Evening star., 1902-09-12
TO Be OPEN SUNDAYS
Innovation Regarding the
Library of Congress.
Mr.. PUTNAM'S EFFORTS
MANY employees APPLY FOR
EXTRA WORK.
Force Will Consist of About Thirty
Six Persons at First-Librarian'
Statement of Benefits.

Statement of Benefits.
ON next Sunday and every Sunday there
after the Library of Congress Will be open
t. the public from o'clock in the after
noon until 10 in the evening. thus finally
completing the compaign which has been
under way for years to throw the great
government book collection open to the
public Ia the utmost possible extent The
reading room will be in opera ton, as well as
the main periodical room; visitors will be al
lowed to inspect the building the same as on
week DAYS, the reading rooms reserved for
senators and representatives will be open,
ard persons desiring to conduct special re-
search ON any subject will find a bibliog-
rdPher present in that division to assist
them
The Sunday opening of the library. long
fsyorite proposition of the citizens of
Washington. has been agitated by Librarian
Herbert Putnam ever since his administra-
lion began Mr.. Putnam was appointed by
President Mckinley. who took a great inter-
rSt in that institution, and it is a curious
coincidence that the first Sunday opening
viii be made on the anniversary of his
death.
Mr.. Putnam's Efforts.
opened Sunday effectively seconded the
agitation for just that end by the District
people which had without success been in
evidence FOR several years From the first
Congress So emed TO be in favor of the propo-
sition. An appropriation was almost
cured two years ago. through the efforts
"t the late senator Mcmillan. the item hav-
ing been placed on the Legislative appro-
priation bill as an amendment in the Sen
ate. but the House confeTess defeated it.
At the recent session Mr.. Putnam made
this special appropriation a part of his
annual estimate. and after going before the
library committee of the Senate and the
appropriations committee of the House,
the sum asked for-S1O.0;W for the library
force ana s2cnO for the superintendent of
the bGildiug-wds obtained.
The single objection that made
voiced by senator Gallinger of New Hamp-
shire IN the floor of the Senate when
Mr. MCMillan'S first amendment was lIn-
der discussion. At that time Senator Gal
liuger read a letter from woman resi-
dent of the District 0bjectng to the Sun
day opening of the library on the ground
that thirteen hours a day for six days in
the week enough for the employees of
that institution to work. When the mat
Ter was fully explained to the senator.
and n was told that the library force
did not work thirteen hours a day. but
that TWO forces were maintained, his OBJ
lection evidently vanished.
The Sunday opening was not begun at the
first of the present fiscal year-July be
cause Mr. Putnam thought it better to wait
until the heated season was over, and thus
enable the employment of a larger force if
necessary during the winter months. when
the reading public seem 10 he more constant
patrons Of the library privileges.
The Volunteer Force.
The librarian has found no difficulty at
al In getting volunteer Sunday force
from among the employees of that institu-
ton. 1t was deemed desirable not 10 en-
pioy persons unfamiliar with the institution
for the Sunday service. and a circular was
issued To the employees of the library set
ting forth the rates of extra pay that would
b allowed for the Sunday service. There
was Immediately a stampede of applca tions
for the extra work. and three times as
many applica tiOns were presented as were.
needed The work will thus be divided up
and distributed around among all. SO that
the sunday work will not be constant on
any single empioye. The Sunday force at
hrst VIII consist Of about thirtV-SiX persons.
Although Washington has never had the
privileges OF its libraries on Sunday. the
Sunday opening of such Institutions is by
no meas uutried elsewhere. The libraries
and museums of England have been open
on Sunday for over a quarter of century.
This was accomplished, however. after
most bitter opposition. based principally on
religious scruples- The first library of any
size to be opened on Sunday in this coun-
try was the Boston library. which began
the seETi!-uay program IN the IOs. This
step was attended also by much opposition
OF the part of the religious world. Since
that time, however, the libraries of nearly
tf not all Of the large and small cities of
the country have recognized the benefit and
Convenience 10 the public of such an ar
rsugement and have acted accordingly.
MI. Putnam's Views.
see8k-ns directly on the advantages of
having The Congressional Library open on
Sundays. aIr. Putnam says:
The opening of the library OF Sunday
during the hours named Is desirable At
present The entire building IS closed from