The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-04
Public Asked to Aid in Get
ting Help From Congress
for Branches in City.
CARNEGIE'S OFFER
THEN AVAILABLE
Recommendation Also Made for
Appropriation of $4,000 for the
Purchase of Books.

the Commissioners yesterday, the trus-
tees Of the Public Library earnestly urge
the cooperation OF the public in an ef-
fort 10 obtain legislation providing for
the acceptance OF sd 900 offered by. An
drew Carnegie IN 1903 for the establish
ment Of branch libraries.
The offer, which is still outstanding
but Unaccepted. was made with the pro-
visO that the branch Libraries, like the
main library, are to be maintained BY
municipal appropriation Each year,
says the report, the trustees have vain
~ endeavored 10 get from Congress
such action as would be equivalent TO
the offer and would render the branch
building fund available. Congress. how
ever. Indicated its unwillingness 10 au-
thorlze broadly the general acceptance
+ oS the offer and , bin was introduced
June 16, 1906. providing for the estab-
lIshment of a single library. Takoma
Park was selected as the location, but
the bill died IN the House District Com
mittee IA the Fffty-ninth Congress.
Asks $4,000 Yearly.
Recommendation IS made for the an
nual appropriation Of $1,000 for the pur-
chase OF books. This IS necessary, says
the report, 10 meet the demands caused
by the rapid Increase IN circulation. the
need OF extensive duplication the de-
mand Cor many chronological books. the
desirabllity or extencIng the system
through the schools. the increased cost
Of books. and the need Of extending the
periodical list
The home circulation during the year.
L.
volumes. and the attendance IN the
| adult reading rooms was nearly 10000.
an Increase in each ccse Of nearly 9
! per cent
In the report Of George F. BOwerman.
public Librarian, 70 the trustees. for
warded also to the Commissioners. the
establishment Of a library at the district
Building IS recommended
What IS needed, says AIr. Bowerman,
"is a municipal reference department. OF
The sort tina. has recently been estab-
Hshed IN Baltimore. Milwaukee and
Chicago"
Summarizes Growth.
Mr.. Bowerman summarizes the record
Of the library growth during the last
year as follows.
The book collection has passed the
hundred thousand mark; the home cir
culation has exceeded half a million
volumes; the children's department cir
culatiOn is now more the 10000; and the
attendance In the adult reading rooms
was nearly 150,o00. Among the forward
steps taken were the opening OF the new
useful arts and science department"
The librarian remarks on the fact thar
the percentage OF fiction circulated has
been further reduced In 1s13-Ol. when
no books except fiction were on open
shelves for direct access, fiction formed
nearly 81 pe- cent OF the total cIrcula-
ton. says the report Gradually,
curing the last four years, more books
from uon-fiction classes have been put
on the open shelves. with the result that
the fiction percentage has been reduced
to % per cent.
The librarian reports that nearly 5000
persons ara now registered as borrow
ers Of books During the last year
I i. sos volumes have been added and 5.549
volumes have been Withdrawn, making
the total strength Of the library TX. 1e4.
In the annual estimates which accom-
pany the report the following increase
in salaries is recommended: Librarian.
from $3.50 TO $500.
AAG II NSLEGS SeAN AA4CF DGlACNb the sal
airy OF the Librarian should be increased
ultimately to $500. which is the sum
required to make the salary coumen-
surate with the service rendered
Assistant librarian. $500 to $3.50;
chief circulating department. S1.0l0 10
$40; chHdren's Librarian. $1,000 10 S1.2O0;
reference Librarian, $1,000 10 s.. 200. and
librarians secretary. 500 to $1,000
Library staff Inadequate.
In urging IN increase in the appro-
priation for the library Of s2t44O. Mr..
Bow erman closed his report as follows:
The library staff continues insult
Cient in numbers and too poorly paid.
The natural increase OF work requires
more people; the essential new enter
prises already begun are crippled BY
inadeQuacy Of force and much desirable
new work cannot even be attempted be-
cause of lack Of people"