NEXT STEPS TOWARD
Federal Aid
BOTH THE BILLS FOR FEDERAL
AID TO EDUCATION, INCLUD-
ING LIBRARIES
S.1305-Harrison-Thomas Bill
H.R. 3517-Larrabee Bill
carry over into the next session
of the 76th Congress with the
same numbers and names and
the exact status they had when
the first session adjourned in
August, 1939.
S. 1305 is ready for a vote by
the Senate, having been re-
ported favorably in the last
session by the Senate Commit-
tee on Education and Labor.
H.R. 3517 awaits a hearing
by the House Committee on
Education.
1939
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
520 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
GRAD
Z
677
What You Can Do
.A3
4Every librarian, library trustee, and friend of
1939 libraries can give active support at this period
ter R between sessions by:
Interviewing the Representative from his
district when he is at home, to explain the
library needs of the state and the help that
the bill would provide.
Interviewing the Senators from his state at
their homes, or if necessary, writing to
them.
Interesting leaders in the community in
giving similar support.
Securing formal endorsement and active
support from as many local or state organ-
izations as possible-particularly non-pro-
fessional groups.
Reporting his action, attitudes of Congress-
men, and endorsements of organizations to
the state representative on the Federal Re-
lations Committee and to A.L.A. Head-
quarters.
United effort may
well
win
success in 1940
Grad | Buhl
Direct
10-25-39
Three legislatures created state library exten-
sion agencies, or made first appropriations for
them, in order to be eligible to receive federal
aid-Alabama, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Legislative Background
IN FEBRUARY, 1938, the Report of the Presi-
dent's Advisory Committee on Education (Reeves
report) was transmitted to the 75th Congress. The
Harrison-Thomas-Fletcher bill, embodying its
recommendations, was reported favorably by the
Senate Committee, but did not carry through
before Congress adjourned in June, 1938.
In 1939, in the 76th Congress, Senators Harri-
son and Thomas (of Utah), and Representative
Larrabee sponsored a revision, known as S.1305
and H.R.3517. The Senate Committee on Educa-
tion and Labor held public hearings in March
and reported S.1305 favorably (Report No. 244).
Library Provisions
RURAL LIBRARY SERVICE. Title III provides for
grants of $2,000,000 for the first year, $4,000,000
for the second year, and $6,000,000 for each of
four following years, primarily for rural library
service. To be allotted to states and territories on
the basis of rural population. Administration by
state library agency with staff appointed on merit
basis. Purpose: to provide integrated library
service throughout the state and to equalize edu-
cational opportunity as far as feasible.
SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICE (including main-
tenance of school libraries and purchase of books
and other reading materials, and library rooms in
school buildings) is specified in Title I as among
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LIBRARIES
Supporting Citizen Groups
Many national organizations have endorsed fed-
eral aid and are supporting these specific bills,
including:
Alliance for Guidance of Rural Youth
American Association of University Women
(S.1305 only)
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Federation of Labor
American Youth Congress
Associated Women of the American Farm
Bureau Federation
Congress of Industrial Organizations
General Federation of Women's Clubs
National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People
National Congress of Parents and Teachers
(S.1305 only)
National Federation of Business and Profes-
sional Women's Clubs
National Women's Trade Union League
Southern Council on Human Welfare
Southern Farm Tenants Union
Young Women's Christian Association
State and local units of many of these groups
have followed or even preceded the national
agency in endorsement and support.
State Legislatures Support
Nine state legislatures passed acts authorizing
the acceptance of federal aid for libraries and its
administration by the regularly constituted state
library extension agencies-Illinois, Iowa, New
Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee,
Vermont, West Virginia.
INEQUALITIES BETWEEN STATES in ability
to provide educational services, account, in a
large measure, for the variation in expenditures
for public library service from 3c per capita to
$1.30 per capita. Only federal funds can lessen
these inequalities in opportunities for self-educa-
tion.
"Without federal aid, the establishment of a
national minimum standard of library service
is quite simply and literally impossible. Only by
the united efforts of local, state and Federal gov-
ernments can the ideal of a nationally adequate
program of library service be approached. The
final result should be a cooperative partnership
in library development in which the Federal
Government shares responsibility with the states
and the local units."-From a study, "Library
Service,' by C. B. Joeckel, made for the President's
Advisory Committee on Education.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
3 9015 04125 0187
Proposed Grants to States
PRIMARILY FOR RURAL LIBRARY SERVICE
ALLOCATED ON BASIS OF RURAL POPULATION'

State
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
Total
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
Alabama..
68,962
137,924
206,886
Arizona.
10,360
20,720
31,080
Arkansas..
53,358
106,716
160,074
California.
54,991
109,982
164,973
Colorado.
18,706
37,412
56,118
Connecticut.
17,227
34,454
51,681
Delaware.
4,178
8,356
12,534
Florida.
25,687
51,374
77,061
Georgia.
72,989
145,978
218,967
Idaho.
II,440
22,880
34,320
Illinois.
72,333
144,666
216,999
Indiana
52,307
104,614
156,921
Iowa...
54,085
108,170
162,255
Kansas.
41,739
83,478
125,217
Kentucky
65,829
131,658
197,487
Louisiana.
45,978
91,956
137,934
Maine..
17,256
34,512
51,768
Maryland.
23,809
47,618
71,427
Massachusetts.
15,163
30,326
45,489
Michigan.
55,847
111,694
167,541
Minnesota..
47.366
94,732
142,098
Mississippi.
60,587
121,174
181,761
Missouri.
64,186
128,372
192,558
Montana..
12,929
25,858
38,787
Nebraska
32,337
64,674
97,011
Nevada.
2,052
4,104
6,156
New Hampshire.
6,969
13,938
20,907
New Jersey.
25,457
50,914
76,371
New Mexico.
11,476
22,952
34,428
New York.
74,914
149,828
224,742
North Carolina..
85,585
171,170
256,755
North Dakota.
20,578
41,156
61,734
Ohio..
77,568
155,136
232,704
Oklahoma..
57,084
114,168
171,252
Oregon
16,825
33,650
50,475
Pennsylvania.
112,323
224,646
336,969
Rhode Island.
1,888
3,776
5,664
South Carolina.
49,590
99,180
148,770
South Dakota.
20,375
40,750
61,125
Tennessee..
62,365
124,730
187,095
Texas..
124,561
249,122
373,683
Utah..
8,759
17,518
26,277
Vermont.
8,733
17,466
26,199
Virginia..
59,330
118,660
177,990
Washington.
24,614
49,228
73,842
West Virginia.
44,877
89,754
134,631
Wisconsin.
50,224
100,448
150,672
Wyoming.
5,637
11,274
16,911
District of Columbia..
Alaska...
416
832
1,248
American Samoa..
365
730
1,095
Guam....
315
630
945
Hawaii.
6,673
13,346
20,019
Puerto Rico...
40,489
80,978
121,467
Virgin Islands..
309
618
927
¹Number of persons living in towns and villages of less than
2,500 population and in the open country in 1930 is used.
This grant is to be continued for the succeeding 3 years.