The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20
FREE LIBRARY
IDEA SPREADS
Its Rapid Growth on Pacific
Coast Brings Problems Be-
fore Boards of Trustees
BOOK ROOM is NEEDED
Housing of Increasing Col
lections Is Question to Los
Angeles and Other Cities


! throughout the country brings before
their boards of trustees and the re-
spective communities in which they ex-
ist many puzzling problems That of
7 properly housing the increasing colec-
tions OF books is very often solved by
the building gifts of Mr.. Carnegie.
Where his aid is not available in a
large city there are frequently wide
differences of opinion as TO what is
the wisest course to pursue in order
to provide for the present wants and
the future growth of library. Just
now Los Angeles is in the throes of
such conflict OF opinion.
-Four months ago a commission of
architects pronounced the flooring of
! the Los Angeles Public Library in the
! City Hall to be in a hazardous con-
dition, owing to the imposition of a
strain for which the building had not
been designed. The architects recon-
mended that the flooring be made Sc
cure by carrying up steel columns from
the fou9dation of the building, at an
sition is not favored By the City Super
visors. Various plans for erecting a
new library building have, for the pres
ent at least, fallen through. Meanwhile
the monthly addition or half ton of
! new books so increases the strain on
] the flooring that the library board
! deems it unsafe to take further risks
and has ordered the discontinuance of
! pook purchasing till new library ac-
/ commodations are secured elsewhere
The Santa Cruz Public Library has
received from F. D. Baldwin check
/ for 500, with the request that the sum
be expended for books of special in
terest to the members of the Humane
! Society.
Among the valuable donations of
! books lately received by the Redding
library are sixty volumes of Italian.
! Spanish and German works that are
highly appreciated
The trustees of the Pomona Public
Library have decided to admit children
under the age limit of 10 years to linn
tied privileges of the library This is
to be done by taking the signature Of
the parent or guardian, besides that OF
the. child, as a pledge of the observance
of the library rules.
FRESNO'S NEW LIBRARY.
| The occupation of Fresno's new $50, :
600 Carnegie Library gives general sat :,
isfaction. Three years have passed
since the offer of the building fund was
made, and unexpected delays have en-
sued in the completion of the edifice
The library board has taken great
pains to obtain a structure that should
be both attractive and convenient for
administration. The interior is finished
in pine and redwood Besides the large
public room there are rooms for refer
ence use for the childrens department
and an office for the librarian. As the
annual tax levy does not allow, after
paying the running expenses of the IL
brary, a reasonable outlay for the pur-
chase of books a strong effort is to be
made for raising money for this pur-
pose by general subscription. Two in
dividuals have promised the sum of
$3.50, and many other sums can be read
lily obtained.
More than sixty books OF valuable
classic literature have lately been given
to the Berkeley Public Library by Miss
M. D. Kellogg, the daughter of the late
ex-President Kellogg. The gift proves
to be most acceptable one, as the IL
brary had long been in need of such
works.
The Santa Rosa Public Library has
received from Mrs. Calvin H. Holmes
the original copy of the constitution
and bylaws of the Santa Rosa Library
Association, organized in 1875. From a
humble beginning thirty years ago. pre-
ceding by five years the passage of the
State library law, the library thus or
ganized has grown into its present
prosperous condition. It's new $780, 900
Carnegie building is the pride of So
noma County.
PROGRESS IN OREGON.
Medford, in Southern Oregon, a place
of 1000 population, never had a public /
library till six months ago. The expe-
rience of the enterprise has been like
that of hundreds of others few
earnest persons, impressed with the
need of public library, formed an as
sociation, raised money. purchased
books and opened a public reading
room. The Medford association. has
itOW ihly -clSnL IHeIlDSIS, anu upon us
shelves are 200 volumes.
A number of valuable scientific
works have lately been presented to
the Portland, Or, Public Library for
reference use. Among the publica-
tions are the 1923 reports of the ir-
risation of India, where irrigation has
for many years been experimental
with. The children's librarian Of this
library has to face the condition of
a membership of 200 children and AN
ownership of but 200 books in her de-
partment.
Walla Walla, Wash, has accepted
the offer of s25, 900 from Mr.. Carnegie
for library building and has agreed
to yearly Appropriate $2500 for the
maintenance of the library. The lot
for the building was donated by Mr..
and Mrs. 4. c. Elliott, with the agree
ment that the city should remoYe the
L,,;I ha