The latest statistics show about 6,000 public libraries in the United States, with an average per caput income of $o.33 and an annual per caput circulation of 2.53 volumes. It is estimated, however, that 5% of the urban population and 82% of the rural population live in areas with no local public library service at all. Most of the well organized city library systems spend from $o.75 to $1.00 or more per caput. In 1926 Cleveland led all other cities, with a per caput library expenditure of $1.69, followed by Boston with $1.42, Indianapolis with $1.14, Los Angeles with $1.05 and Minneapolis with $1.00.
One of the ways in which the modern public library attempts to make its service of value to the community is by specialization in its service and organization. Specialization by subject is frequently represented by separate departments, in charge of specialists, of business, technology, art, music, education, etc. In some of the recent central library buildings book stacks and reading rooms are arranged to facilitate departmental organization. Specialized service such as work with children and co-operation with schools is usually not confined to the central library but operates also through different kinds of distributing agencies. Branch libraries and sub-branches have their own collection of books and are lo cated near the centre of the local business or residence area to be served. It is assumed in the best library systems that there should be one branch to every 25,000 to 40,000 population. In less densely populated districts a branch cannot effectively serve so large a number. Deposit stations are located in stores, schools, factories, clubs, etc., and are provided with collections of from one to several hundred volumes which are changed frequently. Delivery stations have no books on hand but fill orders from a central stock. Ti avelling libraries consist of small collections of books, 25 or 5o to several hundred, lent to factories, stores, clubs, etc. In many communities the public library has undertaken to supply books needed in the public schools by furnishing classroom libraries. In some cities the school and library authorities co operate in providing what are known as school libraries, and in a few cities branch libraries are established in school buildings.
The governing body of the municipal public library supported wholly or in part by public funds is usually a board of trustees, appointed by the mayor or some other official or body designated by law. In a few cases the library board is self-perpetuating. In
some States the public library is operated under the board of edu cation, and in certain cities which are under the city manager or the commission form of government there is no library board at all, the public library being administered as a department of the city government with the librarian directly responsible to the mayor or city manager.
A special library for children was established in New York city as early as 1885. In 1890 a separate room for children was opened in the public library at Brookline, Mass., and in the next few years public libraries began generally to provide special rooms or other facilities for children. By 190o a separate children's room, with specially trained children's librarians to give skilled and sympathetic guidance in the use of books and periodicals, had come to be considered an essential part of every well conducted public library. To-day in public libraries in which organized work with children is carried on the juvenile circulation amounts to from 3o to 50% of the total. From one-quarter to one-third of its total book fund is considered a reasonable proportion for the average public library to devote to children's books. In libraries which combine the children's department and work with schools, the children's librarians select books to be sent to classrooms, visit schools to talk to the children, give talks to parents and teachers, and give instruction in the use of books and libraries to classes sent to them regularly from the schools.