Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-04
The Public Library's Growing Value.

Ten years ago the people of Washington
were virtually without library facilities.
The great book collection known as the Lii
brary of Congress was available to them
only for small fraction of its potential
usefulness for reference purposes and
there no prospect whatever OF the
opening of the shelves to the public for the
circulation of volumes. The movement for
the creation of 4 free circulating library to
meet the growing demands of the public
succeeded in 1896 to the extent of the legis-
lative enactment authorizing the creation of
such a library, as a supplement to the edu-
cational system of the District. and in 1898
meager provision for its maintenance was
made. The extent of the achievement ae-
complished on this slender foundation in
the years that have passed since that
enactment is indicated in the annual report
of the board of library trustees. submitted
to the Commissioners today and summar-
lied in this issue of The Star.
With a handsome apd commodious build
ing the gift of Mr. Andrew Carnegie, and
with a book store of 10000 volumes, the
Public Library is now entering upon the sec
ond stage of its existence, that of expand
ing it's usefulness, of giving the public the
maximum benefit of the results of these
course, not through growing. 1t has shelf
room for many more thousands of books
for both reference and circulating purposes.
It needs more assistants for the proper ham
ding of these volumes. 1t needs branches
or substations to bring the books into closer
relations to the people. These develop
ments however, are in the line of eXpan-
sion rather than of establishment. If the
facts of the past are indications of the flu
ture they will surely come In measurable
proportion to the requirements of the pub
lie
That the Public Library has both met and
created demand for book use in the COM
munity is evident at a glance at the statis-
tics given in the report of the trustees. A
daily drawing of approximately thousand
books for home reading is sign of
profitable utilization of the collection. The
additional use of the reference library, of
the children's room and of the open-shelf
room-two features in which the public
library serves a unique and most yalua-
he purpose-indicates that the book treas
ures are highly appreciated by the residents
of Washington. The institution has already
become, in the words of the inscription
craven before Its doors, "a university for
the people.
When through new laws and perhaps
liberal Interpretation of existing laws the
book store is enlarged by purchases and
transfers from the now useless reserves of
the Library of Congress. and by private
gift special collections are added to the
shelves to meet particular needs, the Pub
lie Library will be in position to accom-
plish for the District in point of circula-
ton all that the community now requires.
while it's use as a reference library, already
grown to a most satisfactory point, will I'M
questionably increase proportionately. The
library is situated in most fortunate re-
lationship to the center of population of the
District For many decades to come that
point will remain within two blocks of the
building on Mount Vernon square. 1t is
therefore central, it is convenient of ac-
cess from all directions, it's administration
is democratic the book use is made easy i'll
every respect, and with the establishment
of branches through the acceptance of Mr.
Carnegies liberal supplementary offer and
the aid of either public funds private en-
terprise the collection, for both circulation
and reference purposes, will be placed vir-
tually at the doors of all the people.
The record of the past is a great encour-
agement to all who have labored for the
creation and development of this insttu-
ton. 1t shows that the people of Washing
ton are grateful for what has been done
for them and that the library has more
than justified the claims of it's advocates
and founders, that it was destined to meet
an urgent need and to expand the intellec
tual life of the community. Careful admin
istration, backed by liberal maintenance
and provision for growth, will add to this
usefulness in increasing ratio