The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-06
DR.. M'|LWA!NE ON
NEEDS OF LIBRARY.
Present Force Not Large Enough
to Garry on Important
Work.
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WANT ROOM FOR BOOKS
Services OF cata1oguer Required,
Can Get William Byrd
Letters.
WANT ROOM FOR BOOKS

| Dr. II. r. .IcIlwaine, State Librarian.
! is preparing a schedule Of the needs
| of the library for the use OF a special
\ legislative committee, which has been
inspecting the premises and inquiring
! into the work of the library. This
committee Will probably recommend
preparation for its maintenance In tho
tgeneral appropriation bill.
The salary list for librarian and as
sistants will probably remain as here
tofore. although the force is recognized
as inadequate to the proper handling
of the library and It's most efficient
use by the members Of the Legisla.
ture and by the public at large. DR..
Mc1lwanc asks that cataloguer at a
salary of 5000 year be added to the
permanent force, since to keep the
library in efficient state the whole time
of a competent man will always be re-
quired.
In connection with this matter OF
cataloguing, DR.. McIlwaine says this
is the most urgent need before the
institution. Much time Is lost n look
ing for books known to be in the
library. and inefficient and slow SER
vice results from the lack of COM
plete catalogue.
Members of the board have suggest
ed the advisability of special appro-
priation OF $1,000 or $1,000 for the en-
ployment Of several assistant cata-
loguers for not over year, with a
view of pressing this work so vital to
the welfare Of the library to prompt
conclusion.
Another item on the expense account
Which is asked by the Library Board
is the employment Of n man to keep
the reading room open from P. NJ to
10 P. NJ. daily. This Is done at present,
the members OF the staff taking 1t by
delay OF their regular work In their
several departments. An assistant
tanitor Is also needed, both the en-
ployes and patrons Of the library OBJ
jecting to the intimate contact with
the convict force.
Needs More Shelf Room.
Perhaps the most urgently needed
Improvement is more shelf room. There
arc at present more than 10000 vol
umes stacked about the reading room
on the floor, In closets and In boxes In
the basement. The present thlrty-eight
steel stacks give about $500 feet Of
book space slightly over a mile Of
shelving, now entirely used by some
$4,000 books Of all kinds. Dr.. McIiwaine
proposes the doubling Of this space BY
erecting a second tier of book stacks
with steel balcony. which would give
sufficient book space for some years
to come. and would allow for proper
books, 49,
/ The travelling libraries call for s3.-
600 year, slightly less than this de-
partment has been receiving the past
two years. IA Fiis
To continue the publication Of the
Journal Of tn. House OF Burgesses.
$4,000 is asked. Five volumes have been
issued and made accessible to students
and historians. For lack Of funds tho
work Is now at standstill In tho
midst OF most important series.
A contingent fund Of $500 is recon-
nlended for the purchase OF valuable
Virginia manuscripts under direction
of the board, ,..
Has William byrd Letters.
DR.. McIlwaine said yesterday thut
he knew OF man who owned aud
had for sale collection Of genuine
letters Of William Byrd, frst For
lack OF ready funds, the Virginia Lib
rary will probably lose this valuable
addition to the sources OF Colonial his
tory. Many Of the Patrick Henry
manuscripts exhibited atthe jamestown
Exposition could also be purchased II
the Librarian had the funds In hanl.
Fifteen hundred dollars Is asked as
a special appropriation to6conpletA the
library collection Of refcrence works
on the Civil War, Every library"
said DR.. McIlwaine. Should have some
one department In which 1t Is first,
What would be more fllttng than that
the Virginia State Library should have
the best collection extant OF works ro.
latins to the War between the states?'
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