Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-06
REPORT OF
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Marked Progress Noted in Each
of Its Departments.
ESTIMATES FOR YEAR 1909
Need Of More Books and Larger Force
Emphasized.
PLANS FOR BRANCH LIBRARY
Trustees Ask Legislation REQUIRED to
Render Available Donation Made
by Mr.. Carnegie.
PLANS FOR BRANCH LIBRARY


| estimates for the ensuing fiscal year, and
! the report of Librarian Bowerman to the
board of trustees. were submitted to the
| District Commissioners yesterday by Theo-
dore w. Noyes, president of the board In
| both the reports marked progress In every
department of the library is shown and
I the need OF more books and larger force
! or ass: stants, to meet the antly grow
ing demands upon the institution by the
reading public; is given great emphasis.
The cooperation of the pubic is earnestly
sought to secure from Congress legislation
which will mean acceptance of Mr.. An
drew Carneges offer to donate whatever
money may be required to build branch
| libraries.
In the estimates appropriation aggre-
| months beginning July l. 1908. as against
Sa4t4O,s the amount Of the appropriation
for the current fiscal year.
Report of the Trustees.
The report of the board of trustees is as
follows:
In the year which ended June 80, 1907,
the Public Library har developed steadily
! ir resources and in usefulness to the people
OF Washington. It's volumes now number
w 95i, net increase of nearly 10 per cent
d..fing the year 1t circulated 4S1 463 books
during the year an increase of over IL per
cent. Its registered borrowers increased to
1929, gain of over Is per cent. The at
tendance in the reading room numbered
1859 an increase Of over 16 per cent.
Open Shelves and Children's Library,
THE characteristic features of the library
the open-sheH facilities and the chiidren's
Ebrary-have SO developed as to render
necessary additional room space for each
| OF these branches of library work. This
| space Is to be secured by transferring the
childrens library from the first floor to the
large well-lghted room in the basement,
designated as future ch!drens room in
the architects original Plans and by add
| Ing the former children's room to the OPEN
shelf rooms on the first floor The addit .onal
open-shelf space is to be utilized to render
easily accessible to the public a special
| useful arts library from which notable pub
| lie benefits should be derived.
Periodicals Room. 81,
| ut is hoped that next year sufficient
library force may be secured SO that the
room on the second floor designed as a Pc
riodicals room may be opened, we'll
! equipped, for the enjoyment of the public
The current magazines are now on file a,
| the reference room, but they are NOT all of
them shown on open shelves for lack of
! room. In further extension of the library 8
usefulness the librarian recommends tina
| the library be opened for home circulation
! on Sunday as well for reference reading
room purposes as at present.
Needed Appropriations.
THE library needs more books and a
larger force. The additional books are to
| be obtained % by donations or endow-
nnents; "a under existing law for miscel-
! laneous circulating volumes in the govern
ment departmental collections and from
duplicates In the Library of Congress; and
| 90 by an increased book appropria ton Of
$4,000. The special book appropriation of
several years ago has been exhausted and
the desk fund available for books is nearly
expended Inc trustees earnestly recon-
mnd this increased appropriation for books,
and also the provision of a more adequate
library force as suggested in the estimates
i and the notes accompanying them.
Branch Libraries.
THE trustees appeal for public co-opera-
ton in final effort to secure from Con-
| gress legislation which will mean accept
aDce of Mr.. Andrew Carnegie's offer to do
! nate whatever money may be required from
time to time to build all necessary branch
libraries In the District of Columbia on the
usual maintenance terms upon which his
gifts are conditioned. In the second ses-
sion Of the Fifty eighth Congress the House
passed such legislation. but 1t failed in the
Senate. In the last (Fifty-ninth) Congress
| the Senate passed an act involving this &C
ceptance and making present use of 10000
OF the proposed donation in the erection of
, a branch library building at Takoma Park,
but the House failed to act. If the legis,a-
ton fails In this Congress the proposed do
| nation -lestimated at $4,000 or more) will
doubtless lapse.
'Takoma Park was selected as the loca-
ton OF the first branch library a. on ac-
count Of its remoteness from the central
| site for library building which public
spirited citizens of the suburb have bought
and donated for this public use.
As Passed by the Senate.
"The bill as passed by the Senate June
| 10, 1905 reads as follows: An act to au-
| thorize the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia to accept donations of money
and land for the establishment of branch
| library In the District OF Columbia, to es-
tablish a commission to supervise the erec-
ton of a branch library building in said
District, and to provide for the suitable
maintenance Of said branch.
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That the
| Commissioners of the District of Columbia
be, and they are hereby, authorized TO ac-
cept from Andrew Carnegie donation not
exceeding $50 COO for the purpose Of erect
| ing a suitable branch library building at
Takoma Park, subject to the approval OF
the Commissioners and the public library
trustees, ana TO accept conveyance or I'M
incumbered land considered suitable by the
| said Commissioners and library trustees as
| site for a branch library for Takoma
Park. And authority Is hereby conferred
upon a commission to consist of the Com
J missoners of the District of Columbia, the
chairman of the committee on branch IL
| braries of the library trustees, and the
librarian of the Washington Public Library,
| to supervise the erection of said branch
| library building; provided. that such branch
| library building shall not be opened for
public use until Congress shall hereafter
provide for the necessary expenses of main
tanning said branch library when the same
shall be completed and ready for such
use.'
| ut is earnestly hoped that Congress will
respond quickly to the appeal of this COM
| munity by enact!ng this BILL accepting in
| effect Mr.. Carnegie's donation.
Improvement of Mt. Vernon Square.
I'm addition to more books, more assist
ants and more branches, the library needs
| the completion of the improvement of Mt
| Vernon Square. its park environment. For
| the proper setting of the building In Mt
Vernon Square appropriate but very
| simple sto2s curbing around the park and
| along the cfosswalks remains to be COM
1 pleted matter of parking only About