Reports of all committees shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the League at least 30 days before the date of the meeting.

7

Dues. The payment of a yearly membership fee of five dollars ($5.00) shall constitute active membership, such members being entitled to secure League publications at cost and to exercise the voting privilege as specified in Section 3. Associate members paying no dues shall be charged regular price for League publications but may participate in deliberations without a vote.

8

Annual Meeting. The annual meeting shall be held at the time and place of the mid-winter meeting of the Council of the A. L. A.

Sectional Meetings. Any group of members representing three or more states may by mutual agreement, and with the approval of the Executive Board, hold a sectional meeting at such time and place as may be agreed upon. At such meetings such matters shall be considered as shall be selected by the members there assembled or by the Executive Board. No vote taken at such meetings shall be binding on the League, but shall be advisory only. The Executive Board and committees of the League may ask for an advisory vote which may guide them in determining questions arising in the prosecution of their work. No such vote shall release the committee from its responsibility in any matter.

9

Affiliation. The League shall be affiliated with the A. L. A. in accordance with its constitution and by-laws.

10

By-Laws. The Board may adopt by-laws for the League subject to such amendment as may be voted at the annual meeting.

11

Amendments. Amendments to this constitution may be

adopted at any annual meeting of the League by a twothirds vote of those present entitled to vote; provided that notice shall have been given, by correspondence, to all members of the League at least two months prior to such annual meeting; or in lieu thereof, that the amendment shall have received the unanimous approval of the Executive Board.

HISTORICAL SUMMARY

With the recent growth of the library extension movement, and the recognition of the public library as an "integral part of public education," has developed the idea of fostering and encouraging this movement by state aid or supervision in some form. The public school systems of our several states have been brought to their present successful operation through generous state aid and encouragement, and the public library systems are now claiming equal recognition as educational institutions. In spite of the fact that statistics show a great increase in the number of books accessible to the people, a careful study of conditions in rural communities shows that many millions of people have no access to libraries. To solve this problem of furnishing free books to the entire population, the aid of the state has naturally been sought. Another problem

of library extension is that of the small library with small income and inexperienced service. To encourage a healthful growth in such libraries and promote their efficiency, the need of some center of information is apparent.

Thirty-seven states are now undertaking library extension work; twenty-one through entirely independent commissions; four through state libraries; six in part connection with the state library; six as subordinate to the state board of education. In New York, which is already counted, the extension work is a part of the State Library, which is under the state Board of Regents. In Tennessee, the extension work is under the Board of Education and the traveling libraries under the State Library.

Although the organization and methods of the several states differ materially, the common aim is to encourage the establishment of libraries in all communities able to support them, to promote the efficiency of libraries already established and in 30 states to maintain a system of travel

ing libraries to aid in solving the problem of making free books accessible to all the people.

Massachusetts was the first state to establish a library commission, although Rhode Island claims priority in library extension work, since it began to give state aid to free public libraries for the purchase of books in 1875. The Massachusetts Commission, established in 1890, was authorized to grant to any town upon the establishment of a free public library, $100 in books to be selected by the Commission. When the law was enacted there were 105 towns out of 352 without free libraries, and Massachusetts now has the distinction of being the only state in the union which has a public library in every town, but one. This town unites with another.

New Hampshire followed the next year, 1891, by enacting a law nearly identical with the Massachusetts law, which gives $100 to each town founding a free library. The New Hampshire Commission was instrumental in passing a compulsory library law, according to which every town must levy a certain assessment to maintain a library; the minimum amount instead of the maximum is prescribed; if the town has no library, the fund accumulates; and if a town wishes to omit an assessment, it must especially vote to do so. In 1903, the Board of Library Commissioners was abolished, and the work turned over to the trustees of the State Library, who have assumed all the duties and powers of the former commission.

In 1892, New York entered the list, developing a system of state supervision of libraries with more complete centralization than has yet been attempted in any other state. The work has been done by the Home Education Division of the University of the State of New York, the director of the State Library being also director of Home Education, so that the two interests have been identified. Under the law, the regents of the University were given power to issue charters and give financial aid to libraries which fulfilled certain conditions. These libraries are supervised and inspected yearly, and two organizers now give

their entire time to the work of visiting and assisting libraries. New York was the first state to establish traveling libraries, the first libraries being sent out in 1893.

The Library school is also under the direction of the Department of Education and the director of the State Library. By the unification law of 1904, the Home Education Division was placed under the Department of Education and is now called the Division of Educational Extension.

In Connecticut, a Public Library Committee appointed by the State Board of Education was created in 1893. This Committee has advisory powers, and is authorized to give direct financial aid to libraries. In 1903, an appropriation was made for traveling libraries, and a library visitor was appointed.

In 1904, Vermont passed a law similar to that of Massachusetts, and in 1900 established a system of traveling libraries, and appointed a secretary to make personal visits to libraries.

It will be noticed that in the beginning all the New England states followed Massachusetts as a model and confined their work to giving direct financial aid to libraries, the features of traveling libraries and library visiting being added later.

The Wisconsin Commission was organized in 1895, and became the pioneer and model for work in the West. Its activities now include the department of library extension and visitation, the traveling library department, the library school opened in 1906, and the legislative reference library.

In Ohio, a Commission was established in 1896, to have charge of the State Library and appoint the state librarian. Traveling libraries are operated as a department of the State Library. In 1906, an amendment to the law authorized the appointment of a library organizer, who began work in the fall of 1908, when the appropriation became available.

The Georgia Commission, established in 1897, is advisory only and has had no appropriation.