I wish I had time to speak of the importance of interesting the nurses in the library and getting their co-operation, and of the possibility of holding classes on books and reading for them. I know of no hospital where they have time for such classes at present, but there is a movement on foot towards requiring better education as a condition for entering the training schools for the general hospitals, and some day some hospital will inaugurate classes in literature.
Miss Jones agreed with Miss Robinson's statement that the libraries in state institutions should be administered by an official appointed by the Board of Control.
Miss Flexner, of the Louisville free public library, then spoke of an experience in placing books in a county jail. Within the last six months, the public library offered to place a deposit in the county jail, and found that the jailer was willing. Permission was also obtained from the Fiscal Court. In November, about 100 volumes, all fiction, were sent, to be retained four months. On their return, it was found that over 1,800 issues had been made—a heavy circulation. In the next lot, was placed about 15 per cent of non-fiction, carefully selected. On their return, it was found that books by Marden and Grenfell had been popular. Mrs. Sangster's "Sweetest story ever told," a life of Christ, had been well used, while Mrs. Wharton's "House of mirth" had been read but twice. "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," "Kim," and Mrs. Whitney's "Ascutney street" were each read 26 times in 6 weeks. Books on useful arts were so much in demand that they were renewed. The books are charged by the chaplain. When a suspicious looking gathering of the men was investigated by the jailor, it was found that one who could read was reading aloud to those who could not.
In the discussion, it was stated that a list of books for use in insane hospitals is to be published soon and that copies are to be on sale by the A. L. A. Publishing Board. Several speakers mentioned a union catalog for prison libraries, with annotations to guide the prisoners in the selection of books.
The committee on libraries in federal prisons made a report, in which they stated that an earnest attempt had been made to secure an appropriation of at least $2,500 for the establishment of a library in the penitentiary at Atlanta and a like amount for Leavenworth, and $500 for books for McNeil Island, but that the effort had been unsuccessful. The attempt will be renewed this coming year. The committee was continued.
THIRD SESSION
(Friday, June 27, 1913; 8:30 p. m.)
A third adjourned session of the League was held for the transaction of remaining business. The meeting was called to order by the President.
Miss Martha Wilson, supervisor of school libraries in Minnesota, spoke on co-operation between library commissions and state boards of education. Miss Mendenhall then gave a summary of the work done by the library committee of the N. E. A. on library instruction in normal schools. She stated that a questionnaire was sent to 200 normal schools, and the results show that most of the normal school libraries need reorganization. In the 200, about 50 have trained librarians. These are mainly in the far West. The Committee makes the following recommendations: 1, that library organizations try to have the subject of library training in normal schools presented at educational meetings; 2, that trained librarians be appointed in all normal schools, with the faculty and salary rank of heads of departments; 3, the publication of a manual for normal school librarians by the U. S. Bureau of Education; 4, the publication in educational periodicals of articles on the greater use of libraries by schools, and on related topics. It was suggested that the library commissions might help in carrying out the last recommendation. Miss Mendenhall was asked whether she favored putting the school libraries under the state library commissions, or under the state boards of education. She said that she believed the function of the school library to be distinct from that of the public library; that the two should co-operate but not combine. Miss Stearns of Wisconsin said that the question of the relation of the state library commission to the state board of education should be discussed and more clearly defined; that there is a decided tendency to place the library commission under the state board of education, or to merge it with it, as has already been done in one state. There was not time for adequate discussion of this subject, and the suggestion was made that it be taken up at a future League meeting.
Mrs. Minnie Clarke Budlong, director of the North Dakota public library commission, read the following report of the committee on the establishment of new commissions: