they have been able to handle and have had to set up priorities and timetables for projects in future years. Our staff has prepared a State-by-State summary of progress under the act thus far, which I am pleased to make available to the committee at this time. Mr. ELLIOTT. Without objection, the compilation prepared by the Office of Education on the State-by-State progress under the Rural Library Services Act will be made a part of the record immediately following the statement of the Commissioner of Education, Dr. Derthick. Dr. DERTHICK. Thank you, sir. We recommend that the act be extended for an additional 5 years, to June 30, 1966. An excellent investment has been made in building State programs for rural public library development to maximum effectiveness. An extension of the act will enable many more rural areas still without library services or with inadequate services to experience new or improved service and to benefit directly by a cooperative State-local-Federal library development project. Mr. ELLIOTT. Dr. Derthick, the subcommittee is very pleased to have Hon. Charles Adams, the speaker of the house of representatives of the Alabama Legislature, with us here this morning. I am happy for him to hear what you have to say about the library bill. Dr. Derthick, may I present Mr. Adams. Dr. DERTHICK. So nice to know you, Mr. Adams, and I am sure we are indebted to you as speaker of the house in Alabama for this great progress in your State. Mr. ELLIOTT. We certainly are. Dr. DERTHICK. We want to tell you what we repeat oftentimes. We say it away from the Halls of Congress many more times than we say it here: That education in this country is deeply in the debt of Mr. Elliott and his committee. We rejoice in his leadership. It brings new heart and courage not only to those of us in the Office of Education but to educational leaders all over this country. We are very proud of him. Mr. ADAMS. I am very pleased to hear you say that. All of us in Alabama, whether we live within Congressman Elliott's district or outside his district, are mighty proud of Carl Elliott and what he is doing, not only for our State but for our Nation. Dr. DERTHICK. I know you are. I frequently say it is an inspiration for me to know such a leader who has an important role of responsibility in his committee assignments and leadership of this committee, and a man of such high integrity and statesmanship. Mr. ELLIOTT. Thank you very much. Dr. DERTHICK. To facilitate administration of the act, we are recommending two technical changes: First, we recommend that the words, "Alaska, Hawaii," be stricken from the definition of the term State contained in section 9(a), because their admission to the United States since the passage of the act makes specific mention unnecessary. Second, we recommend the elimination of section 4(b), providing for a 1-year carryover of State allotments. The provision is no longer necessary and, in some instances, I have been disturbed to find, has actually resulted in delaying the initiation of programs. Because of the success of this program, we are recommending an extension. We do feel, however, that this is an area where the Federal Government should endeavor to stimulate additional activity at the State level and that when this additional activity has been stimulated, Federal participation should be terminated. We hope, therefore, that the Congress will make it clear as a matter of legislative intent that at the end of the 5-year period provided for in this legislation, the Federal participation will cease and that the States will be expected to assume the full load. One way, of course, of underlining this conviction would be for the Congress to arrange for a tapering off of the Federal share. In this testimony, I have restricted our presentation to the objective evaluation and description of program methods and accomplishments. We are deeply aware, however, that the real story of the accomplishments under this act can only be told in terms of the personal experience of individuals who have benefited from these services. Some of the personal expressions of delight, satisfaction, and appreciation on the part of rural residents have come to our attention, and they give real meaning to the statistics I have presented. I was particularly touched-I might say I have often told this story-by the reaction of an elderly Texas gentleman who, after looking over the new bookmobile which represented the first time a library had come to his community, exclaimed, "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." On behalf of these citizens of every age, I urge the Congress, in the national interest, to give favorable consideration to extension of the Library Services Act in the manner I have indicated above. (The graphs referred to follow :) CHART 1 Library Services Act EXPENDITURES OF STATES AND OUTLYING PARTS PARTICIPATING IN Salaries and wages | Purchase of books! Purchase of All other operating expenses CHART 2 Library Services Act EXPENDITURES OF STATES AND OUTLYING PARTS PARTICIPATING IN Millions of dollars 10 1957 1958 1959 90 EXTENSION OF LIBRARY SERVICES ACT Mr. ELLIOTT. Thank you very much, Dr. Derthick. You have made a very fine statement and have brought us great cheer by your endorsement of the extension of this program. While Speaker Adams is here, I want you to summarize, if you will, Dr. Flynt, the progress that Alabama has been making under this wonderful cooperative program. He is familiar with some of the figures already, but you have just compiled them and summarized them. For my benefit and his, too, will you state that again! Dr. FLYNT. In the material you have ordered included in the record, you will find a summary of the progress Alabama has made. Alabama was able almost to match the initial Federal allotment of 540,000 which they received in 1957, matching in the amount of $34,778. During that period the Federal payment to Alabama has grown to $207,000, and Alabama has been able to meet its matching requirements of $163,600. Mr. ELLIOTT. That is the point I wanted to make, that under the legislative leadership of Mr. Adams, Alabama is going forward full swing with this program. That is what your figures show. Dr. FLYNT. Yes, sir. It will be recalled, Mr. Chairman, that under the matching requirements of this bill there is an equation in terms of both population and personal income. So Alabama is not required to match dollar for dollar the program. The progress of the State in spreading the services of this program, however, is more dramatically indicated by the second section of this report, in which we translate dollars into action. Three counties have been added to the library service program of Alabama, and this involves the extension of this service to approximately 85,000 people. In addition, 17 counties are receiving new and improved services which have affected the lives of 462,000 people, which, when placed against the total population of Alabama, is obviously a very significant per centage. Mr. ELLIOTT. How do our percentages of increase of service, Dr. Flynt, compare with the Nation as a whole? Is our percentage of increase about the same as the increase in service for the Nation as a whole? Have you figures which would show that? Dr. FLYNT. It is as good or better than most States. Certainly it belongs in the forefront of the States which have made progress. Mr. ELLIOTT. Speaker Adams and I like to hear of our State being in the forefront. Dr. FLYNT. Considering the size of Alabama, I think you will attach significance to the fact that eight bookmobiles have been purchased to cover areas where transportation makes it infeasible to locate a branch library. I Mr. ELLIOTT. We have eight bookmobiles under this program in Mr. ELLIOTT. The bookmobiles are serving 20 counties in Alabama. Dr. FLYNT. It should be added also, Mr. Chairman, that in supplementation to these programs which reach the more remote rural areas, four regional libraries have been established in Alabama. |