I want to discuss with you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee, the situation in my State of West Virginia. For years the State of West Virginia has been one of the leaders in the library movement. By State legislation we have created a State library commission that operates in connection with our university. They are presently engaged in doing just what this bill would encourage other States to do. They are carrying on demonstrations through local means and through State appropriations. They have a bookmobile, auto transportation arrangement whereby library books are carried into the outlying communities. In the better situated counties financially, and where we have heavy concentrations of populalation we are already fairly well supplied with library service. The thought is that this be taken out into the rural communities where they have never given much thought to the establishment of a library service. All you are being asked to do in this bill is for a 5-year period to make appropriations to encourage the States to match it with like appropriations which will bring into the picture a lot of more local money when they find out that the Federal Government and the State are participating. This is like your approach to the question of grantsin-aid for school construction. It must be a three-way proposition: there must be cooperation between the local communities, between the States and the Federal Government. I asked for some information from my library people down in the State of West Virginia, and here are some of the comments, and I shall read them into the record. Dollars provided by the library services bill can be converted into library books loaned for home reading more quickly and with greater effectiveness in West Virginia than in any other State because West Virginia has a statewide plan for demonstrating the value of library services in areas now without service. Although the State library commission has been seeking money to carry out this plan, the State legislature has been able to finance only limited demonstration. I recall, Mr. Chairman, that the program has been going on in West Virgina for a number of years. I was State director of the budget for West Virginia from 1941 to 1945, and each time I prepared a budget for the legislature I prepared a budget for the use of the library commission. I know something about what they are doing, something about the intent of the library commission, why it was set up, and some of the objectives they have in mind. And I think pretty largely this bill that is before you today could be modeled after what has been set up in the State of West Virginia. Our trouble there is that we are handicapped by lack of funds. We have a rather serious economic situation in the State of West Virginia which probably may limit what the legislature can appropriate for the use of the library commission. The idea was that if this Federal fund is supplied it will be quite an incentive for the State legislature to continue to make appropriations, and increased appropriations so as to enlarge the program along with the Federal Government's assist ance. Once the residents of these counties-and I am talking now about your rural outlying counties that have never had library servicebegin to use books there will be a continuing desire for the education. and for the recreation and inspirational value that they get from this service. It will also be an inducement to the local levying authorities such as our county boards of commissioners to provide the necessary funds to match the State funds to keep this service going after your Federal appropriations have demonstrated that they are practicable and feasible and a worthwhile community activity. In short, the money which West Virginia would receive as a result of passage of this bill would send library commission staff, books and bookmobiles into areas where public library service is both needed and wanted. This demonstration should be solely for the purpose of educating the county authorities and the community, the residents of the communities served, that it is a good program, it is a worthwhile community program, and that they should, after a limited number of years, as provded in this bill, take over this service and carry it on as a local and State activity. We in West Virginia believe that we have a good plan, and we are interested in the possibilities of going forward with funds that would be made available by the Federal Government. I could pick up this bill here and discuss with you the provisions, but I understand, from your questioning of the witness who preceded me, you already know most of what the bill provides. Let me say to you, Mr. Chairman, that there is little, if any, Federal control in the bill. It is somewhat the approach that is contained in the legislation that I have offered in the committee for the solution of our school-construction problem. It has a minimum of Federal control. The matter is left to a State plan, and that State plan is managed solely by the State and local officials within the State. There are no provisions for Federal control. They ask the Federal Commissioner of Education to approve the State plan and then make reports to show how the Federal moneys were used by the States. Those are the only Federal controls contained in the legislation. Mr. LANDRUM. Thank you, Mr. Bailey. Mr. BAILEY. I appreciate this opportunity to appear before the committee, and would remind you that I have had, since coming to Congress, an intense interest in legislation of this kind, being intensely interested in education that would affect the welfare of the boys and girls in whom I am naturally interested. Whatever your committee does here to put out a bill, it will have my wholehearted support in the committee as a whole and on the floor of the House of Representatives. Mr. LANDRUM. Thank you. We are well acquainted with the gentleman's attitude toward the welfare of the public. For the benefit of those who are to appear later and have not been able to appear this morning, it is the intention of the committee to sit again this afternoon beginning at 2 o'clock, and to try to hear as many as possible of those who were scheduled to appear today. I understand, however, that Congressman Merrow is in the audience. and desires to present a witness from his State to the committee. For his convenience, I wondered if he would be pleased to present that witness now and let her come on this afternoon so as to perhaps not to detain him from his office. If that is the pleasure of the gentleman from New Hampshire, I recognize now Congressman Chester E. Merrow of the State of New Hampshire. (Congressman Bailey subsequently received the following letter, which has been made a part of the record by order of the chairman:) Hon. CLEVELAND M. BAILEY, WEST VIRGINIA LIBRARY COMMISSION, House of Representatives, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR MR. BAILEY: Mrs. Dean Johnson of Buckhannon, who was in Washington yesterday to offer testimony on the library service bill, reported to me today that the testimony given by Mr. Brownell of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was of an unfavorable nature. Since I have had extensive experience in one program representative of the kind under discussion, I am offering a few facts and figures to you on the chance that they may be of some help to you in your efforts. In 1950 the library commission began a demonstration of regional library service, emphasizing the use of a bookmobile, which within 2 years covered a region of 5 counties. This region includes a population of 65,000 and consists of the counties of Jackson, Roane, and in your district, Calhoun, Ritchie, and Doddridge. For the first full year of operation, with 4 counties participating, the number of. books circulated was 48,000; for the second it was 68,000; for the third, the first full year of operation with 5 counties, it was 79,500; and for last year it rose to 89,000. Althought this year's figures are not yet complete, they are already higher than those of last. While many other facts could be offered to demonstrate the success of the service, I believe that these figures alone prove the point rather conclusively. It should be noted at the same time that the quality of the book collection offered was high. Meanwhile the counties have continued to assume a progressively higher share of the cost, and it is expected that the future will see all support coming from the local level. Yet it would have been a near impossibility for these counties to inaugurate a program of adequate quality without help. There is no use my belaboring the matter of our present State financial problems, for you know the facts better than I. I would say that no librarian I have talked with in my part of the country either expects or wants permanent Federal aid. But we do know that making a good start is both the most critical and the most costly part of the problem and that West Virginia, like many other States, needs help. In concluding I should like to express my warmest appreciation to you for your repeated efforts on behalf of public-library progress. Yours sincerely, KENNETH E. BROWN, Regional Consultant. STATEMENT OF HON. CHESTER E. MERROW, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE Mr. MERROW. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate this opportunity to appear before your committee. I would like, if I may, Mr. Chairman, to file a statement in support of this legislation that is being considered by the committee since I introduced one of the bills that are now before you for consideration. I would like to present the statement at this time for the record. Mr. LANDRUM. Very well, sir. Without objection, it will be received. (The statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF HON. CHESTER E. MERROW, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE On January 24, 1955, I joined with several of my colleagues in introducing the proposed Library Services Act. The bill I introduced, H. R. 2860, is to promote This is muchthe further development of public library service in rural areas. needed legislation and I hope the Congress will act favorably upon the measure. STIMULUS TO OVERCOME SHORTAGE OF LIBRARY FACILITIES The proposed library services legislation is for the purpose of providing an urgently needed stimulus in the struggle to overcome a national shortage of library facilities and library services in rural areas. The proposed legislation is not intended to subsidize or to foster a control over any of the libraries in the Nation; it is to furnish the initial incentive in a long-range program. Once such services and facilities are established and once they are operating satisfactorily, it is confidently anticipated that local and widespread demand will insure their continuance long after Federal assistance has been discontinued. PROVISIONS OF THE BILL The bill authorizes an appropriation of $7,500,000 a year for a 5-year program to provide payments to States submitting plans for the extension of library services. This is merely an authorization measure and if enacted, the Appropriations Committee will decide on the amount of money to be made available for carrying out the provisions of the act. The various States will, under this legislation, be required to match their respective allotments which, of course, would vary according to the ratio of the rural population of each State to the total for all the States. The State library extension agencies which would receive the Federal funds will present their plans for preliminary approval to the Commissioner of Education. The sole control over the program, however, would be vested in a State agency with plans varying according to the different needs of each individual State. The role of the Commissioner of Education is specifically planned to be constructive and not one of administrative or functional direction. His participation is intended to be fully advisory and consultative. As a central clearing point, the Commissioner would be in an excellent position to assess the more successful programs and to further communicate recommendations based upon such instances to other States in apparent need of requesting such guidance. The Commissioner will issue periodic reports on the accomplishments of the various programs so that other States may learn about and possibly take advantage of successful plans. WIDESPREAD SUPPORT Widespread support and encouragement have been voiced with respect to this bill. Among the farm, labor, educational, civic, and veteran groups which have already wholeheartedly endorsed this proposed legislation are the following: National Grange, Farmers Union, American Federation of Labor, United Auto Workers, Congress of Industrial Organizations, National Education Associaton, American Library Association, AMVETS, National Congress of Parents and Teachers, Cooperative League, International Association of Machinists, General Federation of Women's Clubs, American Booksellers Association, and the American Association of University Women. It is readily apparent that these organizations represent a cross section of most of our populace. The respective members are profoundly aware of the urgent need for providing effective library service for all the people. They are aware that this problem is one of national concern, as well as for the various States and their local subdivisions. DEVELOPED BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION The present plan for stimulating national library service was developed by the American Library Association in 1948, and subsequently modified as was found necessary. A comprehensive study was made of all factors involved. It soon became apparent that local tax sources needed supplementation, and the most logical aid should come from the State and the Federal Government. Further, other studies have clearly indicated that a community should have a minimum population of 25,000 people and an income of at least $40,000 for the library in order that reasonably good library service may be provided. The need for improved library services cannot be denied. The American Library Association reports that approximately 30 million Americans do not have access to a local public library. Most of these people live on farms and in villages. In the 3,070 counties in the United States, only 735 provide countywide library service while 488 have no public library facilities of any kind within their borders. The overwhelming majority of counties, which lack adequate library service, exist in rural areas. WIDESPREAD BENEFITS The public library can and should be an invaluable supplement to the work of our schools. For several years the trend in elementary and secondary teaching has been to make more and more use of materials and publications outside the conventional classroom, and beyond the textbook itself. The public library is the natural haven for such requests. Adults, in turn, also find the library an indispensable storehouse of recorded information. The businessman, the farmer, the artisan, and the housewife all at one time or another find guidance and assistance in a public library. For the vast majority of adults, the library offers the only free, tax-supported opportunity to continue education where either the elementary or secondary school left off, or even to continue from where higher education may have terminated. The library in most instances, if well equipped, is willing to and capable of providing the opportunity for continuous education, self-improvement, recreation, and culture. Also with reference to a compelling question of the day, only an educated and alert citizenry is competent to cope with the insidious aspects of communism and world strife. All effective means of information and education must be utilized in order for the adult to render sound judgment on current critical issues. The public library is the institution especially qualified to fill this need, more particularly, libraries in rural areas. Mr. MERROW. And I would like also to state, Mr. Chairman, that from New Hampshire we have Mrs. Mildred McKay, who is our State librarian. Mrs. McKay is presently president of the National Association of State Libraries, and I am very pleased to have the honor of presenting Mrs. McKay to the committee to testify later. And we in New Hampshire are very proud of the fact that she is the president of the national association, and is a very able librarian and is doing an excellent piece of work in New Hampshire. She will present her testimony at the convenience of the committee later. I appreciate the opportunity to introduce Mrs. McKay at this time. Thank you. Mr. LANDRUM. Thank you, Mr. Merrow. The committee will hear Mrs. McKay this afternoon. Mrs. McKAY. Thank you very much. Mr. HUSSEY. Mr. Chairman, may I request permission to insert some statements in the record? Mr. LANDRUM. Yes. Mr. HUSSEY. First is a telegram by Mr. J. V. Whitfield of Burgaw, N. C. Mr. LANDRUM. Without objection, that will be inserted in the record. (The telegram referred to follows:) Congressman PHIL M. LANDRUM, Washington, D. C.: BURGAW, N. C., May 24, 1955. Having been asked by North Carolina Library Commission to appear from this State for library services bill, regret conflicting dates make it impossible for me to personally appear. However, I do wish following telegraphic views inserted in record with approximately 27 million people without access to local public library service and 404 counties don't have a public library. Legislation similar to proposed bill is most urgent to insure adequate library service for all our people. It has been determined by American Library Service $1.50 minimum requirement for public library service and present national per capita expenditure is 96 cents. These facts speak eloquently for the bill. J. V. WHITFIELD. Mr. HUSSEY. And a letter from Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio. |