Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-07
READING FOR rHE PEOPLE.
What Col. Carroll ID. Wright Says Of the
Proposed Public Library In Washington.

What Col. Carroll ID. Wright Says OF the
Proposed Public Library In Washington.
Col Carroll d. Wright, who is at the head of
the Department Of Labor, is greatly interested
in the establishment Of q public library in this
city. I'm Boston, which is my home" he said,
in the course Of o conversation with q STAR re-
porter, s'the public library circulates half Q
million books annually. There are practically
no restrictions in the way Of every resident Of
the city taking books from the library. When
sperson applies at the library for 9 book the
name is given to police officer, who looks the
applicant up at his or her home, merely to as
certain whether he or she would be likely to
take care Of books The proportion Of books
lost out of the great number taken ont each
year is so small that ii is hardly worth consid-
ering. This illustration demonstrates not only
the popular need for such an institution as
public library in city, but the appreciation
with which it is used
"A public library should be established here
by Congress. The library Of Congress cannot
be public library. The collection OF books Is
too valuable to be used for such purpose and
the library should continue to be in the future
~ in the past the great store house OF the lit
erary treasures Of the country. 1t Is true that
the library of Congress under the operation OF
the copyright Law receives all the current liter
ature. But what is to prevent the passage OF
q law authorizing the deposit OF one of the two
volumes of each book copyrighted in public
library of this city? The library OF Congress
has now duplicates OF all such books. One copy
could be retained in the library and the other
placed in the public library of the city. Or If
IL is thought best that the library of Congress
should retain two copies of each book copy
righted then the law could be changed so as to
require the deposit of three copies. In this
way the library Of Congress would have two
copies and the public library one copy. The cost
would of course be trifing to the publisher or
author.
Il heartily approve the suggestion made in
TIE STAR that the books of general character
not needed in the work, of the departments be
transferred from the department. libraries to
such a public library. The increased advant-
ages which the employees of the department
would enjoy as compared with their present
advantage are obvious and need no argument.
Prom the two sources / have mentioned fine
public library could be started without cost,
except that of moving the books. OF course.
some place must be provided, and Congress
should authorize the erection of handsome
library building in this city. The operating
expenses of this library would probably not be
much more than is row expended In the differ
ent departmental libraries in handling the
books OF a general character. The opportunity
of establishing fire public library in this city
at a minimum cost is, in my opinion, extremely
favorable. When i speak of public library
mean. of course, a reading room in connection
with it. for / don't consider that a library
amounts TO much unless there is a reading
room"