more than one-half mill on the dollar (5 cents on the hundred) for the purchase of books and other publications and for erecting buildings. The moneys raised by tax or received by gift were to be a distinct fund and were to be controlled by a board of five trustees, who were to organize the library and set its machinery in motion. Under this law the libraries in the cities began a course of development, followed to some extent by those in the smaller country districts.
During the following years library progress was not satisfactory, however, for the library expenditure of money was confined to districts with more than 100 census children. The expenditures in 1906–7 were $787.43, and $963.02 in 1907–8. In all, 6,084 books were added during the two years, a part coming from donations and others being purchased out of the proceeds of entertainments given by teachers and pupils in the smaller schools. The superintendent then recommended that the library allowance be changed from the $50 per year then allowed to the larger districts to $100 per year, and that the smaller districts at that time receiving nothing for libraries be permitted to spend 5 per cent of their income for that purpose.
This development may be presented statistically as follows, so far as their progress is shown by the reports:
| Years. | Amount expended. | Number of volumes. | Value of libraries. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1888–89 | $169.00 | ||
| 1889–90 | 184.00 | ||
| 1894–95 | 667.93 | ||
| 1895–96 | 732.22 | ||
| 1896–97 | 246.61 | ||
| 1897–98[Table 1] | 2,181.51 | ||
| 1898–99 | 286.79 | ||
| 1899–1900 | 477.59 | ||
| 1900–1901 | 366.46 | 9,922 | |
| 1901–2 | 357.55 | 11,636 | |
| 1902–3 | 433.41 | 15,566 | |
| 1903–4 | 477.03 | 16,819 | |
| 1904–5 | 17,505 | $14,358 | |
| 1905–6 | 18,291 | 16,585 | |
| 1906–7 | 787.43 | 19,999 | 17,724 |
| 1907–8 | 963.02 | 24,265 | 19,467 |
| 1910–11 | 32,018 | ||
| 1911–12 | 30,493 | 24,959 | |
| 1912–13 | 32,941 | ||
| 1913–14 | 36,121 | 26,664 | |
| 1914–15 | 43,126 | ||
| 1915–16 | 42,808 |
- ↑ Includes items expended for other purposes.
The Howell code of 1864 had provided for a Territorial library. The law governing that institution was amended from time to time. By chapter 62, session of 1915, the State library was to establish a law and legislative bureau. The State librarian was to be its director, form a collection of State newspapers, and make a biennial report.
I. SECONDARY ADMINISTRATION OF ROBERT L. LONG, 1889–1902.
On February 27, 1899, Mr. Robert Lindley Long, who had been superintendent in 1885–1887, was again nominated and confirmed as Territorial superintendent. To him as much as to any other man the
