Home Photo Gallery Classroom Documents W.P.A. Library Demonstrations Serve Millions of Readers EDWARD A. CHAPMAN Director, Library Section, W.P.A. THE CHIEF aim of the Work Projects Administration library program, and of the many agencies with which the W.P.A. is working, is to reduce the number of people in the United States without library service. Through the medium of state-wide projects, 32 of the 40 states sponsoring such projects are attacking, with a measurable degree of success, the major problem of making library service to rural Americans more nearly equal to that now available to most people in American cities. Satisfying the governing requirement of W.P.A., that of employing needy persons, the state-wide project also has the professional aim of demonstrating accepted plans for the logical development of state-wide library service and of developing practical operators in the so far relatively neglected and important field of rural library extension. SUPPLEMENTS EXISTING SERVICESEach state-wide service project is a means to an end and not an end itself. There is no desire on the part of state W.P.A. administrators to set up independent or rival systems of service, but rather to supply, not only a tool for librarians working toward permanent statewide service, but likewise a means by which the legally responsible state library agency may strengthen and extend its work. In other words, so far as professional methods and results are concerned, the project belongs to librarians and must enjoy their active participation if the demonstration objectives are to be attained. Stable organization and operating success require that the W.P.A. supplement existing library facilities and work with, not apart from, all agencies and citizens interested in attempting the establishment of economical and permanent library service. In order to give a national view of W.P.A. Library extension service, a survey was undertaken as of January 1940. A brief and carefully defined questionnaire was answered by each state project supervisor. To avoid any exaggeration through the inclusion of questioned figures, those judged doubtful have been adjusted downward and in some cases completely omitted. Not included in this survey are the many project units designed to supply added clerical help in large libraries and those engaged in union cataloging, newspaper indexing, and miscellaneous bibliographical ventures, which are reported in a survey of all professional and service projects issued in March by the W.P.A. A report by Sarah Askew on W.P.A. service in New Jersey, incidentally, is appearing in the May Wilson Library Bulletin. Since this report is concerned only with extension projects the total relief employment is some 15,000 less than that credited to all projects classified as library projects. It is hoped, however, that the figures given here may imply something of significance in the movement to equalize library service for the American people. PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISIONThe sustaining feature of every properly organized state-wide project is the supervision by professionally equipped librarians employed with project funds, working closely with the sponsoring librarians participating in the project. Supervising the operation of the statewide projects are 173 professional librarians and 95 semiprofessional workers partially trained and experienced. The term "professional" is applied to a graduate of an accredited library school or to one possessing equivalent public library administrative experience. "Semiprofessional" is applied to the supervisor who received training in a library school not accredited by the A.L.A., and also, to one possessing only library training as taught in a library summer session or in a library training class. On project supervisory staffs are 259 nonprofessional persons who handle administrative matters as well as direct workers engaged in simple phases of library procedure. Normally, the state-wide project with adequate sponsor support and employing a sufficient number of certified workers, includes a limited amount of federal funds "for other than labor," with which books for project use are purchased. These books are ordered from standard lists by the state project supervisor, usually with the assistance of the state sponsor. Twenty-six supervisors report a total of 264,756 volumes owned by the various projects. Requisitions received almost daily in Washington indicate that these collections are constantly being supplemented and that other projects are beginning to start book collections. BOOKS REGARDED AS TOOLSMany librarians have tended to look upon such purchases as direct subsidies to existing library systems. In no sense are these books gifts, nor are they assigned to the exclusive use of any one public library agency. Strictly, books so supplied are tools for the demonstrations, helping to create a demand for service which will later receive local support. Toward this end, books are sent to areas where they are used to stimulate local interest and responsibility for library service and are slowly withdrawn and sent to other areas as local support is forthcoming. As a partial measure of the cooperation being given project efforts, 29 state-wide projects report 6,006,764 volumes supplied by project sponsors or private donors. A substantial number of these books has been purchased with "new" money from governmental and private sources, the amount reported by 29 supervisors as sponsor contributions for the purchase of books during 1939 being $582,090. The "tool for demonstration" theory is applied not only to books but also to truck chassis or bookmobiles rented or purchased with federal funds. The area in which such equipment is placed is expected to accept full responsibility for it after a reasonable period of service demonstration. According to this survey there are 160 bookmobiles being operated in connection with 28 state-wide projects. Of this number, 80 were first put into operation with project funds. Records of requisitions and reports from various states indicate that 25 additional bookmobiles will soon go into action. Reports from 28 state-wide projects indicate that 2,154,981 persons are registered borrowers of the "project library service units" as defined. The population served by 29 projects, according to 1930 census figures, totals 11,298,740. It is important to note that this figure includes only people in areas where library materials are available directly or by extension service and applies almost exclusively to people classified as rural. Since most state-wide projects are engaged chiefly in establishing service where there has been none before, it seems reasonable to assume that the 11,298,740 people served indicate a paring down of the estimated 42,000,000 without direct access to public libraries. School children represent a substantial portion of the population served--both the Texas and North Carolina projects, for example, engage extensively in this phase of service--and the total includes a limited number of Negroes to whom more and more assistance is being given by all projects, especially those in southern regions. As a partial measure of the service rendered, all projects were asked to supply circulation "for home use" figures for November 1939. Twenty-nine reports showed a total circulation of 3,806,851, in spite of the fact that all projects, at this time, suffered reductions in service as high as 50 per cent, due to the widespread dismissal of experienced workers who had been continuously employed by W.P.A. for eighteen months. Thirty-two projects reported a total of 4652 units in operation. Excluded from this total are literally thousands of unrecorded deposit stations and stops by bookmobiles. Units are defined as: (1) those totally manned by project personnel, (2) those which were initiated by W.P.A. and still are operated principally by project personnel, and (3) those previously existing library agencies which have been expanded to a level of standard public library service through W.P.A. and which are chiefly staffed by project personnel. In order to give some idea of the development of "area-wide" service, all projects were asked to report the number of county-wide units. For the purpose of this survey, "county-wide service units" refers to the number of counties in which several small W.P.A. projects unite to serve all the people of the county with their rotating book collections. A total of 422 county-wide units, satisfying this definition, was reported by 27 projects. AMONG COUNTY APPROPRIATIONSMany of these demonstrations of area-wide service have not resulted in the expected permanent support by local government. Several projects, however, report the absorption of these demonstration units, by county governments, each of which has appropriated $1000 or more a year. The newly operating Alabama project reports the opening of a demonstration in Talladega County for which the county board of revenue voted an initial appropriation of $1000 for books. The success of this first proposal to demonstrate county-wide library service in Talladega County may be due to the close cooperation of the newly instituted state public library service division with the Alabama W.P.A. Lois Rainer serves as project supervisor and also as the director of the library division, thus making available a maximum of state funds for books The Colorado project did not report any county-wide units fitting the definition with respect to the rotation of small book collections. It is stated, however, that "three of the county-wide library service units received a mill levy totaling, in the aggregate, $4400 in 1939. Each expects a larger amount for the coming year." The organization of these three counties will be perfected to extend services during this year. Mississippi reports two counties both of which now receive in excess of $1000 annually. The almost complete coverage of Ohio by qualified county library systems has been the result of a coordination of state aid appropriations with project activity. North Carolina reports that six counties, respectively, appropriated, during the last fiscal year, from $1000 to $1500 for county-wide service, as a result of project demonstration. The governing body of Stephens County, Okla., has pledged approximately $1000. Although now temporarily invalidated by an overlooked legal requirement, the governmental appropriation for the Lane County (Ore.) demonstration qualifies this county service for mention here. Twenty-four counties in South Carolina are each receiving from county governmental sources in excess of $1000 per annum and in 13 counties annual appropriations range from approximately $2000 to $7600. The Texas project has been of material assistance in the relatively recent establishment of several county library systems qualifying for this category. Finally, the Wisconsin project reports one county appropriating $2500 for the fiscal year 1940. Almost without exception the remainder of the area-wide demonstrations receive government support exceeding an average of $300 per county. From comments accompanying the statistical reports of some thirty projects, it appears that each project is planning area-wide service demonstrations at an average in excess of five counties per project. This record of accomplishment when considered alone, may not appear to exceed expectation. When it is realized, however, that the majority of W.P.A. state-wide projects have not been in active operation for longer than eighteen months, the report increases in significance. IN MASSACHUSETTS AND VIRGINIAAs a logical development of the demonstration of area-wide service, several projects are attempting to demonstrate service over an area of two or more counties. Both the Massachusetts and Virginia projects began with the "regional" conception. In accordance with the Virginia regional library law, this project assisted in the organization of the Tidewater Regional Public Library, composed of ten counties, with headquarters in Tappahannock. In addition this project substantially participates in the Central Virginia Library Service embracing five counties with headquarters at Goochland, which is designed to supply service largely to schools. In Massachusetts the Division of Public Libraries, sponsoring this project, plans to use it in developing a series of twelve regional branches of the division. At the present time three regions with regional centers have been established. Similarly it appears that the Rhode Island project will assist in developing regional branches of the state library. In Vermont, Dorothy Randolph, secretary of the sponsoring free public library commission, credits the W.P.A. project with supplying indispensable aid in the maintenance of the state regional service system. In Louisiana, assistance is given in the continuing organization of "multi-parish" libraries. In the following states demonstrations of regional library service are also under consideration or in action: Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. In general, state supervisors of W.P.A. library projects, realizing that the organization of regional library service presents many complexities, exercise extreme caution in applying the theory of this type of library service. No one of the so-called regional demonstrations, at this time, qualifies under the strict definition of a regional library. As in the case of county demonstrations, all projects are proceeding slowly in larger area-wide service attempts. Recognized as fundamental to the ultimate acceptance of demonstrated service on a permanent local basis, citizens library associations and committees are organized as a first move in project demonstration efforts. Project supervisors and sponsoring librarians join forces to form such associations, usually on a county-wide basis. The majority of the project reports reveal the existence of numerous operating associations and committees. In addition, upon the evidence supplied, it can be predicted that the army of active supporters for increased library service will grow substantially during 1940. In the presence of organized Friends of the Library groups, associations specifically supporting project efforts are not organized independently, but are coordinated with existing groups, the aims of which are the same. Although the West Virginia state-wide project, under the supervision of Nellie Glass, was released for operation as recently as November 1939 the project report, dated January 15, 1940, illustrates the response of civic leaders to library proposals. Of the 30 counties so far approached, 13 have already evinced an interest by organizing citizens associations and by putting into effect definite plans for area-wide service. Seven of the 13 have decided to inaugurate county-wide service supported by bookmobiles, and the remainder plan to start with a system of branches and stations manned by W.P.A. library clerks. It is further reported that, of all the persons and agencies so far approached, none has failed to express a desire to help change the status of the state which has heretofore ranked lowest in library facilities. W.P.A. state-wide library service projects are rapidly approaching the end of a first operating phase which may be viewed as a period of preliminary organization; a period of establishing precedent, of testing untried methods, and of building confidence through steadfast adherence to professionally acceptable objectives. Through the adaptation of uniform conceptions and the issuance of standard procedure a continuous effort is being made not to set up a series of ineffective and unrelated small service units, but to extend the influence and service of existing libraries and to hasten the acceptance of a fuller responsibility for library service by local and state governments. The administrative policy of W.P.A. in regard to these library demonstrations is indicated by the attitude of Mrs. Florence S. Kerr, assistant commissioner in charge of all professional and service projects. Mrs. Kerr is much more than casually interested in the whole movement for better library service and expects professional supervision and methods to direct the efforts of several thousand workers into achievements of permanent significance.
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