SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., May 22, 1956. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Subcommittee of Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: The National Congress of Parents and Teachers, with its 10 million memberships in 40,000 local parent-teacher associations, support S. 205, the libraryservices bill. We are convinced that a very real need exists for increased library services in the rural communities and rural schools throughout the Nation. The provisions of this bill which limit the Federal aid to a 5-year period, insure minimum Federal and maximum local control and provide variable matching grants should go far toward providing urgently needed library facilities for the estimated 27 million people now without easy access to any library. It is for the children that we plead especially. We believe that they should have the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures and privileges of reading facilities. In that way they become acquainted with the rich cultural and educational heritage of our country. We urge you and the members of your committee to report this bill favorably as soon as possible so that the full committee and the whole Senate may act on it without delay. Mrs. CLIFFORD N. JENKINS, National Chairman of Legislation of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF S. 205 BY BRENDAN SEXTON, EDUCATION DIRECTOR, UNITED AUTOMOBILE, AIRCRAFT, AND AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA The UAW joins in support of the purposes of S. 205, the library-services bill, which measure is designed to bring public library service to rural areas where such services are either nonexistent or very poor, inferior to those available in urban areas. Passage will mean that the educational opportunities of these rural communities can be greatly improved. It is extremely important that all people everywhere have easy access to books and other library materials which are necessities for an informed people, trained, experienced, and able to shop wisely in the free market place of ideas. The provisions of this bill leave to the States the decisions as to the development of a plan for extension of library services, the areas of the State where library service needs developing or where it needs improving. It also leaves to the State the selection of books, library materials, and personnel. We note that the bill is limited to a 5-year period. We understand that it is hoped that Federal aid and stimulation will foster greater interest and support of public library service by States and local communities. Projects commenced under the library-services bill would then be carried on by the States and localities after Federal assistance is terminated. This hope is supported by experience. Reading is habit forming, and intelligent evaluation of what is read develops with practice and the growth of knowledge. Rural people are as eager for good libraries and cultural facilities as are city people. Once they are given an opportunity to make use of adequate library services, they will look ahead to keep them growing and make provision for their support. The UAW hopes that the library-services bill, S. 205, will be favorably reported by the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee and will be passed by the Senate at an early date. ALABAMA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES, In re S. 205, library services bill. Chairman, Subcommittee on Education, Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, United States Senate, Washington, D. 0. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: I believe that you hold hearings later this week on the above-captioned bill. In connection with the hearings, I write you on behalf of the local communities of Alabama to endorse the principles and objectives of the bill. Experience in municipal administration over the past 21 years has led me to the solid conviction that adequate library service is a prerequisite to any community and especially to any good industrial community. The building of industrial plants in many of the smaller towns of Alabama raises the urgent necessity of the extension of public library service into hitherto neglected rural areas and the improvement of such library service as is already present. Only 20 of Alabama's 270 functioning municipalities fall outside the definition of rural as given in this bill. Of the 250 other municipalities, over half have a population of less than 1,000 and are rural-industrial communities in most instances. One of the State's newest industries, for example, is locating in a town of 1,137 population in a county that is struggling to develop countywide library service. Many like communities are working hard to maintain public libraries, either on their own or in cooperation with county and regional library systems. All serve people who live outside the corporate limits of the town. One town library in particular estimates its library service area at 20,000 population-over twice the town's population. Such libraries find their resources and their State aid stretched to the utmost to meet the increasing demands for this service. In this period of increasing industrialization and urbanization, the provisions of the library services bill would be of incalculable value to citizens of Alabama. The State and local governments are studying their revenues and expenditures in order to provide better government and living standards. Means will be found to do most of this within the State, but in the meantime the demands on library services far outrun the resources. Funds made available under this bill would help our public libraries over this hump, and I am confident that at the end of the 5-year period of the bill's operation these libraries would be in a position to carry on their increased services probably without Federal aid. It is well for Alabama's economy that industry is decentralizing and coming to the smaller communities. But to give lasting benefits to our State, such industrialization must be accompanied by facilities which offer the people the opportunity to become better informed and more literate. Among other things, better municipal government will depend on such persons. The educational process does not end with formal schooling and the public library is the core of continuing education for anyone seeking it. There is a direct relationship between the amount of education that an individual has secured and his earning power. I know of no better investment that our Government can make on behalf of its citizens than to encourage and stimulate the development of better public library service in our rural, rural-industrial, and small municipal areas. I sincerely urge the passage of this bill, which will unquestionably strengthen and extend our State's existing library service to the 892,501 citizens now without library service and the million others with inadequate service. With sincere good wishes to you and your committee, I am Cordially yours, ED E. REID, Executive Director. ROCHESTER, N. Y., May 22, 1956. Hon. LISTER HILL, Senate Committee: At annual meeting this board representing more than 600 public libraries and 14 million potential library users of New York State resolved to urge your immedate action to expedite favorable report on S. 205, library services bill out of Hill committee and early floor approval this session. We also commend and congratulate you for your interest and support to help strengthen nationwide public library service as cornerstone of American democracy. J. FRANK TRAYNOR, President, Library Trustees Foundation of New York State. STATEMENT OF DR. KATE HEVNER MUELLER, CHAIRMAN, EDUCATION COMMITTEE, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN, AND MRS. JAMES W. KIDENEY, CHAIRMAN, LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM COMMITTEE, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION UNIVERSITY WOMEN OF The American Association of University Women earnestly urges the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee to report favorably S. 205 to authorize Federal funds for the extension of library services. For many years our organization has supported the library services bills, and to that end testified in favor of H. R. 2840 on May 27, 1955, when the House Committee on Education and Labor was considering the measure. We were extremely gratified when the House passed the bill on May 8, 1956. The AAUW has a membership of over 135,000 college-trained women and is organized into more than 1,300 branches located in all 48 States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the District of Columbia. The association has an active study program in the field of education which is the basis for the association's support of the library services bills now being considered by this committee. Guided by local study groups throughout the United States, the biennial convention at its most recent meeting in Los Angeles in June 1955, adopted the following legislative item: "Support of measures to *** promote the development of library services." Our members work in communities at the grassroots level, many of them in the very fringe areas around urban centers and in or near the rural areas where no library services exist. Many local leaders report that it is exceedingly difficult to arouse interest sufficient to obtain local financial support to establish a library in the very areas where the need is the greatest. The reluctance of many rural communities to support local libraries often stems from their lack of understanding of the value of a library. Experience shows that our communities become accustomed to library services they are quick to continue them by local financing. We believe that a demonstration of such a service in every one of the 404 counties in this country now without any library services whatever would provide the impetus needed to bring to rural areas educational services now for the most part available only to citizens in centers of population. Dissatisfied with the progress they are able to make on their own to establish libraries where they are needed most, the members of AAUW are actively supporting the passage of the library services bills. As chairmen of the AAUW education and legislative committees we earnestly urge favorable committee action on the library services bills, and speedy Senate approval of these bills which will bring a new concept and appreciation of education to many rural areas of the United States. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, COUNCIL OF NATIONAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONS, The United States Senate, Washington, D. C. New York, N. Y., May 22, 1956. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: It is my understanding the library services bill, S. 205, is scheduled for hearings on Wednesday, May 23, before the Education Subcommittee of the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee. The Council of National Library Associations, composed of 15 national groups, met on April 16, 1956. At that meeting the representatives of the member organizations unanimously passed a resolution expressing the support of the Council of National Library Associations for the library services bill. At this time I wish to transmit to you this report of that action. Our organization is heartily in accord with the purposes motivating the introduction of the library services bill and with the provisions which it makes for the expansion of library services in this country. It is my hope that this statement may be made a part of the records of the hearings. Sincerely yours, EDWIN B. COLBURN, Secretary-Treasurer. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, AMERICAN HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION, Chairman, Education Subcommittee of the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: AS president of the American Home Economics Association and on behalf of the members, we request that you and the members of your Education Subcommittee give favorable consideration to and report out the library services bill, S. 205. Our Our association's 24,000 members are all college-trained home economists. program of work provides opportunities for professional home economists and other association members in related fields to cooperate in the attainment of well-being of individuals and families and the improvement of homes, and in the preservation of values significant to home life. We are interested in all families-those who live in smaller rural areas as well as those who live in the larger urban areas. Our work brings us into close relationship with families since we help them use the latest information in the areas of family relations and child development, of food and nutrition, textiles, housing, family economics, and household equipment. Many of our home economists, especially the home demonstration agents and specialists of the cooperative Extension Service, devote their time to disseminating the findings of the latest research and in aiding families and individuals to attain a better home and family life. They are concerned with the cultural needs as well as the practical needs of families living in rural areas, which, of course, includes library services. Our association's legislative program commits our members to the support of legislation which provides for extended library services to areas not now covered. We therefore commend the plan for bringing public library service to the almost 27 million people in the United States who are now without it. In the development of programs for effective family living adequate public service is important. Such services provide opportunities for continuous programs of education. We like the provisions of the library services bill which allow each State to devise its own plans for the further extension of library services to rural areas. We like the definite nature of its provisions which outline the functions of the Federal and State Governments. We believe that the formula by which funds are allocated under the bill is equitable and practical. We know that adult education programs have increased the economic status of farm families, have contributed to the enrichment of family life, and have provided for participation in activities at the community level. Library facilities would supplement and complement the educational opportunities of rural areas and no doubt provide lasting benefit to this part of our population too long neglected. Again we urge that the committee favorably consider this legislation and report it to the full committee within a short length of time. Please include this statement in the record of the hearings of the subcommittee. Sincerely, CATHERINE T. DENNIS, President. STATEMENT OF WALLACE J. CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON OFFICE, COOPERATIVE LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Cooperative League wishes to take this opportunity to express its wholehearted endorsement of the library services bill, S. 205, which is now before your committee. The Cooperative League is a national federation of consumer, supply, and service cooperatives. Its affiliated member organizations include in their memhership approximately 13 million different families who own cooperative businesses of various kinds through which they obtain farm supplies, insurance, consumer goods, electric power, savings and credit, health services, housing, and other needs. These people are providing the solution to their own economic problem and supplying their own economic needs without relying upon the Government or any other outside agencies. The Cooperative League is very much encouraged that the House of Representatives has already passed the library services bill with no crippling amendments and that action on the part of the Senate could launch a comprehensive rural library program this year. It is of deep concern to us that almost 27 million people in the United States are without access to local libraries. More than 400 counties in the United States do not have any single public library within their borders. As is true with many other services which are essential to the welfare of the people, the rural areas tend to be the last served because thinly settled areas are more expensive to serve than the cities and other populated centers. For that reason the farm family is the last to secure many essential services. In an era of crisis it is equally important to develop and maintain our human resources as it is to build production resources and physical plant. It is particularly important to develop these human resources from which a more than proportionate share of our future citizens will come. The bill before you can provide access to libraries to those people at a cost which is measured at a few cents per capita. The library services bill, by its very nature, is one designed to stimulate local interest and local activity in the development of rural libraries. The funds provided in this bill, $7.5 million per year for 5 years, are to be matched by the States. Allocation of Federal funds to each State is according to the percentage of the rural population of that State compared to the percentage of rural population in the Nation as a whole. Each State is to match the contributions from the Federal fund on a formula which puts the local contribution on the basis of the per capita income in the State compared to the per capita income nationally. The general principle under which the library services bill would operate is one which is a long-standing American tradition. We have used similar legislation to help States solve their own problems in vocational education, highway construction, agricultural extension, and the control of disease. Now that most of the farm homes have rural electrification, brought to them largely through cooperatives, borrowing funds and technical assistance from the Government, it is now particularly advantageous to make library service available to these families so that the farm boy and girl who have a measure of leisure time can use it for education and culture, and the farmer and the farmer's wife can have access to books for their own continuing education. The Cooperative League is happy to give this measure its full support. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, Sedalia, Mo., May 21, 1956. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. MURRAY: You come from a State that needs rural library development and is cognizant of it in that a new extension librarian has been employed. But all 48 States need rural library development in some way. The library extension section of the American Library Association urges your support of the library services bill, S. 205, in order that more may be done to provide this very important educational opportunity for more areas providing they are willing to help themselves with matching funds. My library is a new one, just 2 years old. It was established by a demonstration from our State library. Then a tax was voted by the people. Some persons decided to get rid of the library (and the tax) by the end of this first year. A revote carried the proposal 2 to 1. I believe this would be true many other places and if demonstrations can be set up for a limited time they will be given the same sort of support. But they must be given an opportunity to understand what a library can do for them. Approximately 80 million people are with inadequate or no library service. Schools provide inadequate book collections; adults do not have access to the information, education, and recreational reading they need. I wish you could see the changes in reading ability, widening of interests, and the real enjoyment our boys and girls get out of the books, films, filmstrips, phonograph records, and periodicals in Boonslick Library. If you could multiply it by the number of places the bill would provide library service you might have some idea of the value of this bill. Library extension members all over the United States join me in requesting your support of the library services bill. S. 205. May this be made a part of the record of the hearings for this bill? Sincerely yours, VERNA NISTENDIRK, President, Library Extension Section, STATEMENT OF ELI M. OBOLER, POCATELLO, IDAHO, PRESIDENT, PACIFIC NORTHWEST LIBRARY ASSOCIATION The Pacific Northwest Library Association includes four States: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Within these States are included the widest disparities of library service imaginable. The two States with somewhat better library service, Washington and Oregon, are still far from being able to serve their people with the kind of library service which they need and should have for the betterment of the educational levels of their people. Washington |