Show Davis Spends More For Library Aid Per capita expenditure for support of public libraries in Davis County was in 1967 compared to a state average of according to a research report released this week by Utah Foundation AVERAGE PER capita circulation circulation circulation cir cir- cir cir- of library items in Davis County was 2153 ranking ranking ranking rank rank- ing first among the 29 counties Library services in Utah show wide variations in terms of most accepted standards of library library li library li- li measurement it was noted by the Foundation a private private private vate profit non-profit public service agency Of a total of 28 million million million mil mil- mil mil- lion in 1967 expenditure for public library support in Utah almost 85 per cent was attributable attributable attributable attrib attrib- to the six six largest libraries libraries libraries ies Salt Lake County Salt Lake City Weber County Davis Dav Dav- is County Murray l and Provo while the six smallest public libraries Daggett County Monroe Monroe Monroe Mon Mon- I roe Wayne County Park Cit City I Kanab and Roosevelt spent about one-fourth one of 1 per cent II I of oC the total I PUBLIC LIBRARY service in Utah has improved markedly in recent years especially since the establishment of a state library in 1957 Utah was the last o of the states to set up upa a state library to serve the general public A Utah State Libra Library f had existed since statehood but this was in reality a state law library which still exists and has great value but bears little relation to the library needs of the public IN 1956 IT WAS reported that outside of Salt Lake and Davis Counties more than half the citizens of Utah were without without without with with- out library service It is estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated that fewer than 5 per percent percent percent cent of Utah residents totally lack library services today according to the Foundation report The state library operates 13 bookmobiles in 17 counties bringing at least some library service to remote areas of the state However many small county and municipal libraries furnish ol only Y limited library service the Foundation noted IN 1967 TWO public c libraries in Utah served fewer than 1000 people each and 26 public li libraries libraries libraries li- li liI I had population bases between 2000 and Ol Only y I five rive Utah public libraries had population bases of more than and only three exceeded Many librarians believe that most could be provided provid provid- ed better library services at atle atless atless le less cost if smaller libraries were consolidated into modern library systems on county or regional lines LIBRARY COSTS are rising rapidly due to the keen competition competition competition com com- petition for trained librarians and also to the rapidly rising cost of books the Foundation reported According to trade publication figures the average cost of oC books has increased 50 per cent since 59 1957 and more than doubled since 1947 19 Library authorities report that there are now 17 job openings openings openings open open- ings in the Ul United ted States for or every new graduate of an acI accredited accredited ac ac- ac- ac credited library school I THE TIIE UNIVERSITY of Utah research library is one of 71 which have been awarded membership in the American Research Libraries tion lion |