To this the chairman replied, calling attention to the reports of 1905 and 1906, in which an endeavor had been made to meet a part of the request, and requesting that the schools indicate in what respects these reports should be modified or supplemented. The replies to this request are most interesting and will be of great service to the committee. When all the schools have answered this inquiry, the replies will be manifolded and the committee will give the request careful consideration. A thoroughly satisfactory recommendation, however, will naturally follow, rather than precede, the contemplated inspection of schools.
A tentative scheme of points to be observed in the proposed inspection has been prepared, and is being considered by persons interested. When their criticisms and suggestions have been received, the committee will consider the scheme. When approved by the members of the committee, and when the committee has found a suitable person to make the inspection, the library schools will be given the opportunity to ask for such inspection, and to the extent of the funds available for the purpose, the inspection will be made.
In the light of the facts obtained in such a careful study of the library schools, it is hoped to make some recommendations which will be of service to the schools, and to the profession.
On account of the absence of the chairman of the committee from the country since the first of February, the work has progressed slowly. For the same reason, this report is submitted without being first considered and approved by the other members of the committee.
AZARIAH S. ROOT, Chairman.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON WORK WITH THE BLIND
The committee on library work with the blind notes with satisfaction the progress which has been made in the past year towards increasing the production of new embossed literature. The installation of stereotype-makers operated by electricity and of power presses in some of the printing offices means a constantly increasing stock of books for circulation. Most important of all there seem to be indications that a new era is dawning when all America can unite on one point type.
The eleventh convention of the American association of workers for the blind, held at Overbrook, Pa., June, 1911, was marked by one session unparalleled in the history of type discussions, when, during the report of the uniform type committee, the blind themselves contributed $1800.00 towards the creation of a fund to be used in making scientific tests and experiments to determine upon a uniform system of embossed point print. With the completion of the fund of $3,000 and the co-operation of certain printing offices, members of the committee have been hard at work preparing tests and making experiments. An outline of the work of this committee appears in the "Outlook for the blind" for April, 1912, (v. 6, no. 1).
Lists of new publications in embossed type as well as lists of magazine articles referring to the blind are published from time to time in the "Outlook for the blind," which is the only magazine in this country especially helpful to workers for the blind. Librarians are urged to place the "Outlook for the blind" on reading tables and among the current magazines and to encourage its reading by the general public, who need educating concerning the best methods of helping the blind.