During the year and a half that this plan has been in operation 1,350 volumes have been placed in the hands of farmers in the state and the sales have been as high as $475 in a month. Some may see objections to this method of book distribution and there are dangers that must be guarded against, but in Indiana it is regarded as firmly established.
There are problems that can only be briefly referred to here connected with the distribution of agricultural literature, that are partly extension and partly library problems. Many tons of printed matter are being distributed every year by the various colleges and experiment stations. To insure the best use of this material some "follow-up" system and some instruction to the farmer in its care and preservation would seem to be essential. The small circular or bulletin is taking the place of the more elaborate publications formerly issued on the same subject and these are being sent only to those who request them and have a real need for them.
The college should be willing and able to lend books to institute workers, lecturers, clubs, and to other libraries unless this service is already well done by some other agency.
It should also be a clearing house for information relating to agricultural literature and should co-operate wherever possible with the other departments of the institution whose work looks toward the betterment of rural life. The value of books to both young and old in the farm home, may be overlooked by the other departments organized for more practical and perhaps more well defined ends, and in this matter the librarian has both an opportunity and a duty.
Dr. James W. Robertson, chairman of the Canadian royal commission on industrial training and technical education, delivered an address on economic and agricultural conditions in Canada.
Mr. Wyer read a paper prepared by Dr. A. C. TRUE, director, U. S. office of experiment stations, U. S. Department of Agriculture on the subject
SUGGESTIONS AS TO A POLICY OF ADMINISTRATION OF AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND EXPERIMENT STATION LIBRARIES
Dr. True said in part:
Fifty years ago next Tuesday, the 2nd of July, the act was passed which authorized the establishment in each state of a college "to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts," and it was just twenty-five years ago this year that the act was passed which created the agricultural experiment station as a department of the agricultural college.
It seems, therefore, peculiarly fitting that on this jubilee anniversary we should be discussing the relation to each other of these two institutions which have done so much for the agricultural interests of our country, and we believe are destined to do much more.