Raleigh,N.C. 
 moreer ber = fae 
 
 ‘as Such 
 
 sy LOUIS R. WIESON, Librarian of || 
 the Prersity of North Carolina, 
 
 ‘EN years ago had a com- 
 prehensive’ article de-|| 
 scriptive of the general | 
 progress of North Caro-| 
 ‘Tina been written, iy 
 Statement of the de- 
 velopment of the li- 
 brary as an _ institu- 
 tion which ?largely af- 
 
 ' fected the life of the 
 
 State, would scarcely have found a 
 
 opine Strictly speaking, there was 
 
 __ then, as such, no clearly defined, well- 
 
 ie organized library movement. The} |- 
 
 . State Library, with several college 
 
 | 
 
 ‘libraries and an occasional city l- 
 5 brary, as working along conventional 
 ‘lines, but the modern free public H- 
 brary was just beginning to be known 
 .in the State. ‘ 
 _.. Even now, when the expansion of 
 the State, especially ‘In the fields of 
 popular education and industry, is 
 under discussion, _the library move- 
 ment is either- not mentioned or fails 
 _ to receive adequate consideration. | 
 : - Statisties illustrating the extent of its] | been most sig : 
 activities, when compared with those] | of accessions, 1 
 illustrative of sctivities in other fields, | |ing and aecura sr ht 
 .Seem too slight for picturesque! they have not ap 
 Fy handling. : ing the pw ! 
 However, » ‘the - modern library, served 
 hein rural, or college, or public, 
 er traveling, has within the past ten {; 
 “years unquestionably established it- [Jee r 4 
 _ Self in the State and as an institution | ance of the library as 
 making for saner life and broader institution wh h is cd 
 F eulfure, must be taken into ‘account. ing the people i 
 “It is anew, ©‘definite force, and | Quietly. but enth 
 
 | 
 
 whether viewed in the light of com- eee workin ‘to that 
 parative statistics or what not, must | dignity and plac power in col 
 
 be recognized and measured as such. | jege Hife which e ry oO ese ne 3 
 Yo show that this movement has jshould have, and in a 
 
 been thoroughly inaugurated and tO | way have bee " 
 
 [ give a clear idea of the magnitude | through t 
 
 iE: of its: operation in the State at pres- oe ; 
 ent is the purpose'of this paper. In [dpe Ba OEM as bean “making 
 b carrying it eut, it will be mecessary | ch of library: eran ty 
 to give an analysis of the library 2 
 ‘situation. as it ests in North Carolina 
 \ payee ‘ 
 ‘Rural Sahel Libraries. 
 Rae During the political campaigns of 
 1898 and 1900, when a new constitu- 
 tional amendment was under consid- 
 eration amd the question of an ad-, 
 ditional qualification for suffrage was” 
 “hen ettled, the provision of greater | 
 al facilities for the people — 
 found: necessary and legislation 
 macted to this end. The four Re 
 school term ‘and the rural ee ‘and in ey 0 
 rary were provided for. Thus aa ks on its shelves to rey 
 Cah hake bode housed in the. | pjace ost ollection, Davidson’é_ 
 ; ce , union li bu ding -céstin 
 
 Nea Anas = pe A 
 Since T1899 pete 
 
 bs 
 
 eon nese hee! 
 ion has been ee a 
 to 42,000 volumes 
 
iwere were 
 ‘periodicals were subscribed for. 
 
 ' mieet ee. needs of many rural saa 
 | munities, especially. as conveyors of 
 
 | Wide routlook upon life. . 
 t fee was. sought at the meeting of the 
 
 1000 building’ from Mr. Carnegie, and. 
 
 j advantages incident to home life and) 
 | congenial quarters. 
 | volumes to its collection in 1910 ‘and | 1 
 
 ;}19E0. In 1909 the Appalachian Train- 
 
 | State Library, 
 
 | known and appreciated by every one. 
 | These. small 
 
 A A Set eek fF SR oe Fee 
 
 hee has been very marked. In | 
 1906 the State Normal and Industrial 
 /College in Greensboro received a $39,- 4 
 
 : 
 
 is now enjoying all the comforts ana 
 It added 1,049 
 ireceived regularly 74 periodicals. lor | 
 
 Similar purposes the A. and M. College | 
 at Raleigh spent more than $900 in’ 
 
 ing School at Beene 2dded 300 vol- 
 umes, and in June, 1911, classified its 
 ‘collection of 4,000 volumes. By the 
 the Supreme Cour: 
 Library and the libraries of the 
 igh and Mor-' 
 respectively, 1,011. vVelumes 
 added in 1910, and 98 
 At 
 he State University a $55,000 library 
 
 ailding- was completed in 1907, and) 
 “ith an annual income of $6, 000 for jj 
 -books and periodicals, the library in | 
 |1910 added 3,860 volumes and sub-| 
 | scribed for 426 periodicals. The li-|| 
 | brary also hag an endowment fund’ 
 
 ‘ganton, 
 
 of $55,000, and its collection of books | 
 
 and periodicals is thoroughly indexed. 
 During the present summer new book’ 
 'stackage is being installed at the cost: 
 -of $5,400 to house its 60,000 volumes | 
 and to provide for its accessions for 
 the next ten years. 
 
 Growth has also been apparent in| 
 pthe Hbrarieg of colored institutions.” 
 | Biddle University was recently the 
 eo cil apes of a $12,500 building, and’! 
 lit has 6,000 volumes, Shaw University | 
 ‘has 15,000 volumes and added 276° 
 last year. The 4,000 volumes at St. 
 Augustine School were classified and 
 catalogued in 1911, and 25 eee 
 eals were regularly received; 2,386 
 volumes were received by 11 of the AT’ 
 ‘colored institutions reporting eR 
 ‘statistics in 1910. .' 
 
 Traveling Libraries. 
 _ & system of “traveling libraries, 
 composed of small collections of 
 bocks, say 40 to 50, eonsisting of 
 fiction and non-fiction, though not’ 
 generally known and understood by 
 North Carolinians, is to be found in| 
 ‘the State, end it will be only a few: 
 ‘years before its presence will be so" 
 general that its usefulness will. be} 
 
 eollections are usually 
 placed in trunk-like boxes and ship- 
 ped for a period of three, four or’ 
 six months. to small communities hay- 
 ing no library facilities. 
 
 }part of the community, the collection’ 
 ig shipped to another community, and 
 if possible a-new one of different 
 books is sent to take its place. The 
 first of these collections were operated 
 by the various women’s clubs of the 
 State, the Woman’s Club of Goldsboro 
 ‘having ‘inaugurated the movement 
 several years ago. 
 ‘Line also operates a system of these 
 ‘libraries along its line of railway in 
 the: State. In 1909, upon the estab- 
 lishment of the North Carolina Li- 
 
 | brary Commission by the Legislature, 
 }the North ~ Carolina’ federation 
 ; Women’s Clubs turned over its sys- 
 i|tem of traveling libraries to the State 
 
 Of 
 
 to be operated by it. >)’ Aithoush there 
 are but a few ofthese ‘small cases. 
 ‘they ‘are Visiting Various Communities | 
 in the State; ‘end. their* uséfuineéss’ ie | 
 ‘eonstantly .inereasing. By a wise). 
 Selection of the» books: of- whieh they 
 
 are composed, they: can: be made to. 
 
 information concerning home’ -sani- 
 tation, agriculture, 
 omy, dairying, etc., in addition to giy- 
 ing delight in the countless” ways that | 
 ‘@ good* book ean give pleasure and a 
 Legislation 
 
 roviding for the extension of this’ 
 
 i nade A semBY. es was not 
 
 sgeoured: 
 
 } 
 
 LES ont © mY 
 
 - Among * the State institutions © Tibrary’ jj 
 
 j} nical knowledge as that of a school: 
 {Schools for the Blind and for the | cole, 
 
 | Deaf and Dumb at Ral 
 | school, 
 
 office of the ‘Superintendent of Public 
 
 llcges or communities ar interested so- 
 | cieties which maintain or propose to: 
 
 When the, 
 books have been read by the greater C4rolina has recognized the. necessity 
 
 The Seaboard Air }. 
 
 , work or 
 
 household econ- || 
 
 paedous 4 school brie, is to bring 
 
 The Library ‘Comunission. 
 
 The addition of one more commis- |! 
 sion to those already existing in the |: 
 
 State and serving it-in 1909, may have 
 escaped the notice of many North! 
 Carolinians; 
 in # 
 Library, at Raleigh, has served the} 
 publie well since its creation. 
 
 The nature. of its work, possibly, 
 has not been understood, even by 
 Some of those who know of its exist- 
 
 -enee, because the public generally has't 
 fnot grasped the idea that the success-: 
 
 ful management of a’ library involves 
 aS many problems and as much tech- 
 
 Generally speaking, we have the idea, 
 as We once had in the case of the} 
 that any ‘one can run a. li- 
 brary. Fortunately that idea is pass- 
 ing, and the truer conception of the! 
 
 library is gaining ground. AS a re- 
 sult, it has been found necessary to 
 ;provide .an infermation~ bureau to 
 
 which communities may go when they’ 
 are confronted with the problems in- 
 cident to the establishment and ad- 
 ministration of a library. The work 
 ef the commission, like that of the 
 
 Instruction, ~is lar gely advisory, andi} 
 in the solution ‘ot all library prob-) 
 lems it attempts to help those col- 
 
 establish libraries: It also attempts 
 to stimulate greater interest in the 
 development of libraries and, after the} 
 
 schools and of good roads, points out} 
 the benefits which a community or} 
 society derives frém a properly equip- 
 ped library, ' 
 
 In order to carry on the work of 
 library extension; the commission em- 
 ployed a thoroughly trained librarian, 
 as Field: Secretary © in 1909: with, 
 
 | headquarters at Raleigh, who has had || 
 
 in charge the general work of library 
 inspection and under whose editorship: 
 a Library Bulletin has been issued! 
 Since December,.1909. 
 has gone to all the libraries 
 
 and has been exceedingly helpful to 
 library workers throughout the entire 
 State. Personal visits have also been 
 made by the secretary to communities’ 
 eontemplating the establishment of 
 imprevement of libraries, and all the 
 problems involved in. the. various 
 situations-have been discussed. fet 
 Librarian Instruction. 
 
 Since 1905 the University of Nortte} 
 of giving instruction in library meth- 
 ods to those who were preparing to 
 have charge of graded schools and 
 graded school libraries, and to that: 
 end has been giving instruction in li-‘ 
 brary administration to classes both 
 in the summer and winter terms. Dur- 
 ing the summers of 1910 and 1911, 
 in addition to the instruction and pub- } 
 lie lectures given; at the University,)| 
 the commission hias given | special, 
 courses of instruction for six weeks 
 for those already,. engaged in library 
 those under appointment.: 
 This work has been especially valuable: 
 and has proven of great benefit to 
 _those who have taken the courses and 
 through them to the communities 
 which they serve. Imasmuch as every, 
 ‘school in the State will sooner or 
 jater have @ school library, the im- 
 portance of training teachers who 
 iwill be in charge of school libraries / 
 Cannot be overestimated, as the ‘use- 
 ‘fulness of a school library depends al- 
 most entirely upon the skill which | 
 the teacher has in making its re- 
 sources ay ailable for the pupils and in 
 rousing interest in books other than 
 the required texts. In view of this 
 fact. a movement has. been inaugu- 
 by the commission tooking to 
 
 brary administration by all  State- 
 Supported schools which give courses 
 n ‘teacher-training. The need of such 
 
 tion is imperative if the money 
 mt in securing.the books in the 
 
 yet the North Carolina 4” 
 Library Commission, established 
 1909, with headquarters in the State 
 
 ! ploying.. teachers. 
 
 \tashion of the advocates of local tax} these high schools; 
 
 This- bulletin || 
 in thet! 
 | State and to a great many school men,’ 
 
 ‘the offering of courses in school li-} — 
 
 +o 
 
 7 <> Library” Legislation. 
 Next. ae the législation vereeiain for 
 the establishment of the commission, 
 the most important library legistation 
 enacted in the past ten years was the 
 passage of a State-wide library law in 
 1911. under the provisions of which 
 it is possible. for any community of 
 
 J the State to establish a free, public 
 
 library and support it with an 3ade- 
 quate tax, provided the matter is sub- 
 mitted to the public and the election 
 is properly ‘carried. | 
 
 ‘Although legislation FOE not been 
 enacted ‘to meet the following needs, 
 it has- been regarded as imperative. 
 and an effort has been made to secure 
 it. First, it has-been considered neces- 
 sary that a well supported system of 
 traveling libraries, such as has been 
 deseribed earlier, should’ bé operat- 
 ed throughout the ruraj communities 
 bye ‘the State, ang ‘second that proper 
 support should be secured from’ the 
 State for ‘the- formation and* annual 
 enlargement of libraries , for .all the 
 State-supported” ‘high ‘schools: -Nearly 
 two nundred of these schools are at- 
 
 tempting to equip boys and girls for 
 'the manifold duties of life. During 
 the périod of their establishnient they 
 have necessarily had to use all of their 
 money in securing buildings and em- 
 These . demands 
 | have naturally. had to bé met first; but 
 it will be a very grave mistake if 
 adequate provision is not made, and 
 made soon, for library equipment for 
 forthe. > high 
 school student who finishes his course 
 without having learned how to enrich 
 his mind and inspire his enthusiasms 
 | by means of books, not required for 
 Study, will find himself deprived 
 ‘of one of the greatest forces which 
 |make for constantly enlarging true 
 living. For the State to expect of 
 its teachers to make the most of their 
 ;/pupils without the aid of the library 
 ‘is In a. very true sense to require them 
 ,to make brick without straw-.: 
 The Library Association. 
 
 Nothing can better indicate the 
 progress of the library movement in 
 the State than reference to the his- 
 tory of the Association of those in- 
 teresied in the development and Work 
 of libraries founded in May, 1904. At 
 ;the organization meeting held at the 
 |State Norma] at Greensboro, six per- 
 sons were present, of whom one was 
 ‘the iate Charles D. McIver. Since 1904, 
 ‘meeting have been held regularly 
 sonce the year, library problems have 
 been discussed, plans have been pro- 
 posed for the betterment of the dif- 
 
 ‘ferent libraries, a spirit of profes- 
 ‘sionar enthusiasm has been engen- 
 dered, and with each year, growth 
 
 both as to numbers and as to pro- 
 fessional qualifications, has been con- 
 stantly evidenced. At each meeting 
 representatives from new libraries 
 “have appeared, so that the associa- 
 tion now numbers over one hundred, 
 
 and it embraces. members from every 
 Section of the State. It is throughly 
 ‘organized, and through it the library 
 
 ‘interests of the State have been 
 greaily fostered. The public library, 
 the rural school library, the  travel- 
 ing libraries, the Commission, and all 
 interested library workers have. been 
 brought together by it and- thereby 
 the library e¢onsciousness of. the 
 ‘State has been so quic kened that 
 even greater progress than ‘that re- 
 counted above can be confidently pre-_ 
 ‘dicted for North Carolina during the 
 next ten yéars. 
 
 The modern, progressive, helpful 
 library is with us in the State today. 
 
 Its presence should bring comfort to 
 ‘all who believe in it as a means lead- 
 pert a the” State's larger, richer Jife. 
 
 Bo