Letters, prepared statements, supplemental material, etc.-Continued Klausner, Margaret, Stockton Public and San Joaquin County Li- braries, California, insert entitled, "Effects of the 1960 Census Re- turns upon Library Services Act Projects in the States Represented by the Members of the Subcommittee”. Mason, Walter J., legislative representative, AFL-CIO, statement of__ May, Hon. Catherine, a Representative in Congress from the State of 64 "The Plan's the Thing," booklet of the Ohio State Library - Morrison, Hon. James H., a Representative in Congress from the Oliver, Hon. James C., a Representative in Congress from the State of Maine, prepared testimony by. Pike, Walter K., chairman of the board of trustees, Henderson County Public Library, Hendersonville, N.C., letter to Chairman Elliott- Powell, Benjamin E., president, American Library Association, Durham, N.C., insert entitled "Effect of Inflation Upon Library Rivers, Hon. L. Mendel, a Representative in Congress from the State of South Carolina, submitting a letter from the South Carolina Roberts, Hon. Kenneth A., a Representative in Congress from the State of Alabama, Report on Library Services in Fourth Alabama The American Library Association, excerpts from survey of Thompson, Hon. Frank, Jr., a Representative in Congress from the Thompson, Hon. T. A., a Representative in Congress from the State Letter from Louisiana State Library. Statement of.. 80 Letters, prepared statements, supplemental material, etc.—Continued Allotments to States according to the terms of the Library Serv- Page 48 Report by Emily Wheelock Reed, director, Alabama Public Li- 45 EXTENSION OF LIBRARY SERVICES ACT TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1960 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a.m., in the caucus room, Old House Office Building, Hon. Carl Elliott (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Representatives Elliott, Green, Daniels, and Giaimo. Mr. ELLIOTT. The Subcommittee on Special Education of the House Committee on Education and Labor will be in order. Today we begin hearings on an extension of the Library Services Act. The Library Services Act was passed in 1956. We attempted to pass it for many years before that, but 1956 brought the accomplishment. The act authorized the Congress to appropriate $7.5 million per year for each of 5 years to provide library services for rural Americans. At that time it was pointed out that over 26 million Americans living in rural areas had no access to a public library and that 50 million other rural Americans had inadequate library services. The $7.5 million which we first authorized was believed to be sufficient, when matched by State and local funds, to make a big enough start toward library improvement and to arouse enough interest that after 5 years the Federal Government could step out of the picture. However, never during any of the years since the act has been in operation has the administration seen fit to ask for the full authorization. Indeed, during the first 2 years less than half of the authorization was appropriated. Over the 4-year period the act has been in operation we have appropriated less than two-thirds of the amount authorized by the bill. Now, let us look at what the act has accomplished so far: Of the 76 million which had inadequate, or no services, over 30 million have been given access to new or improved services since 1956 and more than 1 million persons have been given library services for the first time: 66 rural counties formerly without services now have access to the services of a public library; over 200 new bookmobiles are now bringing books and information to rural people in remote areas; and over 5 million books have been added to the cultural resources of rural communities. I think this is great progress, my friends, but there is still a lot to be done. As a matter of fact, the job is about one-half done. We still have 40 million Americans who have inadequate library facilities, we 1 have hundreds of schools which are handicapped because there are no public libraries accessible to them, and millions of adults are deprived of the enjoyment and information they could obtain from books. So, I think that these bills will make great strides in helping boost the education of our Nation by making public libraries available to increased millions of rural Americans. Thirty bills have been introduced to extend the provisions of the Library Services Act. They fall into these categories: They are H.R. 9319, introduced by myself; H.R. 9494, introduced by the gentle lady from Oregon, Mrs. Green; and H.R. 9812, introduced by myself; H.Ř. 9574 by Mr. Hechler; H.R. 9587 by Mr. Perkins; H.R. 10280 by Mr. Moulder; H.R. 10604 by Mr. Morrison; H.R. 10623 by Mr. Thompson of Louisiana; H.R. 10647 by Mr. Celler; H.R. 10958 by Mr. Dorn of New York; H.R. 10929 by Mr. Ullman; H.R. 1002 by Mr. Metcalf; H.R. 10117 by Mr. Oliver; H.R. 10191 by Mr. Daniels; H.R. 10335 by Mr. Dixon; H.R. 10420 by Mr. Fascell; H.R. 10535 by Mr. Conte; H.R. 10701 by Mr. Smith; H.R. 10888 by Mr. Merrow; H.R. 10937 by Mr. Mills; H.R. 10928 by Mr. Trimble; H.R. 10992 by Mrs. Griffiths; H.R. 11000 by Mr. Roberts; H.R. 11108 by Mrs. May; H.R. 11118 by Mr. Johnson; H.R. 11120 by Mr. Staggers; H.R. 11148 by Mr. Zelenko; H.R. 11154 by Mr. Thompson of New Jersey; H.R. 11175 by Mr. Multer; and H.R. 11202 by Mr. McGovern. Since these bills fall into a general pattern-three separate patterns I might say-as representative of the types of bills I will ask the reporter to include H.R. 9319, H.R. 9494, and H.R. 9812 at this point in the record, with the note that the other bills had been introduced as I have already stated. (The bills referred to follow :) [H.R. 9319, 86th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To extend the Library Services Act for a period of five years Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3 of the Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 352) is amended by striking out "four" and inserting in lieu thereof "nine". [H.R. 9494, 86th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To extend the Library Services Act for a period of five years, and to amend such Act Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) section 3 of the Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 352) is amended by striking out "four" and inserting in lieu thereof "nine". (b) Section 6(c) of such Act is amended by striking out "(excluding Alaska)" and "Hawaii shall be 50 per centum and for Alaska,”. (c) Section 9(a) of such Act shall be amended by striking out "Alaska, Hawaii,". (d) Section 9(e) of such Act shall be amended by striking out the period and inserting in lieu thereof “according to the 1950 decennial census.". [H.R. 9812, 86th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To amend the Library Services Act in order to extend for five years the authorization for appropriations, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3 of the Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 352) is amended by striking out "four succeeding fiscal years" and inserting in lieu thereof "nine succeeding fiscal years". SEC. 2. Section 6(c) of the Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 355 (c)) is amended to read as follows: "(c) For the purposes of this section the 'Federal share' for any State shall be 100 per centum less the State percentage and the State percentage shall be that percentage which bears the same ratio to 50 per centum as the per capita income of such State bears to the per capita income of all the States (excluding Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands), except that (1) the Federal share shall in no case be more than 66 per centum or less than 33 per centum, and (2) the Federal share for Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands shall be 66 per centum.” SEC. 3. Section 6(d) of the Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 355(d)) is amended by striking out "the States and of the continental United States (excluding Alaska)" and inserting in lieu thereof "each of the States and of all of the States (excluding Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands)". SEC. 4. Section 9(a) of the Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 358(a)) is amended by striking out "Alaska, Hawaii,”. Mr. ELLIOTT. Our first witness today is Hon. James W. Trimble, a Member of Congress from the Third District of Arkansas. Judge Trimble has been interested in the subject of better library services for rural people of America for a long, long time. He is the author of one of the bills before us and we are happy to hear him and we look forward to the wisdom and advice that you bring us, Judge Trimble, now as always. You may proceed. STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES W. TRIMBLE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ARKANSAS Mr. TRIMBLE. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, of course, I am humbled by that introduction. I do not want to take the time of this subcommittee because you have so many other witnesses to be heard, but I want to thank you for this opportunity to testify in favor of the extension of the Library Services Act. Nearly all people agree the success of a democracy depends on an informed citizenry. Because of the Library Services Act books and other publications have been made available for the first time to people in many small communities and rural areas. Truly it is helping to keep our citizens informed. Because of the Federal interest the States are also becoming more active in this field. Since 1956 State appropriations for library services have increased about 54 percent. Just a few days ago a letter came to me from one of the State library associations. I am told that in 1957 there were 27 public libraries in that State and presently there are 130. The writer stated, "The Library Services Act made this possible." An article by Mr. John G. Lorenz, Director, Library Services Branch, U.S. Office of Education, appeared in the January 1960 issue of the American Library Association Bulletin. It is a fine statement on the accomplishments of the library program and also tells of the needs that are yet to be met. While the accomplishments from the statistical point of view are impressive, the ultimate test is the benefit provided the people. Mr. Lorenz quoted a Texas senior citizen as saying: It is almost too much for me. When I look at all these books of knowledge and adventure at my fingertips and think of how old I am and of how much I've missed in the past, I'm just desperate to know where to begin. |