and 5.9, respectively, before the center opened, were increased to $1.84 and 9.3. B. In cooperation with the Office of Audiovisual Aids of the Education Department, an Audiovisual Aids Center has been established in Greenfield. This service is available to all four counties of western Massachusetts. Funds have also been allocated for a record collection. Mimeographed catalogs for both film and record collections have been prepared and distributed. II. The agency's advisory, consultative, and book services have been expanded. A. A monthly newsletter has been distributed to all libraries and to a selected list of 100 trustees. Surveys have been conducted in 42 rural libraries, resulting in increased hours, better arrangements of materials, plans for additions or renovations, and a variety of cooperative efforts to improve services. B. One hundred and seventy-eight of the 263 rural communities received increased appropriations; 43 extended hours of service; and 103 increased salaries. Circulation in the rural areas showed an increase of 13 percent. The per capita income in the rural areas increased from $1.74 to $1.86. C. Regional group meetings on standards have been held, and institutes and workshops conducted on story telling, weeding the book collection, book repair, basic reference tools, exhibit planning, and regional cooperative services. MICHIGAN Statistical Summary Services Counties now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. People in these counties to whom this service is available. Bookmobiles purchased under program. Field librarians... Other professional librarians. Clerks and drivers.. Others. Total.. Personnel added Number 0 0 24 190, 286 3 0 11 1 15 Program Accomplishments, January 1, 1957, to June 30, 1959 I. The extension of the book and information resources of the State library have been stressed. A. The consultant staff has held training workshops and planning meetings for future workshops and project area meetings. B. The public library development program has been a major project and has had rapid expansion. The policy regarding the lending of books has been revised to insure the use of books to supplement, but not subsidize, the book collections of individual libraries and to develop larger units of service. New quarters have been rented, renovated, and equipped to house the expanding collection. Catalog cards are offered to all libraries borrowing collections of 1,000 books or more. A consultant to supervise the section, library assistants, a publicist, clerks, typists, and a motor vehicle operator have been added; two regular State agency consultants have worked part time on the project. The book collection totals 93,784, with half of the total collection in adult books. In 1957, the collection served 59 individual libraries and lent 16,076 books. The 1959 figures indicate 14 collections sent to public libraries, but represent 71 libraries, and approximately 50,000 books on current loans. C. Two bookmobiles have been scheduled to stimulate projects and for exhibit purposes at fairs, organization meetings, festivals, State Federation of Women's Clubs meetings, and Farm Bureau events. During 1959 the bookmobiles have been used for book deliveries in the North Oakland Library project, the West Central Library project, and for other development loans. II. The first phase of the "statewide study" has been completed. The report of the special consultant, a political scientist, has been completed and the advisory board is now studying it. The Oakland County Study, started in late 1956, has been completed and is now in the final revision for printing. III. Plans and general preparation for a scholarship program have been under study, but the project has not yet been put in operation. IV. Stimulation programs to help develop new or better rural services have been carried on in several areas. Projects have been chosen from applications submitted. Annually, each library board is given an opportunity to apply. A. In southwest Michigan the All-Van-Ber-Cass project was an outgrowth of a meeting of librarians and trustees of Allegan, Van Buren, Berrien, and Cass Counties held to discuss ways and means of improving services in the 40 libraries in the area. B. Interest in Shiawassee County has centered on a "book pool" for the use of the libraries in the county. Plans are now under way to ask for funds for 1960 in order to start a book-buying and processing center at Owosso which will continue to house the "book pool.” C. The North Oakland project was started in May 1958 with the purpose of strengthening the existing libraries and extending services to areas without libraries. The area consists of seven township libraries and one city library. Book loans have been made, area meetings held, advisory services given, and a publicity program started. A newsletter, Oakland Librarian, has been issued regularly, and monthly meetings have been held with 80- to 100-percent attendance. Headquarters have been established at Pontiac City Library, and books, equipment, and telephone supplied. Supervisors of townships in north Oakland County without library service were contacted and three townships appointed committees. However, it has been decided to lengthen the period of the project and concentrate on the townships already participating before making agreements with unserved townships. D. The West Central Library project has moved forward rapidly. In September 1958, 1,400 books were loaned from the Public Library Development Collection and made available to 12 community libraries in 6 northwestern counties of the lower peninsula: Lake, Mason, Osceola, Mecosta, Newaygo, and Oceana. During the year, 5,076 books were lent to the project libraries, and more than 200 classical and semiclassical records. Technical assistance has been provided by a consultant for the State library and all libraries have been visited. Efficient library routines have been adopted and monthly meetings of librarians have been held. A publicist has been hired on a part-time, contractual basis, and a newsletter and other promotional pieces have been distributed. By June 1959, 15 of the 17 libraries in the area were participating in the project. V. The Midland County Library, authorized in the fall of 1956 by contract with the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library of Midland City, began service to 15,000 rural people in 1957. Two book trailers and a truck were purchased, and 17,000 books lent from the Public Library Development Collection to supplement the local collection. The goal has been to provide 11⁄2 volumes per person from State and local sources in this area with its mushrooming population. These loaned books will be gradually replaced by local purchases. Other Significant Facts The library development program was sharply curtailed and slowed down by the cumulative effect of the recession which has been felt sharply in the automotive industry, affecting the financial structure of the State. The State library appropriation for 1960 has been left at the same level. The Library Services Act provided the "floor" which maintained the State appropriation in the face of budget cuts. Counties now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. 4 67,979 11 People in these counties to whom this service is available.. 268,950 Program Accomplishments, November 9, 1956, to June 30, 1959 I. The State agency has been strengthened by the addition of a fieldworker, clerical help, enlarged book collection, two bookmobiles for demonstration and exhibit purposes, expansion of film services, and publications and inservice training programs. Concentrated fieldwork and bookmobile demonstrations have been carried on in 10 counties, resulting in official action for library establishment in 6 counties. The growth of the book stock has made it possible to answer a large proportion of requests from local libraries and to provide development loan collections for the newly established county or regional libraries. Seventy-six 16-mm. educational films for library use have been made available for loan through the Minnesota Library Film Circuit. This circuit consists of 16 member libraries with 10 of the memberships being held by county and regional libraries. Cooperation with other agencies makes available during the year a total of 90 films to each member. Five workshops were held on films, inexpensive materials, and library cooperation— sponsored jointly by the Library Division and the Minnesota Library Association. Other workshops were held on campaigning for library service, and techniques for the small public library. An Institute on Multicounty and Regional Libraries was held in cooperation with the Library Association. A new reading-guidance service for rural patrons was inaugurated in 1958 and 350 patrons made use of this service in the new form. II. The grants-in-aid program has made marked progress. Nine counties qualified for participation during fiscal 1958. In its second year of operation, action was taken by two adjoining counties to establish library service, and seven boards of county commissioners received petitions to place the question to a referendum vote at the November election. An affirmative vote was given in three of these counties. The Dakota-Scott Regional Library was legally established in October 1958, effective January 1, 1959. It was the first regional library in the State and received an establishment grant of $79,600. All public libraries in the area, with the exception of South St. Paul, have joined and are now branches of the regional library. Headquarters has been established in rented quarters at Savage, and bookmobile service has been started with two book mobiles which follow a regular 2-week schedule. The staff consists of three professional librarians, a preprofessional librarian, two drivers, a secretary, and two clerks. The processing of books is done under contract by the Anoka County Library. The library has acquired 18,300 books, which include a nucleus for a strong reference collection. There are two memberships in the film circuit. Over 10,000 books were circulated the first month of operation. The East Central Regional Library was established in January 1959 by the joint action of Mille Lacs, Isanti, and Pine Counties, and it received a grant of $58,150. The Polk County Library was established as a result of a referendum. The board received a grant of $30,035 to cover cost of a bookmobile, equipment, and book stock. The services of the three existing libraries have been opened to all county residents. The Anoka County Library, the first county library established in Minnesota under the grants-in-aid program, has made excellent progress. Its grant amounted to $58,102. It now has headquarters, a bookmobile, and service exchange con tracts with the Columbia Heights and Anoka Public Libraries. The library has a book stock of 16,000 volumes. The Board of County Commissioners has increased the library levy and has received permission from the legislature to increase the county levy to a maximum of 3 mills, which will give a sounder financial basis for the operation when the establishment period expires. This library received a second grant of $39,063 for fiscal year 1958-59. Local support has greatly increased: Dakota County increased its expenditures from $1,500 annually to over $26,000; Scott County went from no support to over $8,500; Polk County from none to $16,000; Mille Lacs increased from no support to around $4,500; and Pine County from no expenditures to approximately $4,000. Other Significant Facts The 1957 Minnesota Legislature passed the first library grant legislation law in its history. A bill to permit Anoka County to levy 3 mills was passed, and a special bill concerned with South St. Paul joining the Dakota-Scott Regional Library was passed, subject to approval by the voters of that city. MISSISSIPPI Statistical Summary Services Number Counties now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. 10 People in these counties to whom service is now available. 130,627 42 People in these counties to whom this service is available. 1,030,152 Program Accomplishments, January 1, 1957, to June 30, 1959 The State agency has been strengthened by the addition of professional staff members, increased book purchases, and essential equipment. The statewide conference on book selection has resulted in improvement of book resources. One 2-week and one 1-week inservice training conferences have been held and 20 library staff members attended a regional workshop on service to young adults. |