360 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



"Under the California law of 1911 the county 

 library is created by ordinance of the board of super- 

 visors, the governing body of the county, and re- 

 mains under the general control of the board without 

 the interposition of appointive trustees. This is a 

 feature of great strength because the supervisors are 

 the tax -levying power and are more readily disposed 

 to give the library an adequate fund since they are 

 directly responsible for its success. The maximum 

 tax-rate is fixed by the statute at one mill on the 

 dollar of assessed valuation. 



"The county librarian is appointed by the board 

 of supervisors but since the law requires that candi- 

 dates eligible for appointment must hold certificates 

 issued by the Board of Library Commissioners, only 

 after a searching professional examination, the buga- 

 boo of politics has been effectively banished. Under 

 the direction of the librarian the county system is 

 organized and developed and this officer has very 

 wide professional latitude in the selection of books, 

 the employment of assistants, the establishing of 

 branches and, in the history of the service, has, al- 

 most without exception, given entire satisfaction to 

 the over-lords, the supervisors, and to the patrons, 

 the people. 



"In 1921, forty-six of the fifty-eight counties of 

 the state have county libraries in operation. Three 

 other counties have established libraries but have not 

 levied the taxes for their support. The reports of the 

 county librarians for the year ending June 30, 1920, 

 showed that there were 3584 branches of county 



