Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-24
BOOKS FOR LIBRARY
First Move to Consolidate Cir
culating Collections.
EFFECT OF THE NEW LAW
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CON-
TRIBUTES 1000 VOLUMES.
Public Library Gets Nine Hundred
of Them Others May
Follow.
EFFECT OF THE NEW Law

Under the provisions of paragraph In
the law making appropria ton for the legls-
lative, executive and judicial branches OF
the government, passed at the last session
of Congress, 1000 miscellaneous books nave
just been turned over to the Library OF Con-
gress. Under the authority of another para
graph of the same act, the librarian mas
turned about 900 of these books over to the
Washington Public Library.
The authority for this transfer given IN
the legislative law and the action which
has just been taken under it, constitute the
first practical results of a long campaign on
the part of the trustees of the Washington
Public Library, whereby the books stored
away in the various government depart
ments bureaus and commissions might be
made available for the use Of the general
public in the city of Washington.
The law in question is as follows:
1.-The head of any executive department or
bureau or any commission of the govern
ment is hereby authorized from time to
time to turn over to the librarian OF Con-
gress, for the use of the Library or Con-
gress, any books, maps or other material In
the library of the department, bureau or
commission no longer needed for Its use,
and in the judgment of the librarian or
Congress appropriate to the uses OF the
library of Congress.
ANY books of a miscellaneous character
no longer required for the use of such de-
partment, bureau or commission, and not
deemed an advisable addition to the Library
Of Congress, shall, If appropriate to the uses
of the Free Public Library of the District
of Columbia, be turned over to that library
for general use as part thereof.
Department of Labor Library.
The books which have just been trans
ferred. under authority of the law quoted.
were part of the library of the Depart
ment of Labor, one of the smallest de-
partmental libraries in existence. Most Of
the books were works of fiction. and it was
not deemed necessary to hold them in the
Library of Congress, particularly as they
were duplicates of books already there, and
could not be drawn out by the reading
public, under the regulation Of the Con-
gressional Library.
With this large percentage OF the LOCO
books turned over for the benefit of the
circulating library by the great reference
library of the national capital some idea
may be had Of the increase which would re-
suit in the book supply Of the Washington
Public Library should the miscellaneous
non-technical books in the other depart
ments and bureau libraries be released for
general use in the same manner, when it
is known that in 1900 there were 1856, 463
books in the departmental and bureau IL
braries in snis city. Most of these volumes
Of course, have a special reference value
IN connection Win the Work OF the Depart
ment or bureau in which they have been
collected, but there are many thousands
of these books which are not Of this char
acter and are available and valuable pri
marily for popular circulating purposes.
Mr.. Spofford's Statement.
The selection of such books from the
volumes turned over by the Department
of Labor as had no duplicates in the Lii
brary of Congress was made by Mr.. A. K.
Spofford, the assistant librarian Mr.. Spot
ford is also member Of the board Of trus-
tees of the Washington Public Library.
Mr.. Spofford views with much satisfaction
the action of the Department of Labor in
turning over the books in it's library not
needed for the purposes of the department.
In reviewing the matter with Star re-
porter today Mr.. spofford said:
THE first action under the provision of
the legislative act of February % 1903
regarding the transfer of books to the
Library of Congress and the Washington
Public Library from the various depart
mental and bureau libraries has been taken
by Commissioner Of Labor Carroll D.
Wright, who has turned over to the Lii
brary of Congress about 1000 volumes Of
miscellaneous reading, including fiction,
poetry, voyages, travels, essays, ETC., and
selection OF such as are not now in the
Library Of Congress has been made. The
re mainder of the collection. embracing most
of the works of fiction, will be deposited in
the Washington Public Library for general
circulation among the people. In view Of
the fact that this important collection con-
ta1ns a large number of works of the stand
ard novelists and of the new books of the
day. It's value to the Public Library and it's
readers is apparent.
A Great Need
There have long been complaints of the
great want existing of more copies Of every
standard writer in that collection. and this
edition to the stores Of the Public Library
Of so many hundreds of volumes will 70
far to supply that want. Experience in
| public libraries in every city has shown
| the absolute necessity Of providing many
duplicates in order to meet in some degree
at least the public demand for light and
| entertaining reading.
1.-THE trustees Of our Public Library have
| repeatedly ordered the purchase of several
| literature. such as history, biography, voy-
| ages. travels and popular sciences. but also
| of such popular works of fiction as have
demonstrated their claim to live in litera-
ture.
The Public Library's Facilities.
1.-THE fact that the Public Library In Its
new and spacious and beautiful building is
| fully equipped to loan for home reading a
| collection now amounting to over fifty
| thousand volumes Is becoming daily more
! and more appreciated by the community
The liberal provisions under which books
A Conversation With
L