4i8 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



Having thus attempted a summary of the history of the library 

 movements in the three countries, I now proceed to a comparison 

 of the general conditions at present existing, prefacing these, how- 

 ever, with the explanation that my acquaintance with the systems is 

 of such a character that it is impossible for me tO' speak authorita- 

 tively upon them, and that m\ conclusions have been arrived at 

 tentatively after a residence of little more than two vears in South 

 Africa, nearlv the whole of which time has been passed in one town. 



The l.ibrary Law of Great Britain as amended to date leaves 

 it optional to the inhabitants of an area to tax themselves to the 

 extent of one penny in the pound on the annual valuation, and this 

 sum may not be exceeded without the special sanction of Parliament. 

 Ver}- few towns have sought and obtained such permission, though 

 there is a very general feeling that the limited rate is inadequate. 



Once adopted the Acts cajinot be dropped again easily. The 

 control is vested in the Local Authorit\ . who generally appoint a 

 Committee from among themselves, and from that class of educated 

 residents which is not always attracted to municipal work. The 

 Committees vary largely in number, from about ten tO' nearly fifty, 

 and apart from financial supervision, ihe Local Authority rareh inter- 

 feres with the Committee in its work. There is nO' grant from 

 central Covemment Funds, and no Government inspection or super- 

 vision. 



fn America the Library Committee is nominated by the govern- 

 ment, or elected by the .subscribers. It usually consists of from three 

 to nine members. It is state-controlled, there is government in- 

 spection. ■.uv'[ frequently a State Library Commission attempts to 

 ensure the adojition of svstematic work on general lines of unitv. 

 Frequenth the Education Board of a State controls its libraries. 



In .South .\frica the subscribers elect the Committee, usually 

 twelve in number, and there are two trustees representing the 

 Municipality and the Government, and there is a Government in- 

 spection of accounts. 



There are 403 libraries in the United Kingdom deriving their 

 income from library rates. Of these ^^6 are in England, 15 in 

 Wales, 15 in Ireland, and 37 in Scotland. There are about 100 

 subscription or semi-public libraries in addition. 



In the United States of America there are upwards of i.joo 

 tax-supported libraries, and at least 1,000 libraries supported in 

 other ways. The Northern States have far more and far better 

 libraries than the .Southern, and the distribution of libraries is far 

 from uniform. Massachusetts leads the wav, and this State alone 

 has in her Public Liliraries 3^ millions of books, as against 5.', 

 millions in all the Pulilic Libraries of England. 



Cape Colony in 1900 had nine large libraries in her principal 

 towns receiving special grants, and al)out loo receiving ^ for ^ 

 grants. The total number of l)ooks in all the libraries in the 

 Colonv is not half a million. Natal has 20 libraries — or rather she 

 had. l)ecause one was unfortunatelv destroyed in the late war -and 



