may contract for service. Only $50,000 was granted by the State for this biennium, but the association expects to request at least $350,000 for the next biennium.

If the library services bill is passed, it would mean that this money could be used as matching funds, and would be sufficient to establish more than one district unit each year for 5 years, which could then be continued on the local tax basis.

At present there are 243,702 people in our State without public library service of any kind. In addition to this 10 percent without any library service, an additional 40 percent do not have standard service, but only small collections of donated books, with volunteer services, or extremely small and inadequate book collections. In other words, 50 percent of the people in Washington have none or inadequate library service. The Library Services Act would promote standard library service for all. It would allow demonstrations in areas without service, or with inadequate service, which would create citizen interest for continued support within the community.

It is our understanding that the maximum for which the State of Washington could qualify under the library services bill would be $125,964 each year for 5 years, provided the State of Washington appropriated $154,267 per year as matching funds. The Washington Library Association will strive to get these matching funds in order to assure the rapid development of good library service in the State.

(Whereupon, at 11: 50 a. m., the committee adjourned.)