Conclusions

Following are some conclusions regarding libraries for negroes:

(1) That books and reading are of the utmost value in the education, development and progress of the race.

(2) That in northern public libraries they are admitted to all privileges without distinction.

(3) That in southern libraries the segregation of the races prevails, as it does, in all educational, religious and other social institutions.

(4) That in many places institutional libraries are supplying the book wants of the few negroes who really have need of libraries.

(5) That among the masses of the colored race there is as yet very little demand for libraries.

(6) That where a genuine demand has manifested itself and up-to-date facilities have been provided negroes have been quick to use them and have made commendable progress.

(7) That in some of the large cities containing a great many negroes who are intelligent and who pay taxes the provision made for them is sadly inadequate or is entirely lacking.

(8) That southern librarians generally are kindly and helpfully disposed toward them and that the majority of the white people favor a fair deal for them, including the best training and the fullest enlightenment.

(9) That in the South any arrangement which aims to serve the two races in the same room or in the same building is detrimental to the greatest good of both. Complete segregation is essential to the best work for all.

(10) That many libraries are not financially able to conduct separate departments and so the negro loses out.

(11) That a few cities have splendid facilities for them, a few others are now establishing branches, a considerable number are discussing the question seriously and another considerable number which should be at work are doing nothing.

(12) That the best solution of the problem is the separate branch in charge of colored assistants under the supervision and control of the white authorities.

(13) That even in northern cities which have large segregated colored districts such separate branches would result in reaching a larger number of negroes and doing better work for both races.

(14) That the South is entitled to the sympathy and help of the North on this question, which is only a part of the larger question of negro education. That sympathy will come with fuller information and will increase as the size and seriousness of the problem is more fully understood.

Adjourned.

THIRD GENERAL SESSION
(Wednesday morning, June 25, 1913)

The PRESIDENT: There is a matter of business to come up this morning. At the last conference the Association adopted an amendment to the Constitution which, to become effective, must be ratified at this meeting. It may be added that the requisite notice required by the Constitution, of thirty days, has been given by the Secretary, through publication in the Bulletin, where you have doubtless seen the proposed amendment together with the by-law which is dependent, of course, upon the adoption of the amendment itself. The Secretary will please read the proposed amendment as adopted at the Ottawa conference.

The SECRETARY: I will also read that portion of Section 14 of the Constitution to which the amendment would apply:

"Council. Membership. The Council shall consist of the executive board, all ex-presidents of the Association who continue as members thereof, all presidents of affiliated societies who are members of the Association, twenty-five members elected by the Association at large, and twenty-five elected by the Council itself,"—

And the proposed amendment consists of the following words to be inserted at that place:

—"and one member from each state, provincial and territorial library association or any association covering two or more such geographical divisions which complies with the conditions for such representation set forth in the by-laws."

The PRESIDENT: The amendment is before you for consideration. What is your pleasure? Are you ready for the question?

(The question being called for and put, the amendment was adopted.)

The PRESIDENT: Dependent upon the adoption of the amendment to the Constitution there is now before you for consideration a proposed amendment to the by-laws. The Secretary will please read the suggested amendment which carries into effect now the Constitutional amendment which you have just adopted and which becomes effective, in that it has now been adopted by two successive conferences.

The Secretary then read the proposed amendment Section 3a, which is as follows:

"Sec. 3a. Each state, territorial and provincial library association (or any association covering two or more such geographical divisions) having a membership of not less than fifteen members, may be represented in the Council by the president of such association, or by an alternate elected at the annual meeting of the association. The annual dues shall be $5.00 for each association having a membership of fifty or less, and ten cents per additional capita where membership is above that number. The privileges and advantages of the A. L. A. conferences shall be available only to those holding personal membership or representing institutional membership in the Association."

The President then put the question and the above amendment to the by-laws was duly adopted.

Dr. ANDREWS: I move the addition of the words "or to members of other affiliated societies," in order not to bar these members from attendance at our meetings.

The PRESIDENT: Dr. Andrews' amendment is to include the words "or to members of other affiliated societies."

Mr. RANCK: I think, as a member of the Committee that had something to do with the drafting of the proposed by-law, that I can say that the purpose of that provision was that there should be some advantage to persons holding membership in these organizations, to get the railroad rates, hotel rates, etc.; in other words, to have some pecuniary advantage in their becoming members and not to be able to come and get those advantages without holding any kind of a membership.

If I may be permitted, Mr. President, I should like to give a few figures with reference to the distribution of the members of the Council as it now exists, as given in the last handbook. There were 72 members of the Council, counting the one or two who have died, representing 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. However, in the Council only 20 States in the Union have representation. In other words, there are 28 states in the Union that are not represented in the Council. The population of these 28 states is nearly thirty-three millions and their area is nearly two million square miles, whereas the area of the states that are represented is a little over a million square miles. The point is, Mr. President, the purpose of the amendment to the Constitution and these amendments is to give a wider geographical distribution of representation in the Council; in other words, that more than half of the area of the United States may be brought in, on account of this geographical representation, and that the thirty-three millions of people who live in those states may be able to get a representation which it seems at the present time they do not have.

The PRESIDENT: The question before the conference is on the proposed amendment of the by-law as offered by Dr. Andrews.

(The President put the question and the amendment was duly adopted.)

The PRESIDENT: The question now is upon the amendment to the by-laws as amended.

(The President put the question and the amendment to the by-laws was duly adopted.)

The PRESIDENT: The Association during the past year suffered grievous loss in the passing of two of its notable members, members who had long been identified with the Association and its work, and I may add the loss of a friend of librarians everywhere, that splendid gentleman, Mr. Francis Fisher Browne, of The Dial,—a man gentle of soul, keen of intellect and fine of fiber. While perhaps we are not called upon to take official notice of his passing it seems to me very well that we should group him with those whose loss we mourn at this time. By request of the Executive Board and of the Council a committee consisting of Dr. Putnam, Mr. Bowker and Mr. Wellman have been asked to draft memorial resolutions on the passing of Dr. Billings and Mr. Soule and I would ask Dr. Putnam to report at this time.

Dr. PUTNAM: With your permission I will ask Mr. Wellman to read the suggested minute with reference to Mr. Soule. And the Committee would suggest that if the expression in these minutes appears to you just, that they be adopted by a rising vote.

Mr. Wellman then read the following resolution which was unanimously adopted by a rising vote.