Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-12
Elsewhere in TIE STAR brie; history of the

Elsewhere in The STAR brief history of the
local free library movement is printed 1t took
it, start too late In the Of the last Con-
gress TO crystalline into law. But a project
which has commanded the approving interest
q 30 many influential men interested in Wash
tngton, both nationally and locally. shonld be
and probably will be among the earliest local
matters to which the present Congress will
give its attention. The idea Of a free library
for this city has from the first met with the
strongest encouragement The steps toward
is foundation are easy and practical. There
are few cities in the country Of Washington s
size. and certainly none which have her spirit
d intellectual culture. which have not the edu-
cational assistance of such library. The mat
Ter Is not one Of purely local importance. Its
national aspect is found in the fact that a large
proportion Of the lbrsrys clientage would
come from the employees that the government
calls from all parts Of the country. That these
auployes are in need of library facilities
10 evidenced by the fact that nearly
I'll the department buildings have collections
Of books, some quite large. others meager and
made up from stray odds and ends from which
tLey seek to draw some of the benefit that
comes from reading. Other departments or
bureaus are demanding the same facilities
There is in these departments the nucleus Of n
servicesbie library, and with Librarian Spot
ford's assurance that there are many volumes
in the way Of duplicates that could be trans
ferred from the national library without detri-
meut to its use the material for the free library
10 already within easy reach. Such an institu-
tion would be of vast benefit to the schools of
this city. upon which many families who come
IL a.. e.
Of their children. IL is an absolute necessity
for the full development of Washington's edu-
cational system, and the perfection of it's claims
as an educational center. BY keeping it open
in the evening, as the bill now before
Congress proposes, il would offer healthful
means of mental occupation for the unem-
ployed time of the young men OF the city. in
Guiding the workIngmen. whose daylight hours
are not at their disposal. and would in every
way be conducive to the highest intellectual
and moral tone of the community. A rival to
the pool room and bar room would be created.
IL Is a measure in which dilatory methods
should not be risked- The proposal of the bill
10 locate the library in the post Office build
ing is good one in many respects. and the
best results in its arrangements would be at
tanned by making the library assured fact
before the building is completed. All efforts to
popuiarize the great national library of Con-
gress directly have failed. Under the arrange
ments proposed the Tree library would be in
the nature Of popular annex TO the Congress
sional Library. partly maintained by the Dis
trict. because of its special local benef; as all
educational Institution for The worsingmen.
public school pupils and reading community
generally of the city.
Let all who are interested in the progress
and development of Washington and its people
put their shoulders energetically to the wheel
of legislation and the free public library will
speedily be an accomplished fact.