Public Library Statistics, 1938-39Review by: George C. AllezThe Library Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jan., 1944), p. 84Published by: The University of Chicago PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4303201 .

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84 THE LIBRARY QUARTERLY

will be recruited on a large scale are not likely to differ greatly from those laid down in this book.

HERBERT GOLDHOR Hillside, New Jersey

Public Library Statistics, I938-39. Prepared by RALPH M. DUNBAR and EMERY M. FOSTER.

(Federal Security Agency, U.S. Office of Education, Bulletin 4 [X942].) Washing- ton: Government Printing Office, I942. Pp. V+I25. $0.20.

As part of its function of providing informa- tion about all kinds of educational activities, the Bureau of Education, beginning with its report of I870, has collected and published statistics of public, society, and school libraries at various intervals.

Public Library Statistics, I938-39 is a de- parture from former practices in that it includes public libraries only, as covered by Joeckel's definition: "Any library which has been offi- cially charged with the responsibility, or has voluntarily assumed the responsibility, for pro- viding free library service of a general nature [including both reference and circulation] to a particular community, or to a more or less definite portion of it."'

The data used were gathered covering the period for the fiscal year "which ended any time on or after June 30, 1938, and before July i,

1939." This is the first statistical report by the Office of Education based upon data secured through the use of the new uniform statistical report forms compiled by the A.L.A. Committee on Uniform Statistical Report Forms and approved by the A.L.A. Council and the U.S. Office of Education. As a result, the tables have been made on a different basis from those in earlier reports, and contrasts with other years could not be shown.

The tables included give state summaries of various basic data for I938-39, as indicated by the following list: (i) number and distribution of public libraries; (2) population served, cir- culation, registration, book stock; (3) person- nel; (4) receipts; (5) expenditures and endow- ments; (6) per capita book stock of reporting libraries; (7) per capita expenditures of report- ing libraries; (8) number and per cent of towns maintaining public libraries, distributed by size

of town; (9) number and per cent of libraries distributed by amount of operating expenses; (io) number of libraries distributed by number of hours open per week; and (iI) statistics of public libraries.

Table ii, "Statistics of Public Libraries, I938-39," gives detailed tabulation by states of individual libraries, covering area of service, number of volumes, and operating expenses.

The editors have pointed out the difficulties in such a comprehensive survey of public libraries arising from the numerous individual differences among these libraries and have sug- gested that these differences be kept in mind in using the report. These variations appear in matters of control, organization, and methods, not only among states but within a given state. The data used in compiling the tables appar- ently did not clarify existing adjustments and exceptions caused by the wide variations in the practices of various libraries in keeping statisti- cal records. It is hoped that, as the uniform re- port forms continue in use, greater uniformity in keeping library statistics will result, which in turn will tend to decrease many such adjust- ments and exceptions.

The tables do give a quantitative survey of public libraries in the United States and cover the essentials in a usable form. It is presumed that future reports by the Office of Education will use the same form and content of tables, permitting the inclusion of additional tables, contrasting returns over various periods. Such a series of reports will grow in significance as it grows in number and should be a valuable record of the history of public libraries in the United States.

GEORGE C. ALLEZ

Library School University of Wisconsin

I Government of the American Public Library (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1935), p. x.

A Story of the Akron Public Library, 1834-1942.

By HELEN L. PARDEE. Akron, Ohio: The Library, 1943. Pp. 52. $0.25.

The practice of printing library histories and surveys covering many years of library activity is an excellent one. They give a historical back- ground which must inevitably stimulate the interest of staff members. They are suggestive to library workers generally, and they place in proper perspective library events which in annual reports frequently show faulty propor- tion. Such a successful publication is A Story

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