Evening star., 1912-11-18
EXTENDING ITS USES
Proposed School Branches of
the Public Library
URGED BY Mr.. B0WERMAN
Experiment Attended With Success
in Cleveland Park. !.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
Suggests How the Value of the In
stitution Could Be Greatly
Increased.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES


tiles for the establishment therein of
is adopted plan outlined in the annual
report Of George F. Bowerman, librarian
of the Public Library, just submitted to the
District Commissioners as a part of the
report Of the library trustees. Mr.. Bower
man describes the larger uses to which
! the library collection could be put. points
out that the enlargement is limited by
small appropriations by Congress and
suggests the use Of the school buildings
as a temporary expedient until branch
libraries are established throughout the
District.
| This plan, Mr.. Bowerman says, was
given trial at the John Eaton School
in Cleveland Park last year and he de-
clares it to have been "a very successful
experiment.
| Although this station was only open
for a two-hour period once week, there
was a home circulation Of 4,O31 volumes
from November % to June 30 the Ii
brarian says in his report. The users of
its facilities included adults as we'll as
children. This experiment for the wider
use Of the school plant" was suggested by
munity Association. 1t points the way
for similar uses of school buildings in
various parts of the city as soon as the
| lbrarys resources are increased.
Practice in Other Cities.
| THE record of this venture and the ex-
perience of other cites. notably Grand
Rapids. where all branch libraries are To-
Gated in school buildings, and the indet1-
mite postponement Of the building of the
Carnegie branch libraries here, led the
| librarian. some months ago, to recon-
mend to the library trustees the adoption
of the following preamble and resolution
| Whereas a large number of citizens
of the District are practically denied pub
| lie library advantages. through their dls-
tance from the central library ana
through the necessary delay in the build
ing of Carnegie branch libraries in va
lrious sections; and whereas certain other
cities where the erection of separate branch
libraries has been postponed are afford
ling, as temporary expedients. library ia
cilities through small branches establish
ed in public school buildings, the public
| library trustees respectfully ask the board
of education to join with them in recon-
mending to the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia the following resolu-
! ton:
| 9 Resolved. first, that 1t is desirable to
Eestablish small branches of the Public
Library in public school buildings SO Sc
lected as to bring library advantages
children. now practically unable to use
the Public Library; and second that in
the erection Of new school buildings the
library needs of sections not otherwise
furnished with public library facilities be
kept in mind and selected school build
ings be provided with library rooms. hav-
ling outside entrances, convenient to the
street, and with shelving, furniture. etc. '''
Hampered by Congress.
Mr. Bowerman indicates in his report
that the Public Library of the national
Capital is not keeping pace with the mu-
nicipal libraries of other cities. and
plainly places the responsibility upon the
shoulders of Congress. which controls
the appropriations for the library.
1T should be noticed that the library's
total appropriation for the fiscal veal
| 1913" he says, lis but $4,000, as against
s67 40 for the fiscal year 1912. With q
reduced appropriation it is therefore moi
| unreasonable to expect tnat the coming
years record will be smaller than thai
of the one under review. Ih1s is by ne
means an agreeable prospect. Municipa
Libraries Of other cities are at the pres,
ent time forging ahead almost univer
sally they are building branches ane
otherwise reaching out to cover theil
, own fields as completely as possible
Take the city of Cleveland, for example
Its public library is doing a splendi g
work. but no better. it is .,elieved. thar
that done by this library, dollar for dol
lar expended. 1t has built in compare
lively few years a chain of branch build.
ings. and a bond issue of S2OOO,ooO has
juts been authorized by popular vote te
| provide a new central library building
Cleveland spends 81 cents per capita fol-
it's public library. as compared with q
cents per capita spent in Washington.
Should Be Model System.
There is no reason why there should
not be in Washington public library sys.
TEN which might fairly be a model for the
country. This community is of more
than usual intelligence. So far as avail
able to them it's citizens use library facili
ties with avidity. Comparatively small
private incomes. short working days an6
a fair degree of cultivation are the rule
here, affording time and taste for read
ing. Funds raised by taxation are ample
for the purpose, provided they could be
come available by appropriation The
Carnegie money for branches has beer
lying at hand for nearly ten years. Te
have a model public library system in
NUo hin pfop would not only be useful tC