fh^ EJUua* r^"v^ THE REGIONAL LIBRARY EXPERIMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS IN RELATION TO THE LIBRARY SITUATION IN THE STATE Report of a Survey for the Massachusetts Board of Free Public Library Commissioners UMASS/AMHERST 31EDbb D271 3337 D by H. Marjorie Beal Secretary and Director North Carolina Library Commission Ethel M. Fair Director, Library School New Jersey College for Women Julia Wright Merrill, Chairman Chief, Department of Information and Advisory Services American Library Association OCi COLLECTION 118 1986 i)£ PTEMBER 4-12 1944 Printed for distribution by the Division of Public Libraries, Massachusetts Department of Education, 200 Newbury Street, Boston THE REGIONAL LIBRARY EXPERIMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS IN RELATION TO THE LIBRARY SITUATION IN THE STATE Report of a Survey for the Massachusetts Board of Free Public Library Commissioners by H. Marjorie Beal Secretary and Director North Carolina Library Commission Ethel M. Fair Director, Library School New Jersey College for Women Julia Wright Merrill, Chairman Chief, Department of Information and Advisory Services American Library Association SEPTEMBER 4-12 1944 Printed for distribution by the Division of Public Libraries, Massachusetts Department of Education, 200 Newbury Street, Boston SUMMARY BACKGROUND Massachusetts is a mosaic of small towns among which are fitted dense urban centers. It has a long library history with the inherent handicap of a somewhat fixed library pattern. More- over, there are great inequalities in the library service of the state. The regional projects are an attack on the problems of static pattern and of inequality. A regional plans was recommended as early as 1936. The initial experimentation was made possible by the WPA and continued by means of state aid. There are at present three regional units in operation: in the Berkshires, around Greenfield and around Fall River. THE PRESENT REGIONAL SERVICE The enabling arm of state aid has been directed toward "en- couraging and stimulating the small libraries." It is necessary to travel through the areas to realize the nature of the problems and the character of the service already functioning. The fundamental differences between the regions in geograph- ical features, industrial composition and cultural and educational characteristics afford excellent experimental value. In the areas visited new life and new patterns were already observable, stimulated by the visits of the regional librarian and the stock of attractive books made readily available by the book- mobile. The caliber of the reading tastes and the intellectual interest offers an encouraging foundation upon which to build better library service. To develop complete service as the areas deserve it will be necessary to increase the staffs, preserving those qualities which have made the initial experiment so quickly appreciated. OBJECTIVES The obligation of the modern library focuses on the citizen and his status as a reading member of society. Making the contents of the printed page and the recorded word serve the citizen in attaining his stature in society is the essential nature of library service. Massachusetts' problem consists of assuring to the many small communities the organized strength of urban unity without de- stroying the quality of the small, self-respecting unit; and of so coordinating the libraries in the densely populated areas as to strengthen the weak and dignify the strong in their service to their communities. RECOMMENDATIONS I. Continue and greatly develop the three regional services now in operation. II. Experiment with other types of coordinated service which may be found to be applicable to the needs of Massachusetts libraries. III. Extend regional or coordinated library service throughout the state. IV. Emphasize the function of the state library extension agency; safeguard appointments to its Board; and assure to the state the best of professional leadership through a strong Divi- sion of Public Libraries in the Department of Education; and provide a staff large enough and competent to give over-all direc- tion, guidance and stimulation for complete library service in the Commonwealth. V. Strengthen the staffs in the libraries of the state by firmly establishing a strong system of certification and by provision for self -improvement. Assure staff participation in state planning through the chan- nels of professional associations. VI. Provide the necessary financial support for (1) the Divi- sion of Public Libraries, (2) state aid closely associated with the raising of standards, and (3) for the local libraries. VII. Proceed from present study by encouraging widespread discussion on existing concepts, future goals, present deficiencies, ways and means, and evidence of accomplishment, and on the recommendations of this survey. Further studies will be necessary to provide fundamental data, define goals, differentiate areas, and determine costs. The whole problem of adequate school library service needs to be explored with the aid of the Department of Education. The common goals implicit in library service and in other social, political and educational movements in the state deserve to be fostered. The culmination of such studies should be a long-time program produced by free discussion and the cooperative thinking of all persons interested in library service, developed in principle and translated into practice as conditions warrant. For this program a strong state library agency should be at once the resource ad- viser, the sounding board and the keystone. And finally, the established organization and the ideals for the service should be supported and safeguarded by legislation in a modern library code. THE REGIONAL LIBRARY EXPERIMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS The purpose of this survey was expressed in the letter of invi- tation, April 3, 1944, from the Chairman of the Board of Free Public Library Commissioners, Mr. Stacy B. Southworth: "The Commissioners are eager to undertake a comprehen- sive program of state-wide library planning. . . . the Commis- sioners invite to Massachusetts certain trained experts who have made a study of state-wide library extension in other states. We are anxious to have these specialists spend the necessary time in making an inspection of one of our regional districts, as well as an inspection of our whole regional organi- zation in relation to the complete system of local libraries now existing in the Commonwealth. In other words, we are seeking an unbiased judgment of the effectiveness of our regional set-up. Any constructive suggestions that are made as a result of the survey will be greatly appreciated by the Board. We hope after your survey that you will meet with our Board and present a brief written report of your findings." A letter of April 18 adds this statement: "The Board does not expect an intensive statistical report. It wishes experts in extension work to consider the present regional library organization against the background of library conditions in the state with the view of submitting recom- mendations both for immediate and long-time programs." It must be emphasized that this is not an intensive study. It was directed specifically to the regional projects rather than to all the activities of the Massachusetts Division of Public Libraries, or to all the library problems of Massachusetts. Nine days were spent in the state, four of them devoted to observation in the headquarters office and in the field, with visits to the Greenfield and Berkshire areas, and to conferences with local librarians. The remainder of the time was spent in Boston, in conferences with the President of the Massachusetts Library Association and the Chairman of its Planning Committee, with representatives of the State Planning Board, Health Department and Education Department, and in preparation of a report. Opportunity was then afforded to meet with the Commissioner of Education and the Board of Free Public Library Commissioners to present and discuss the report, and later with the officers of the Massachusetts Library Association, its Planning Committee and representatives of the regions and of several state-wide citizen groups. BACKGROUND OF THE GENERAL STATE SITUATION Library planning for Massachusetts must first of all take into account the uneven distribution of the population. Outsiders are apt to think of Massachusetts as a small, densely populated state, for the U. S. Census ranks it second in density. Its large cities are well known — 8 over 100,000 — and its medium-sized and smaller cities — 25 between 25,000 and 100,000. However, more than half the population of 4,316,721 is in Boston and the metropolitan area within a 25 mile radius. There are also large cities outside this area. The remaining population is therefore scattered, particularly in the western section. Massachusetts has more rural people than Vermont or New Hampshire, using the census definition of rural as including towns of less than 2,500 population. Exact figures are: Population 40 towns under 500 pop. 12,474 36 " 500-1,000 pop. 28,092 29 " 1,000-1,500 pop. 36,967 32 " 1,500-2,000 pop. 53,467 31 " 2,000-2,500 pop. 69,287 168 towns under 2,500 pop. 200,287 The importance of the "town" as a governmental unit, and the insignificance of the county, have been major factors in shaping the library development of the state. This small unit brought local government very close to the people in the town meeting. The early development of public libraries in Massachusetts must also be taken into account and the resulting situation of a library in practically every town. The state established the first state library extension agency in 1890 — a state library com- mission, reorganized in 1919 as the Division of Public Libraries in the State Department of Education, with the Board of Free Public Library Commissioners continued. Active state leader- ship for more than 50 years has brought results. The state can claim some of the largest and 'finest public libraries in _ the country, as well as some unusual small ones. Its great univer- sity and college libraries are outstanding. It spent nearly $5,000,000 for public library service in 1943, or $1.14 per capita — the highest state per capita in the United States. Massachusetts therefore has all the advantages of a long library history and accumulated library resources, with the in- herent handicap of a somewhat fixed library pattern. Moreover, there are great inequalities within the state. The reader in a rural town does not profit by high per capita figures for the whole state, or for the Boston area. At the best, he may have access to a carefully selected small collection, open frequently, and the services of a librarian who knows books and is alert to supple- ment the local stock by borrowing from the state. At the worst, he may find a very limited stock, available infrequently, in charge of a custodian rather than a librarian. Yet the small town reader may have, and often does have, as wide a range of reading interest as the large city reader. It is of concern to the state that he be an informed, intelligent citizen. The regional projects are an attack on this problem of inequality. REGIONAL BEGINNINGS A regional library plan was recommended by the Massachu- setts Division of Public Libraries as early as 1936. Experi- mentation was made possible by WPA funds, under the direction of the Division of Public Libraries, with Miss Catharine M. Yerxa as supervisor. Three regional projects began operation in the course of 1940, centering in Pittsfield, Greenfield, and Fall River. Local libraries cooperated. Bookmobiles were provided by the Massachusetts Library Association, the Massachusetts Library Aid Association, and the Massachusetts Federation of Women's Clubs. When WPA grants were discontinued, the state made continuation possible. THE PRESENT REGIONAL SERVICE The wisdom of selecting the three experimental regions (the Berkshire, Greenfield, and Fall River areas) for demonstration of the operation of state-wide library development is apparent when one studies the characteristics of the areas and travels through the strongly differentiated communities. By law the enabling arm of state aid is directed primarily to "encouraging and stimulating the small libraries." An examina- tion of Map I (Population Distribution) leaves no doubt as to where the small units of population lie in the state. Small libraries are normally produced in areas of small population. The Berkshire and Greenfield regions show concentrations of small libraries. The inclusion of the Fall River region in the program was more than justified because of the meagre support afforded to many libraries of the area, resulting in "small" libraries in spite of the presence in the area of a densely popu- lated metropolitan district. The fundamental differences of various parts of the state, in terrain, geographical features, industrial composition and cul- tural and educational characteristics afforded further experi- mental value. Some of the contrasting characteristics are pre- sented in the maps and charts prepared in connection with the survey. To be socially effective, library service must vary with identifiable needs of the local residents. The regions chosen offer an excellent range of conditions under which to test the type of extension represented by the experiments. Achievements to date were apparent in the areas visited. The avid, almost "hungry" reception which met the regional librarian as she talked over with the reader his intellectual curiosities and daily problems which could be intimately touched and satisfied by reading testified to the place which such service held. The established library already provided by the town took on new life when it received "new blood" from the richer book stock of the region. The local librarian was reassured, supported and stimulated by the visit of the regional librarian to a greater extent than could ever be possible through the best efforts of a distant state office. The remote rural school enjoyed advantages of supplementary educational materials provided by its regional library as urban or large consolidated schools profit by their larger organizations. A sympathetic attitude toward neighboring towns had de- veloped with the result that local book resources are beginning to be made available through the channels of the regional library to meet current needs of readers located elsewhere in the area. Such integration or pooling of resources promises to be an increasingly effective development. Without it the mobilization of resources within the region will be crippled. An outstanding characteristic of the areas apparent to visitors is the high intellectual caliber of many of the readers, and the unusually high level of reading tastes. Such indigenous qualities offer a most encouraging foundation upon which to build. Securing strong personnel to develop the regions is a crucial problem. Initiative, organizing ability, a social viewpoint, in- tensive knowledge of books and enthusiasm for their use, com- bined with interest in people and the requisite physical vigor are essential. The present regional librarians whom the visitors met possess qualities which are most essential in the success of 8 these experiments. Their contribution to the initial impression made by the regional service should be fully appreciated. But each one needs to be part of a strong staff adequate to the load of desirable, well-rounded service. OBJECTIVES AND THEIR CHALLENGE The obligation of the modern library focuses on the citizen and his status as a member of society. Making the content of the printed page and the recorded word serve the citizen in attaining his stature in his society is the essential nature of library service. Massachusetts libraries stand as the heritage of the high- minded, cultured pioneers who bequeathed to the citizens an indigenous respect for learning. The modern library is the peculiar custodian and purveyor of the product of this learning. It stands to supply to all citizens the essence of their intellectual heritage, the means of their self education, and an effective aid to their occupational and economic satisfaction. The immediate objective is the planning and developing of a state-wide coordinated service which will serve all the library needs of the people of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts is a mosaic of small towns among which are fitted dense urban centers. Massachusetts' library problem consists of assuring to the multiple small units the organized strength of urban unity with- out destroying the quality of the culture of the small, self- respecting community; and of so encouraging the coordination of the libraries in the densely populated areas as to afford to their citizens the most highly developed service possible. RECOMMENDATIONS I. Continue and Greatly Develop the Three Regional Services Now in Operation. The validity of this recommendation is supported by library developments in other states. State regions cover Vermont with library service. New Hampshire and Connecticut are trying them out. State library plans in New York, Michi- gan, and Illinois are based on them. In other states the trend to a larger unit is equally marked, though a county or group of counties is the unit. Analogies from the public health field also support the recommendation. The eight district public health offices of Massachusetts, financed from federal and state funds, offer an interesting analogy. They strengthen and sup- plement the work of the city and town health services. Each state district office is staffed with : A director To be added soon — an assistant director A supervising public health nurse A field nurse A supervising nutritionist A district sanitary engineer A sanitary officer A supervising public health officer In some districts — a physiotherapist Clerical workers Regional or district offices either in the health or library field clear through the state agency. Thus there is "an open channel to specialized services" from the rural area to the capitol. 1. Develop and intensify the following services: a. Make formal contracts with libraries in headquarters cities (in advance of planning new buildings) for space, heat, light, janitor service; borrowing or lending of individual books; use of reference material; desirable use by non-residents. Provide separate regional build- ings or quarters only where above plan is not feasible. 10 b. Give increased service not only of books but also of pamphlets, pictures, films, projectors, records, museum materials, etc., drawing on local, regional, and state resources for such materials. c. Develop further exchange of books and pooling of book resources; provide central storage space, where needed, for seldom used books, thus relieving the crowded shelves which handicap local libraries. d. Develop cooperation in book selection through regional opportunity for local librarians to become acquainted with new and desirable materials. e. Develop cooperative book ordering and processing for economy of funds and effort. f. Plan, where desirable, for cooperative microfilming of local history materials. g. Analyze reading interests of present readers, and of non-readers, as a basis for variation of book stock be- tween a western rural region and an eastern urbanized region. h. Relate the services closely to adult education plans of organizations, informal groups and individuals. i. Improve service to schools. j. Arrange more frequent visits of bookmobile, except to isolated mountain towns. k. Organize in each region a council composed of one trustee from each town or library, to develop under- standing and participation. 1. Encourage and organize citizen interest throughout the region. m. Develop coordinated publicity through radio, news- papers, organizations. n. Encourage joint employment of a qualified librarian by several neighboring towns which could not afford such service individually. o. Emphasize the responsibility of town and city authorities to continue to provide local quarters, heat, light, janitor service, salary of local librarian, and (except in very 11 small towns) the basic book stock; encourage financial participation in regional service on the part of towns with financial ability above some minimum level to be determined. 2, Provide a regional staff adequate in number, quality and kinds of ability to carry out the above program progressively; a. Provide enough professional staff for each region with the skills to develop fully all of the above points appli- cable to the particular region. b. Ensure best use of professional staff by providing the needed chauffeur, clerical, and secretarial staffs. c. Set salaries that will attract and hold an able personnel. 3. Provide motor equipment as follows: a. Enough bookmobiles for each region to mobilize fully the book stock of the region. b. Light passenger cars to make possible rapid movement of personnel over the area for advisory visits, meetings, etc. II. Experiment with Other Types of Coordinated Service Suggested as Applicable to Massachusetts Libraries. J. Joint employment of specialists. Supplying for a group of libraries the services of specialists such as: Readers adviser Discussion leader Publicity director or press agent Community relations representative Statistician School library adviser Regional cataloger Thus the cooperating libraries may have the benefit of such specialized service for such time as needed, or may test by demonstration the value of such services with a view to employing a full-time specialist later. 12 2. Cooperative operation. Examples of this are : Honoring borrowers cards at any library within the area; establishing reviewing or evalu- ating facilities for books, films and any other materials needed by the libraries of the cooperating group; dividing the field in book holdings or stocking specified subject material in areas where geographic proximity, communi- cation facilities, and current demand, make duplication un- desirable or unnecessary. More ambitious joint operations are a union catalog by which the scholarly or documentary holdings of the libraries of an area are indexed as a tool for serious study and research ; and the consolidation of the bookkeeping of order- ing and making payment, receiving and recording the pur- chases of the cooperating libraries to the end that the individual library is relieved of troublesome business deal- ings and is assured advantageous discounts and other trade arrangements. 3. Regional service by contract. Supplying complete library service to an area by means of contract for such service with a strong established library within the area. III. Extend Regional or Coordinated Library Service Throughout the State. J. Plan for regional services throughout the state, except for the Boston area. In addition to the three regional services now in operation, five more may be needed, for a. The Springfield-Holyoke area b. The Worcester area c. The Fitchburg area d. The Lawrence-Lowell-Haverhill area e. The Cape Cod area Further study will be necessary to determine the order in which additional regions are developed and the character of the service most appropriate for each area. The respon- sibility of the necessary exploration of these factors should presumably rest with the Division of Public Libraries. How- 13 ever, the stimulation of demand should come from the pro- fessional and citizen groups in the areas which should also share in shaping of plans. 2. Encourage in the Boston area organization of a Metropolitan Library Council, composed of library executives, to explore, plan, and develop cooperative projects as needed. Such auton- omous councils, under various names, have been organized in several metropolitan areas as Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadel- phia and Westchester County, N. Y. Projects range from agreements to exchange individual books, to union catalogs. IV. Develop further the Division of Public Libraries. 1. Recognize the importance and broad scope of the state agency "charged with the responsibility of planning and developing a state-wide system of coordinated libraries which will serve ade- quately the needs of all the people," with the following spe- cific functions: Development of a sound foundation of legislation Development of personnel standards (certification) Institutes or workshops on several levels Insurance of minimum general standards and levels of support, through state aid to supplement local funds Encouragement of progressive development of library performance beyond minimum standards Establishment of efficient areas of library service Provision of supplementary service of books, pamphlets and audio-visual material Collection and publication of statistics, publication of news bulletins Coordination with related official and private state-wide agencies and services, especially with other activities of the Department of Education 2. Continue and safeguard dynamic leadership by the Commis- sioner of Education and the Board of Free Public Library Commissioners. 3. A staff of high professional and personal qualifications, with salaries comparable to those of the largest libraries of the state, adequate in number, bringing various specialized skills 14 as needed. The present devoted and able staff is far too small. There is evident need of: a. More regional librarians (both in present regions and as regions can be developed) b. Specialist in work with children and young people and in school library service c. Specialist in community relations d. Specialist in adult education, especially in the post-war and demobilization period e. Field agents f. Catalogers g. Reference librarians h. Stenographic and clerical workers Compare with very much larger staffs in the rest of the Department of Education, and in the Department of Public Health. V. Strengthen the Library Personnel of the State. Librarianship today is a recognized public service. It has also important responsibilities for education. To develop the service to the point where it will be an influence in the child's experience, an instrument for continuing self-education, an aid to labor and industry, a servant of scholarship and a force in clarifying public opinion demands a staff with strong academic and professional preparation, organizing ability, interest in books and people, and vision. The following recommendations are therefore made: 1. Progress from the commendable experiment of the librarians of the state in voluntary certification to a legally established scheme of certification of library personnel assuring to the people a high quality of service. Such a scheme should a. Give due recognition to and safeguard the position of those librarians now in service, on the basis of previous service and achievements. b. Set high educational and professional standards for those entering the profession. c. Provide for grades of certificates for various size libraries and types of positions. 15 2. Provide opportunities for continued professional development in service through institutes, workshops and conferences on different levels, 3. Encourage participation of the state and local professional associations in planning for future development with emphasis on new problems such as demobilization, regional libraries and adjustments in a world at peace. VI. Provide the Necessary Financial Support. To put into effect the recommendations made in this study the following are essential : I. State appropriations for the Division of Public Libraries (in- cluding basic provision of regional library service) comparable to the size and importance of the service to be rendered the state. 2. State appropriations to the Division of Public Libraries for grants to individual libraries as a lever to raise standards of personnel and of local support. 3. Continuation and increase of local support, to raise the general level to a figure adequate for optimum service. Adequate support for public library service must be the con- cern both of the state and of the local governments. The shifting of revenues to the state is leading to increased state financial participation in many fields of public service. "For libraries, as for schools, the state should accept responsibility for the provision of adequate service for all inhabitants. It should encourage the continuation and increase of local sup- port and should assume a part of the cost of local libraries through state appropriations to supplement local funds or to provide a minimum program." ("Post-War Standards for Public Libraries,' , p. 38.) Compare the appropriation for the Division of Public Libraries for the biennium 1943-45, $63,845, with state appropriations for schools, for public health, for agricultural extension, which run into millions. Compare also with the Louisiana Library Commission's biennial appropriation of $300,000, or with two annual appropriations of the New York Division of Adult Education and Library Extension amounting to $93,540, plus 16 $18,520 for two school library supervisors who work in this Division and in an instructional division, and $136,000 for state aid for public libraries or $248,060 in all. VII. Proceed from the Present Survey. 2. Encourage widespread discussion. The survey consists only of a bird's-eye view. It will be effective only if it serves as a springboard for the thinking on problems of library service such as is deserved by Massa- chusetts citizens. It will have served the purpose only if it provokes discussion as to the existing concepts, the future goals, the deficiencies, the ways and means and the evi- dence of accomplishment. Such discussion belongs not only to the Commissioner of Education, the Board of Free Public Library Commissioners, the Division of Public Libraries, the Executive Board and the Planning Committee of the Massa- chusetts Library Association, the trustees of all Massachu- setts libraries, but to every member of the staffs of every library in the state. 2. Carry through further studies such as: a. Goals. Foremost in such inquiries is a definition of goals. For what ultimate achievement do libraries exist; what con- tribution to the Commonwealth's prosperity and intel- lectual leadership could libraries make which would jus- tify liberal financial support and appropriate recognition? b. Fundamental data. Basic to goals is a realistic knowledge of the economic and human factors with which the movement is concerned. The knowledge of the place of reading in the lives of the citizens is sadly limited. The nature of the reading skill and its obstacles which the printed page offers to many persons are fundamental factors in any program which presupposes reading ability. The existence of the non-reader, or the reader who does not rely upon the library as his source of reading ma- terials or of information. The place which the library is expected to hold among the modern agencies which supply information to the 17 people, which influence popular opinion and which offer inspiration from distilled wisdom of creative minds. c. Differentiation of areas. What characteristics are present in one area and absent in another which would alter or determine the nature of the service designed to suit the respective areas? In what respects, if any, do the reading interests and read- ing behavior of metropolitan districts differ from those of less populous areas? d. Interests in common with other state-wide movements. What has the organization of library resources in com- mon with other state-wide services or movements: the education program, the health program, the program of the State Planning Board, and the councils organized to help adjust human beings to a normal existence in a world upset by war? e. School libraries. The paucity of books in the schools and of school library service is startling. Standards for school libraries (soon to be published by the American Library Association), prepared by a group of specialists, should be studied not only by librarians but by schoolmen generally. The obligation of the library to meet the educational program. The appropriate service for the young reader which might convert him into the intelligent adult reader, able to pursue his problems through the pros and cons of expert opinion. (The whole problem of adequate school library service has had to be omitted from the present survey.) f. Costs. Factors upon which justifiable estimates of costs can be based need to be analyzed. It is fruitless to ask for funds without a program which would warrant the appropria- tion of the funds. This will be a long-time inquiry. It will require the service of persons familiar with public financing, with library conditions, with desired goals, and the contributions of the trustees and the professional personnel of the libraries of the state. 18 Local financial responsibility vs. state aid is a critical question. This should be clearly worked out in principle. The principle should then be translated into allocated costs. The tradition of local autonomy and independence in the Commonwealth and the healthful effect of local responsibility make it desirable to determine the appro- priate financial load of the individual town and city. At the same time the principle of equalization through state aid and redistribution of revenue collected by the state deserves to be carefully studied. g. A state program. The culmination of future studies should be the con- struction of a long-time program produced by free dis- cussion throughout the state and the cooperative thinking of all persons interested in library service, developed in principle and adjustable to needs as conditions change. For this program the Division of Public Libraries should be at once the resource adviser, the sounding board and the keystone ; it is already the legal agent for the state. h. The legal framework. In the light of Massachusetts' forward looking experi- mentation it will be desirable to review carefully the existing legislation, to translate the desired organization into legal framework and to prepare a modern library code. Note: Facts, statistical data, maps, etc., prepared for the surveyors by the Division of Public Libraries are on file at the Division's office and may be consulted. 19