Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03
UNCLE SANS BOOKS.
Reading Matter Provided for Gov.
eminent Employees.
DEPARTMENTAL LIBRARIES.
some Are Wholly of Scientific Works and
Books of Reference. While Others Contain
Works of Miscellaneous Character, Such
as Are Found In Circulating Libraries

Uncle SAM is pretty good provider for
- his servants in the way Of furnishing them
with things to aid them in their work, well
a. other things to amuse them Reference is
had directly To the large collections Of books
which he has made in the departments in this
city. which are designed not only for the
special service Of the governmental work. but
also for the general erudition and pleasure of
those who sink their personalities in the field of
departmental labor. These libraries are very
complete repositories of wisdom and Informal
ton. and form an invaluable adjunct to the
departmental work. They are, To 4 very large
exten., the brains. the memories Of history. if
such a term is allowable. b. means of which
preeeelents are kept in mind. parallels are
observed and rev methods. theories and pro-
eesses are discovered and pursued.
l;ut they have another function than that of
serving Official guides and aids to the
departmental work, perhaps quite as important
anu certainly more interesting 10 tie general
clerk. whose duty Is in a great measure per-
fuEctory. and whose labOrs need no particular
amount of guidance from the works Of others
What they need In order to set them into that
mental shape to secure from them the greatest
amount OF WORK L. mental exerclae rather than
mental instruction. and this is the function of
that section of the departmental Libraries that
are known by the broad but weu-understood
term of
CIRCULATING LIERARIEs.'
Some of the departmental libraries are COM
posed almost wholly of such works while others
have few none of them. Some of them seem
20 have been devoted entirely TO the general
amusement and instruction of the genus clerk.
while others have been formed around the
nucleus necessity and are of 10 interest what
ever ~ the general reader. The reason for
this difference may not 1T first be very plain
81
~ the conditions under which the libraries have
been formed and under which they have grown
and are now run. Ii would seem, after such
az examination, that this apparent discrimina-
ZION IL IN reality not such, but is a natural re-
suit of existing needs. For instance in the
Val Department there hundreds
os clerks employed whose duties do not require
much. If any, reference to library of special
works. They are, with all Difference to their
ability. human machines that need oiling &C.
casionally by the application of a certain
amount OF literary anti-friction medicine in the
form Of light reading. The same conditions
prevail in the Treasury and Interior depart
nents and in all three of these, accordingly
the circulating feature of their libraries is
developed much more strongly than in the
other departments. whose employees. having
duties of more special sort. need the presence
of a collection of works near at hand from
which TO draw information for use in the per-
Torrance of their work.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT
In the State Department this feature of spe-
cial literature is carried the extent Of exclud-
ing the other sort of books. The library that is
there collected is an exceedingly valuable one
Tor the needs of the dc partmental service and is
constantly consulted by members of both our
own diplomatic corps and those of other coun-
tries The library room il one of the centers
IF interest In the great granite departmental
building. containing, besides thousands of valrl-
able and costly books a number of curios and
relics The shelves are crammed with works
that could not well be replaced except at enor-
nous expense. as some of the volumes are of
the rare order that delights the heart of the
genuine bibhophile and antiquarian. The
library Is in charge of Mr.. Frederick Bancroft.
@ho has several assistants in the work of gath
ring and caring for the books and the addi-
nonai work OF compiling the laws of the coun-
Try. which Is one of the duties of this branch
d the departmental service. Mr.. NcNair
the assistant librarian, gave The STAR reporter
The following facts of value:
WHEN IT WAS ORGANIZED
The library was organized in 1889 by reso-
ution of Congress to provide the Secretary of
State with such books were necessary to the
business of his Office. and ii has been main
aimed by annual appropriations 1t contains
Ibout $3.50 volumes, including a valuable
collection of international law, history
biography, travels and state law. This estimate
Of Its contents does not include the manuscripts
" Washington. Franklin. Jefferson and Monroe
1T.
librarian Is also custodian of the laws Of Con-
sress and has the duty of publishing the same
The force of the library consists of the libra
IAN, hve assistants and one messenger. at an
Expense 10 the government of 500. The
lorary, while it Is not circulating library ex-
ends the privileges of its rich stores to the
Jerks and employees of the department and to
he diplomatic corps There are about 400 vol
lines of fiction and other literature that are
lsed mostly by the lady clerks of the depart
nent-"
The NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The same conditions exist in the Navy De-
'artnent library, which Is devoted almost
sithout exception, to the collection of works
Fearing on naval matters and general science
which Is rapidly becoming part Of the com
POSITION Of the naval art under the changed and
inii changing conditions of modern warfare
This library - now under the charge of Iieut
T. VI Wise since the appointment of Prof
>oley To be assistant secretary Of the navy and
sthonght 70 be as complete as IL can possibly
De- with the means that at hand for its
maintenance and enlargement. IL now con-
ans 23.Sl2 volumes, almost exclusively on
echrical and professional topics. In fact il is
70 constituted by law that the selection OF
looks Is confined to such subjects as shall be of
Tallue and Use to the officers Of the service in
he pursuit of their professional and scientific
fIdies and duties. Therefore. il has little If
my value as a general circulating library and
5 % no interest to the reader without special
astes in a scientific line
NO NECESSITY FOR GENERAL LITERATURE.
There are comparatively few clerks en-
Ioyed in the Navy Department and hence
b. necessity for a circulating library is not so
,reat as in such department as the War or
Treasury. where the great bulk of the clerical
assistants Is made mp of civilians without
clentitc attainments. The library is main
aimed by the expenditure of about $3.50 a
rear. OF which $1,000 i spent in rev books
u ms sum SlOOO Is specially appropriated