(Friday, June 28, 2:30 p. m.)
The first session was called to order by the first vice-president, Mr.
C. H. Milam, of Indiana, in the absence of the president, Miss Cornelia
Marvin, of Oregon.
It was voted to waive the reading of the minutes of the last annual
meeting. The financial report of the secretary-treasurer was read and
accepted.
The chairman appointed as a nominating committee to report at the last
session, Charlotte Templeton, A. L. Bailey, and Mrs. Percival Sneed.
Miss Elizabeth B. Wales then presented the following report on charter
provisions for public libraries in cities having the commission form of
government.
REPORT ON CHARTER PROVISIONS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN HOME RULE OR
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT CITIES
The present chairman took charge of the work about May 1st. The
committee found the time remaining so short that it was deemed
inadvisable to attempt to prepare material for the League at this
meeting. Therefore your committee begs leave to report progress and
submit an outline of its plans for criticism and suggestion.
The discussion of the subject seemed to indicate that the difficulties
might fall into two classes. Cases involving a satisfactory library
law in danger of change, and difficulties occasioned by attempt to
better the original law under the Commission government; and a further
division including cases where the commission law as passed was
inapplicable to the library government, or conflicted with the law. The
committee suggests dealing with the matter by statute law rather than
by city charter provision, and would suggest as a method, that:
(a) Two provisional sections be drafted, one to insure the continuing
in force of the state library law already on the books, to be used
in states where such continuance is for the interest of the library;
another to provide for the organization and control of the library
under commission government by a definite statement in the commission
law to override all former statutes, to be used in states where the
present law is not satisfactory.
(b) These sections be submitted to the heads of library commissions
for criticism, accompanied by a letter of explanation embodying the
question, "Would such state law meet the problems of libraries in
commission governed cities in your state?"
Another and perhaps better way of securing the result would be to write
to library commissions and ask these questions:
(1) What difficulties have arisen in the library administration of
commission governed cities in your state?
(2) What remedies would you suggest to meet these difficulties?
(3) Would you incorporate these suggestions in the laws of your state
or in the charters of your cities?
The committee also suggests that a letter be written to Mr. Richard
S. Childs, stating the main difficulties experienced and requesting
an opinion regarding the best method of meeting them. Mr. Child's
known interest would no doubt bring an enlightening answer to any
communication of reasonable length.
Miss Tyler has generously permitted the committee to use the letters
received by her in the preparation of her paper for the Pasadena
conference, and to these cities one or two questions might be sent
bearing upon the special conditions developed. This "second appeal"
may be made extremely valuable by careful treatment; for instance,
there are twelve cities which have experienced change in the number
of trustees representing the effect of the law in California, Iowa,
Illinois, Michigan, and S. Dakota; three report a board elected by the
Commission or council instead of appointed by the mayor; again the
Michigan law, and also that of Massachusetts and North Carolina; two
(Lewiston, Iowa, and Decatur, Ill.) report supervision of buildings
and grounds by city committees; two (Des Moines and Tacoma) mention
the value of increased publicity; one (Colorado Springs) reports civil
service; there were in this first inquiry between twenty and thirty "no
change" reports; some of these said no change "as yet." There were many
special points noted in the letters which would repay investigation by
the committee.
We shall hope for a generous coöperation from the members of the
League, if it be your pleasure to continue this committee.
Respectfully submitted,
ELIZABETH B. WALES, Chairman,
CARL H. MILAM,
M. S. DUDGEON,
ARTHUR L. BAILEY.
The report was accepted and the committee continued.
In view of the work being done by a committee of the A. L. A. Council
on library laws and charter provisions, the League committee on the
motion of Miss Tyler, was instructed to coöperate with the A. L. A.
Council committee.
Mr. M. S. Dudgeon reported the work of the Committee on Library post as
follows: