The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1920-05-04
The asook Foa EysRYsopY'
MOVEMENT

persons not provided with free lihrar!
service, according to the estimate D
the United States Bureau OF Educa
ton, made public today.
American Library Association off
Gals declare that this lack. as re
ysaied by statistics of public libraf.
Development recently compiled by P
p. ciaxtcn, Commissioner of Educa
ton. viii give residents of Georgia a
conception OF the benefit to be derived
from the Books for Everybody
movement launched by the associa
ten, To Devote to the task of making
public library service vital influence
IN every American community, the A.
L. A. f. gathering a Books for Ev-
erybody'' fund Of ss.ooo,0oO. C, 1sey-
.sour Thompson, librarian of the Pub
lie Library. at Savannah, is State Di-
rector of the Books for Everybody
FUND n Georgia.
The report for Georgia shows 25
libraries that are classed as free pub
lie libraries, containing 249,Se9 vol
umes and serving a population of 238..
es2 persons, leaving 2,37i ,O2s persons
Without access to Libraries. In the
Judgment of the Bureau of Education
the smallest library that can usually
be depended on to render an adequate
service, is one Of 5000 volumes. Only
eight libraries in the state measured
by this standard can be termed "uni-
versities of the people" They serve
fS1,432 persons. with 2,427.6S9 persons
practically deprived of the help of an
institution which. more than any 9TH
er promotes adult selfeducation. In
1873 counties there is no library with
as many as 5,0o9 volumes. Eight eoun.
ties each have d library of this size,
which might serve as nucleus for
county library system.
The county library is advocated b,
the American Library Association as
the best method of reaching the rural
districts. This form of library service
recently was endorsed by Commission
er Claxton
In commenting ON the results of the
Bureau of Education's survey, Aseri-
can Library Association officials point
out that the library deveNprent of the
last several years. under the guidance
Of the efficient Georgia. Library Com
MISSION, may be too recent to b.. taken
fully into account While revised pop
ulatjon statistics would show a much
l~~ger public served by existing il
araries, as the compilation IS based
On the 1910 census, it is indicated,
however, that the growth of popula
ton In the wide areas without public
library service probably would, tend 20
keep the percentages as announced
by the Bureau Of Education, nearly
constant. In view CT the rapid indus.
trial development which is bringing
into Georgia an increasing number OF
new Americans from foreign shores.
who must depend largely upon public
libraries to give them their education
ln American language, Institutions and
ideals, the general need for library
facilities throughout the state Is de
clared 10 present a serious situation,
This condition, coupled with the wide
spread social and industrial unrest
throughout the nation, constitutes one
reason for the American Library Asso-
cations vigorous Books for Every
body" movement, which points to
time when books will be freely avail
able to every man, woman and child If
America.
In the Books for Everybody move
ment in Georgia, the American Lii.
brary Association will cooperate With
the Georgia Library Commission and
with local libraries.