counties of the Carbondale area proves successful, this service will be offered throughout the State. Counties now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. 0 29 People in these counties to whom this service is available. Bookmobiles purchased under program. 21,502 Program Accomplishments, January 4, 1957, to June 30, 1959 The strengthening of the State agency has been extensive and one of the major projects. The State library has been reorganized, and an extension program has been launched. Mail services have been set up in the reference and circulation division, and travel funds augmented. New books in all categories have been purchased for the Traveling Library, and three professional librarians and six clerks have been added to the staff. A record collection for statewide use has been started, and a film collection developed to encourage better use of libraries. Four field offices (Cherokee, Mason City, Cedar Falls, and Jefferson) have been established. The Iowa State Traveling Library negotiated contracts with the participating libraries from which the field representatives operate. This has made consultation and evaluation services available on a much broader basis. One hundred and thirteen libraries have been "weeded"; 78, cataloged; and 70, evaluated. The public library laws have been interpreted to trustees at more than 340 board meetings and 18 trustee workshop sessions or district meetings. Eighty-seven libraries have met the minimum Iowa public library standards and thus qualified for reference books and special professional services. Cooperative enterprises have been encouraged. In the field services area of Jefferson, nine libraries each have contributed $75 to a central purchasing fund for rotating collections. The Mason City area is using duplicate copies of books for a similar program and has developed a regional newsletter. This area has crossed county lines and the eastern area of the State has been working for a regional cooperative federation of 20 or more libraries and four or more counties. District meetings and leadership-training workshops have increased awareness of improved library services, planning, and public relations. A Kansas workshop session, typical of many meetings of librarians and trustees which were held in the States on aspects of Library Services Act programs. KANSAS Statistical Summary Services Counties now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. People in these counties to whom service is now available. Counties with some service prior to program now receiving improved or extended service... People in these counties to whom this service is available. Bookmobiles purchased under program. Personnel added Number 0 104 1, 171, 229 2 Field librarians... Other professional librarians. Clerks and drivers.. Others.. Total... Program Accomplishments, July 1, 1957, to June 30, 1959 2020 The Traveling Libraries Commission has been strengthened and services expanded. The Commission has moved to larger quarters which will allow for more extensive development of the agency's program and more efficient work. The staff has been increased by four (two professional librarians and two clerical staff members). The procedures for lending books to libraries were revised to provide more adequate and enriched collections. Language records have been added, and films on library services have been purchased for the use of groups. The first State agency bookmobile, delivered in February 1958, has been heavily scheduled for exhibits and workshops. Four workshops for trustees, with over 200 in attendance, were held in cooperation with the Kansas Library Association and the Governmental Research Center. National standards and relationships of libraries with governmental agencies were stressed. Two workshops for public librarians were also held. A western Kansas office was opened at the Kansas State College at Hays and a field consultant appointed for this area. Work was started in September 1958, and more than 75 visits were made during the 10-month period. The office has been temporarily closed due to lack of staff. In December 1958, the countywide studies were started. Information concerning the plan was sent to 17 librarians and to the presidents of the respective library boards. Three counties requested studies: Stevens, Seward, and Grant. The Stevens County report has been completed and is available in printed form. Several changes in library routines and improvements in the book collection have already been made based on the report. Other Significant Facts Changes have been made in the legal statutes of the State to more clearly define the responsibilities of the Traveling Libraries Commission. Several tax limitations that blocked library development were eased with passage of three bills by the legislature. The new laws provide for removal of all or part of the library millage from the aggregate for city and county libraries. The Traveling Library Commission's appropriation-while not sufficient to match for all Federal funds-was increased over former years. That there was an increase and not a cut is significant, since the appropriation of only one other State agency was increased in 1959. An advisory committee, a group of about 30 persons representing various organizations and the Kansas Library Association, has been meeting regularly since 1955. Although at first its role was concerned with working for the passage of the Library Services Act, the committee now acts to give advice and publicity on the activities of the Traveling Libraries Commission. KENTUCKY Statistical Summary Services Number Counties now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. 0 0 32 People in these counties to whom this service is available.. 578, 718 Bookmobiles purchased under program. 0 Program Accomplishments, April 1, 1957, to June 30, 1959 I. The Library Extension Division has been strengthened. Professional and clerical staff members have been added, and needed equipment has been purchased. Books for the regions have been selected, ordered, cataloged, processed, and delivered. Centralized cataloging for the regions is a new service which is being offered by the Division. Field librarians are helping in the regions to prepare union catalogs and adequate but simple catalogs for each participating county. Each of the six regional libraries under the State plan has begun to circulate collections of classical records, films, and framed paintings for the first time. This material cannot be ordered and processed fast enough to satisfy the librarians or the public. In addition to having its own collection of films, the Library Extension Division has contracted with the University of Kentucky for the use of its film collection for showing in the regions. Exhibits and displays have been planned and set up in all areas—in the libraries themselves, in stores, churches, and organization meeting rooms. II. Development of regional libraries has been under way. A. There were many accomplishments in the development of the first four regional libraries which have been under the State plan: 1. Eden Shale Regional Library (Anderson, Carroll, Henry, Owen, Oldham, Shelby, and Trimble Counties). 2. Eastern Kentucky Regional Library (Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, and Morgan Counties). 3. Lake Cumberland Regional Library (Adair, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Russell, and Wayne Counties). 4. Valley of Parks Regional Library (Bell, Laurel, Pulaski, Rockcastle, and Whitley Counties). B. Work is also going forward in the development of the two new regional libraries which started in 1958: 1. Pennyrile Regional Library (Caldwell, Christian, Muhlenberg, Trigg, and Webster Counties). 2. South Central Regional Library (Allen, Barren, Metcalfe, Monroe, and Simpson Counties). C. Assistance of the Library Extension Division to these six regions has been given in many ways, such as weeding and cataloging of collections, inservice training for librarians, expanded reference services, public information services, record concerts and art exhibits, children's story hours, monthly newsletters, and summer reading programs for children. Other Significant Facts Recruitment remains a serious problem. Inservice training and library courses (scheduled one course at a time) remain a partial answer to the dilemma caused by the shortage of trained librarians. A summer workshop on children's literature, run by the University of Kentucky and sponsored by the Library Extension Division, was very successful. There is no doubt that Kentucky is closer to achieving standards set for library development in the State than 3 years ago, but it is realized that there is still a long way to go. Campaigns for legal establishment of many libraries by ballots have started in many areas. Much will depend on the results of these campaigns. The Library Extension Division has been working to define its legislative goals for presentation to the 1960 legislature. A survey of public libraries made by the State Legislative Research Commission, in the State, highlights needs for legislative reforms, for improvements within the Division itself, and for goals for libraries. The State appropriation to the Library Extension Division for the biennium 1958-60 was increased $50,000 over the previous biennium. LOUISIANA Statistical Summary Services Number Parishes now receiving library service which were unserved prior to program. 5 69,379 service.... 1 People in this parish to whom this service is available . 30,000 Program Accomplishments, January 17, 1957, to June 30, 1959 I. Louisiana has continued to augment its parish (county) library demonstration plan, in operation since 1926, to extend it to specialized projects and to bring library service to the 19 parishes without libraries. A. The Vernon Parish Library demonstration begun in November 1956, was completed in 1957 with aid from the Library Services Act program. Local support of $1.86 per capita was voted. A professional staff of two was employed, and a bookmobile and books supplied for the demonstration. B. The Allen Parish Library demonstration began in March 1957, and in August funds were voted for the maintenance of the library with $2 per capita support. |