At the second meeting, held June 29th, 24 members were present. Vice-President Legler presided at the request of President Elmendorf, who was present.
Dr. Andrews, as a member of the Committee on conditions governing affiliation of other than local, state and provincial associations, reported orally, recommending that a by-law be framed to include as one feature that a membership fee of $25.00 a year be assessed on such affiliated organizations, stating that three at least of the already affiliated organizations had expressed their willingness to such fee, and that the remaining association has been received on condition that it accept such terms of affiliation as might be determined by the A. L. A.
On motion of Mr. Bowker it was voted that the report be received and that the Committee be continued but that at the request of Dr. Putnam he be relieved and Mr. J. I. Wyer, Jr., be appointed as a member of the Committee.
At this meeting Council elected the following persons as members of the council for a term of five years each: Josephine A. Rathbone, Mrs. Percival Sneed, Mrs. Harriet P. Sawyer, M. S. Dudgeon and W. O. Carson.
The report of the Committee on government of American libraries, Dr. Bostwick, chairman, which was presented at a previous meeting and recommitted to the Committee for certain minor changes, was again presented and it was voted that the report as amended be received and the resolution adopted. The report, including the resolution referred to, is as follows:
Report of Committee on Relation of the Library to the Municipality
To the American Library Association:
Your special committee to whom was referred the matter of drafting a report on what the association regards as fundamental in the relation of the public library to the municipality, submits herewith its report. This whole subject is of such great importance that your committee believes it should receive further consideration, especially if it is desired that there should be submitted the draft of what may be termed a model library article, chapter, or title in a city charter, particularly a charter in a state operating under a so-called home rule law, whereby each city may make its own charter within the limitations fixed by the state constitution and a general state law.
Your committee believes that the association is practically unanimous in its conviction that the public library should be regarded as a part of the educational machinery of the community, and that the functions of the educational organization are generally separate and distinct from those of the local government organization. In the very nature of things it is therefore impossible for the public library to get the kind of administration it deserves when it is administrated as a part of the city's system of parks, or under the supervision of its board of public works. It may be stated that in some of our states the state constitution recognizes this distinction by providing for two corporations with the same geographical boundaries, the one dealing with the questions of local government and the other with education,—the public schools. This constitutional distinction is based on the principle that education is a matter of state concern, that the interests of the state in education are paramount, and therefore that the state should exercise greater control in educational affairs than in local government affairs. In line with this thought, your committee submits the following resolution, which it recommends to the association for adoption at this time:
RESOLVED: That the American Library Association calls the attention of municipal governments, and of public bodies engaged in the preparation of new or amended charters for such governments, to the necessity for securing independence of action of the public library as an educational agency co-ordinate with the schools. Radical changes in forms of municipal government have sometimes left the library's position insecure or doubtful, and charters providing the so-called "commission form" of government have in particular often failed to define adequately the position of public libraries and their governing boards. Where there is classification of municipal functions, this association feels very strongly that the public library should be grouped with educative agencies such as the public schools rather than with departments that have little or nothing to do with its work. While it is desirable to keep the control of the library in independent hands and not to place it and the schools under the same direct management, we believe that a city charter should contain no provision grouping the library otherwise than with educative agencies.