Charlotte, N. C., is the first and only city to build a library for negroes with its own funds. After erecting a $25,000 Carnegie building it spent $5,000 on a site and a separate building for negroes which was opened in 1906. But its only income for maintenance is $400 a year from the city. Most of the books have been donated. In 1911 the librarian of the white library enlisted the interest of a Pittsburgh woman who collected about 600 volumes for it in the North. The librarian at Wilkes-Barré, Pa., sends it the best of her discarded books. From these facts one may infer what kind of standard is maintained.
The white library was incorporated by the legislature in a special act, which at the same time created a separate negro board. Several ineffectual efforts have been made to have the act changed to place the colored library under control of the white board and the supervision of the white librarian. This would undoubtedly result in greater efficiency, as now everybody including the colored board seems to be inactive and indifferent toward it. Its failure however can hardly be ascribed to the negro board alone because it is manifestly impossible with such resources under such conditions to conduct a library which would command the respect and the interest of either race.
Savannah, Ga., also has a small library for negroes. It was organized in 1907 and is housed in rented quarters, but very few persons seem to know of its existence. The city appropriates $360 a year for it. In 1911 it had 2,611 volumes and 1,244 were drawn for home use. Its total receipts were $375.77. At the end of the year $35 was due the librarian for salary and there was a deficit of $33.93. In 1910 Mr. Carnegie offered $12,000 for a colored branch building and the city has promised an increased appropriation on the completion of the building. For a time the negroes tried to raise the money for a site by subscription, but so far they have not succeeded.
Jacksonville, Fla., has in its Carnegie building a separate room and books in charge of a colored attendant. Of its 81,000 population half are colored, but the negro registration is only five per cent and the circulation six per cent of the whole. No effort is being made to extend it. The opinion prevails that the arrangement is a mistake and that a branch library in the negro quarter would bring out a much larger use.
Galveston, Texas, has had a branch of the Rosenberg library in the colored high school since 1904. It contains 2,745 volumes. With a colored population less than one-fifth as large as Jacksonville it has twice as many borrowers but circulates only one-fourth as many books, 2,433 last year. This seems a very small number and does not bear out the theory that a separate branch enlarges its use.
In Memphis, Tenn., the Cossitt library in 1903 entered into an agreement with the LeMoyne Institute, a colored normal school, which furnishes the room, and the Cossitt library furnishes the librarian and the books, which number about four thousand added to a like number belonging to the school. While these are used mainly by pupils and teachers of the school, it serves as the book supply for all interested negroes in the city and surrounding district.
The facilities thus furnished seem to meet the present demands pretty fully. Much depends on the librarian's attitude, which is helpful and encouraging. The circulation last year was 13,947 vols. The institute is erecting a new school building, which will provide better library accommodations.
Louisville, Ky., was the first to establish a full-fledged branch on a broad basis and to erect a separate branch library building for negroes. The original plan for ten Carnegie branch libraries, of which seven have been built, included two for negroes. The first of these was opened in rented quarters the same year as the main library in 1905. Three years later it was moved into the new $30,000 building.
In its administration the colored branch is a part of the general library system and is under the supervision of the main library. The branch librarian, who is a graduate of Hampton Institute, and the two assistants are colored.
The branch serves as the reference library for the colored high schools and other educational institutions. It is in close co-operation with the grade schools through the collections of books which it sends to the classrooms to be drawn by the pupils for home use.