Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-25
DID NOT FIX PRICES AD TO THE BLIND III
Facilities for Serving Books
to Them Improved.
Mr.. PUTNAM'S Statement
# Sentiment Is Favorable, Reading
Room Will Be Re.Established at
Library of Congress.

AS a result Of a conference between
several senators interested in the Work
for the blind and Librarian Herbert Put
nam of the Library of Congress new ac-
commodations for the blind at the Public
Library have been announced, and Mr..
Putnam has given assurances that IF
there is among the blind a predominant
sentiment for the location of the read
ing room and books for them in the Ii
brary Of Congress instead of in the Pub
lie Library the transfer back to the book
depository on Capitol Hill will be made.
For many years reading room for the
blind was maintained In the Library of
Congress. Some months ago, however,
the books were transferred to the Public
Library and a reading room for the blind
was established there. The change, it
was thought, would be beneficial to the
blind, but some complaints about the
facilities afforded at the downtown IL
brary have been made, and move was
started to have the books sent back on
the hill.
Conference on Subject.
Senators Curtis. Perkins, Martin. Wet
more and Gore took the matter up with
Librarian Putnam early this month and
met in conference yesterday. The out
come Of that meeting was the issuing
today of the following statement by LII
brarian Putnam:
THE recent representations as to GER
tain Inconvenience caused to bind read
ers by the transfer Of the books IN raised
type from the Library Of Congress to
the Public Library have induced Librar-
ian Putnam and Librarian Bowernan to
review the whole matter. The transfer
was made In the supposed interest or the
blind themselves, and with the full con.
currence of the assistant in charge OF
the work, the Public Library being more
centrally located than the Library OF
Congress- and also the regular lending IL
brary Of the District. Complaint is made,
however, that the room provided there.
being in the basement, is less cheerful
than that at the Library of Congress,
which is on the ground level; also that,
as the Public Library has no delivery
service, blind reader. wishing a book
from it for home use must go or send
there for 1t. whereas the Library of Con-
gress would send it to him by its delivery
wagon.
10 meet these objections, the books
for the blind will, hereafter, where de-
sired. be served in the main reading room
of the Public LIBRARY, and any Of them
desired for home use will be delivered
at the residence Of the blind reader by
the Library of Congress delivery wagon,
ghich will call at the Public Library
iaily for the purpose.
Should these arrangements not prove
satisfactory, the collection itself will be
returned to the Library of Congress and
administered there.
Reason for Change.
THE transfer to the Public Library of
the readings and musicals was induced by
consideration for the audiences, including
the blind themselves. The Library Of
Congress has no hall designed for such
functions. The room used, while ample
for the blind attending (who average
scarcely more than dozen in number
and almost never exceed two DOZEN was
entirely inadequate for the seeing. for
whom, indeed, the entertainments we're
not primarily intended, but whose pres
ence Is supposed in indirect ways TO re-
suit beneficially to the blind. The room
at the Public Library-resulariy designed
for such purposeS-will accommodate hVe
times as many.
1T is also more centrally and con-
veniently located. And the readings
and musicals there would fall IN
with the general scheme which the
authorities of the Public Library are
developing, of free lectures, readings,
discussions. etc, informing OF cultivat-
ing in nature, and which, as in Ger
tain other meunc1pal libraries. VIII
doubtless soon include some regular
university extension courses. The
blind have an even greater interest
than the seeing in attending these.
And it would seen decidedly to their
advantage that all such undertakings.
and the effort in connection with
them, should be centured there.
THE Public Library is not private or
merely local institution; 1t also is a
federal library. supported in part by
the federal government 1t is, in fact,
part OF the library system which. as
a whole. constitutes the national Ii
brary of the United States. 1t has a right
to It's particular field, and this work
is. logically and according to general
usage, within its field. For the SER
vice to the general reader within the
District. it is also a sort OF branch
of the Library of Congress: and the
Library of Congress is aiding 1t in
every way to strengthen this SER
vice-for instance. by turning over
to 1t duplicates which may be useful
in IT'S collecfiO