Part 21 (1/2)

Sec. 4. He shall keep an account, in permanent form, of all his receipts and expenses on behalf of the library, and report the same to the board monthly.

Sec. 5. He shall make a monthly report of the operations of the library, including a list of all accessions to the various departments of the same, whether by gift or purchase, with such recommendations as, in his opinion, will promote its efficiency.

Sec. 6. He shall keep record books of all accessions to the library by purchase, and of all gifts for its several departments, with the dates when received, and, in the case of donations, the names and places of residence of the donors.

Sec. 7. He shall promptly and courteously acknowledge all gifts to the library or any of its departments.

Sec. 8. He shall keep an account of the time of the several employes; prepare the pay-rolls in accordance therewith, and place the same before the finance committee in advance of each regular meeting.

Sec. 9. He shall prepare an annual report showing, as fully as may be practical, the operation of the library and its several departments during the preceding year, with an inventory of the furniture, books, and other contents of the building.

Sec. 10. The first a.s.sistant librarian shall perform the duties of the librarian during the latter's absence.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments hereto shall only be made at a regular meeting of the board, and must be proposed at least one month previous to final action on the same.

CHAPTER XLIII

Reports

As far as the welfare of the library is concerned, the money spent in publis.h.i.+ng an elaborate annual report can often be better invested in a few popular books, or, better still, in a few attractively printed statements of progress and of needs, distributed through the community on special occasions. If there must be an annual report for the general public--which will not read it--it should be brief and interesting, without many figures and without many complaints. Do not think it necessary, in making up your report, to adopt the form or the list of contents usually followed by libraries. Give the necessary figures as briefly as may be, and adapt the rest of the report to the library and its community.

CHAPTER XLIV

Library legislation

Prank C. Patten, librarian Helena (Mont.) public library

The modern library movement is embodying ideas that are yet to make public libraries about as common as public schools, and correspondingly important in educational value. After a generation of most remarkable growth of public libraries in number, size, and recognized usefulness, experience can now enlighten us in regard to plans of library support and organization. The best interests of the movement are served by embodying the results of this experience in law. Such a law, by setting forth a good plan, encourages the establishment and promotes the growth of these popular educational inst.i.tutions.

Outline of a good law

The following outline (with explanatory notes) embraces the important provisions of a good state library law:

1 _Establishment and maintenance._--Authorize the governing body in connection with the voters of any city, town, county, school district, or other political body that has power to levy and collect taxes, to establish and maintain a public library for the free use of the people. Provide also for joint establishment and maintenance, for aiding a free library with public money, and for contract with some existing library for general or special library privileges. Provide for maintenance by regular annual rate of tax. Authorize special tax or bonds to provide rooms, land, or buildings. Provide that on pet.i.tion of 25 or 50 taxpayers the questions of establishment, rate of tax, and bonds shall first be decided by vote of the people at general or special election, to be changed only by another vote.

Note.--It is believed that there need be no limit of rate placed in the state law, as a community is not at all likely to vote to tax itself too high for library support. The people of a small place will, in fact, often fail to realize that in order to raise money enough to accomplish their object the tax rate must be higher than in a large place. It is not impossible that communities will, by and by, spend about as much in support of their public libraries as in support of their public schools.

2 _Management._--Establish an independent board of trustees and place the management wholly in its hands. Const.i.tute the library a public corporation, with power to acquire, hold, transfer, and lease property, and to receive donations and bequests. Secure a permanent board with gradual change of members.h.i.+p, the number of members to be not less than three, and the term of office certainly to be not less than three years.