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The free library movement was a decentralised Australia movement that fought for free public libraries. It began in 1935.

Background
Government funded libraries existed in Australia since 1833, but these libraries were subscription libraries in Mechanics Institutes and School of Arts although citizens were sometimes permitted to read certain materials free of charge.

The beginning in 1937 as the Australian Institute of Librarians (AIL) began in 1937, changing in 1949 to the Library Association of Australia (LAA)

Most public libraries were not developed until after World War II.

Pre-movement libraries
The first public library in Australia was the Melbourne Public Library, which later became the State Library of Victoria, in 1856. This was followed in 1869 by the Public Library of New South Wales, which eventually became the State Library of New South Wales.

Municipalities Act 1867 in New South Wales - the Government offered grants of £100 or £200 to buy a basic reference collection or to furnish a reading room in the town hall.

Many "libraries" were set up during this time, but they were little more than a room of reference books which were not maintained. None of these libraries have survived into the 20th century.

Schools of Arts
Schools of Arts, or Mechanics Instututes, usually provided subscription libraries and reading rooms.

In 1912 a New South Wales committee was set up to examine whether the £10,000 subsidy paid annually by the government to Schools of Arts was a good use of public funds.

Carnegie report
In 1932 the Carnegie Corporation of New York funded a survey of Australian libraries carried out by Ralph Munn and E. R. Pitt, the head librarian of the Public Library of Victoria. In, 1934 Munn and Pitt reviewed over 1500 questionnaires sent to over 100 Australian libraries. The report was published in 1935, and described Australian libraries as "cemeteries of old and forgotten books". The report heavily pushed Australians to support more funding for free libraries.

Start of the movement
The free public library movement started in 1935, when forty individuals, led by George W. Brain (at the time an accountant, but later became a Member of State Parliament), met at Chatswood-Willoughby School of Arts in Sydney to discuss their goal "to advocate and work for the establishment of Free Libraries [and] to create and foster public opinion on the value of Free Libraries"

In 1936, Geoffrey Remington became Chairman.

John Metcalfe, deputy principal librarian of the Public Library of New South Wales, was highly involved in the movement and wrote articles, publications, and press releases suporting the movement.

By 1938, there were branches of the movement established at Ashbury, Chatswood-Willoughby, Casino, Muswellbrook, North Sydney, Lane Cove, Wagga Wagga, Orange, Bathurst, Newcastle, Maitland and Cessnock.


 * 1937 - in Queensland and Vic
 * 1938 in Tasmania
 * 1944 in Western Australia
 * 1949 in South Australia.

1937 - Australian Institute of Librarians (later ALIA)

The Libraries Advisory Committee decided on Unimproved Capital Value (UCV) government subsidy to support LGAs in creating free public libraries.

William Herbert Ifould

In 1939, the Library Bill was pass by the New South Wales Parlianment, and was expected to take effect within six months. However, when World War II began, and free libraries were no longer a priority for the Australian government.

In 1943 NSW premier William McKell stated that the Library Act would take effect from 1 January 1944.

to do
now read these


 * From Munn-Pitt to Library Act: Stimulating support for public libraries in New South Wales 1935-1939. Part 1: Enthusiasm and optimism by Jones, David J.
 * Culture, education, and municipalisation: Libraries and politics in the 1930s - Morrison, Ian