Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-17
CHANGE IN LAWS ADVOCATED At
STATE LieRARIANs'
CONVENTION.
w. r. ORCHARD URGES
USE OF RURAL CARRIERS
Distribution and Collection Of Books
Among Rural Communities Urged 40
One Of the Nssds Of The Day-WouId
Further Culture and Assist in Eduea.
tien Of Outlying Communities.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Sioux City. Oct. ia new plan to
mako the public library available to the
rural communities was advocated be-
fore the Iowa Library Association,
which closed its meeting here last
night. w. R. Orchard. one of the edi-
tors Of the Council Bluffs Nonpareil,
was the one to come forward with the
new idea.
Modification Of the federal postal
laws to permit rural mail carriers to
distribute and collect books at q NOM
tnal cost and changes in the state laws
to bring about the extension of library
legislation to make mandatory the Sc
lection Of township or community Ii
brarians- were urged by Mr.. Orchard.
who IL member Of the state library
commission.
These were the solutions offered by
Mr.. Orchard for the problem that fur
nished the subject Of his address.
How to Bring the Community aud Its
Books Together"
BY amending the postal laws to per-
NIT rural mail carriers to carry books
to farms along their routes. Mr.. Or
chard declared much could be done to
further culture, education and produce
ton.
Investigation by government Off
iais recently showed :ha. s per cent of
the people engaged in agricultural pur-
suits were being benefited by the val
liable bulletins issued by the depart
men Of agriculture. and more than half
the people were receiving no direct in
formation on the great advances In
agriculture 50 easily available.
Let Carriers Distribute osoks.
ION every mail route in Iowa and
In every village, town and city there
is a considerable percentage Of the
people, ranging from 10 to 40 per cent,
that are not being reached effectively
by the newspapers. magazines.
churches, schools and other agencies.
Why not allow the mail carrier to
bring to them agricultural bulletins.
books on every possible subject?"
America has plenty Of material to
bring all OF its population to high
state of moral. intellectual and relig-
ious strength. according to Mr.. Or
chard. Yet he declared that 1t had
been truthfully stated that seven
eighths Of the possibilities for good
remains. like seyen-eighths Of the ice
berg, forever submerged.
'Tt is a shame" Mr.. Orchard de-
clared, that boys and girls should
grow to maturity and then to old age
in a world az full Of harmony and
beauty u ithout eyes to see or ears to
hear, with powers Of appreciation al
most entirely undeveloped. The skilled
librarians, equipped with books, can
materially change this situation II we
can prevail upon the pe.pls 10 give
IT, EN- +:le p '.tunity."
Community Librarians.
The original conception of library
was fine building hJ.d with books.
Mr.. Orchard said. The librarian
should be man or woman vers+d in
literature and the assistant should be
qualified to CAREFULLY eating keep
cross reference indexes and care for
the details Of issuing books and col
lecting hnes..
But the modern conception Of the
library is greatly enlarged. Today it
is considered collection of books to-
gether with corps Of Librarians OF
sufficient number not only to care for
customers, but to go out into the high