The limit of tax levy was raised. Any school board may agree with the board of the nearest approved library to become a branch of said library, and shall, in case of such agreement, pay to such public library a stipulated sum for the library aid to which the school district is entitled.

Montana.-The legislature of 1913 failed to pass an act establishing a State library commission, and also a bill for county extension by city libraries. However, the larger libraries do loan books to teachers in rural schools, ranchers, and responsible people who comply with the library rules. All discarded books and such books as can be obtained by gift are given to small struggling libraries by the large libraries. The libraries in the larger towns cooperate with county workers, and books required by the teachers' reading circles are kept in most of them.

Nebraska.-A law was enacted providing for a retirement fund for librarians in cities of the metropolitan class. The establishment of township and county libraries was authorized. Several counties. have already organized libraries; Lancaster County was the first.

Nevada.-A new law provides that the State board of education shall adopt lists of books for district libraries.

New Jersey. The administration of the public school libraries of the State was transferred to the public library commission. The commissioner of education was added to that commission. One copy of every publication of the State shall be sent to each public library, including historical societies. Two foreign investigators employed by the New Jersey immigration commission are assisting the public library commission by reviewing lists, discussing the conditions and methods of the foreign population of the State, and making recommendations for future service.

North Carolina.-The State library received an increase in its appropriation, which is now $3,000 a year.

North Dakota.-The legislature placed the library commission in the budget along with the elective State offices, an act which shows the growing appreciation of the library commission. Depository stations in State institutions make the books of the commission available.

South Carolina.-School districts may use 3 per cent of the annual school tax for the provision and maintenance of libraries.

South Dakota.-An act establishing a free-library commission was passed. The State library is placed in the custody of the commission, and it is made the headquarters for the library work of the State. An appropriation of $4,000 a year was made for the commission. An act was passed providing that public libraries may be established by a majority of those voting on the question, to be

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supported by a tax, not to exceed 2 mills, levied by the trustees appointed.

Tennessee. The State board of education supersedes the State board of library commissioners, assuming all its powers and duties, except its system of traveling libraries, which has been placed under the direction of the State library. Free public libraries, as well as public school libraries, are now under the general supervision of the State board of education. State financial aid will be granted to public school libraries.

Texas.-An act providing for the creation of farmers' county public libraries was passed. Upon the petition of 100 or more legal voters, the proposition for such a library shall be submitted to the voters in the county. If the majority are in favor, libraries shall be established and organized for the purpose of gathering information on agricultural, horticultural, and kindred subjects and shall make such information available for use.

COOPERATION.

Nearly 40 of the States have library clubs which meet at least once a year; some of them meet more frequently. In addition, there are local library clubs in the large cities. These are conducted for the mutual interest of the members and for a careful study of the environments of the libraries concerned, with a view to better service and for the prevention of duplication of effort. Among those doing the most active work are the New York Library club, the Long Island Library club, Pennsylvania Library club of Philadelphia, Library club of the District of Columbia, the Rochester Library club, the Chicago Library club, the Milwaukes Library club, and the Twin Cities Library club.

The library associations, and librarians in general, are attempting to found a basis of friendly and proper cooperation between booksellers and library service. To this end, booksellers of standing are invited to address library meetings in order that libraries may understand the point of view of the bookseller; and in May, 1913, George F. Bowerman, librarian of the Carnegie Library, in the District of Columbia, gave a very comprehensive address before the American Booksellers' Association.

The organization of the Boston Cooperative Information Bureau has undertaken to bring together as complete information as possible in regard to libraries of Boston and vicinity, especially those which are noted for special collections. It is understood that this work will take on national scope if success attends the initial effort.

It is the object of the library department of the National Education Association to bring about cooperation between libraries and schools. Both in 1912 and in 1913 comprehensive and illuminating

collections of library material calculated to be helpful to the grades, to the high schools, to the normal schools, and to the colleges were exhibited at the annual meetings of the National Education Association.

The Women's Educational Association cooperates with the public library commission of Massachusetts in sending out traveling librarians. It also cooperates with the commission and the various library clubs in Massachusetts to the end that each may make its work more effective in its particular field.

The New York Public Library actively cooperates with local educational, library, and welfare associations by allowing those organizations to use the assembly and club rooms in its branch buildings for their regular meetings. This is particularly helpful to classes for the study of English by foreigners and for the meeting of foreign societies. An important phase of cooperation is the system of interlibrary loans between universities, colleges, and public libraries in the Middle West. The universities of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin; and Northwestern, Ohio State, and Purdue Universities, Adelbert College, the public libraries of Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Grand Rapids, and the John Crerar and Newberry Libraries of Chicago reported effective work in 1912-13. The number of volumes handled in these interlibrary loans last year was 1,748. In St. Louis the City Art Museum sent a small collection of its best recent acquisitions for exhibition in the art room of the public library.

The Drama League in various parts of the country is in close touch with the public libraries; over 73 libraries are represented in its membership and keep on file the league literature. The league has been particularly helpful in recommending plays for children and in assisting in their production locally.

Business and professional workers demand high efficiency in library service. To secure technical information with a minimum of expenditure of time and effort is a need which the library must meet. It is, therefore, the librarian's duty to place the necessary books and other material within easy access of professional and business men and yet insure the safety of all books purchased with public money. Some public libraries, in order to meet these demands, have instituted municipal reference and technical departments and collections of special material. In the municipal reference department the material is of interest to the various departments of municipalities showing what has been done in other places in the administration of municipal affairs, streets, lighting, relation of public utilities, etc. Sometimes this collection is placed in the city hall with a trained worker in charge, and sometimes it is in the library building. The following

cities have municipal reference departments in their public libraries: Brooklyn, Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Fort Wayne, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland (Oreg.), Seattle. In New York City there is a municipal reference library, which is not a part of the public library proper; it was established in 1913. Special technical departments are usually for the use of the manufacturers and mechanical workers. Periodicals, reports, etc., of the various industries are collected, catalogued, and made available. Special material, dealing with civic and social problems of every kind and degree, is in many cases made available also for the use for students, teachers, investigators, etc.

In State libraries legislative reference departments are growing in numbers and usefulness. As an important division of this work, a bill-drafting department is sometimes provided, in which legislators may find assistance and information concerning the experience of other States and countries along similar lines.

Legislative reference departments have been established in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Their aim is to put within convenient reach of the legislator, in classified and condensed form, information relating to the economic conditions in the other States, to the laws there in force, and to the manner in which those laws meet the conditions that called for their enactment. Their work has had a decided effect upon the legislation of the States in which they have been established.

The smaller public libraries are becoming social centers in their respective communities, particularly in industrial communities. If the library has an auditorium its influence is greatly enhanced. Reading clubs, debating clubs, or other organizations with a serious purpose are invited to utilize the library for their meetings, and are assisted as far as practicable in attaining their objects. Branch libraries in large cities are effective in bringing books into the lives of many people who otherwise would not come in contact with them.

Many college libraries are buying special collections in this country and Europe to supplement their general collections and to contribute more effectively to study and research.

Many commercial houses have established business libraries, not so much of books as of printed reports, pamphlets, etc., together with graphic material. The important part in such work is performed by the trained librarian who is able effectively to use the collection under his charge and to supplement it with special information from the technical and special collections of larger libraries. In this way the book is becoming an everyday tool for the everyday

man. The past year saw great advancement along this line in Boston, Chicago, New York, and other cities.

EFFICIENCY RECORDS AND PENSIONS.

Two important factors in the success of library service are efficiency records and pensions. It is the consensus of opinion among library administrators that municipal civil-service rules as applied to libraries are detrimental, rather than helpful. The conduct of libraries on the basis of efficiency records gives better satisfaction. In this way good service is recognized. Commensurate salaries are stimulants in securing adequately skilled service.

Pensions for librarians have been widely discussed, and some progress has been made. Chicago and Buffalo have library pension systems, and the Nebraska Legislature in 1913 provided a retirement fund for librarians, which is the first legislative action taken in regard to the matter.

The New York Public Library, through recommendations of its medical officer, last year made rules looking to the protection and development of the health of its employees. These are mainly as follows:

The daily recess period for meals shall be one hour. Every employee is required to take the full hour off duty. No employee shall be permitted to make up lost time or do library work during the recess hour. The librarians and assistant librarians will be required to work but 40 hours each week, exclusive of the recess period. The same schedule will be in force summer and winter.

INSTITUTIONAL LIBRARIES.

The use of books as remedial agencies in institutions for defectives and delinquents is a work that is gaining approval. The New York State Library Association is in close touch with the penal and reform institutions of the State, and is rendering effective service. The New York Library Club, in connection with the libraries of Greater New York and the School of Civics and Philanthropy, is doing effective work for that community.

The institutional libraries of the State of Oregon are under the advisory care of the State library. During the year a new library has been bought for the industrial school and the prison library was extended.

In New Jersey the library commission has supervision of all institutional libraries.

In Nebraska, the institutional libraries were given to the care of the Nebraska library commission by an act of the legislature in 1911. The report of 1912 shows a splendid organization, with results that are much appreciated by all concerned, especially by those in the penal institutions.