Title

“A Few Good Books”: South Dakota’s Country School Libraries

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Winter 2003

Abstract

Books were scarce in nineteenth-century South Dakota. Limited resources and a lack of widespread interest worked to hinder the growth of libraries in the rural schools. But library advocates persisted in their cause, voicing their support, engaging in fund-raising activities, and proposing library legislation. Their efforts eventually led to the passage of a law in 1901 mandating a library in every school district in South Dakota. Educators carefully monitored the growing library collections. Their deep-seated faith in the power of books to shape children’s lives made them zealous to exclude “impure and worthless” literature from the schools.

Publication Title

Libraries & Culture

Volume

38

Issue

1

DOI of Published Version

10.1353/lac.2003.0015

Publisher

University of Texas Press

Link to Full Text
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