Miss MILLER: There is already one school, the Wisconsin school, which gives regular instruction to such students as wish to take up legislative reference work. They are given from one to two months library experience during those two months in the winter when the other members of the class go to the public libraries. They at least get the principles of legislative reference work.
The VICE-PRESIDENT: If there is no further discussion, we will take up the reports of committees, and the first will be Mr. Lapp's report, as editor of the publication.
Mr. LAPP: There is very little to report in regard to the publication. It has been issued regularly since January, 1910, and the third volume is now nearly completed. The growth of subscriptions has been gratifying, and the publication has been able to do what was done on the membership which we have had. We hope to have an increased membership, because there are a number of things which we can do. We have now regularly established several sources of information, we are going to have others, and out of those we will publish, I think, a better, more useful magazine the coming year than we have in the past. We have a connection with the Library of Congress by which a special bibliography is furnished every month upon some obscure question. We have a connection with the New York public library by which we receive municipal documents. We have a connection with the Public Utilities Committee by which we will have public utility references and the others, insurance references and so on. The publication will issue also some special bibliographies such as the one that was issued recently on city planning. It will take up certain others and publish them as means permit.
The main thing I want to ask as editor of "Special Libraries" is that the editor should receive co-operation from persons connected with the association. This is a co-operative enterprise and every one should co-operate. Whenever you know of anything which has happened in your community in the special library interest, or of any publication that does not get into the ordinary sources, furnish that to the editor and it will be scattered over the country through "Special Libraries."
A new system will be organized following this meeting, we hope, by which the country will be divided into districts in each of which there will be one person who will be responsible for that district, and we hope in that way to keep in closer touch. We will also have a representative in the different classes of special libraries so that no one will be left out, and we will get reports from all persons who are representing the different departments in the special libraries, which now number perhaps seven or eight that are active different classes of libraries.
I want to ask for suggestions also from the members of the association about things that we want published. I would be glad to receive letters. I do not receive enough of them; and, another thing, I do not receive criticisms. There are many things we would like to know about the publication, many things we would like to learn. We would like to hear from you either one way or the other on the publication.
The VICE-PRESIDENT: I will call for the report of the Committee on Public Utilities, Mr. Morton.
(Mr. Morton rendered a brief report which is available in the secretary's office to those who may be interested to see it.)
The session then adjourned.
FOURTH (EXTRA) SESSION