Evening star., 1901-10-17
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Continued from Eighth Page)
miscellaneous lending books in the aggre-
gated departmental libraries. To turn over
these books to the public library, using the
peoples collection also as a general de-
partrnental library, would save the govern
rGent the expensive duplication Of books in
numerous small collections and would also
economize IN the room space devoted to
departmental library purposes.
Waste of the Capitals Library Treas
ure.
To render accessible TO the people for cir
culating purposes and for reading at night
the Congressional Library duplicates and
the miscellaneous books in the department
tai libraries will spare Washington the hui
initiation of remaining longer that city
which, of all the world, boasts the highest
per capita of library books, and confesses
the opportunity to make the smallest use
of them
In the special report of the Board of
Trade committee on library in 1894 atten-
tion was called to this delusive display OF
local library wealth and the beginning was
marked of the effort TO give 10 the capital
a popular circulating tax-sustained library,
public library of the modern type. This
report said:
According to the statistics there are
much more than a million books in the
sefni-public libraries of Neutrality-suspicious.
a twentieth of all in the republic: and when
citizens after the methods of statistcans 1t
appears that the District workingman has
fourteen times as many public books as the
average American. And the only difficulty
is that he cannot possibly make any use Of
them whatsoever.
The departmental libraries at the capital
contain nearly :seo 600 volumes, accessible
only TO few employees of the government,
and closed to them early in the afternoon.
The vast wealth of reading matter in the
Congressional Library is practically out of
reach of the workingmen and school chill
dren owing to the hours of opening and
closing and the conditions placed upon the
enjoyment of its privileges. Not one of the
great government collections is open in the
evening, when alone the great mass of the
people use the books. There are fifty
two libraries in the District, each contain
ing over 1,090 volumes, and not one of
them is a free lending library, with a read
ing room open at night for the bene..t of
the general public Viewing this ocean of
more than a million books spread tantaliz-
ingiy before them, the workingmen, the
school children, the government clerks the
great mass of the citizens of Washington,
thirsty for the knowledge which comes
from reading, may we'll exclaim with the
Ancient Mariner: Water water every
where. nor any drop to drink -
me campaign then undertaken has result
ed in series of notable successes First,
leSlslatlon was enacted in 1896, creating
taX-sustained modern library Second in
1878, an appropriation for the maintenance
OIL TINS library on the half and half basis,
as a part of the local educational system,
was secured. Third, in 1890 Mr. Carnegie
maoe ms offer Of money to erect a building
Tor the public library if Congress would fur
nish site and suitable maintenance The
way was already prepared for acceptance
of this offer. The maintenance condition
dld not disturb Congress since that body
mad already after protracted deliberation
made provision of tax-support for a public
library. But for the campaign however
which had terminated only after several
years OF unsuccessful effort in the estab-
llshment OF a municipal library Washing
ton evidently would not have been able to
avail itself with the necessary promptress
OF Mr.. Carnegfe's offer, Fourth, in 1899 the
legislation was secured. accepting Mr. Car
neg1e's offer, designating the library site
and lnferentiaNy pledging suitable mainten-
ance-
On another line of library development
distinct advance has been made. The
treasures of the Library of Congress have
become avaHable for reference use by night
as well as by day. The farce of mainta ain
ing a reference library accessible only at
hours when the mass of the people are un-
able to enjoy it is no longer performed
Tne nation having thus developed st the
capitat It's reference library facilities so
that they accomplish the most possible fer
the public good, will doubtless pursue the
same policy of enlarging the usefulness of
us DOCKS adapted for general circulation
To this end it will in fnlhllment of the con.
gressional pledge supply adequate and cred
liable maintenance for the capitals lending
library on Mt Vernon Square, and through
this medium will place before the people Of
the republic for their enjoyment and edu-
catioRal improvement all of the circuIat-
ing books at it's command, whether in the
Library OF Congress or in the departmental
libraries. Thus will the Library of Congress
and the public library perfectly supplement-
each other as reference and circulating COL
lections, respectively. for the public benefit
In the manner dictated by sound economy
and practical wisdom, and thus will the
reproach be finally and completely removed
from Congress that 1t has buried the tai
ent or the nations library treasure in the
earth instead Of actively utilizing 1t to
promote the general welfare.