libraries in the State serving fewer than 10,000 people. There are only 17 libraries in the State serving over 200,000 people and these are located in the south coastal or San Francisco Bay area. Only 27 of the 57 counties with rural population have bookmobiles.

The impact of the Library Services Act on California has resulted in a backlog file of projects requested from these counties: Imperial, El Dorado, Colusa, Humboldt, Monterey, San Mateo, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sutter, Tehama, and Yolo. These and the impending demonstration projects which would organize public library service in two of the counties without public library service-Del Norte and Mendocino can only be started if this act is extended beyond 1961. For many years California was considered to be outstanding in its public library development. This idea gained credence largely because of the fine county library system developed in the second decade of this century which brought books and services to the rural population of the State. But with the passage of time, and California's metamorphosis from a predominately rural to an agricultural-industrial State, library services deteriorated.

I should like to refer to conditions in my own county and in Amador County to illustrate this situation. San Joaquin County ranks 20th in the United States in farm population and 96 percent of its land use is considered rural. Its library service area is 1,400 square miles and in many places library service is nonexistent. In 1912 there were 19 library stations in the county. By 1925 there were 31 but during the 1930's and 1940's this pattern was broken until by 1956 there were but 10 plus 5 branches. This shift took place during a period when population rose from 50,000 to 228,000.

Amador is a completely rural county with less than 10,000 population scattered over an area of 594 square miles. It's public library service was distintegrating when a group of citizens decided to request a Library Services Act project to find out what could be done to invigorate and make their library function. Stockton, 50 miles away, but a strong central library with a growing service program in the rural areas of San Joaquin County was approached to enter into a project with Amador library. The outcome was the StocktonAmador project which in a period of 20 months reorganized the Amador library, modernized its methods, and presented a plan for growth and development which Amador County has adopted.

Amador now has a professional librarian, its books are processed through the Stockton center, the Stockton library facilities are open and available to Amador residents, Amador staff are trained at Stockton, yet Amador remains independent and decides by contract what services it wishes to have.

In Amador County book use increased 42 percent, readers aid service increased 79 percent, and local financial support increased 32 percent. At Stockton we learned through actual experience that cooperation will work and that a larger library gains economically by extending its already functioning services.

One of the valuable lessons learned through this project is that the old "differences" between urban and rural people no longer exist in California. Today's rural resident has the same basic educational opportunity as the urban dweller. His tastes and interests are sophisticated. He often travels widely, reads extensively and is as

knowledgeable about the world as anyone living in large cities. His requirements in books range from inquiries for material on data processing to advanced texts in atomic physics or Russian grammar. Education has broadened interests and shortened horizons. Libraries are basic educational resources and tools and as such must be kept ready and accessible to all of our citizens.

Mr. ELLIOTT. Miss Klausner, there used to be a Member of Congress here named John Rankin, and he told the story that the paragraph you just read reminded me of. It was about the rural farmer who came to town and one of the townsmen asked him if he came to town to get the news, and the rural fellow said, "No, I came to town to bring the news.' So you feel the rural man in California today is quite on a par with his city cousin, I gather from your statement?

Miss KLAUSNER. He can hold his own.

We have many problems in California in modernizing our library resources. Ahead of us is a new economy, a new population, a rising tide of youth, an accelerated college program, and a continuing increase in the cost of the book. We have problems, too, of communication and transport, brought on by the vast distances in our State and the geographic variations which in some places isolate communities. In the past 20 years the books per capita available to California's population have dropped from 1.9 in 1940 to 1.3 in 1959. This is another indication of the scope of our problem. We view this fact with alarm because we know how important to individuals it is to have ready access to current information.

The Library Services Act has stimulated our approach to our problems. It has given us valuable experience, resulting in new methods and aiding us to find better ways to solve our problems cooperatively. This results in wider use of both personnel and facilities.

State library legislation in California has been moving ahead subsequent to the enactment of the Federal act. California established a commission to study the structure, operations, and needs of public libraries, made it possible for one person to be appointed as librarian for more than one county, raised the tax levy for county libraries from 1 to 3 mills, and made it possible for the California State Library to operate service centers outside of Sacramento.

I see the Library Services Act serving as a catalytic agent, a little leaven, you might say, which is raising standards and sparking interest in libraries throughout the State and the Nation. We need to carry on the projects now underway-many of them need 2 or 3 years to reach satisfactory completion. The extension of the provisions of this act for another 5 years will give us the opportunity to modernize by allowing us to explore new and sometimes better methods of service. It will enable us to strengthen the book resources in neglected areas and place them nearer to people.

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee. I want to thank you for the opportunity given me to appear before you and urge favorable consideration of this legislation to extend the Library Services Act.

Mr. ELLIOTT. Thank you very much, Miss Klausner.

Any questions, Mrs. Green?

Mrs. GREEN. Miss Klausner, do you have any figures at your fingertips on the number of projects in California that were started under

the Library Services Act but would be abandoned if we held to the 10,000 figure in the 1960 census?

Miss KLAUSNER. Of our five projects underway, the processing center at Sacramento has been operating approximately 2 years and it really should have a 5-year complete period to effectively establish itself and its value to the libraries that are working with it. It was slow in getting underway and it is just in a functioning state now. The fellowship grants are new this year, and, of course, if this project is not carried on, they will have had only 1 year in which to operate. We would like to see that extended.

Mrs. GREEN. Does it concern the 10,000 population figure?

Miss KLAUSNER. I was talking about the fellowship grants to educate people to work in this field.

The project in the San Joaquin Valley, which I mentioned, is just going into operation and it needs at least 3 years to establish its pattern of work, and, of course, it would be cut off if it were not carried forward, extended.

The project in the North Bay area is scheduled to go into effect in July 1960, and it would have only 1 year, which is not sufficient, and it would be cut off. We would suffer in this way, and also the backlog that we wish to overcome.

Mrs. GREEN. I think I did not make myself clear. The projects have been started in the rural areas that have less than 10,000 population according to the 1950 census. When the 1960 census results come along, many rural areas will have grown tremendously and will be beyond the 10,000 figure. If we do not freeze it at the 1950 census in our definition of rural areas, do you have any idea how many projects in California would have to be abandoned?

Miss KLAUSNER. I cannot tell you exactly, but I am certain from the estimates of population that this would happen in many of the areas, and I would hate to see these projects discontinued. I think the projects that have already been established and are in process, there should be some way of protecting them so they could be carried on to their completion. Whether it would be wise to change the basic population figure or not, I would want more information on that, but I do believe, just because the population has shifted, a project should not be stopped if it is underway. I do not think we are going to have too much evidence and information until we know the results of the 1960

census.

Mrs. GREEN. Does not the chamber of commerce in each of your towns know pretty well?

Miss KLAUSNER. Well, they make all kinds of guesses.

Mrs. GREEN. Could you get the committee an estimate of the ones that would have to be discontinued in California?

Miss KLAUSNER. Yes; I think that would be possible.

Mrs. GREEN. In your position as president of the library administration division, could you and your colleagues get for the committee the projects that would have to be discontinued, at least in the States represented by the members of the committee?

Miss KLAUSNER. I think we can get some of that information together for you. A lot of it is based on estimates, of course.

Mrs. GREEN. Yes; it would have to be, I realize that, but most areas know where they have grown considerably.

Miss KLAUSNER. In our State many of these projects are combined. They will combine small city libraries and small county libraries in order to initiate a project.

Mrs. GREEN. The information I had was that most of the projects in California would have to be abandoned, and I wondered if this information is accurate.

Miss KLAUSNER. I think it probably will show up to be accurate in connection with the 1960 census. We cannot believe what has hap

pened there ourselves.

(Statement on effects of 1960 census follows:)

EFFECTS OF THE 1960 CENSUS RETURNS UPON LIBRARY SERVICES ACT PROJECTS IN THE STATES REPRESENTED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE

Alabama

It will not effect any programs currently underway. It will make some projected regional developments more difficult and unwieldy. Our problem has been, and continues to be, a need for a complete lifting of a population limit su that the natural urban center can benefit from integral participation in a region. A contractual arrangement does not achieve the same organizational unity, even if the urban center can be convinced that it gains from participation (information from director, Alabama Public Library Service, February 16, 1960). California

In answer to your question as to how the 1960 census will affect the Library Services Act demonstration projects in California, we find that none of the projects will be affected by the population change. In developing these projects and future demonstrations, we have taken into account these changes through special census figures.

The Library Services Act funds are being used in California in demonstrations which have definite terminal dates [California demonstration projects are usually for a 3-year period], so it has been possible for us to anticipate population changes in our initial development of the demonstrations (information from assistant State librarian, California, April 1, 1960).

Connecticut

In reply to your specific question "What major projects will be abandoned?" we will not abandon any of our major projects: (1) Consultant services, (2) book services, or (3) workshops. We will simply exclude from these projects the 25 towns no longer eligible in 1960.

Even so the 25 towns which will have more than 10,000 population in 1960 should begin to stand on their own feet with the additional State help which will still be given to them from our office with the use of State funds, and we should use the Federal funds to increase our help to the libraries serving less than 10,000 population.

You will remember that there are now 202 public libraries in 161 of Connecticut's 169 towns. Under the Library Services Act we are now serving 149 of a potential 157 of the 202 public libraries. To exclude 32 libraries from the present 149 or the potential 157 does not too greatly affect our basic plan.

As a concrete example, let us take the Third Congressional District represented by Congressman Robert N. Giaimo. In his district there are 16 towns with a total of 19 libraries. Ten of these towns (with 13 libraries) are now in the Federal plan. Under the 1960 census the five libraries in three towns (Branford, East Haven, and North Haven) would cease to be served under the Library Services Act.

They would still receive consultant services and be able to attend some workshops, but they would not be able to receive loans of books from the newly established State Central Book Collection. The libraries in 7 of the 10 towns now eligible would continue to receive all of the benefits of the Federal program. (Letter of Apr. 6, 1960, from chief, Bureau of Library Services, State of Connecticut.)

New Jersey

New Jersey has many projects for rural library development in mind for the future. In each case sound programs could be developed within the 10,000 population limit.

In July 1961 we will be in the much more favorable position of possessing a recent census of basic statistics. Surely programs of library development and demonstration should be based upon the most current authoritative data. Rather than perpetuating the diversion of funds for rural public library development to communities that have long outgrown the "rural" definition, we should accept the 1960 census. (Statement from director of New Jersey State Library, April 7, 1960.)

New York

I would like to see the 1960 census used in its application to the Library Services Act. In New York State our various projects under the Library Services Act are broad and statewide in their application. Therefore, while the change from the 1950 to the 1960 census will have considerable effect in some areas of our State, it will in no wise change the scope or even the application of the program under LSA. In our experience with State aid we have found that as you get further away from the last official census the application of State aid becomes inequitable to certain parts of the State. Furthermore, any sort of per capita figures has a very distorted value when based on a census that is considerably behind us. (Letter of Apr. 6, 1960, from director, Division of Library Extension, the New York State Library.)

Oregon

None *** (letter from State librarian of Oregon dated March 11, 1960.) Mrs. GREEN. I have traveled in California frequently myself and know what you mean.

Mr. ELLIOTT. Any questions by the gentleman from New Jersey? Mr. DANIELS. No questions.

Mr. ELLIOTT. Our next witness is Mrs. Fred Bull, legislation chairman of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers.

Mrs. Bull we are very happy to have you here and look forward to your testimony, a copy of which is available to each member of the subcommittee.

Having said that as a background and with our warmest expression of welcome, you may proceed.

STATEMENT OF MRS. F. L. BULL, LEGISLATION CHAIRMAN, THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS

Mrs. BULL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am Mrs. F. L. Bull, legislation chairman of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. I appreciate this opportunity to appear before your committee and to put my organization on record in support of the bills to extend the Library Services Act.

As the members of this subcommittee know, we have a membership of 12 million volunteer men and women who are taxpayers in every State of the Union. We have 48,000 local units and we have had a longtime interest in books and reading, dating back to our earliest conventions before 1900.

At the end of each school year we receive reports from all the 52 State congresses (this includes District of Columbia and our European Congress). The most recent of these indicates, almost without exception, that the Federal aid received from the Library Services Act has been a tremendous stimulant and incentive for expanding and improving good library service in rural areas. The reports indicate the changing attitude of the general public toward library development is most encouraging and wholesome, as they have learned what good library service is and what it means to the economic as well as the cultural welfare of the community.