MR

R. SHIELDS was born in Cumberland County, Virginia. He graduated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and located in his native county and practiced hisprofession as physician and surgeon until the breaking out of the Civil War, in which he served in the 18th Virginia Regiment (Infantry) of Confederate States Army and was a part of the Army of Northern Virginia.

In 1863 his health becoming impaired, he resigned his position and" received an appointment as surgeon and served in hospitals until the closeof the war.

In 1867 he removed to Union County, Ohio, and settled on land acquired by his ancestors for services rendered in the Revolutionary War, and, in 1885, when the Legislature created the Board of Live Stock Commissioners of the State of Ohio, he was appointed a member thereof and has been re-appointed to the same position under each administration. since.

The Live Stock Commission of the State of Ohio was created by act of Legislature in April, 1885.

Its members are appointed by the Governor and hold office for a term of three years.

Its duties are to guard against the introduction of contagious diseasesamong domestic animals, and prevent their spread by destroying diseased animals, quarantine and other means deemed necessary.

The following have served on the Board in the order of appointment:

THE BOARD OF LIBRARY COMMISSIONERS.

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HE Ohio State Library was established by Governor Thomas Worthington in the year 1817. The general assembly which met December 2, 1816, appropriated $3,500.00 as a contingent fund for the Governor in 1817. In the summer of that year Governor Worthington visited eastern cities to investigate the management of state institutions. While in Philadelphia he determined to purchase a collection of books for the establishment of a state library. On his return he authorized the fitting up of a room above the auditor's office, in the south end of the old state office building, then on High Street, immediately south of the avenue to the west entrance of the State House. He deposited therein the books he had selected-509 volumes-the beginning of the State Library. Most of these books are still in the library.

John L. Harper was the first librarian. Changes in this office were frequent till 1824, when Zachariah Mills was appointed. He served eighteen years.

In 1844, the library was placed under a commission consisting of the Governor, the Secretary of State and the State Librarian. The latter was appointed by the Governor. In April, 1896, the law was again changed and the entire management of the library was vested in a board of commissioners appointed by the Governor for a term of six years. They elect the librarian and all the assistants.

The State Library was open originally only to state officers and members of the general assembly. The regulations provided that "the librarian shall open accounts with the Governor, Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor of State, the Judges of the Supreme Court, and the members of the general assembly and their clerks." The privilege of drawing books did not extend beyond the period the legislature was actually in session. As late as 1895 bocks were loaned only to "members and officers, and exmembers and ex-officers of the general assembly; state officers, and clerks in the several departments of the state government at Columbus, and ex-officers of the same; the Judges of the Supreme Court, of the Supreme Court Commission, of the Circuit Court and the Common Pleas Court ; officers and teachers of the benevolent institutions of the State, and of the State University; officers of the Penitentiary; widows of ex-members and ex-officers of the general assembly and of ex-state officers; and clergymen resident of Columbus.

Under such regulations the circulation of the library was, of course. quite limited. In the long period since it was founded many valuable works have been placed on the shelves that were accessible to the general

The Board of Library Commissioners.

public only for purposes of reference in tile reading room of the library. These were sought by those who were engaged in the preparation of some literary work or in the study of some "special science or subject of art.” The newspaper files were frequently consulted by editors and reporters. The books had a limited circulation among state officers and their families. Members of the legislature, as a rule, found themselves too busy to read. They made frequent use of the state documents kept in the library.

state.

The first board of library commissioners under the Garfield Act of 1896 was appointed by the Governor in April of that year. The members were Rutherford P. Hayes, J. F. McGrew, and Charles A. Reynolds. One of the first acts of this board was to open the library to citizens of the The old distinctions in favor of state officials were in large measure removed. Citizens of the state who desire to draw books now do so by furnishing the library board a satisfactory guarantee, or by making application through their local library. Those living in distant parts of the state may borrow books by paying transportation both ways. The books are not sent out indiscriminately. Rare and valuable works are not issued for use outside of the library. Those in the circulating department, however, are issued freely on the same conditions to all citizens.

While it contains works in almost every department of literature, the library is strongest in state publications, government documents, history and its related branches, bound periodicals, and newspaper files. In recent years a systematic effort has been made to add to the early literature relating to the state. The work of collecting has necessarily been slow, but the very substantial progress already made warrants the hope that this may soon become the best reference library in the country in all things pertaining to Ohio.

There are at present (June 27, 1901) 73,209 bound volumes in the State Library. Of these 14.595 are in the

TRAVELING LIBRARY DEPARTMENT.

This department was organized in the summer of 1896. A traveling library is a collection of from twenty-five to thirty-five books sent out by the State Library to a reading club, an association of citizens, a board of education or a public library, to be kept three months, with privilege of renewal.

The objects of the department are: 1. To furnish good literature to patrons. 2. To strengthen small libraries. 3. To create an interest in the establishment of new libraries.

On receipt of a request on the forms furnished by the State Li'brary, properly filled and signed by the members of the club, the offi