Evening star., 1896-11-13

for such use IL Congress will consent, and
ne has formally approved the granting Of
such consent by Congress.
The existing departmental circulating
libraries might be added to these books
from the Library of Congress and made
into q general departmental library, to
which the people of the District not en-
ployed by the government might also have
access. The circulating books, numbering
between 10000 and 10000. accessible in the
main only to the clerks in three of the de-
partments, and accessible to them only SO
Tar as the fraction contained in their own
library Is concerned, would, If collected in
general departmental library, be opened
to all the clerks in all the departments
"A great body of government employees
would enjoy privileges Of which they are
row entirely deprived. Those now having
departmental circulating library at hand
instead Of being limited to it's 5000 or 10000
volumes. would have access to more than
1000 In the general library, augmented by
large additions from the Congressional Ii
brary and by private contributions, which,
II the library were once started, would un-
doubtedly be considerable. The clerks in
the particular buildings in which the circu-
lating departmental libraries are now ac-
commodated might suffer a trif1ing incon-
Venience from the removal OF the books for
short distance. but catalogues of the
library should be in all the departments
and delivery branches established in diff
ferent parts of the city. This inconveni-
cree would thus be reduced to Il minimum
anu dS an onset TO IL would be the finer
library to which these clerks would have
access and the public benefit Of a great ex-
pansion of the number of readers to whom
the accumulated books would be available
other departments and bureaus than those
which now have circulating libraries have
applied in some instances and intend to ap-
ply IN others for like privileges. The es :
tablishment of general departmental
library. open also 20 the public. would save
the government the expensive duplication
OF books in numerous small collections,
ard would also economic in the room
space devoted to departmental library pur-
poses. Apparently the government and the
clerks would profit by the project, as well
as the population In general Of the city.
When the nucleus Of a library properly
housed Is once obtained, the collection will
Certainly grow rapidly through private do
nations OF books and money, and when IT
has demonstrated its usefulness and the
fact that it is appreciated by the public
some one of Washington's wealthy men
may be moved by local pride or other good
motive to endow 1t and attach to II his
name. No citizen could erect to himself a
nobfer memorial
II only a small fraction of. the books in
Washington can be made accessible to the
mass of its people, the city will be well
supplied 1t will no longer starve in an
overhowing granary. The project Of a
ry and reading room. open in the evening,
Is worthy of the strongest and most en-
thusiastic labors in its behalf 1t will
doubtless receive the hearty support of the
board OF trade. of every public-spirited
citizen and of all friends of the capital and
Its people. who appreciate the fact that a
city OF quarter million of Inhabitants
merely streets. buildings, trees, statues
and monuments.