Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-11
BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY
An Opportunity for Citizens to Help the New
Institution.
Subscriptions and Volumes Invited to
Add to Those Already Given
and Promised.

The current appropriation for the main
tenance of the free public library and read
ing room created by act Of Congress
approved June, 1896, to be main
tanned in the District Of Column
bia supplement of the public
educational system, makes no provision for
the purchase of books. This omission is in
accordance with an understanding previ-
ously had that the library should make its
start by utilizing books contributed from
private sources, such duplicates from the
Library of Congress as could be obtained,
and any miscellaneous circulating books
which might be spared from the depart
mental libraries. 1t was contemplated that
there would be three classes of private SUBJ
scriptions: First, memorial subscriptions
of money of which the interest would be
used to buy books and periodicals.; second,
direct subscriptions of books; third, direct
subscriptions of money for the purchase of
books
A start has been made already under all
of these three heads. Mr.. ]. T. Dubois has
subscribed a memorial fund of So, ,000 to be
increased later to 5000, for the purchase
of scientific periodicals, and to be known
as the Henry Pastor Memorial Fund"
The largest subscription of books under
the second head is the donation of the
tire plant of the Washington city free
library, comprising about 1900 volumes.
In pursuance of an accepted tender of these
books, noted some time ago in The Star,
the trustees of that corporation have now
transferred the volume by formal bill of
sale to the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia. There have been numerous
smaller subscriptions of books from in
dividuals
Several money subscriptions have been
promised, of which the largest as yet made
are those of 81 900 from the firm of Wood
ward & Lothrop; 81, 900 from Mr.. Crosby
S. Noyes, and $3.50 from MIR. c. c. Glover.
There are many books now here on ex-
hibition in connection with the National
Educational Association convention, pub
fishers having brought them here for ad-
vertising and display purposes. There is
disposition on the part Of some of these
exhibitors to donate these books to the
Washington free public library and reading
room, instead of taking them away from
the city. If this commendable purpose
should be carried into effect the library
will be the gamer by several hundred vol
umes, and the books will be far more USE
full than they would be if reshipped to the
publishing houses. injured, in the repeated
landings.
Some time ago The Star invited the citi-
zens of Washington to contribute books to
the new library's shelves, and for this
purpose printed blank form of donation,
which was freely utilized by those who
had taken an interest in the new enter
prise. The library had then only a theo-
retical existence. Now that Congress has
provided for its maintenance it is deemed
proper to give the people of the capital
another opportunity to add to the useful
ness Of the collection. The Star therefore
reprints the blank form of subscription on
another page of this issue, and it is hoped
by the officers and trustees Of the library
that prompt use will be made Of it by
those who appreciate the need Of free
municipal library and reading room in the
District OF Columbia.