Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-17
The Maine Library
Commission I 1olds
Institute on Tuesday
At Litgow Library with Good Attendance with Much
teres-Assocate Justice Leslie c. Cornish Delivers Address
Wecome-Nss Mary P. Far Of Maryland Principal Speak
for the Day

,charge five cents for the use of a new
book until it has paid for itself, Their
it is put on the free shelf. In this way
the libraries can keep new books OF
their shelves at no extra expense.
This plan was then discussed by thc
members, and the objection was raised
that this method of letting books GU,
was a bit n-democratic was raised
but overruled One librarian, who said
that she had about 500 to spend in a
year for books, asked Miss Farr if she
thought that librarian is justified in
spending a large pat Of her appropria
ton for works of fiction, in order to
satisfy the demands of the averag
light reader Miss Farr gave it as her
opinion that such expenditures should
not be made, for. she said, the first
function of the library is to uplift and
instruct.
A discussion Of teachers privileges"
then followed during which several of
the librarians gave accounts of their
methods of cooperating with school
teachers in their work. Miss Farr
stated that one Of the worst problems
that the average librarian has to con-
front is that of the teacher who gives
out a subject to a class Of 40, and then
the first pupil who calls at the library
gets all the available material, leav-
ing the other 80 with nothing. She told
how to avoid this by getting the teach
Then the lending Of current maya
zines came in for a lot of general dis
cussion, as did also the arrangement
of war literature, the use of Gaylord's
book repair accessories, methods Of la
belling books, and lastly. the discussion
of pamphlet literature.
The afternoon was very profitably
passed, the members getting lot of
valuable new ideas from each other.
and at the end of the session a large
number of helpful pamphlets were dis
tributed by Miss Farr.
Evening Session
Although the attendance was not as
large at the evening session as at the
previous sessions a large amount of
interest was shown and the discu-
sions brought forth many suggestions
Of value to all present. Papers were
given during the evening by Assistant
State Librarian William r. Livingston,
who took for his subject, state Pub
Iications; Their Use and Value in
Public Libraries" ard Miss Mary p
Farr. director of the institute, who
spoke upon the topic. Interesting the
Boys and Girls" Both the speakers
were given warm applause and their
papers were the basis of the discus
sions Of the evening.
Rev. w. F. Livingston
Rev. Mr.. Livingston spoke as fol-
lows:
State Publications; Their Use and
Value in Public Libraries.
In 1898 law was passed by the
Maine Legislature making the free
public Libraries of the State the legal
recipients and custodians of State
documents. In compliance with the
law there have been forwarded to each
free public library, from the State Lii
trary, such documents as the Maine
Revised Statutes, session laws. law re-
ports, digestS, department reports, and
other official literature printed and
published by or for the State or of
which an edition was bought by the
State for distribution. There is no
state in the Union which has been
more liberal in publishing and distrib-
uting its official documents but the
question arises, to what extent are
these State publications used and re :
they appreciated as much as they
should by both librarians and patrons
Are they given as convenient and con-
spicuous place as II ey deserve on the
library shelves? Tie fact is that they
are generally treated with more or less
indifference, due to ignorance of their
contents and of the various uses to
which the facts contained in them can
be put. There are certain reports
which are of sufficient general interest
to create their own demand if readers
could only be brought into contact with
them, and the librarians have an i'm
portant duty to fulfill opening up the
store house Of information contained in
Liz StttLe JubICdllDl.S LOT STedteG use
fulness.
In recent years there has been de-
clded advance in the possibility of ere
ating interest in department reports
because of the Introduction of a table
of contents and subject index in sep
arate reports. Already work has been
done towards an index and ANALYSIS of
certain documents as a whole. as for
instance an index to the contents of
the Maine Public and Legislative
Documents. which has brought to
light, in this group of State publica-
tons, historical and statistical ma =
terials Of importance which it is be-
lieved will constitute q useful addition
to the sources of information relating
to the State. By al I of the index it is
possible to trace through the success
sive official reports OF the different de-
partments, the development of State
affairs. and also through committee
reports and Legislative enactments the
growth Of public sentiment and action
on important questions.
State documents distributed to pub
lie libraries are Of a very varied ma :
ture and, if made accessible in IL
braries. offer much material for diff
ferent types of readers. For the STU