The Washington times., 1894-07-12
Public Library Bill Formally Reported
by the House District Committee.
TO BE IN THE NEW POST OFFICE
Thirty-fve Thousand Books Already Avail
able and More Likely to Be Added BY
Voluntary Contrihution-Its Volumes Will
Be Circulated Among 100000 People in
the City.

Washington should have free public cir
cuIating library. That is the essence of the
favorable report in Mr. Heard's BILL as made
by Mr. Cadmus of the House District Com
mittee yesterday.
After citing the fact that the national capi-
tai is rich in reference libraries, there being
! over one million volumes in the Congression-
al. departmental and other local libraries, a
greater number OF books per capita than is to
be found in any other city in the United
States, the report says:
The Congressional library is practically
out of reach of the mass of the people, owing
to the hours of opening and closing and the
conditions placed upon the enjoyment OF its
privileges. The departmental libraries are
accessible only to a few employees of the gov
ernment, and closed to them early in the af-
ternoon. There are so Libraries in the Dis
trict, each containing over !, 900 volumes, and
not one of them is a free library, with read
ing-room open at night for the benefit of the
general public. All of these literary treasures
are inaccessible to the common people. So
far as they are concerned, these million books
would De as use1ul III transported 10 ana lo-
Gated upon the face of the moon.
The purpose of the bill as reported is then
stated to be to give the benefit to the people
OF the capital that are now enjoyed by resi-
dents Of smaller towns. The Librarian OF
Congress has reported that there are some
1900 duplicate volumes in the Congressional
Library which could easily be spared from
that collection for the purpose suggested.
Out of 100000 volumes in the department
libraries some 20. 900 in all; 10. 900 in the In
terror Department, 5.090 in the Wax Depart
ment. and 5000 in the Treasury Department.
are circulating books and not technical works
Of reference necessary for official purposes.
and could therefore be added to the $4,000
from the Congressional Library. There are
also assurances. continues the report, OF con-
tributions Of money and books from citizens.
Concerning the details of the library it is
suggested in the report that about 5000 square
feet Of floor space will be necessary for book
room. reading room and administrative pnr-
poses.
1t is suggested therefore that this amount of
space be reserved out of the $40, 900 square
feet of space in the eight floors of the
new City Post Office building. now in course
of construction on Pennsylvania avenue and
between Eleventh and Twelfth streets. The
Administrative expenses of the library it is sug-
gested. should he not in the same manner as
other municipal expenses in pursuance OF
estimates submitted by the District Commits
sioners.
The report than declared that the portion
of the population making reasonable demand
for the facilities TO be offered by such a circu-
lating library are twenty thousand govern
ment employees. Sixty-three thousand school
children. thirty-three thousand of whom are
over u years OF age and adults engaged in
lines of work classified in the census OF 1890.
and manufacturers. together with their
families.
The report then states that il the library
were proposed as general departmental col
lection solely for government employees. its
creation would be iustifiabe on economical
grounds as we'll as the general public welfare.
Some departments have already been pre-
pared with such libraries. and others are
preparing to apply for similar buildings. The
Government Printing Office is among the re-
cent applicants. The erection of a general
library such as this proposed would there
fore do for all what has already been done in
part for the more favored ones. Besides il
would serve as an economical substitute for
the score or more of little libraries. each with
its librarian. duplicate standard works. aud
duplication OF space for. administrative and
other purposes.
But" continues the report. If the depart
mental libraries we're not taken into consid-
GRAFTON at all. and if the new library We're
viewed solely as a supplement of the public
schools for the benefit of the 63 600 school
children and as peoples university open at
night for the local workingmen. its creation
would still be iustiflable as an essential part
of the capitol seducational system. The cost Of
its creation and maintenance would be pro-
per municipal expense" While Congress has
granted millions of acres Of public lands and
millions of dollars to the states for educa-
tional purposes. so 900. 900 for public schools,
500 900 for state universities. nearly 10. .000
900 for agricultural colleges. not a foot OF
land has ever been donated to the District for
educational purposes. Therefore this library
of the District is simple justice. The report
concludes as follows:
1T is believed to be wise for Congress to
place the Capital City, with its quarter mill
lion of people, in respect to whom it exercises
the exclusive power Of legislation, at least
upon an equal footing in free library facili-
ties with other intelligent and progressive
The bill provides for accommodations suit
able for $4,000 volumes, with reading rooms.
directs that sucn books as can be turned over
from the Congressional and departmental
libraries be used as the nucleus of the collec-
ton, and provides that the library shall be
open from 8 O'Clock a. m. to 10 o'clock p. m.
daily. except Sundays and holidays, on which
days it shall be kept open from to 10 p. m.
only. The expenses are to be met in the same
as other municipal expenses.