The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-21
JOINT MEETING
Of LIBRARY CLUBS
Question of Use Of Public Libraries
TO Circulate Propaganda One
of Several Issues.

Boston. oct lS.-Creater extern
sion OF service. a more fhorouEh
standardization OF work. and the
taking of definite stand regarding
the use of public libraries for the
circulation of various propaganda
are three subjects to be considered
at the toint meeting Of the Masst-
chusetts Library club and the Yves
tern Massach usetts Library club 70
be held in Springfield October IS.
- and %. announces John Adams
Lowe. president Of the first named
organization.
The program, says Mr. Lowe. puT~
poses to draw thoughtful attention
70 those topics which directly per
tain to the different phases OF IL
brary work. and not give time to
distantly related questions, The mu
s,eums of Springfield are 10 receive
much attention the first afternoon
OF the meeting. because libraries
and museums in many communl-
ties are doing much in cooperation
the libraries attraCtively re-enfor-
ing numerous printed description
by displays borrowed from the 1nu
seuns and the muse urnS have found
that assistance rendered by the best
books Is invaluable to people study
ing museum objects.
AS TO the propaganda that librar-
los everywhere are requested to cir
cuia4e. the extensiveneszsoW this sort
Of thing would hardly be believed
by other than library workers. as
aerts MI Lowe. Ii seems that al
most every kind of pamphlet liter
ature Imaginable is taken TO the
libraries which are expected 70 grant
a distribution by placing the pamph-
let's in the thousands Of books upon
the Nl1atves Food. medicine, reiig
ion, politics. all there and more send
in their promiscuouS bundle Of
propaganda. The point is that read
.ers, the public who pay the library
tax. object to finding in book OF
their choosing loose literature of a
nature that is often decidedly dis
tast efui to them personally. II is
hoped that librarians at the meeting
will formulate resolutions definitely
declaring their attitude, J. Randolph
Coolidge. Jr., who had wide social
service work during the war. is to
introduce the question IN his address
on the library and social service
activities during the readjustment
period
Enlarged program of the Ameri-
can Library Association" is move
mcut 10 be explained by DIR. Frank
p. Hin of the brooklyn Public Ii
| brary This program is understood
| 10 include the establishment of free
public library commissions in all
| states similar to what obtains now
| in some of the states. so that
| Throughout the nation the standards
| and general promotion OF public IL
| bra ries may be greatly increased
Another feature of the plan is said
| to be the extending of library OPP
portunities into the marine service
! affording the same benefits as has
been received by the soldiers and
| sailors.
Librarian authorities believe that
| examination and certification of IL
! brary workers would considera bly,
raise library standards. since il
| would tend TO arouse keener inter
est and deeper appreciation of oppor-
tunities and responsibilities on the
part Of the workers SO that Charles
| H. Evans. of Somerville. has been
| given this topic, "Certincation of Ii
| brarians and Standardization of Ii
brary work" A pension system for
| Massa ohusetts librarians is an enter
| prise with place on the program at
this meeting,
! Inasmuch as the Springfield Pub
lie Library is recognized far and wide
SIS a model institution OF it's kind, il
7 is expected that those attending this
( conference Will spend no little time
in studying its operation and man
agement The library, not only in its
regular departments. but also in its
many special extensions is said to be
proving OF unusual worth to the com
funnity