Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-16
Branch Libraries.

The action of the Senate District commit
tee Yesterday In refusing to approve the
House bill authorizing the acceptance OF
Mr. Carnegie's further offer of money Cor
the building of branch libraries and of the
Il, rstiurs by citizens q. sites for the same
has greatly surprised those who were fol-
lowing the course of this legislation. 1t
seems to have been based upon an indfs-
position to adj further to the financial bur-
dors of the District. in some cases an en-
ttrely praseworthy motive, but in this IN
stance hardly warranted by the circum-
s,sEces, The House passed the bill with
ou. opposition and ii was confidently ex-
pected that the Senate committee would
agree to it. The case in its fulness can
hardly have been understood. No large
burden is likely to fail upon the shoulders
% the local taxpayers or upon the federal
treasury in consequence of this proposed
extension of the public library establish
pent. Nor is 1t at all likely that the bur
den. such as it is. win materialze for sew
eral years from the passage of the act.
Mr.. Carnegie's offer was based upon the
same terms as that for the original library
endowment. that is. to construct homes Cor
such branches as might be needed provided
the city furnished the sites and maintained
them by means of annual funds equal to
ten per cent of the cost of the buildings.
The board of library trustees being imme-
dately besought by representatives of sub
urbs aud urban localities for these instalia-
items. adopted the policy of considering
only those applications that were accom-
panied by the donation of free and unn-
numbered sites suitably located and by
guarantees that the immediate beneficiar!es
would supply any needed reference BOOKS.
Thus the cost of the District would be
reduced to minimum leaving on the
Municipality only the obligation to MAIN
tain the connections between the branches
ana the central library. to provide an as
s;stant librarian and to heat and light the
small branch buildings
These branch libraries. it was contem-
plated from the outset. were not to be In
dependent establishments but distributing
points for the circulation of the book stock
held in the central library. with the Incl
dental feature of affording facilities for
local reading rooms. 1t was believed that
the establishment of the branches would
involve only slight. If any, increase in
the main book stock. the effect being
primarily to permit a wider and more serv-
iceable circulation of the books. with
minimum of difficulty and incompetence on
tdt Dtil OF the readers. several localities
stand ready with valuable and we'll situated
plots of ground and with offers of reference
works and even to bear some part of the
maintenance. Three institutions the Co
lumbar University. the Howard University
and the Y. NJ c. A. offer TO provide sites,
reference books and maintenance if tho
buildings are given.
With these exceedingly liberal responses
on the part of the citizens and with Mr..
Carnegie standing ready to fulfill his prom
iae at any time. it would seem to be wise
70" the District to take advantage of the
opportunity to give the widest possible
utility to the public library equipment by
spre fading its resources before the maximum
number of the people at minimum of ex-
pense. General acceptance of the broad
terms of Mr.. Carnegie's offer would rot
commit the District to use any large
amount of Mr.. Carnegie's money to erect
branch Libraries. and would not compel any
srch expenditures in the near future. The
money would be avaifable to be used only
wren and in such amounts as would impose
ui Ger the maintenance condition no heavy
hErden on the local treasury The day
must come sooner or later for this method
nj >Npa nding the library's usefulness as d
medium of book circula ton and a supple
ut mt of the public educa tional system of
the District and il is to be hoped that final
rejection of the offer will not be made with
GU, the most serious consideration