Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-10-11
EQUAL PRIVILEGES
FOR ALL IS SLOGAN
FOR LIBRARY DRIVE

equal privileges for every man, wo-
man and child in Marion county" is
the purpose of the proposed county Ii
brary. This can be accomplished by a
central library maintsined in Salem by
the county, which shall be distribut
ing center for all towns, communities
school districts and individuals.
Under this system, the towns will
have buildings, rooms, or perhaps only
shelves and tables in part of the room
as the situation may require or permit.
The school districts and any community
that desires them will have travelling Ii
braries to supplement their own. lndi-
viduals will borrow through the nearest
town library any books that the central
library contains or can borrow All OF
the work will be under the supervisor
of a county library assistant who wall
give her personal attention to the needs
of each community. The advisory ser
vice will be invaluable to the school dis
tricts as well as the towns, for tho
small sums afforded to the districts
by the county School Library Fund arc
too often spent for books that do not
fit the immediate needs of the respec-
tive communities and books are purchas-
ed which lie idle many months of the
year, whereas system of book ex-
changes could obviate this waste.
These are some of tina ways IN wn1Ai
a county library would work to supply
e. rn
creation for everyone. 1t is estimated
that the work can be done on three
tenths of o mill tax. This is less than
town in the community which supports
library is paying at present. The city
Of Salem is the only part of the county
that has its book needs at all adequate
ly supplied, and it's funds have meyc,
permitted keeping the book collection
broad and up to date. The anuuai ap-
preparation Of the city council Of Salem
is between 4 and tenths of a mill,
which Is unusually low for city il
brary. Woodburn is one of these.
The reason that the new plan can be
carried through at so low rate is that
the expenses Us we'll as the advantages
will be equalized among the people Of
the county. The rural communities which
have had only such library facilities as
can be secured by mail, from the state
library, will have books made as con
venient TO their use as is possible. They
in turn will share with their town
neighbors in paying about 20 cents in
taxes on thousand dollars worth of
property.
Tt is estimated that one book per in
habitant would be a suitable library
supply for town. AS soon then as suf-
ficient books could be purchased each
town would be supplied with shifting
collection reaching that number to sup
plemcnt those which the town may ai-
ready own. According to this estimate
Silvorton would have deposit of prob
ably of 1900 books housed and served
to its nublic at cost of probably $340.
Woodburn would have about the same
service. Stayton would receive about
700 books at q cost in taxes of $ll6.
Salem's share in the tax would amount
to $3650, for which the citizens would
receive the same service now gwen al
the public library with the advantage
Of much larger choice of books.
The plea for county library was
started in Silverton where there has
never been a public fund to run the Ii
brary. Woodburn, which has a library
building but small funds aside from the
expenses of running the building, added
its voice, and, as the movement spread,
Stayton, Aurora, GervGis. through their
representatives voiced the same senti-
ments in the presentation of the need
to the county court. The county commit
tee of which Mrs. Hugh Latham of Sill
verton is chairman is now trying to
reach all parts of tho county with the
news Of what the movement is and what
advantages it offers.