The Washington herald., 1906-10-12

George +. BowerInan. Librarian of the
District Public Library. has submitted his
annual report to the trustees Of that in
stitution. In it he sets forth a strong
plea for mere money in which TO carry
on the work and broaden its scope The
report covers the. year ended June 80.
The appropriation, he says, is not ade-
quate TO open any more rooms. and IS
barely enough to keep pace with the in
creasing needs. Attention is called to the
need for more space, the postponement
of the construction of the Carnegie branch
buildings, and need for higher salaries for
the employees.
Il IS shown that the ordinary assistant
receives $s6o. and the highest paid to other
than department heads is $40. and it now
stands at S5i960 for the whole force,
which, the Librarian says, will bear pit
liable comparison with the salaries paid
ito Federal government employees.
Just What Is Needed.
Some Of the recommendations made are
o follows:
Il Practically only one floor of the
central library is occupied for public
use The chndren's room is Cramped In
quarters one-half the size ultimately TO
he used for it. and. therefore, stunted in
its growth Periodicals interfere with
the regular reference work, though a
large room is in readiness for their poper
display
-. 1t is unfortunate that necessity still
further pOstp0nes the construction of the
Carnegie branch buildings. and the de-
velopment of this part Of the work. A
bill authorizing the construction of the
first branch building at Takoma Park
passed the Senate at the last session and
should be pushed 20 passage in the House
with the opening of the next session.
With this branch authorized, an apprO-
Triation for stocking it with books should
be secured.
''5 The Library should also look for
ward TO the establishment OF a system
o. duplicates for circulation through
schools, Sunday schools. police and hTe
stations, institutions, department stores,
&c.
1T Is, Of course, not recommended that
an attempt should be made TO occupy
the whole Of the settlement field imme-
Giately, bat such work should find a leSiti-
mate place here as 1t has in other cities.
Touching on Salaries.
Again, referring 70 salaries. The report
says:
IT should be further pointed out that
the teachers receive their salaries for 1T
tie more than nine months service and
for FIVE days work n week. while the
library force works eleven months IN >
year and six days in q week Teachers
hours in the sChoolroom are likewise
shorter than the hours Of library Eervice
Il order to succeed, librarians must spend
Just as much time IN outside study rs
teachers must So far as possible. a fui
college course and full two years library
school course are required Of those seek
Ing the higher library positions, and fully
IS high administrative ability Is Required
Tor library department heads Rs for pub
lie school principals. who receive from
I,CI0 10 S2,0o0 each.
Last winter. when the teachers Eala.
ries were under discussion. It Was often
pointed out that the local public Ech0ols
were coast lly losing teachers, who let
the city % accept better salaries. a s.li-
lar condition prevails IL the public library
except that it is generally 10 the Other
libraries Of the District that the public
library employees are called.
Gains In Library Wo-k.
The report shows large quantitatiyt
gains over the previous year En- all lines
OF library work. The total home circula-
ton Of books was 43,f95 volumes, oi
which number l241Ji were sent out from
the central library, $3.50 from the dvc
social settlements. and 5U fr0n Eigr
schools. a comparison Of the total circu-
latioa with that of 1861 shows an in
crease of 7g.6o0 volumes, or - per cent II
the past two years the work Of the library
las increased - per cent. The average
daily circulation was go, as against la
the previous year
An interesting phase of tho report i.
that there is a reduction in the amount
. Of fiction read The last year. showing thai
I 6S per cent of the circulation was fiction
against Us the year before. Special priv
ilcge cards, granting increased number,
Of books 20 those WHO can use them wise
Is. have been issued TO many readers.
An increase III the use Of the resource.
( the past year has indicated that tn,
library is very useful 10 Il large number
OF general readers, study clubwomen
/ teachers, ana students, newspaper writer's
/ government employees, sc. The reader.
/ who visited the Library during the veal
numbered l1f.42S. This is an increase IL
attendance of - per cent over the zeal
/ before. There is also a big increase n
I The circulation of Juvenile works AN
child who can satisfactorily fu out
slip may use the Library. as there
row no age limit
/ During the year 1861 volumes wcr
added 10 the Library and 4,745 were with
dra wn us worn out. The total cost o
I book purchases was S13S7S91, which wa!
I.aid from the following funds; $3.50 from
/ the regular appropriation, $S4H5 From
+ the accumulated desk fund, and S396.ij by
/ the exchange OF old books and periOdi
Gals
t There were so bound volumes givet
/ the Library during the year. besides g. "a
! Pamphlets, numbers OF periodicals, maps
I 3 broadsides, and I3S pieces Of music.