The relation of the Library Bureau to libraries Geo.

B.Meleney, Ch.Mgr., in Public Libraries, May, 1896 The consideration of the relations of the Library Bureau to libraries brings us back to the organization of the American Library Association in 1876.

At this gathering of the prominent librarians of the country, the discussion of methods brought out the lack of unanimity in, and the need of cooeperation for, a uniform system in the various branches of library work.

To carry out uniform methods requires uniform material, and this was hard to obtain.

The American Library Association as such, of course, could not take up a business venture of this kind, but it was decided to advise an organization for keeping on sale such supplies and library aids as the association might decide were needed.
The Library Bureau was then organized for this purpose, and has continued to keep the same relation toward the library association as was originally intended.