County Library Service To Rural Schools PDF Download

An efficient county library contemplates maximum service for money expended. Situated at the county seat or at some other centrally located place within the county, its book stock is carried to every resident of the county through a system branches, stations, and school deposits, and the services of an automobile and the parcel post. A trained librarian cooperates with school, farm, and other official leaders of the county in administering to the book needs of the communities. This study was initiated to discover the extent and character of service extended rural schools by county libraries. Such a study seemed necessary because of the library needs of rural schools, the adequacy of the county library as an agency for supplying these needs, and the lack of information showing the service extended rural schools by the major portion of the county libraries in the United States. Its facts and findings herein presented should be of interest and help to those desiring to improve rural schools by means of county libraries, and to those wishing to conduct further research in this field. This study is based largely upon replies to a questionnaire from 144 county libraries located in 32 different States. This is approximately 55 per cent of the entire number of county libraries in continental United States. Contents of this bulletin include: (1) Letter of transmittal; (2) Introduction; (3) County library branches in school buildings; (4) County library staff members; (5) Rural school problems of county libraries; (6) Chief sources of revenue of county libraries; (7) County library practices with reference to book expenditures, lending and instruction; (8) Transportation of books by county libraries and growth in book circulation; (9) Visual aids, magazines, music, and other material loaned to schools by county libraries; (10) Efforts of county librarians in stimulating interest in libraries; (11) Summary and conclusions; and (12) Some important references on county library service to schools. (Contains 7 tables and 6 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.].