LEAGUE OF LIBRARY COMMISSIONS The success of the experiment in coöperation which was inaugurated in 1901 by the library commissions of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, led to the suggestion that a national organization might more economically carry forward coöperative work. Printed matter of common interest and value to these commissions could thus be issued jointly, leaving to the overcrowded state commission workers more time and money for the problems peculiar to each state. A preliminary conference representing four library commissions of the Middle West was held in Chicago, August 12, 1904, to discuss the advisability of an organization of library commissions. A committee was appointed to prepare a suggestive plan as to organization and methods of coöperative work. At the meeting of the Commissions' Section of the A. L. A., October 21, 1904, during the St. Louis conference, the committee made a report based on the experiments in coöperation in the Middle West, and on the replies received from letters sent to the various commissions. It was the unanimous opinion of those present that a League of Library Commissions should be organized. This organization was therefore at once effected by the creation of an executive board composed of one member from each of the ten states represented at that meeting, as follows: Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin. The Board organized immediately by the election of Mr. Henry E. Legler, Wisconsin, as chairman, and Miss Alice S. Tyler, Iowa, as secretary. An executive committee was selected from the states represented to formulate a coöperative plan of work. This committee consisted of the chairman, secretary and four additional members, Miss Marvin, Wisconsin; Miss Hoagland, Indiana; Miss Bullock, Nebraska, and Miss Baldwin, Minnesota. At a meeting of this committee in Chicago, November 28 and 29, plans were considered for the immediate preparation and issue of a new edition of the Suggestive list of books for a small library and for the continuation of the Buying list of recent books, as the most urgent needs of the commissions. The executive committee also prepared, in the form of resolutions, a suggested plan for coöperation with the A. L. A. Publishing Board in the issuance of some of its publications. In January, 1905, the A. L. A. Publishing Board began the publication of the A. L. A. Booklist, and the Executive Board of the League assured the Publishing Board of its support in that undertaking by its adoption by the commissions for use in the respective states. The Buying list which had formerly been compiled by the Wisconsin Commission for the use of the commissions of the Middle West was therefore discontinued. At this time no definite arrangements could be made with the Publishing Board for other publications, and accordingly the League proceeded with the publication of the Suggestive list of books for a small library, compiled by Miss Cornelia Marvin, then of the Wisconsin Commission, and the second edition of the pamphlet on U. S. Government documents in small libraries, by J. I. Wyer, Jr. During the Portland meeting of the A. L. A., a conference was held between representatives of the Publishing Board and the Executive Board of the League to discuss methods of coöperation. The needs of the commissions for certain printed matter were fully conceded by the members of the Publishing Board and it was recognized that in supplying these the Board would be complying with the condition of Mr. Carnegie's gift of $100,000 to the A. L. A., "the income of which should be applied to the preparation and publication of such reading lists, indexes, and other bibliographical and library aids as would be specially useful in the circulating libraries of the country." At the regular meeting of the Publishing Board held in October, 1905, it was agreed that the Board would publish any material furnished by the League. At the meeting of the Commissions section of the A. L. A. at Portland the organization of the League was approved by that section, and it was unanimously voted with the approval of the A. L. A. Council, that the League of Library Commissions as affiliated with the A. L. A. be substituted for the Library Commissions section. A meeting of the Executive Board was held in Indianapolis, Dec. 13-14, 1905, when final consideration was given to the constitution and by-laws of the League and the subject of the publications of the League and A. L. A. Publishing Board was fully discussed. Regular annual meetings of the League since its organization as an affiliated body with the A. L. A. were held each year in conjunction with the A. L. A. conference. The mid-winter meeting of the Executive Board, held in Chicago about the first of January each year, developed into an informal conference of commission workers and others interested in extension work, for a discussion of commission problems. Mid-winter conferences of library commissions of the Eastern states were held in Hartford, Conn., in 1909 and 1910, and in Albany, N. Y., in 1910. At Berkeley, Cal., in 1915, the constitution was SO amended as to cause the annual meeting to be held at the time and place of the mid-winter meeting of the A. L. A. Council. Twenty-eight states are now members of the League, including Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. For further information regarding the history and work of the League, see: Affiliation with A. L. A. Lib. J. 30: C 192-94. Pub. Lib. 10: 415. Tyler. League of Library Commissions. Lib. J. 30: 274-77. Annual Meeting, Narragansett, 1906. Lib. J. 31: C 282-84. Asheville, 1907. A. L. A. Bulletin. 1: 231-45. Lib. J. 32: 318-21. Pub. Lib. 12: 279. Lake Minnetonka, 1908. A. L. A. Bulletin. 2: 305– 17. Lib. J. 33: 277-79. Pub. Lib. 13: 276-80. Bretton Woods, 1909. A. L. A. Bulletin. 3: 337-355. Lib. J. 34: 359-362. Pub. Lib. 14: 313. Mackinac Island, 1910. A. L. A. Bulletin. 4 (Proceedings number) Lib. J. 35: 317-318. Lib. 15: 352. Pub. Pasadena, 1911. Lib. J. 36: 352. Pub. Lib. 16: 261– 262. Ottawa, 1912. Lib. J. 37: 458-459. Kaaterskill, 1913. 18: 348-351. Lib. J. 38: 476-477. Pub. Lib. Washington, 1914. Lib. J. 39: 556–557. Pub. Lib. 19: 308-309. Berkeley, 1915. Lib. J. 40: 509–510. Pub. Lib. 20: Chicago, December, 1915. Lib. J. 41: 126–130. Pub. Mid-winter meeting, Indianapolis, December 1905. Lib. J. Chicago, January, 1909. Lib. J. 34: 63-64. Pub. Chicago, January, 1910. Lib. J. 35: 69. Pub. Lib. 15: 72-74. Hartford, February, 1909. 15: 132. Pub. Lib. 14: 150. Lib. J. 35: 28. Pub. Lib. Chicago, January, 1911. Lib. J. 36: 81. Pub. Lib. 16: 71-72. Boston, January, 1911. Pub. Lib. 16: 114. Chicago, January, 1912. Lib. J. 37: 98-99. Pub Lib. Atlantic City, March, 1912. Lib. J. 37: 99–199. Pub. Chicago, January, 1913. Lib. J. 83: 100-102. Pub. Chicago, January, 1914. Lib. J. 39: 215-218. Pub. New York, December, 1914. Lib. J. 40: 130–133. Chicago, January, 1915. Lib. J. 40: 133–136. Midyear Meeting, Asbury Park, June, 1916. Lib. J. 41: 603-605. Pub. Lib. 21: 374-375. |