'% ^ \7^^. - _. . ""V 'V/Siye^v *^x I : ^^^i- n i w f - THfi UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY a^i^^^ai^^'SBfts , ,-,--, ,-- ^^Ss^j^^ 1 '' K f^Sftfv irf^^fe^ i^^^^i^W^^ ^v>^ - A s^*. : : rv> y^ ^f-^> r^ 1 i^v^ 8$ &m j&^ij^^^ Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped bel .^V*-> University oflUinoisJUbrary >> N M . **r/^ m # / \* lk--^ x fc^y * *&m Vi M ;^^ PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ' THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HELD AT BRETTON WOODS, NEW HAMPSHIRE JUNE 26-JULY 3, 1909 Application made for entry as second class matter at the Chicago Post Office AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 1 WASHINGTON STREET CHICAGO 1909 CONTENTS General sessions Page Address of welcome Judge C. R. Corning 119 Address of the President: Co-ordination or method in co-operation C. H. Gould 122 Reports of the Secretary; Treasurer 128 Report of the Publishing board H. E. Legler 134 Library co-ordination 140 Storage libraries F. P. Hill 140 Reservoir libraries N. D. C. Hodges 145 A county library Mary L. Titcomb 150 California county library system J. L. Gillis 152 Discussion 154 Clearing houses H. W. Wilson 165 Constitution: revision 1R6 The school and the library 179 The library and education C. W. Colby 179 The school's point of view J. E. Banta 184 Book-using skill in higher education J. C. Dana m Discussion 16 Trend of library commission work Chalmers Hadley , 197 Reports of committees: International rela- tions E. C. Richardson 202 Co-operation with the N. E. A 202 Library administration Corinne Bacon 203 Library architecture W. R. Eastman 21 5 Library work with the blind Emma R. Neisser 2^6 Bookbinding A. L. Bailey 220 Bookbuying J. C. Dana 2?2 Catalog rules J. C. M. Hanson 224 Library training Mary W. Plummer 2 9 5 Public documents G. S. Godard 227 Amendments N. D. C. Hodges 227 By-laws 230 Paper and binding of lending library books . . Cedric Chivers 231 A fairy story for librarians Rev. S. M. Crothers 259 (Not printed in tkr Proceedings, but published in Atlantic Monthly, December 1909, under title "The conven- tion, of bnofrx.") The criteria for selection of technical litera- ture E. F. Stevens 259 Symoosium on recent books for boys 263 Introduction .A. E. Bostwick 263 The adventure book for boys Kirk Munroe 267 Historical stories A. E. Bostwick 269 The historical story for boys E. T. Tomlinson 270 Books read by English boys Robert Irwln 274 Resolutions 2^7 Report of committee on resolutions N. D. C. Hodges 278 Report of the Tellers of election C. H. Milam 279 Page Pa it* Af*1ttd oreraniratlons Catalog 385 National association of state libraries.. 281 Librarv work with children 408 League of library commissions 337 Professional training for librarian ship. . 427" American association of law libraries.. 356 Proceedings of Executive board and Sections Council 436 College and reference 3fiO Attendance register and summaries 4*3 Trustees' 384 Index 456 } BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE JUNE 26 JULY 3, J909 FIRST GENERAL SESSION (Mt Washington Hotel, Monday, June 28, 1909, 8:30 p. m.) "THE first General Session of the Thirty- *" first Annual Meeting of the American Library Association was called to order by the president, Charles H. Gould, on Mon- day evening, June 28, in the Ball-room of the Mt Washington, at half past eight o'clock. THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and Gen- tlemen: It is my pleasant duty to declare this Thirty-first Conference of the Ameri- can Library Association open. I am glad to see so many of you assembled here and I hope that we shall all find the week now beginning agreeable and profitable. I am sure at least that we must all con- template with satisfaction the beauty of this spot in which we are gathered and the fact that we are assembled in such a com- modious and beautiful hostelry, I cannot bring myself to use the word hotel. This Association has always been for- tunate in the reception that has been ac- corded it wherever it may have happened to meet, and the present conference is no exception to the rule. Several months ago the highest functionary of the State, His Excellency the Governor of New Hamp- shire, wrote to extend to the Association a cordial welcome and his best wishes for the success of our meetings, expressing, at the same time, the hope that he might be enabled to be with us to-night. Matters of business, which it was impossible to defer or to omit, have prevented the Governor, at the last moment, from attending this meeting; but I am quite confident that he is with us in spirit, and, what is equally important to us, he is with us in the per- son of his representative, Hon. Charles R. Corning of Concord. We are thrice glad to welcome Judge Corning to this platform. We welcome him as the rep- resentative of this beautiful State of New Hampshire; we welcome him also as the representative of the highest officer of the State, and we welcome him not one whit less as representing himself and as the guest of this Association. He has very kindly promised to address us, he is even at liberty, if he sees fit, to admonish us. I have the great pleasure of asking him, now, to speak to the Association. JUDGE CORNING'S ADDRESS Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the American Library Association: No one regrets more than I regret the unavoidable absence of Governor Quinby this evening, for he would have spoken to you those words of official wel- come which must be considered the high- est honor that any visitor to New Hamp- shire can receive. I am sure, knowing the Governor so well, that if he could be here he would soon convince you of the warm welcome New Hampshire has for you and your great Association. Unfortunately I cannot in the nature of things welcome you officially other than by proxy. I hold no high official position. In fact my position is rather that of a private citizen, but I consider it personally a very great honor to be invited by the Chairman of the Ex- ecutive committee to say these few words this evening. I say I cannot welcome you officially, for the reasons I have stated, but I do welcome you on behalf of the good people of this State, the intelligent and the diligent readers, the book takers, your clients, and in their name, ladies and 299330 120 BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE gentlemen, I welcome you cordially to the Granite State. This is, I understand from the President, your second visit to New ^ Hampshire, and, considering the attractive offers of many cities and many other lo- calities, I wish to say to you that we ap- preciate all the more the honor you have done us by coming within our State. It is hardly necessary for me to point out that New Hampshire is one of the smallest states in this Republic, small in territory and small in population, but we make up, I think, for these physical limita- tions by a history as noble as that of any commonwealth that owes allegiance to our common flag. From the beginning, from the colonial days down to this very time, New Hampshire has emphasized her valor, her resourcefulness, her courage and her industry on all occasions; and I can say as a loyal son and as an American that no sister state out-classes us in the record of arduous deeds done. And our welcome tonight is not only for you who belong to us as countrymen and countrywomen, but for you, Mr President, and others, who come from be- yond our borders. We wish you to know, you who swear allegiance to the beauti- ful Dominion of the North, that only the geographical line makes us twain; for, by the blessings of God we are one people, we have one language, one literature and one long, unbroken dream of peace and friendship. And may God in his wisdom ordain that these shall continue until the very end of recorded time. New Hampshire has these mountains, these lakes, these rivers and this inspiring scenery, and some of you may wonder what our people do for their livelihood in a land so rugged. New Hampshire, to be sure, has not the fertility of the Middle West, nor the equable climate of the South, but we do have our compensations, and I say that we New Hampshire men and women born on this soil would not ex- change our mountains and our lakes and our rivers gleaming through the fertile lowlands for all the golden grain of the West nor for all the picture land of the Pacific Slope. There are, however, some obstacles that confront us today. These things never ap- pear in history, but New Hampshire suf- fers from two sources which probably nev- er will be other than they are today, to- wit7 emigration and education. The story of the emigration of New Hampshire's sons and daughters, if you could know it as I know it, is something startling. Al- most from the beginning these young men and young women left us and went forth to enrich the sister states. All over the West you find the leaven of New Hamp- shire breeding. Even nearer home the story is the same. Draw a line ten miles around Boston City Hall, and you have over 10,000 New Hampshire men and wo- men living in Massachusetts to add lus- tre to the old Commonwealth; and, as I told them down there once upon a time, incidentally to help along their politics. The next feature is education. Now, New Hampshire alone of all the states has no common fund for the education of her children. Vermont on one side possesses a generous fund, and Maine on the other, and so with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and all the western states, all these states have common school funds, but not a dollar has this State. Every dollar that we raise to support our com- mon schools is wrung, I say wrung it is gladly contributed year after year, by di- rect taxation. And yet New Hampshire is generous. When you think that we have no money whatever except what we raise from the taxation of our merchants, our manufacturers, our farmers, you will see that this is an obstacle not easily un- derstood by you who come from more fa- vored states. New Hampshire has never been found wanting when any appeal has been made to her, and this very year she has ap- propriated $1,000,000 for the improvement of the state highways. She has made her annual appropriation for Dartmouth col- lege and she has passed an educational bill, which is one great step toward em- ploying only certified teachers, that is, teachers who have been graduated from the high schools or from normal schools. The State gives to towns so much, ac- cording to what they pay the teachers who CORNING 121 are so certified, and so New Hampshire is not false to the trust of education. She still keeps burning on the hills the light of learning. Patriotic, believing in law, the dear old State that welcomes you through my unworthy lips is entitled to your love, to your consideration. Now, I am not going to flay your pa- tience with any statistics or any long ar- ray of figures, but some things I want you to know. In this State, not including railroads, but in factories and occupations of various kinds, textile, mechanical and others, $120,000,000 are invested, with an annual output of $160,000,000, and wages are paid to about 125,000 men and women who work in these factories; and today in the savings banks of this little State lie $84,000,000, largely the savings of these wage earners. A few years ago I had the honor to prepare the semi-centennial ad- dress in my native city, Concord, and I found to my astonishment and my delight that half of the population of that little city, scarcely 21,000, had deposits in our four savings banks exceeding $5,000,000. Ah, ladies and gentlemen, thrift and scen- ery go hand in hand in New Hampshire. Others will speak here during your ses- sions in regard to the libraries of our State and among them will be the distinguished and illustrious sons of New Hampshire who are here to-night, whose names I for- bear to mention. But I do wish to call your attention to one of our city libraries, to the public library. of my native city. In that city, whose population I have spoken about, 90,000 volumes go into circulation every year, taken out by about 8,000 read- ers who certainly show an unmistakable appreciation of the institution. The library in New Hampshire is by no means a new thing, but the modern library as we un- derstand it has come within the last twen- ty-five years. Now it is becoming quite the custom for many of the returning na- tives, the well-to-do, those who have made money elsewhere and have come back to visit their native town, to commemorate their visits by giving to the native town a library; and as you ride through our State you see from the car windows, in little towns where you would hardly expect to see a library, these brick or stone build- ings, attractive and beautiful, testifying to the love of books, testifying to the love of reading, which is another attractive characteristic of our State. And I am glad to assure you that this benign custom is yearly increasing. The legislature makes appropriations to meet the library feature, and so, my friends, the State to which you have come is no unworthy state for this conference. Here amid these beautiful sur- roundings play and work are almost inter- changeable, and I am sure that under the inspiration of this much favored locality, so full of nature's pageantry as almost to challenge successful rivalry, your sessions can not but be conducted to most success- ful conclusions. And now, Mr President, I will close as I began, and say to you that I welcome you to New Hampshire in behalf of the citizens of this State, and I welcome you also to this hostelry of pleasure, this castle of hospitality, this Ultima Thule of perfect rest and delight, The Mt Washington. THE PRESIDENT: On behalf of this Association, Sir, I thank you most sincere- ly for your cordial words. The warmth of your welcome has been so exceptional in- deed that I imagine most of us, when on the train, felt it extended nearly to our homes. Yet, having arrived here, I am quite confident that all feel, as I do, that notwithstanding our naturally high antici- pations, the half had not been told us of what is actually in store for us. I beg, Sir, that you will convey to His Excellency the Governor the thanks of the Association for the kindly greetings which you have voiced for him, and, in addition, that you your- self will accept from us our most apprecia- tive thanks for the graceful and gracious words which you have spoken to us. We all feel that in coming to New Hampshire we have chosen one of the choice spots of this land which abounds in choice spots, and I am sure, with you, that the meet- ings which are to be conducted here can- not but be successful, if only because of these delightful surroundings. The next item on the program is the President's address of which the title is 122 BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE CO-ORDINATION, OR METHOD IN CO-OPERATION * In inviting your attention to the subject of co-ordination, I bring before you what may accurately be termed a present-day problem. It is not absolutely new, but it is at least recent. Each generation has tasks peculiarly its own to surmount; and co-ordination is one of ours. Moreover, in the sense in which we use it tonight, viz., systematic co-operation, it is sufficiently large to include within itself many special questions which are being actively can- vassed, and are daily becoming more and more prominent. The first chapter in the history of popu- lar libraries (I should rather say the earlier chapters, having regard to the vast amount of creative work they embody) closed al- most simultaneously with the nineteenth century. This coincidence is worth noting, because most of the questions which had taxed the powers of the founders of this Association had been finally settled by that date. Some were disposed of even earlier, and a few have lingered longer. But, after all, the day for discussing library technique or method is almost gone. If this mat- ter be not closed, it has at any rate, in parliamentary phrase, "reached the com- mittee stage," and the same thing is equal- ly true of other questions of internal man- agement, as well as of those which bear on the library's relation to the public. Now, these problems were, if one may so say, formative, i. e., they were con- nected with libraries in the making; they were individualistic like the era to which they belong. For they arose in the early years of the library movement while the *The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to the address delivered by President Eliot before the Magnolia Con- ference in 1902. Since that date he has given what thought he could spare to the subject of co-ordination, and to such litera- ture bearing on it as he has found. Prob- ably owing to its title ."President Eliot and discrimination in books," Mr W. E. Foster's illuminating article published in the Li- brary Journal, vol. 27, p. 260, escaped him until the present address was all but fin- ished. He would call particular attention to this fact because of certain coincidences in thought between Mr Foster's paper and the short article on Regional libraries pub- lished in the Library Journal June, 1908, which latter is practically an outline of a portion of the present address. evolution of the individual library was tak- ing place. This involved perfecting all those processes (many of them technical, though none the less weighty on that ac- count, since every art or profession is based on technique), which had to do with the single book as the first term in a se- ries that culminated in the working library the final one. That was co-ordination of the forces within the library. But the formative period is over. Or- ganized libraries are to be found at every turn. And the problems which now con- front us are different from the earlier ones. They no longer have to do with li- braries as final terms in a series, but as first terms in a new series of larger pro- portions. The twentieth century has the task of evoking method and order among rather than within libraries. It must dis- cover a classification not for the volumes on the shelves (which has already been done), but for the libraries themselves, grading them as it were, and welding them into a complete system. Not a "library system" such as is already exemplified in the great cities, though this, to some ex- tent, embodies the idea in little; but a sin- gle comprehensive organization in which each member shall have its own definite part to play, yet- will also stand in distinct and mutually helpful relations to all the other members, acknowledging, each one, that it owes a duty to the whole body, al- though preserving complete freedom as to its own individual management and inter- ests. Such an organization, such a system of libraries, is the final term in the new series. In it the libraries of the country would stand not as independent units, but as inter-dependent partners. And its ulti- mate attainment should, I believe, be the aim par excellence of this generation of librarians. Do you exclaim, "This is a hard say- ing: who can hear it? Proof!" I point you to the fact that combination and or- ganization are among the strongest ten- dencies, the very watchwords of the age. How should librarians, then, keep aloof from them? I point you also to the trend of library opinion as evinced in recent pro- fessional literature. And I hope later on GOULD 123 to be able at least to suggest that a system such as has been mentioned would not only be most desirable in itself, as tending to greater efficiency and to economy of ef- fort, but that the mere fact of its exist- ence would dispose of most of the ques- tions that are now pressing on us for so- lution. This is true, for instance, of book selec- tion, disposal of duplicates, storage, clear- ing houses which together form what might be called "the overcrowding or con- gestive group." With other groups less prominent at the moment, but no less vital, it falls into place among those prob- lems which may be broadly characterized as involving the treatment of masses of books rather than single volumes. In con- junction with these and, I think, not oth- erwise, it can be satisfactorily solved, as one phase of the broad subject of co-ordin- ation. Inasmuch as my remarks are intended, in part, to serve as a sort of prologue to the next general session, I can venture to omit or pass lightly by certain aspects of my theme, confining myself to a somewhat general consideration of it and leaving il- lustrations to follow. Nevertheless, it would be proper, I suppose, to grow rem- iniscent here over what has thus far been accomplished in the way of co-ordination. Even this review, however, I shall spare you; albeit, if I did not, your sufferings on account of it would be short. For, though a good deal has lately been written on the subject, it would not take many min- utes to tell what has actually been done. Co-operation, of course, there has long been in a multitude of directions, and in even between many different countries. Of that I am not now speaking; and I therefore pass by the bibliographies, the indexing and cataloging, in which, as might have been expected, co-operation has made its most pronounced advance. Co-opera- tive indexing and cataloging, indeed, must rank among the great achievements of their own or of any time. And co-operation has still more to its credit. For example, that you and I should be supplied with descriptive lists of certain books together with the information that the books may be consulted in, possibly borrowed from, certain libraries, is really a triumph of co-operation; our acceptance of it almost as a matter of course merely going to show our familiarity with conve- niences which a few years ago were un- heard of. But to put these books in my hand, and in considerable numbers; not merely a volume now and then, demands, not greater skill or learning than the for- mer service, but a larger measure of corre- lated effort spread over a wider field and of such, the instances now on record serve chiefly to pave the way for future experi- ments. I say this, knowing full well that the very principle which underlies state libra- ries, and perhaps state commissions, too, is co-ordinative; nor do I forget the co- operation that has long existed between the Chicago libraries, the still more com- prehensive plan inaugurated in Provi- dence and described in 1897 by Mr Foster, Mr Rowell's account in 1898 of what had been done in California, European ex- periments in Belgium, Germany and Eng- land, nor finally the nascent county libra- ry movements which are already full of promise for this country. Still, I repeat, these efforts, valuable for what they have accomplished, are, above all, valuable as showing what may be done. Because, as one studies them, one finds that without exception they converge upon the com- prehensive organization referred to a mo- ment ago. As you observe, I have, thus far, been speaking of co-ordination in the most gen- eral terms. Let us now look at it in one particular aspect, as it relates to the sup- ply and distribution of books. This is, per- haps the ultimate and crowning purpose of co-ordination. Indeed it constitutes so large a part of all library effort that we can well afford for the time to overlook other sides of the subject. Then, too, the obstacles to putting it into execution are serious enough to merit separate consider- ation. The question of supply will natu- rally include provision for reaching all the libraries of the country; while distribution, if it be effective, will, among other things, bring relief to congested libraries. I2 4 BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE Apart from purchase and gift, one li- brary can obtain a supply of books only by borrowing from another. But, though inter-library loans have been going on for years, and have now grown very usual, they are still effected chiefly between the greater libraries; while the books lent are restricted, in the main, to those needed for serious study or research. Indeed, I think I am right in saying that the regu- lations of most libraries favor no other class of inter-library loans strictly so called. Lighter works are on an avowedly different footing and are circulated mainly through traveling libraries or similar agen- cies, when the great libraries circulate them at all. But I need not labor to prove what you will grant, that as things stand today, no library is in a position to lend to other libraries considerable num- bers of books either popular or semi-popu- lar in character. Not one is equipped for such work. Yet the public library is a democratic in- stitution; and democracies are not, I be- lieve, usually supposed to consist wholly of persons addicted to serious study. So that apparently, in any system which may be devised, there must be provision for widening the scope of inter-library loans, until they include other than scholarly works. We all of us have a great respect for the scholar, but his are not the only interests to consider. Moreover, simply to enlarge the circle of readers, will not suffice. What of the small libraries, which form the great ma- jority of libraries of the land, and are doing collectively a vast and steadily broadening work? I pass by the immense amount of duplication of books and of effort to which, under existing conditions, these libraries are condemned. Much of this is indispensable, and, of course, al- ways will be, though far too much is wasteful, and ought to be made unneces- sary. That which concerns us at present, however, is the isolation of the smaller libraries, notwithstanding their proximity to each other and, sometimes, to leading institutions. Despite their slender stock of books they must rely mainly on them- selves. They borrow rarely, and their fa- cilities for doing so, always inferior, often seem to be practically nil. It may be urged that a rural library does not need very many books. True, other things be- ing equal, a small community will need fewer books than a large community. On the other hand, the fewer books a library controls, the greater the probability of its needing others which it does not possess. Clearly, then, any "system of libraries" must reach out to, and include, the small libraries of the country; nothing could justly be called a system that failed to take account of these. But how are they to be included? They will not be greatly advantaged by borrow- ing from each other. They must apply to libraries larger than themselves. The great libraries, as has been said, are not equipped to furnish the requisite literature; besides, they have their own readers whose claims must, of course, be first consid- ered. Here, however, the medium-sized library will probably be found a powerful coadjutor. Among this large class there must be thousands of books not in fre- quent use, which, with suitable arrange- ments, could be made available for inter- library loans. Yet here again we find isolation. Al- though we have discovered a potential source of supply, means of access are in great measure wanting. The medium-sized library is not, as yet, much more fully pre- pared for lending than are the lesser ones. On the other hand, it is in almost equal need of enlarged borrowing powers. So much then for supply. The outlook is not too pleasing, is it? Let us turn for a moment to distribution. Seven years ago, at Magnolia, this As- sociation had the honor of listening to a notable paper by the head of a great uni- versity. The thesis, if I may be pardoned for characterizing it thus briefly, was the necessity for separation between "live" and "dead" books, and of providing a place of sepulture or storage for the so-called "dead." If this paper did no more, and it did more, it placed definitely before li- brarians the ultimate necessity, which has not since been questioned, of storage re- positories. GOULD 125 Long before President Eliot's paper was written there had been repeated sugges- tions as to a clearing-house for exchange of duplicates. But these two problems have usually been kept distinct, and treated as though no connection existed between them. In the meantime, while, for various reasons, the popular demand for books has greatly increased, libraries have been steadily swelling in bulk, and the ques- tions connected with overcrowding and congestion have become more acute than ever. Yet, I must confess it, the idea of a tomb for useless books is repugnant to me. Apart from considerations of econ- omy, which would seem to demand that its functions be combined with at least those of a clearing-house, its very suggestions are unpleasant if not unsavory. No one, of course, calls such a thing a library. I would name it rather the Dead Sea; for it would be ever receiving, never giving. Even if what was consigned to it were not already dead (and, I am afraid, cases of premature burial would be rather fre- quent) the final result would be the same. Nothing could long survive amid such sur- roundings. But vary the figure. Call the tomb a reservoir, and instantly all the conditions change. The reservoir receives only in order that it may give forth. It is the antithesis of the Dead Sea. The one is a receptacle, the other a dispensary. In the latter there is current. Granted that here and there the motion be slug- gish, possibly imperceptible, still the con- tents, as a whole, remain sound and useful. Now, we can all think of more than one approximation to such a reservoir among the libraries of this country. We think of them with admiration and grati- tude for their enlightened and liberal work. But the field is vast; the libraries we have just referred to are few, and have responsibilities, as we have already twice observed, over and above any they may have assumed in behalf of other libraries; whereas it is precisely with the needs of libraries that we are now concerned. Might it not then be feasible to provide a certain number of book reservoirs to which all the libraries of a particular dis- trict or locality could turn in time of need? These reservoirs, existing for the express purpose of serving other libraries, might have great latitude in the matter of lend- ing, while at the same time they might combine the function of a storage ware- house and clearing-house with other serv- ices as yet hardly spoken of. Let us proceed on the hypothesis that it is feasible, and suppose that the entire continent has been laid off into a few such districts or regions, and that in each re- gion there has been established a great res- ervoir let us call it a regional library placed at a central point which has been selected after a careful study of the re- gion, its lines of communication, distri- bution and character of its population, the size and location of its other libraries, with the kind and number of books these al- ready possess. The regional library may have been developed from an existing li- brary (of course with the latter's consent and co-operation), or even from a group of libraries, or it may have been estab- lished de novo, examination having shown the necessity for it. The first act of the regional libraries would naturally be to get into the closest relations with all other libraries of the region. They would acquaint these latter as fully as possible with the nature of the regional collections, invite the freest ap- plication for books or for suggestive lists, and would ask to be supplied with a de- scription of the collections of their neigh- bors, including mention of any especially valuable works or unusual books, journals or periodicals each might possess, as well as of the kind of books chiefly in demand by their readers. All this information would be filed. If these two things were done, even roughly, throughout the various regions, there would result at comparatively slight exertion a sort of inventory of the library resources and reading tastes of the coun- try, apart from the great centers. This is something that would be very difficult to obtain by other means. Having made the acquaintance of their more immediate neighbors, the next step would be to get into touch with the Na 126 BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE tional library and other great libraries throughout the country very particularly the other regional libraries to learn at least the strong points of the collections of each, and arrange for reciprocal ex- change. It would be neither practicable nor necessary for each of these libraries to keep the catalogs of all the others. Lists of accessions, finding lists and a quarterly bulletin issued by each library, containing its classification and the num- ber of volumes under each heading, would exhibit individual resources with consid- erable accuracy, and afford a ready means of judging which of several libraries was richest in a given subject, thus indicating the one to which application should be made for particular books. Knowing each other's strong and weak points, knowing, too, their own regions, and having a gen- eral acquaintance with the collections of the other great libraries, they would prac- tically have the literary resources of the whole country at their disposal. The li- brarians of a region would soon get into the way of applying to tlieir own regional library for information or for whatever books they might want. The books would either be supplied from stock, or borrowed at the nearest point and forwarded. Affil- iated libraries would insensibly be drawn together, and towards the central library, and could not fail to merge into a sys- tem, although this "merger" would be purely the result of voluntary association. The smaller libraries would know that they had behind them the entire resources of the region and many a one which now feels itself isolated, would be not merely strengthened but inspired by this thought. But in addition to acting as reservoir to a district, regional libraries would es- tablish branches or stations at points un- provided with libraries just as the great city libraries now do within a much small- er radius. To branches, stations and in- dependent libraries in its region the cen- tral library would send not alone requested books, but, at stated intervals, assortments of books of various kinds, and would, of course, call into requisition all the most approved means of distribution, from traveling libraries to book wagons. I say nothing of possibilities as to co- operation with the Library of Congress in issuing cards printed in accordance with the abridged rules; nor of the advantages which might accrue from co-operation in purchase among a group of libraries of such calibre as we are considering. Though each Reservoir library would necessarily aim at a large and comprehen- sive collection, each would specialize to the exclusion of all others, in certain di- rections each alone would collect and preserve the literature including news- papers, periodicals, pamphlets native to or bearing specially on its own region, and if it did not itself collect everything in these lines, would know how and by whom the work was being done. They would constitute the natural stor- age libraries of their district, receiving and making accessible the overflow, whatever its nature, of their affiliated libraries; re- taining it or sorting and passing it on, as the case might be, to those particular points at which it would be most useful. Thus in addition to being storage libraries they would almost inevitably become clear- ing-houses. Indeed, I sometimes wonder whether, if the work of a clearing-house could be thoroughly and effectively done, it would not, to a great extent, remove the need of storage libraries. Many books, of course, come into the world destitute of the faintest spark of life. For these there is no future but storage; yet of those that have actually lived, how few die and be- come permanently useless! The cases of supposed death usually turn out to have been instances of suspended animation. And who shall say that a book which ap- pears to be lifeless, or at best languishing in its present home, is not merely pining for change of air and companions, and would not respond to a change as quickly as any other invalid? It is a question merely of finding the right environment. As a matter of course, regional libraries would also become the reference libraries of their district, and not alone for the ben- efit of persons on the spot. For they GOULD 127 would be equipped with correspondence research departments, and bibliographic bureaux from which would issue, at rea- sonable tariff rates, certified copies of ar- ticles, answers to requests for specific in- formation, or even for more extended bits of research. Indeed, if any libraries are ever to undertake what in Belgium they call Documentation, regional libraries are the very ones to do it. One sees, or thinks one can see, a long vista of growth in the directions that have been indicated. One sees, for instance, a chain of regional libraries throughout the United States and Canada, because the scope of such institutions ought to be avowedly continental if not international, and because in certain respects in her relatively few libraries, her great distances and small population Canada seems to be ideally placed for making an initial ex- periment of this nature. And, the trial once made, perhaps the customs might be persuaded to show greater leniency to- wards inter-library loans. Reciprocity in exchange of books and information could do no harm to the most avowed protec- tionist; nay, it would tend to dissipate the ignorance of each other, which when it exists between nations is one of the chief impediments to good and friendly rela- tions. "But," you object, "these libraries are to be very few, and each must supply a great territory. They can never do it." Remember, in the first place, that the re- gions, though large, are less populous than city regions. Moreover, these libraries merely supplement, they do not completely supply. Their work would be not to dis- place what already exists, but to correlate it and increase its effectiveness. It is not the magnitude of their operations, but the cost of their upkeep that presents real difficulty. And as to this, have you ever observed that once the necessity or utility of a certain line of action is shown, means to carry it on are generally forthcoming? In this particular case an annual contri- bution! (in proportion to its ability) by each affiliated library and by localities tHence and because they merely supple- ment, regional libraries would not tend to pauperize affiliated libraries. served by branches and stations might be hoped for; but, apart from this, regional libraries would be obliged to rely upon endowment. An income of not less than $150,000 would probably be requisite to establish one library. Does this seem a hopelessly large sum? A single great gift like that which was made, two or three years since, for purposes of education in this country would suffice to put the whole system in operation. And I do not think it possi- ble to over-estimate the power for good of such a system. Just one word more. The very nature of the institutions we have been discuss- ing postulates a body of trustees or com- missioners for their control. The compo- sition of such a body would naturally be affected by the character of the endow- ment on which the libraries depended. But, whatever its composition, we take it for granted that its formation would mark a further step in co-ordination, and that the active co-operation of the Ameri- can Library Association would be sought and secured. Just how this would be brought about is not now material. A standing committee of this Association, working with the governing body of the regional libraries, would be in a position to study all phases of the "geographical distribution" of libraries on this continent, and could therefore advise library boards which intended building, whether to es- tablish a library of their own, or to apply for a regional branch or delivery station; could aid in determining what class of library would best fit into the locality, might, indeed, even counsel against any li- brary or station at all in that 'particular spot. Ought I to apologize to you for weav- ing, as I have, a sort of phantasy, in lieu of attempting a direct answer to the defi- nite queries that have arisen in the course of these remarks? Even a dream, you will admit, need not be unpractical. You remember that what I have said is to be taken as a general introduction to papers which you will hear later. And the plan I have followed, in- adequate, in some respects, as I feel it to 128 BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE be, seemed the best I could devise for placing before you in broad outline cer- tain aspects of the great problem which is steadily attracting more and more at- tention, both in Europe and on this con- tinent the problem of Co-ordination. THE PRESIDENT: Will the Secre- tary now present his report? REPORT OF THE SECRETARY Officers. The officers elected at the Min- netonka conference have served through the year with two exceptions: Mr Thom- as D. Jones, elected a trustee of the En- dowment fund, was unable to accept, and the Executive board appointed Mr W. C. Kimball in his stead for the term of three years. Miss Mary E. Ahern, elected Re- corder, resigned in September, 1908, and the Executive board chose Miss Alice B. Kroeger for the remainder of the year. Members. There are slightly over 2,000 members in good standing at the begin- ning of this conference, a larger number than ever before and a net increase of about 50 during the past year. The library membership is something over 200 and might well be double this number. It is reasonably permanent. Once a member, a library usually remains a member. It would be a matter for re- joicing if this were as true of individuals. While there are hundreds of our number who have been members for as many years as they have been in library work and who pay their dues much as they eat their meals, there are other hundreds who are intermittent joiners, whose membership record is punctuated with gaps which mark the years that the conference met at a distance or in which they "just for- got." Finances. Hundreds of members pay into the Association treasury a small sum year after year, as dues. Because of fre- quent questions showing ignorance as to the exact use made of this money and a commendable desire to learn just what be- comes of it, it seems worth while to make a plain statement of the.se money matters. The source and amount of its assets and income, with the manner and matter of its outlay, are items which every member of the Association is entitled to know. They are, of course, presented in various official reports at annual meetings and printed thereafter in the Proceedings, but with such circumstantial minuteness and in fashion so obsequious to the exigencies of debit and credit, that the bottom facts, the bare, unencumbered, essential business of the Association, are not readily appar- ent save to the few who are closely con- cerned with its budget and bills. Three committees are charged with mat- ters of finance: the Trustees of the en- dowment funds, the Publishing board and the Executive board. Each has a sepa- rate treasury and each reports to the As- sociation at the annual conference. The Trustees of the endowment funds hold securities to the amount of $100,000 in the Carnegie fund and $7,000 in the general endowment fund. The income from the Carnegie fund, something over $4,000 per annum, is paid to the Publishing board. The income from the general En- dowment fund, about $300 per annum, is spent as the Council directs and is usu- ally paid into the general treasury and for current expenses. The Trustees of the endowment funds are also charged with the safe investment of the two principal sums. A list of the securities in which these $107,000 are now invested is printed in the "Bulletin" for May, 1909. The Pub- lishing board spends annually in its various enterprises the $4,000 income from the Carnegie fund and the receipts from sales of its publications (about $8,000 in 1908), a total of about $12,000. The last printed statement of the detailed income and out- lay of the Publishing board is now in your hands and will be reprinted in the Pro- ceedings of this meeting. The Executive board through the Treas- urer of the Association conducts its cur- rent financial business. The chief item of revenue is from annual membership dues, a sum now amounting to about $4,- 700 per annum. From this sum are paid the running expenses connected with the annual conference, the publication of the "Bulletin" (including "Handbook" and SECRETARY'S REPORT 129 "Proceedings"), the maintenance of Execu- tive offices and the sums spent by officers and committees. The details of these re- ceipts and payments for the calendar year 1908, are given in the Treasurer's annual report printed in the "Bulletin" for May, 1909. The sum paid in each year for life members (usually from one to three hun- dred dollars; about one-fifth of what it should be) is turned over to the Trustees to be added to the general endowment fund of $7,000. Full minute reports from all three of these committees covering the year 1908, are in the May "Bulletin." This year was one of enforced economy. It was neces- sary to reduce the expense for salaries at the Executive offices and to limit, by slen- der grants, useful work planned by sev- eral committees. These statements show that it is the reg- ular annual payment of dues by each mem- ber that keeps the Association going, and the more members who pay these dues the farther and faster the Association will go. The removal of the Executive offices to Chicago and their organization upon some- what broader lines will severely tax the present resources of the Association. It thus becomes more important than ever before that all library workers assume and maintain membership. The Association at other library meet- ings. Three members of the Executive board represented the Association as dele- gates at the meetings of seven state li- brary associations during the year. The first vice-president visited Indiana, the second vice-president, Illinois, Iowa, Ne- braska, Missouri and Ohio and the Ex- President, Virginia. Cordial testimonials have evidenced a sincere appreciation of these visits and, in the two years that they have formed a part of the Association's Publicity pro- gram, they have undoubtedly done much to promote professional intimacy and soli- darity, to make the Association better known and to bring to hundreds of re- moter library workers the sense that each of them has a part in its purposes and in its work. The somewhat trying exigencies of these annual library pilgrimages, the resulting difficulty of meeting demand with worthy supply, prompt the fervent prayer that a kind Providence may speedily raise up in our ranks more men and women who can combine in a public address sound sub- stance with pleasing and effective form; who can serve with distinction as the so- cial feature of a meeting and who are will- ing to lay these gifts upon the Associa- tion altar for two or three weeks in each October. New legislation. Library extension has received considerable attention at the hands of various state legislatures during the past year and several important and sig- nificant laws have been passed, providing for the establishment of new state library commissions, or enlarging the scope and resources of several existing commissions. New commissions have been created in five states, Illinois, North Carolina, Ten- nessee, Texas and Utah. In Illinois three new sections have been added to the State library law of 1874. 1 By Section 10, the commissioners of the State library are authorized to appoint two persons, who, with the State librarian, shall constitute the Illinois library extension commission. Section 11 provides that the new commis- sion shall give advice and information on library matters and shall appoint a library organizer who shall keep informed on the methods of library work throughout the State, visit libraries, assist in starting new libraries and report annually to the Com- mission. Section 12 empowers the com- mission to operate traveling libraries and to conduct a clearing-house for periodicals for local libraries. In addition to the amendment creating the Library extension commission, the Il- linois General Assembly amended Section 5 of the Act of 1872 2 , relating to library funds so that the funds shall be drawn on by the officers of the library on vouch- ers of the library board instead of being drawn on by the city officers. In North Carolina 3 and Tennessee 4 the iSee Illinois Laws 1909, p. 274-75. 2Ibid, p. 273. 3See North Carolina Laws 1909, ch. 873, p. 1281-82. *See Tennessee Acts 1909, ch. 177, p. 629- 31. 130 BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE commissions seem to have been consti- tuted along conventional lines, with the usual advisory, organizing and assisting duties. Both commissions consist of five members, including the Superintendent of Public instruction and the State librarian, and are empowered to employ salaried sec- retaries appointed by themselves, but not from among their own number. North Carolina is provided with an appropriation of $1,500. The Commissions in Texas and Utah are not limited to library interests, but have a two-fold function, combining li- brary extension in the former with the functions of an historical commission and in the latter with the gymnasium features of the Y. M. C. A. The Texas 1 commission consists of the Superintendent of Public instruction, the head of the school of history of the State university and three members appointed by the Governor. Its library functions in- volve the election of a state librarian (not from its own members), who shall be an experienced librarian and who will act as secretary; and the appointment of an as- sistant librarian to conduct a legislative reference section. Its historical duties in- clude the formation and conduct of an historical museum and the classification, indexing and preservation of the manu- script archives of the State. To carry on these two lines of work an appropriation was granted for two years, beginning with September 1; $8,478 for 1909-10 and $5,378 for 1910-11. An emergency fund of $2,721.75 to enable the commission to begin operations immediate- ly on the passage of the law was also granted. The Utah Library-gymnasium commis- sion 2 , effective on March II, 1909, pro- vides for a board of five members to be appointed by the State board of education for a term of five years. The purposes of the commission are to increase and im- prove the educational advantages of the State by establishing free libraries and gymnasiums. An appropriation of $2,000 1 For the text of the law see Circular No. 1, published by the Texas state library. 2See Utah Laws 1909, ch. 57, p. 80-81. was granted for developing the work, with the stipulation that all bills drawn against this fund be approved by the State board of education and authorized by the Board of examiners. It is to be regretted that no provision was made for traveling libraries. Notable measures amending existing li- brary laws and enlarging the provisions for library extension were enacted by the legislatures of California and Vermont. Nine library acts were passed by the California legislature, the most import- ant of which is the County library act 3 , providing for the creation of county li- brary systems by the county supervisors. Supplementing this act are two amend- ments, one providing for the transfer to the county library system of the books and funds belonging to the teachers' insti- tutes and libraries, the other making exist- ing school district libraries a part of the county library system. Several amend- ments were also made to the Public li- braries act of 1901 4 . These repeal the tax limit section and place the disburse- ment of the library funds solely in the hands of the library trustees. A larger appropriation for the work of the State library was granted by an amendment to Section 2300, of the Political Code, provid- ing that $5,000 of the fees collected by the Secretary of State each month shall constitute the State library fund 5 . In Vermont the law providing for the State board of library commissioners 6 has been re-enacted with several changes, the most important of which is the provision by which the Board is permitted to aid public libraries with grants of money to the amount of $1,000 a year, in sums not exceeding $100 to a library. Provision was also made for an annual school for library instruction, and the ap- propriations were increased to $2,000 an- nually for salaries and general expenses; "See California Statutes, 1909, ch. 479, p. 811-14.