448.
448. America has anticipated us in this, as in many other library matters, and such libraries of this character as she possesses have proved to be quite successful. A large volume has already been devoted by Mr J. B. Kaiser to the discussion of the practical methods in vogue in this and collateral libraries. There, as here, stress is laid upon the economy resulting from such work. It prevents the adoption of ill-considered municipal schemes, or schemes which it shows to have been a failure elsewhere. It provides examples of the successes of other towns, and, therefore, gives the possessing town the best models upon which to frame its own work. It is insisted, too, that this is work for the librarian, and that it is useless to spend money upon the provision of material and to place it in the charge of people who are not specially equipped by education, experience, and technical training to understand and focus the information contained in the library. What is not so vital in America, because of the comparative wealth of libraries there (few of them are really over-financed), is the fact that while this may form an important branch of the public library, it must have a separate revenue.
449. Bibliography
Kaiser, J. B. Law, Legislative and Municipal Reference Libraries, 1914.
Moore, H. K. Municipal Reference Libraries. In Library Association. Public Libraries: their development and future organization, 1917.
For articles see Special Libraries, vol. ii., p. 22, 1911; and Cannons: G 60, Municipal Literature; L 122, Bibliography.