The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-09
NO Institution
TAKES ITS PLACE 9 |
Washington, City Of Best Best. Libra
rics, Needed antl.is Using
Carncgic's Gift CT
BOOKS READ IN THE HOMES Z Y
Privilege to Takc, Books e'<sl. Home nc
Supplied a a y ant: Hitherto 'l.t'..
dissatisfied.

The renewal OF the offer Of Mr.. carllc-
eie to erect q public librnrysin Richmond
hns created much Interest In the cx-
ncriencc of other cities which now has
Carnegie institutions.
.Thc Carnegie library at Washington,
Fl u c.. was established at Il time when
washington could Very appropriately
have been called the "Clty of Libraries.
.,rhe great Congressional Library with
100000 volumes, throwing its doors open
to the general public every day IN ING
year from, . a. NJ. To 10 J.. ~. tli'e I'o.a a..
r;cs OF a dozen government departments
continuing collections Of books. any one
Of which would have ranked as Il iirst
class library, were each open TO the nup.
l,c. thus there could hardly. lie Imagined
n Mace where a public librflry seeheu
less needed. one thing, however, mus.
& not be lost sight Of. q thing "hicn was
kent in mind ny the commissioners o.
the District OF Columbia, merely the ihct
that,c OF these great Libraries "ere
.'circulatng'' in the true sense Oh wy
world All Of their reading rooms wy
freely opcn to the public, but none OF
INC DOCKS sCOuIu VIC t''r'Ni'
OF tho readers.
Thc question: however, OF maintaining
another large library might have sceflleu
q doubtful one. ana Is interesting 70 il"te'
after several years. the actuai resuils.
During the year 1905 there was an m
crease in the nJmttr OF registered vi
rowcrs OF 4,791 or over y per cent over
the previous years, bringing inc tot e,
number Of borrowers to 3S,7Iy me tota'
circulation Of books for the year WAS ',''' -
,53. an Increase Of 75,3@ volumes over
Idst year. or a gain OF - per CEN. ~. y,
average daily home circulation was LAP
AGAINST ~; last year. Not only more Nt
better books were called for. There WIS
ii decrease OF IL per cent In the iictlon
circulated In the circulation OF BOOKS III
the children's room there was gam
x over last year Of over 50 per cent ac-s
companlcd BY reduction In the, clrcnia
zion OF fiction OF 1G per cent. The average
monthly attendance In the reference
reading room was G.19l. as against 4,aD
last ycur, n gain Of over 40 per cent.
These statistics taken from the libra:
RAMS report are sisniiichht " 49, 49,
Z important facts.
First, THAT the need for public library
is not supplied by non-circulating insti-
tutions. as is demonstrated By the ever
Increasing usefulness. I
second, That n public library raises
the standard OF reading in cominLnits.
no quote further from the libtarians
report:
More and more the work Of the puo-
lie library Is coming to be recognized as
nm intersral part Of thei system pl Pup-
lie educate ION. r AS the opinion gains
ground the work OF the childrcn's depart
ment assumes greater Importance and
the need for coordinating the work OF
school and library becomes evident. me
work OF the chIldrcn's department Is
progressing as rapidly as possible IN
small quarters and with an Inadequate
force. 4 beginning only has been made
al work for schools.
The circulation from the childrens
room was 1873. as against 4S,2ls last
year. a gain of @,G1o. or 5S.ls per cent.
With this incrcncc the circulation OF
fiction was reduced 10 per cent 1t should
also be pointed out that Of the 67.3S per
cent representing the fiction circulation
l., pcr cent was fairy tales. which In
most libraries are classcd as folklore.
..rhc work of posting picture bulletins
illustrating holidays and timely topics has
been begun These bulletins include the
exhibition OF colored pictures of the BIRDS
tina, arrived in Washington in their,
spring migrat ton. The plan Of having
4
ing clubs for older boys and girls has
been adopted.
''In cooperation with the Audubon So
Getty, n series of four talks on birds
was given In the lecture hall in April.
XII asst winter children were excluded from,
tho board of education lectures given In
tho library hall. 1t is therefore recon-
mendcd that n series of Saturday lee
lures or talks on popular scientific sub
jccts be provided next season especially
adapted to young folks
The accompanying illustration shows
the chldrcn's reading room on a normal
day. IT is but one of the many branches
OF work carried on under the auspices OF
the Public Library of the District OF
Columbia"
Among other things the library crcu-
latcs books among the 'Ncighborhood
Houses and other settlement stis ions:
1t co-opcratcs with the schools preparing
special collections for the use of the
teachers, and lends books In bulk for
tho use Of the pupils it's auditorium is
crowded with those eager to hear the
many lectures given on educational,
library and technical subjects.
It's success is the success OF hundreds
OF other Carnegie libraries, and Is only
re charitable in that the library might
seem to be handicapped by competition
with other and larger institutions,
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