with an
aDDropriatiOn Of $3.50 made by the
sfste. The institute selected, equipped
and circulated the books, which were
sent out for six months 20 any coInInu-
T7ftv on q request signed by five citizens
rbe only expense being the express
charges This work has increased 50
much that it now numbers about 5000
libraries, which last year circulated al
most 100000 volumes, reaching 100000
readers
The Book Wagon"
In q number Of states a book wagon
-~af7fo7e frequently seen along coGn-
frv roads One of the most success
Fr11lv operated book wagons IN the
.ountrv circulates through washington
county. Maryland, from the Hagers-
Fovvn public library The driver Of this
v-aron Is enthusiastically interested in
the work. He knows every farmer
[r-ffe along the route and always re-
members individual tastes In books In