The principle embodied in this law spread gradually to other states as did the school-district idea. Within twenty-five years it was written in the statutes of twelve states—New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Texas, in the order named; in fifty years, 1898, it had extended to thirty-eight states; at present it is in operation in every state of the union.
The fourth stage of legislation began in 1890, when Massachusetts created a state commission to promote the establishment and efficiency of libraries throughout the state. This commission of five members was appointed by the governor and was authorized to give advice and assistance to any free public library and as much as $100 worth of books to any town establishing such a library.
This principle of state aid inaugurated a new era in library development. While the state had hitherto been passive and its laws permissive, it now became active and aggressive. Heretofore all the initiative had to be taken by the municipality; now through this state body an outside stimulus and support was given to local effort.
The new example set by Massachusetts was rapidly followed by other states. In ten years similar commissions had been created in sixteen states and today there are thirty-seven.
The enabling acts in most states provide for an agency similar to that of the pioneer commonwealth, though the form and the name vary in many states. In Alabama the work is done by the Department of Archives and History, in New York by the Extension Division of the Education Department, in Washington by the State Library. There is a tendency toward consolidating the state library agencies with the state education department. The objects however are similar in each, the functions performed varying chiefly in extent, according to the status of public opinion and the size of the appropriation.
