The Library Services Act (LSA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1956. Its purpose was to promote the development of

public libraries A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also civil servants. There are five fundamenta ...

in rural areas through federal funding. It was passed by the

84th United States Congress The 84th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 1955 ...

as the H.R. 2840 bill, which the 34th President of the United States

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

signed into law on June 19, 1956. Julia Wright Merrill, Secretary of the Public Library Extension Committee of the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members a ...

, was instrumental in the legislative process. To receive funding, states needed to submit a plan to the Commissioner of Education that demonstrated how the funds would be used, whether for library personnel, books, or equipment. Thus, making state and local governments prioritize the improvement of their libraries while also establishing their own initiatives and objectives. Since federal government was not favorably looked upon at the time, the law stated multiple times the state’s authority regarding any decisions toward the library’s goals, management, or collection. However, up until 1961, Indiana was the only state that did not accept federal funds. Governor

Harold Handley Harold Willis Handley (November 27, 1909 – August 30, 1972) was the 40th governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1957 to 1961. A veteran of World War II, and furniture salesman by trade, Handley began his political career as a state senator ...

believed that by accepting the funds, “Hoosiers would be brainwashed with books handpicked by the Washington bureaucrats.” U.S. Representative

John Brademas Stephen John Brademas Jr. (March 2, 1927 – July 11, 2016) was an American politician and educator originally from Indiana. He served as Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives for the Democratic Party from 1977 to 1981 at ...

of Indiana vehemently disagreed. It was reported that Gov. Handley rejected approximately $700,000 to improve the library services. Overall, the LSA had a major positive impact on libraries throughout the rest of the country. An additional 5 million books and other informational and educational materials were secured for rural communities. Many libraries noted a 40% or more increase in book circulation as well, along with a 32% increase in interlibrary loans. Other accomplishments included 288

bookmobile A bookmobile or mobile library is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Bookm ...

s for rural communities and 800 new library staff members. Multitype and public library systems were established due to the LSA as well. When the Library Services and Construction Act became effective in 1964, the formation of regional and statewide library networks continued to grow. The LSA was set to expire in 1961, but plans were already in motion to prolong the act. On May 26, 1960, the Senate passed a five-year extension without a single opposing vote. Only a few years later, the

Library Services and Construction Act The Library Services and Construction Act, enacted in 1964 by the U.S. Congress, provides federal assistance to libraries in the United States for the purpose of improving or implementing library services or undertaking construction projects. The ...

would be introduced replacing the Library Services Act.

References

{{reflist 1956 in the United States Library law