LIBRARIES

     The earliest library in Nebraska was the military post library at Fort Atkinson (now Fort Calhoun, Washington county). Several hundred dollars were invested in books and magazines, as shown by the post records. This library was removed when the post was abandoned and the Sixth regiment transferred to Fort Leavenworth in 1827.
Among the early acts of the Nebraska territorial legislatures were several incorporating library and literary associations. The first of these was the Otoe county lyceum and literary association, approved January 26, 1856. Its object was declared to be the "promoting of the general interest and education and the establishment of a library and reading room." The Brownville lyceum, library and literary association was incorporated February 9, 1857, and the Falls City library association on December 21, 1861.
     The oldest library in Nebraska is the state library, which dates from the Kansas-Nebraska act of May 20, 1854. The libraries at the University of Nebraska, Peru normal school and Doane college were presumably, historically coincident with the establishment of these schools in 1869, 1869 and 1872 respectively.
     Public, though probably not free, tax-supported libraries, were established at Lincoln in 1875, at Omaha in 1877, and at Crete in 1878. The Red Ribbon temperance movement founded most of these libraries. Women also were active in founding the first libraries. Libraries were regarded as counter attractions to the saloons.
     In 1878 the Nebraska state historical society was organized and its library started.
     The first public library act was approved on February 25, 1875. It applied only to the "city of Brownville." The act under which most of the public libraries of the state have been organized was approved February 17, 1877. It remained on the statute books without change until 1901, when the word "free" was inserted in one paragraph, and the maximum levy changed from one to two mills. Meantime certain municipal charter legislation, in fact, amended the general library law as applied to cities of the metropolitan class. The Omaha public library is assigned to the control of one of the departments of the city government which consents to the appointment of a library board of five members.
     In 1911 the general library law was amended to provide for the establishment of township and county libraries. No county libraries have been established, but a number of townships have flourishing libraries, some of them housed in Carnegie library buildings. A maximum levy of three mills was established by this act. In 1919 the legislature amended the general library law by reducing the number

of library trustees to five, and raising the limits of levy for public libraries to five mills. There are now one hundred and forty public libraries in the state.
The Nebraska public library commission was established in 1901.

STATE LIBRARIES

* Chiefly pamphlets and clippings.

* No report.