An act of importance to library development was passed in 1903 by the General Assembly of South Carolina. According to it towns and cities are permitted to subscribe to the maintenance of a free public library within their limits.*

In 1904 a library act was passed which resulted in the establishment of small book collections in some rural schools. The salient feature of this act "to encourage the establishment of libraries in the public schools of the rural districts" was the provision for an appropriation of $5,000 annually by the state to be offered in small amounts to schools raising an equal amount, which in turn must be met by a third like sum from the county board of the applying school. The number of schools to receive the benefit in a county was limited to twelve. The amount to be contributed from each source was fixed at $10.00 and the books were to be selected from a list furnished by the State Board of Education. This act stimulated interest in rural school libraries. It was several times amended. The law is still on the statute books but it is inoperative. Since 1927 there has been no state appropriation to support it.

The Marion library was established in 1898 as a subscription library. This was prior to any provision by the General Assembly for the establishment of public libraries and it was necessary for the Secretary of State to issue a charter authorizing the establishment of the library as a corporation which was supported by fees and annual contributions from public spirited citizens.

After several years the trustees of the library wished to extend its service and to provide for library support from public funds. Accordingly in 1912 an act was passed authorizing the board of trustees of any school district of Marion county to establish, accept, and support a public library. Under the terms of this act a board of school trustees may order an election for the levying of a tax not in excess of one mill for the support of a library. Marion school district laid such a tax upon itself in 1912 and the Marion library income and service were enlarged in consequence.

The Latta library (Dillon county) was opened to the public June, 1914. It was built from funds donated by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and provision for its support was made by a one-mill tax on all property in the Latta school district. In 1930 the Dillon county legislative delegation recommended the placing of a tax of one-half mill on all property in Dillon county for the extension of the service of the Latta library to every resident of the county. This tax was levied, thus raising Latta school district's library tax to one and one-half mills. The library entered upon a larger sphere of usefulness as a county library. A plan was worked out for pooling the book resources of the schools and the Latta library, and also for use of the Latta librarian and the school bus during school hours for book delivery throughout the county, every school in the county to be visited twice each month. The books given by the schools were taken to the library and those which could be used were added to the general collection from which the county was to be served. A distributing plan was put into operation and the boxes of books were placed in the schools for pupil use and for loans to adults in the surrounding rural area. The boxes of books are exchanged for others upon application to the central library.

In the vacation season of 1931 books were located with some competent person in each community where they were available for the first time during available the summer months. The library is establishing deposit stations as convenient to adults as the school deposits are to youth.

In July, 1931, the Latta Library Board applied to the State Library Board for help with the reorganization of the library.** This service was rendered by the State Library field agent.