Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-03
(By Miss Cornelia Marvin, Librarian
oregon State Library.)

oregon state Llbrary)
"What sort of library is this, and
do you loan books2" This is the ques-
tion most often asked by Salemites who
are showing friends through the state
buildings. 1t is an usual sort of IL
brary being n combination of mail or
der and iobbing house for the distribu-
tion of books. The last nubber of the
Review of Reviews gave the portrait
of man who, according to their CORES.
pondent, "originated the parcel post
library system; but this system was
flourishing in Oregon before that man
became librarian.
0regon's state library probably has
the largest parcel post business of any
library in the country. This is due to
the fact that the library was estab-
lished to serve the new settlers coming
into Oregon s country and to give them,
even in the most remote places, the in
estimable advantage of the use of good
books for recreation and study. The
trustees of the Oregon state library
urged the passage Of the parcel post
bill and took pride in the fact that it
was formulated by an Oregon senator
Before the parcel post system went into
operation books were sent out by
freight and express, but, with the low
cred shipping rates, the business of the
library has increased rapidly.
The Travelling Libraries.
The first means of supplying books
for small towns and country places was
through travelling library units of fifty
books each, sent to a state library for
six months, then returned to the central
library and exchanged for another set
of books. These readers became 50 in.
terested that they began to ask for 9TH
er books needed for special interests
or occasions; the school debating so.
cieties took new interest in debates
because they could get data for prepa-
ration; teachers getting up holiday en-
tertainments sent in for dialogues and
pieces; students preparing commence.
ment orations wanted to Tread up" on
their subjects; women IS study clubs
asked for books and outlines; people ev-
erywhere heard Of the library, and so
the demand grew until it became i'm.
possible to meet it.
Small public Libraries were establish.
ed in most Oregon cities having a
population Of thousand or more, their
borrowers wanted more books than the
local library could buy-so they turned
to the state library for reinforeements
with the result that every public library
i'll the state is now deposit station
for the books owned by the state lib.
rary, and almost daily shipments are
made to the public libraries of Medford
Grants Pass and other cities.
Books Available To ALI.
The whole idea is to equalize library
privileges in Oregon, not to penalizc
people for living in the country and in
small towns.
Parcel POST rates for all places in The
s. aud s"c"n zones f-)u +,'rri NJ
five cents for the first pound and one
cent for each additional pound up Ia
the 80 pound limit. Neighbors Join in
sending for packages Of books in order
to reduce cost Of transportation, which
is paid by the station or borrower, and
never by the state.
During the past October and Novom.
Der, labs volumes have been shipped
out by the library, 9,05l for re.lonning
locally and 1854 directly to the con.
sumer" in response to the Ss2 requests
ranging from q good story wanted by
a woman living 20 miles from Bend on
star route, to books on gas engines,