677 
 1921 
 
 3 ^3T Ifll 
 
LIBRARY LEGISLATION 
 
 BY 
 WILLIAM F. YUST 
 
 PREPRINT OF 
 
 MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 EDITION 2, REVISED 
 
 9lmeruan Librarp iSeeodation |)ablielitns fioarH 
 
 78 E. WASHINGTON ST., OHIOAGO 
 1921 
 
I. 
 
 II. 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 A. L. A. MANUAL OF LIBPu.4RY ECONOMY 
 
 Chapters and Authors 
 "American Librarj' History," Mr. Bolton. Printed. 
 
 "Library of Congress," Mh, Bishop. Print-ed. 
 "The State Library," Mr. Wyer. Printed. 
 "The College and University Library," Mr. Wyer, 
 Printed. 
 V. " Proprietarj'^ and Subscription Libraries," Mr. Bolton. 
 
 Printed. 
 VI. "The Free Pulilic Librarj-," Miss Lord. Printed. 
 VII. "The High-School Library," Mr. Ward. Printed, 
 VIII. "Special Libraries," Mr. Johnston. Printed. 
 
 Organization 
 
 and Administration 
 
 IX. "Library Legislation," Mr. Yust. Printed. 
 
 X. "Librarj' Building," Mr. E.\stman. Printed. 
 
 XI, "Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment," Miss Eastaun. 
 
 Fruited. 
 
 XII. "Administration," Dr. BosTWTCK. Printed. 
 
 XIII. "Training for Librarianship," Miss Plummer. Printed. 
 
 XIV. " Library Service," Miss Baldwin. Printed, 
 
 XV. "Branch Libraries and Other Distributing Agencies," 
 
 Miss Eastman. Printed. 
 XVI. "Book Selection," Miss Ba.scom. Printed. 
 XVII. "Order and Accession Department," Mr. Hopper, 
 
 Printed. 
 XVIII. "Classification," Miss Bacon. Printed. 
 XIX. "The Catalog." Miss Howe. In preparation. 
 XX. "Shelf Department," Miss Rathbone. Printed. 
 XXI. " Loan Work," Mr. Vir/. Printed. 
 XXII. "Reference Department," Dr. Richardson. Printed. 
 
 XXIII. "Government Documents," Mr. Wyer. Printed. 
 
 XXIV. " Bibliography," Miss Mudge. Printed. 
 
 XXV. "Pamphlets and Mmor Librarj' Material," Me. Wyer. 
 
 Printed, 
 
 XXVI. "Bookbinding," Mb. Bailey. Printed. 
 
 XXVII. "Library Co.im'inaiom'and State Library Extension, or 
 . State Aid and State Agencies," Mk. Wynkoop. 
 ',■ Pi.ii?t'ed. ; : : ,". 
 XXVIIl. "The' Library and tne School," Miss Wood. In 
 preparation. 
 XXIX. "Library Work with Cliildren," Miss Olcott. Printed. 
 XXX. "Library Work with the Blind," Miss Chamberlain 
 Printed. 
 XXXI. "Publicity." In preparation. 
 XXXII. " Library "Printing," Mr. Walter. Printed. 
 
 ^ 
 
^ 
 
 
 rx 
 
 LIBRARY LEGISLATION 
 
 WILLIAM F. YUST 
 Rochester Public Library 
 
 Stages in the development of legis- 
 lation 
 Tax rate and method of government 
 The A.L.A. and library legislation 
 
 Outline of a good library law 
 Outline of a county library law 
 Bibliography 
 
 Library legislation in the United States is of three kinds, 
 national, state, and municipal. National legislation, which is 
 not treated in this paper, relates mainly to such subjects as book 
 postage, the importation of books, the distribution of govern- 
 ment documents, and to libraries which are under federal 
 control. Federal aid to small city and rural libraries is under 
 consideration. Municipal legislation is the local appUcation 
 of state law and will therefore be considered only as a part of 
 the general subject. 
 
 State legislation in regard to libraries began with the South 
 CaroUna act of 1700. Numerous parochial libraries "for 
 publicke use" had been estabUshed in the cities of the colonies 
 from Boston to Charleston by the Rev. Thomas Bray. South 
 Carolina had one of these lending libraries and was the first to 
 provide for its protection and regulation. In 171 2 a supple- 
 mental act was passed because "the unrestrained hberty 
 hath already proved very prejudicial to the said library, several 
 of the books being lost and others damnified." 
 
 Stages in the development of legislation. — Legislation on 
 Ubraries as on other well-estabUshed institutions of society 
 exhibits an evolutionary progress. Writers like Dr. H. A. 
 Homes, W. I. Fletcher, and W. R. Eastman have noted certain 
 
 43G2»5 
 
2 •••!_;- IVl^l^AL: OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 iM<t5i3<f Stages inlthJs.eyolikion. These are illustrated by (i) 
 special society libraries, (2) school-district libraries, (3) town 
 libraries, (4) state-aid, and (5) county Ubraries. 
 
 The first stage appears in the incorporation of joint stock 
 companies, which were known under different names, such as 
 proprietary, social, subscription, and even public libraries. 
 The earliest of these was the Philadelphia Library Company 
 incorporated in 1742. Benjamin Franklin, who had founded 
 it eleven years earUer, called it "the mother of all the North 
 American subscription libraries." Then came the enactment 
 of general laws for incorporating these co-operative associations, 
 which sprang up in great numbers. With the rise and spread 
 of the free public library idea their pri\'ileges were extended 
 farther and farther until many of them became free Ubraries 
 with a legal standing as part of the Ubrary system of the state. 
 In this way numerous modern libraries are the direct outgrowth 
 of these subscription Ubraries. 
 
 The second stage of development came nearly a century 
 after the first with the estabUshment of the school-district 
 Ubraries. These were founded and conducted under state 
 school laws. They were, however, not for the benefit of school 
 children only, but for aU the inhabitants within the boundaries 
 of the school district. They benefited largely from the surplus 
 money distributed from the United States Treasury. This plan 
 began in New York state in 1835 and continued in force there 
 for fifty-five years. For many years the state appropriated 
 $S5,ooo annually for them and an equal amount.was raised 
 locaUy. They were so successful at first that up to 1877 
 similar laws had been passed in twenty-one states, including 
 many in the East and in the Middle West, and some as far 
 west as California. The plan, however, had serious weaknesses: 
 (i) the amount of money obtainable for any one district was 
 too small to pro\ade suitable additions of books; (2) there was 
 no adequate state supervision and no proper local management 
 
LIBRARY LEGISLATION 3 
 
 to insure the preservation and usefulness of the books. Hence 
 interest declined, the books gradually disappeared, and the 
 plan was abandoned. In the rural sections the school district 
 was too small a unit while in the towns and cities a different 
 method of organization was developing. 
 
 Although these school libraries were acknowledged failures, 
 they nevertheless performed a useful function in preparing- 
 public sentiment for another step in advance. Their value 
 was twofold: they embodied the theory strongly advocated 
 by so eminent an educator as Horace Mann that public libraries 
 are an essential part of a complete system of public education. 
 In this way they were instrumental in educating the people to 
 the need and value of reading. At the same time they served 
 as an important object-lesson in the proper method of hbrary 
 support, namely, through public taxation. The New York 
 law creating them is "the first known law of a state allowing the 
 people to tax themselves to maintain genuine public Ubraries." 
 They are therefore properly "acknowledged to have been the tran- 
 sition link between the subscription library and the town library." 
 
 Some large modern libraries organized and are still operating 
 under this type of law with modifications. Notable examples 
 are the public libraries of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, 
 and Kansas City. 
 
 In 1848 a special law was passed by Massachusetts authoriz- 
 ing the city of Boston to levy a tax of $5,000 for the support of 
 a free public library. In 1849 New Hampshire passed a similar 
 law, but made it apply to the entire state, as Massachusetts 
 did two years later on the appUcation of other cities and towns. 
 This extension of the provisions of the Boston law from one 
 city to all the cities and towns in the state marks the third 
 stage of legislative development. New Hampshire therefore 
 has the honor of having enacted the first general law for estab- 
 lishing and maintaining free public libraries by towns through 
 municipal taxation. 
 
4 MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 The principle embodied in this law spread gradually to 
 other states as did the school-district idea. Within twenty-five 
 years it was written in the statutes of twelve states — New 
 Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Ohio, Colorado, 
 Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Texas, in 
 the order named; in fifty years, 1898, it had extended to 
 thirty-eight states; at present it is in operation in every state 
 of the union. 
 
 The fourth stage of legislation began in i8go, when Massa- 
 chusetts created a state commission to promote the estabUsh- 
 ment and efficiency of hbraries throughout the state. This 
 commission of five members was appointed by the governor 
 and was authorized to give advice and assistance to any free 
 public library and as much as $100 worth of books to any town 
 establishing such a library. 
 
 This principle of state aid inaugurated a new era in library 
 development. While the state had hitherto been passive and 
 its laws permissive, it now became active and aggressive. 
 Heretofore all the initiative had to be taken by the municipality; 
 now through this state body an outside stimulus and support 
 was given to local effort. 
 
 The new example set by Massachusetts was rapidly followed 
 by other states. In ten years similar commissions had been 
 created in sixteen states and today there are thirty-seven. 
 
 The enabhng acts in most states provide for an agency 
 similar to that of the pioneer commonwealth, though the form 
 and the name vary in many states. In Alabama the work is 
 done by the Department of Archives and History, in New York 
 by the Extension Division of the Education Department, in 
 Washington by the State Library. There is a tendency toward 
 consoUdating the state library agencies with the state education 
 department. The objects however are similar in each, the 
 functions performed varying chiefly in extent, according to the 
 status of pubUc opinion and the size of the appropriation. 
 
LIBR.\RY LEGISLATION 5 
 
 Their fullest extension has been reached in such states as 
 New York, Wisconsin, and California. Their functions are 
 outlined by Asa Wynkoop in chapter^xvii of this manual as 
 follows: (i) The establishing of local libraries; (2) aiding and 
 improving local libraries; (3) promoting helpful co-operation 
 between libraries; (4) raising the standard and quality of 
 library service; (5) providing aid to school hbraries; (6) aid 
 to libraries in state institutions; (7) providing library facilities 
 where no local library exists; (8) selecting and distributing 
 pubHc documents; (9) library for the blind; (10) legislative 
 reference work; (11) establishing standards of library service; 
 (12) issuing certificates of qualifications to librarians. 
 
 The size of the political unit used as a basis for library 
 establishment has gradually enlarged from the school district 
 to the city, the town or township, and to the county. 
 
 Many of the early western states in copying the New Eng- 
 land town-library laws made provision for township libraries. 
 Not many of these were estabUshed except in a few states like 
 Michigan, where they were made obligatory in the state con- 
 stitution of 1835. This compulsory feature has been twice 
 placed on the statute books of that state and twice repealed, 
 the last repeal in 1909. The libraries established under these 
 acts, although free to all residents of the township, were prac- 
 tically school libraries with a history like the school-district 
 libraries of other states. They have finally swung back to the 
 district system because they are controlled by the school 
 organization, which is based on the district unit. Scattered 
 examples of successful township free public libraries may 
 however be found in a number of states. 
 
 A fifth stage of evolution brought the county library into 
 prominence. The county has from the first been recognized 
 as a strong poHtical unit for public-school organization. Like- 
 wise it has long presented possibilities for furnishing library 
 advantages to people in large and sparsely settled areas. 
 
6 MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 County libraries were provided for as early as 1816 in the 
 state constitution of Indiana and a number of laws were passed 
 to carry out this provision. But little was accomplished there 
 or in the other states having similar laws until the subject was 
 revived by the Ohio legislature in 1898. This led to its con- 
 sideration in other states and in 1909 California passed its 
 comprehensive law. There are now twenty-five states having 
 some kind of legislation regarding county libraries and a number 
 of other states are preparing to take action. Some permit the 
 county to establish a library, others allow it to adopt an existing 
 library, and some permit either method. County Ubraries 
 have been most extensively developed in California. The 
 chief features of its law are given on page 13. 
 
 The tax rate and the method of government. — Two impor- 
 tant questions have commanded attention from the beginning. 
 The first is whether the tax rate for library purposes should be 
 restricted. A maximum limit suggests a Uberal rate which is 
 regarded as proper, and yet assures the timid taxpayer that 
 the fixed rate will not be exceeded. On the contrary this 
 restriction in small towns may not permit sufficient support, 
 while towns able and willing are prevented by law from giving 
 more Uberal support. A minimum rate assures at least a 
 certain amount of income, although there is danger that this 
 may be wrongly regarded as sufiicient for all purposes. 
 
 These differences of opinion have never entirely disap- 
 peared. In some states, especially those of New England, 
 no restrictions have ever been made, while in the newer and 
 western states either a minimum or a ma.ximum rate or both 
 have always existed. In some, as in Missouri, the rate is 
 graduated according to the need of the municipality and its 
 size and financial ability. 
 
 It has been pointed out that there are three forms of tax 
 support: (i) The appropriation of specific sums from the 
 municipal treasury as may be determined from year to year. 
 
LIBR.\RY LEGISLATION 7 
 
 (2) The levying of a regular tax, the rate to be determined 
 annually by the general tax-leyying authority. This rate 
 may be fixed by law as to its minimum or maximum or both. 
 In either of these cases the latitude allowed the appropriating 
 body makes an inadequate income always a possibility and 
 frequently a fact. (3) The levying of a regular tax, the rate of 
 which is determined by the Ubrary authority, as is the case in 
 Indiana. This follows the school plan of the newer states and 
 intrusts those best qualified to judge with the power to provide 
 an adequate income. 
 
 The second question relates to government and control — 
 whether the law should define in detail the method of organiza- 
 tion and management or whether these matters should be left 
 entirely to the local authorities. This gave rise to two types, 
 the short law and the long law. 
 
 The short law prevailed almost exclusively in the New 
 England states but found its briefest expression in the Texas 
 law of 1874, which read, "Any incorporated city may estabUsh 
 a free public library and may make such regulations and grant 
 such part of its revenue for the management and increase 
 thereof as the municipal government may determine." Such 
 a law allows the fullest freedom to the citizens in each locality 
 to organize and operate the library according to their own 
 views. It is therefore calculated to enlist a large measure of 
 popular interest and its success presupposes a high intellectual- 
 and civic standard. 
 
 The long law on the other hand aimed to insure the estab- 
 lishment of the library according to approved methods and to 
 safeguard it against too frequent change and political inter- 
 ference in its management. The best early illustration of this 
 type of law is the Illinois act of 1872. It consists of twelve long 
 sections, which iLx a maximum tax rate, define the number, 
 mode of election, powers and duties of the trustees, and prescribe 
 various regulations for the management of the library. The 
 
8 MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 main features of this act have been widely copied and the long 
 law has become the established method in the great majority 
 of states. 
 
 Under the commission form of government a select board of 
 five is retained in Iowa, its members appointed by the city com- 
 missioners, serving without pay and having all the powers given 
 to library trustees under the general library law of the state. 
 
 A form of government frequently found is that of the "free 
 library," which though free to the pubhc is controlled by an 
 incorporated association. Many of the early subscription 
 hbraries developed into this type by becoming enthely free. 
 In return they have been permitted by statute to receive 
 money aid from the municipality and even from the state. 
 This aid is given on evidence officially certified that their 
 service is up to the standard estabhshed by law. 
 
 As this form of control places the library entirely in the 
 hands of its friends it is frequently adopted for endowed libraries 
 or in starting small libraries before asking for a public tax. 
 Many state laws authorize a municipality to contract with such 
 an association for free library privileges, the hbrary to receive 
 public tax support based on the nature and extent of the service 
 rendered. Such libraries exist in many parts of the country, 
 especially in the East. 
 
 The A.L.A. and library legislation. — For a quarter of a 
 century the American Library Association took no definite 
 action on this matter of fundamental importance. In June, 
 1877, Melvil Dewey proposed a summary of legislation in the 
 eleven states having laws with a view to the preparation of a 
 model law by a committee of the association. In September 
 of the same year Dr. WilUam F. Poole sketched the existing 
 laws noting some of their merits and their defects. He 
 characterized the legislation of forty years as "crude and 
 ill-digested," but thought it more judicious not to draft a 
 
LIBRARY LEGISLATION 9 
 
 model statute in order that the association might not commit 
 itself at the time to any specific form of legislation and thus 
 divide its forces on methods. 
 
 The policy thus laid down prevailed for a quarter of a 
 century. Meanwhile one state copied from another, incorporat- 
 ing the bad as well as the good features of its laws, with the 
 result that legislation developed in a much more unsystematic 
 way than if there had been a model to follow. Reviews covering 
 the acts of a given year or more were written from time to 
 time, which brought out certain tendencies, but which never 
 resulted in any action. 
 
 In 1897 Frank C. Patten for the first time presented in a 
 concise form the essentials and an outline of a good law. The 
 subject was again treated a few years later by W. R. Eastman 
 and in 1909 a committee of the American Library Association 
 prepared and published a model commission law. The chief 
 features of these several papers with additions and modifications 
 are embodied in the following: 
 
 Outline of a good library law. — Three essentials which a 
 good law provides are: 
 
 1. Careful and consecutive management. 
 
 2. A sure and steady revenue. 
 
 3. A central agency for supervision and promotion. 
 
 Most states have separate laws for local libraries, for the 
 state library, and for the library commission, as well as for 
 other Ubrary purposes. These should all be codified in the 
 interest of brevity, simplicity, and comprehensiveness. The 
 following outline is designed to accomplish these ends and to 
 bring all the free public libraries of the state into a co-operative 
 working system. It may be desirable to modify the plan to 
 meet conditions in a given state. But by bearing the essentials 
 in mind and securing the best legal assistance no mistake need 
 be made in the preparation of a good law. 
 
MANU.\L OF LIBIL\RY ECONOMY 
 
 General 
 
 a) State the purpose of a public library broadly and 
 
 place its claim to support on the same basis as 
 that of the public school. 
 
 b) Make possible the maintenance of loan, reference, 
 
 and reading-room branches, and other agencies 
 for book distribution, museum, lecture, and allied 
 educational features. 
 Establishment 
 
 a) Authorize the governing body of any city, town, 
 
 county, school district, or other political body that 
 has power to levy and collect ta.xes to establish 
 and maintain a pubhc library for the free use 
 of all the people. Require it to do so on favorable 
 vote of a majority of those voting on the question 
 at any election. 
 
 b) Provide that on petition of 25 or 50 ta.xpayers 
 
 the question of establishment, rate of tax and 
 bonds shall be decided by vote of the people 
 at a general or special election, to be changed 
 only by another vote. 
 
 c) Provide for joint establishment and maintenance 
 
 by neighboring political bodies. 
 
 d) Prescribe the mode for changing the form of 
 
 organization of an existing library to conform 
 to the new law. 
 
 e) Authorize a special tax or bonds to provide rooms, 
 
 land, or buildings. 
 /) Provide for keeping as a separate fund the moneys 
 appropriated and received for library purposes 
 and for placing them entirely under the control 
 of the library board. 
 
LIBR.\RY LEGISLATION 1 1 
 
 3. Maintenance 
 
 Provide for permanent maintenance by a regular 
 annual tax, the rate to be fixed by the library authority 
 within the limits, if any, set by law. 
 
 4. Management 
 
 a) Establish an independent board of trustees con- 
 
 sisting of representative citizens of recognized 
 fitness, of either sex, to serve without salary, and 
 place the management wholly in its hands. 
 
 b) Secure a permanent board with gradual change of 
 
 membership, the number of members to be five 
 to seven, appointed by the mayor or other 
 executive officer for a term of five years, not 
 more than two to go out of office in any given 
 year; or divide the appointing power between 
 several officers or bodies. 
 
 c) Constitute the library a public corporation with 
 
 power to acquire, hold, transfer, and lease 
 property' and to receive donations and bequests. 
 
 d) Outline the powers and duties of trustees, such 
 
 as to buy sites, erect buildings, purchase books 
 and supplies, engage the necessary employees, 
 fijc salaries, etc. 
 
 e) Require state certificates based on special training 
 
 or experience for certain positions and provide 
 that all assistants shall be appointed by the 
 board on recommendation of the librarian. 
 
 5. Contract 
 
 Permit aiding a free library with public money and 
 making a contract with some existing library to 
 furnish general or special library privileges to the 
 public. 
 
MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 Documents and exchanges 
 
 Provide for distributing all publications of the state 
 free to public libraries and for exchange of books and 
 duplicates by public libraries among themselves and 
 with the state central agency. 
 
 Protection 
 
 Impose penalties for theft, mutilation, over-detention, 
 and disturbance. 
 
 Permanence 
 
 Provide that a pubHc Ubrary may be aboUshed in the 
 same manner that it has been estabUshed. 
 
 Central library agency 
 
 a) Name and place. Provide a comprehensive name 
 
 and suitable quarters. Preferably (name of 
 
 state) library commission with quarters in the 
 state house. 
 
 b) Commissioners. Five members to be appointed 
 
 by the governor, one each year for a term of 
 five years; to serve without salary. 
 
 c) Organization. Mention officers and employees and 
 
 their duties. Secretary not a member of the 
 commission and trained in library work. 
 
 d) Appropriation. Provide for an appropriation com- 
 
 mensurate with the needs and resources of the 
 state. 
 
 e) Scope of work. To furnish information, give 
 
 advice and assistance to existing libraries of a 
 public nature, and to assist communities to 
 establish them; manage the state library and 
 make it the center of the library activities of the 
 state; receive gifts; maintain traveling libraries; 
 publish lists of books; establish standards of 
 organization and of service; conduct institutes 
 and schools for hbrarians and issue certificates 
 
LIBRARY LEGISLATION 13 
 
 of qualifications; manage state grants of money 
 to libraries for. the purchase of books; conduct 
 clearing-house for duplicates and gifts to libraries 
 of the state; co-operate with state institutions 
 and with other states, and perform such other 
 service in behalf of public libraries as may be 
 for the best interests of the state. 
 /) Reports. Receive annual reports from Ubraries in 
 the state; make regular reports to the governor 
 to be presented to the general assembly on 
 library conditions and progress in the state. 
 Outline of county library law (as originally exemplified in 
 California and modified in other states). — ■ 
 
 1. The supervisors may establish a free library for that 
 part of the county lying outside of incorporated cities and towns 
 maintaining free libraries. (Several states provide that they 
 shall do so on petition of a certain percentage or a specific 
 number of voters or after a favorable election. A number of 
 states also provide for the disestablishment of a library and 
 withdrawal from a contract.) 
 
 2. Cities and towns may join the county free library or 
 may contract with the county free library for such service as 
 they may desire; counties may contract with each other for 
 joint library service or with a city library to extend its service 
 to the county. (Some states omit the contract system and 
 others vary in methods whereby a city library may become 
 the center of a county library system. The Oregon law speci- 
 fies in detail certain requirements of the contract.) 
 
 3. County law libraries, county teachers' libraries, and 
 school Hbraries may join the county free libraries. 
 
 4. A tax of not over ten cents on $100 may be levied to 
 support the county free library. (Some states also establish a 
 minimum tax.) 
 
 5. The county library is controlled by the county super-- 
 visors. (The tendency in more recent laws is in favor of a 
 
14 IVIANUAL OF LIBR.\RY ECONOMY 
 
 special county library board.) The authority in control of the 
 county library levies the tax for its support and appoints the 
 librarian. The administration of the library is in his hands. 
 He must have a certificate from the state board of Ubrary 
 examiners. 
 
 6. The county libraries are under the professional super- 
 vision of the state Ubrarian. (In some states this supervision 
 is by the state educational authorities and in others by the 
 state library commission.) The supervising authority shall 
 require annual reports, visit Ubraries, call meetings of county 
 hbrarians and require their attendance. 
 
 Among the state laws best illustrating the principles outUned 
 are those of California, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Min- 
 nesota, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, 
 Washington, and Wisconsin. These or the statutes of any 
 other state may be obtained from its library commission or 
 other state official. 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 The following references arranged chronologically are 
 confined to some of the leading articles. Much additional 
 material may be found in the files of the Library Journal and 
 PubUc Libraries. 
 
 1876 Warren, S. R., and Clark, S. M. Common school libraries. 
 (In U.S. Bureau of Education, Public libraries in the United 
 States, 1876, pp. 38-58.) 
 
 Covers the legislation, administration, and history of these 
 libraries in twenty-one states. 
 
 1877 Poole, W. F. State legislation in the matter of libraries. 
 Library Journal, 1877, 2: 7-12. 
 
 Sketches the laws in several states, noticing merits and 
 defects. 
 1879 Homes, H. A. Legislation for public libraries. Library 
 
 Journal, 1879, 4:262-67. 
 
 Emphasizes "Historically certain steps of progress." 
 
LIBRARY LEGISLATION 15 
 
 1879 Report of committee on library legislation. Library 
 Journal, 1879, 4:300-302 
 
 Discusses tax rate, board of control, and desirable features 
 in a law. 
 
 1880 Library legislation. Library Journal, 1880, 579-80; 
 109-11. 
 
 List of state public library laws classified; text of New 
 Hampshire and Illinois laws. 
 1887 Nelson, C. A. Library legislation. Appleton's Annual 
 
 Cyclopedia, 1887, pp. 318-20. 
 
 Summarizes laws of 29 states and territories. 
 
 1891 Fletcher, W.I. Best library legislation. Library Journal, 
 
 1891, 16:031-34. 
 
 Outlines past stages and present trend. See also his 
 PubHc Libraries in America, 1894, pp. 20-30. 
 
 1894 Harrison, J. L. Public library movement in the United 
 States. New England Magazine, 1894, 16: 709-22. 
 Covers history, legislation, statistics, and organization of 
 
 libraries and librarians. 
 
 1896 Presnell, Henderson. Library legislation in the United 
 States. (In U.S. Bureau of Education. Annual Report, 
 
 1896, 2:523-99.) 
 
 The most extensive compilation in print. Covers (i) 
 incorporation of associations and societies; (2) school-district 
 libraries, township libraries, free public libraries, recent state 
 laws; (3) resume of legislation; (4) text of laws in each state. 
 Includes F. C. Patten's paper on Library legislation (see next 
 item). 
 
 1897 Patten, F. C. Library legislation. Public Libraries, 
 
 1897, 2:3-5. 
 
 Essentials and outline of a good law; also printed sepa- 
 rately and in U.S. Bureau of education. Annual Report, 1895- 
 96, 2:526-28, and in Dana's Library Primer, 1899, pp. 147-51. 
 
i6 MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 1898 Harrison, J. L. Report on legislation and state aid, 
 Library Journal, 1898, 23:023-24. 
 
 Actual legislation of the year and legislative effort; exten- 
 sive summaries. 
 
 1899 Eastman, W. R. WTiat can state law do for the public 
 library? Library Journal, 1899, 24:619-20. 
 
 Treats of management, reports, state commission, support, 
 contracts, state aid, travehng libraries, permanence. 
 
 1900 . Essentials of a good Ubrary law. Library 
 
 Journal, 1900, 24:049-51. 
 
 Enlarges on F. C. Patten's article in Public Libraries, 
 1897, 2:3-5. 
 
 1901 Michigan Board of library commissioners. Legislative 
 history of district and township libraries in the state of 
 Michigan from 1835 to 1901. 25 pp. 
 
 1905 Brigham, H. O. Synopsis of laws authorizing library 
 commissions. PubUc Libraries, 1905, 10: 83-87. 
 
 1908 Historical summary of legislation relating to Ubrary 
 commissions. 
 
 SeeLeague of hbrary commissions, Handbook, 1910, pp. 5-1 1 . 
 
 1909 Hadley, Chalmers. Model commission law. A.L.A. 
 Bulletin, 1909:342-45. 
 
 Report of a special committee; gives fuU text of a law 
 with comment. The text is also in the Library Journal, 1909, 
 34:360-61. 
 
 191 2 Greenman, E. D. State aid for pubHc school hbraries. 
 Library Journal, 1912, 37:310-16. 
 
 Includes resume of legislation. 
 
 1913 Tyler, A. S. The pubUc library in commission governed 
 cities. National Municipal Review, 1913, 2:255-59. 
 
 1916 Carnegie Corporation. Abstract of laws relating to 
 libraries in force in 191 5 in the states and territories of the 
 United States. 368 pp. 
 
LIBRARY LEGISLATION 17 
 
 1916 Brett, W. H. Comments on library legislation. A.L.A. 
 
 Bulletin 1916:319-24. 
 
 General observations on provisions usually included in a 
 state law. 
 
 1916 Hicks, F. C. The public library as affected by municipal 
 retrenchment. A.L.A. Bulletin 1916:169-75. 
 
 Based on an analysis of laws affecting the support of 
 libraries. 
 
 191 7 Craig, E. L. Library legislation. A.L.A. Bulletin 
 1917:226-28. 
 
 Has special reference to the Indiana law. 
 
 1917 Robinson, J. A. Summary of county library laws. 
 Public Libraries, 1917 22:17-19. 
 
 1918 California State Library. Summary of county free 
 library work in the United States. News Notes of Cali- 
 fornia Libraries July 19 18. 
 
 Includes resume of laws relating to county libraries. 
 Supplement in April 1920 issue of same publication. 
 
 1918 Wheeler, H. L. Why a county library law for Missouri. 
 Library Journal, 1918, 43:472-75. 
 Arguments in its favor. 
 
 1920 Hamilton, W. J. County library laws in the United 
 
 States. Library Journal, 1920,45:727-31; 780-89. 
 
 Part two is a summary of laws tabulated under nine heads: 
 Perr^.issive, mandatory, election, exempt, tax determined, 
 governing body, librarian, location, disestablishment. 
 1920 Long, A. B. State school library laws. Wilson bulletin, 
 
 1920, 1:505-13. 
 
 Includes summary of state laws and statement of "New 
 Standards." 
 1920 Morgan, J. E. County libraries — Utah makes a record. 
 
 Public Libraries, 1920, 25:205-06. 
 
i8 MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY 
 
 1920 Morgan, J. E. County libraries for Kentucky. Library 
 Journal, 1920, 45:495^-. 
 
 1920 Marvin, Cornelia. Discussion needed. Public Libra- 
 ries, 1920, 25:498-99. 
 Opposes establishing county library by petition and giving 
 
 library board tax levying power. 
 
 1920 Locke, G. H. Library matters in Ontario. Public 
 Libraries, 1920, 25:619. 
 The Ontario law places library support on per capita basis. 
 
 The following articles review the legislation of given years: 
 885 Soule, C. C. Library Journal, 1885, 10: 276-78. 
 887 Poole, W. F. Library Journal, 1887, 12:117-19. 
 
 889 Utley, H. M. Library Journal, 1889, 14:190-94. 
 
 890 Solberg, Thorwald. Library Journal, 1890, i5:C5o-58. 
 
 899 Brigham, H. O. Library Journal, 1899, 24:C8i-84. 
 
 902-5 Yust, W. F. Library Journal, v. 27-30; Public 
 Libraries, v. 7-10. 
 
 906-7 Wynkoop, Asa Library Journal, v. 31-32. 
 
 908-16 Eastman, W. R. Library Journal, v. 33-42. 
 
 913 Eastman, W. R. Public Libraries, 19:43-44. 
 
 917 Burlingame, L. T. Library Journal, 43:74-83. 
 
 917 Lester, C. B. A. L. A. Bulletin, 1918: 261-64. 
 
 918 Lester, C. B. Library Journal, 44: 17. 
 
PUBLICATIONS OF THE 
 
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 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, III. 
 
 A SELECTED LIST 
 
 BOOK LISTS 
 
 The Booklist. 10 numbers a year. Subscription price, $2.00. 
 
 Booklist books (of current year). Issued about March 1. 
 
 Buying list of books for small libraries. Caroline Webster. 1920. 
 
 Paper, 35 cents. 
 Guide to the study and use of reference books. Alice B. Kroeger. 
 
 Re\-ised by Isadore G. Mudge. 1917. Cloth, 13.00. 
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 1920. Paper, 25 cents. 
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 List of subject headings for use in dictionary catalogs. 3d ed. revised 
 
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 Subject headings for use in dictionary catalogs of juvenile books. 
 
 Margaret Mann. 1916. Cloth, $1.75. 
 
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