The mirror., 1917-01-11
Travelling Libraries in Hospitals
By MIRIAM E. CAREY
Supervisor Institution Libraries
st Paul, MINI.

Systems of travelling libraries have been operated the
rural districts of this country for many years by library
carnations of various Sorts and the result
perience be used guides those wish to intro
duce travelling Libraries into hospitals and other institutions
in which reside large numbers of of whom
would be glad to have something to read
In hospitals for the insane there always group of
patients who like to read and who exhaust collection
of books the library before they leave the institutions
These patients often the book reviews and advertise
ments in the magazines their curiosity is aroused about
certain publications. and they read the books
just much other person. One way satisfy
demand by of travelling libraries operated from
central point
The practicabilty of such system has been tried out
in the state of Minnesota, which has circuit of FIVE libra
res going the rounds of the institutions the insane
This 96) the third series of these collections
in operation, that the scheme has expert
ment.
When the first set of libraries started each of the
five institutions interested subscribed $685. and the combined
spent for l25 volumes and the needed
transport them. Each library remained month at each
hospital and given date shipped the place
in the circuit At the end of six months each institution
kept the books received in the last exchange
empty boxes back headquarters These boxes filled
with sets of books and started make the same
rounds the first series. This method still operation
and by it each hospital has the opportunity
fresh books six months and to add books year
its present collection.
Good team work at each hospital is absolutely necessary
to make plan like this work smoothly, and in Minnesota
it has cheerfuy been rendered by the persons
charge of the libraries at the hospitals On them
devoves the task of rounding the books at the
times. and in the large hospitals this is rather difficult
thing to do making necessary have good charg
ing system of bookcards and book pockets in operation.
When the date for changing the libraries,
at headquarters Tin Minnesota is the library supervisory
sends to each of the librarians list of the of books
to be received shipping tag for the box
return postcard by which the receipt of the Ii
brary and its condition to be acknowledged and
stating the date of shipping
If it happens in some hospital that books are
not returned promptly the library shipped without them
If they are found within week ten days. they
by parcel post but later than that the institution which
they were lost buys cope which into the proper
libraries in order to keep the intact 1t usually
that after days the mad books reappear and they
then added to the library the hospital which
lost and replaced them 1t to be expected that there will
be loss through the actions of destructive patients
this should be regarded of the business and should
not debar the use OF books by the other patients
Books coming in this way regular intervals the
outside world attractive to the whole hospitals only the
patients but also the employees look toward eagerly to the
As the of the hospital travelling library pro-
vide and change thought the books selected
with other object in view The collections educa-
tona except incidentally of special literary value; they
books questions of the day which may be available and
few purely humorous books which always well liked by
of the patients Editions chosen SO far as is nan-
ciay possible for good print paper illustrations and at
tractve and serviceable bindings.
As to size and construction of the travelling library cases.
there Standard and the number of books in
unit has also been estabhe has been found best
of 25 SO volumes in boxes made accommodate
acy that number The outside dimensions of the smaller
90 by 10 inches with depth of 2 inches. For
convenience carrying these have stout iron handles
on both ends and in front there doors which
curey closed during transit by bar of iron which slips
clamps These boxes be transported by freight
without crang and be after the
bar is removed and the doors opened
Anyone who wishes to lists of the books which have
in the Minnesota hospitals have them send
ing request to the Minnesota State Board Control ST.
Paul, MINI.