d only by another vote.

Note.--It is believed that there need be no limit of rate placed in
the state law, as a community is not at all likely to vote to tax
itself too high for library support. The people of a small place will,
in fact, often fail to realize that in order to raise money enough to
accomplish their object the tax rate must be higher than in a large
place. It is not impossible that communities will, by and by, spend
about as much in support of their public libraries as in support of
their public schools.

2 _Management._--Establish an independent board of trustees and place
the management wholly in its hands. Constitute the library a public
corporation, with power to acquire, hold, transfer, and lease
property, and to receive donations and bequests. Secure a permanent
board with gradual change of membership, the number of members to be
not less than three, and the term of office certainly to be not less
than three years.

Note.--In order to remove public library management from the
influences of party politics, the library and its property should
be wholly left to the control of trustees selected from citizens of
recognized fitness for such a duty. Ex-officio membership in a library
board should generally be avoided, especially in case of a small
board; fitness for the position alone should be considered. Experience
seems to show that in cities the proper board of trustees can best
be secured through appointment by the mayor and confirmation by the
council. It is a good way to provide for five trustees, one to be
appointed each year for a term of five years. This number is large
enough to be representative, and small enough to avoid the great
difficulty in securing a quorum if the number is large. The length
of term in connection with gradual change of membership encourages
careful planning, and it secures the much needed continuity of
management and political independence. And yet there is sufficient
change of officers so that the board will not be too far removed from
the public will.

3 _Miscellaneous_.--State the purpose of a public library broadly,
perhaps in the form of a definition. Make possible the maintenance of
loan, reference, reading room, museum, lecture, and allied educational
features, and of branches. Prescribe mode for changing form of
organization of an existing library to conform to new law. Impose
penalties for theft, mutilation, over-detention, and disturbance.
Provide for dis