Evening star., 1913-11-18
Appropriations Not Adequate
to Meet Demands of Grow
ing Work.
ITS EMPLOYEES UNDERPAID
AND MANY QUIT SERVICE
Comparisons Made in Report to
Commissioners Not Creditable to
National Capital.

The appropriations made by Congress
for carrying on the work of the Public
Libarary have been so small that a large
percentage of employees resign yearly be-
cause of starvation salaries"
The Public Library has never at any
time been placed on basis of adequate
cities nearest to Washington in popula-
ton, twenty-one in 1912 had larger ap-
propriations. while only five had less.
/. These are among the reasons urged
by the board of trustees of the Public
Library for a radical readjustment OF
the library appropriations" in it's an
nual report. submitted today to the
District Commissioners. The board urg-
ing this action consists of Theodore w
Noyes. president; Brainard H Warner
vice president; John B. Larner, sec
retary; DR.. Herbert Putnam, Samuel w
Woodward, r. Ross Perry, Charles j.
Bell, Justice Wendell p. Stafford and
DR.. William NJ. Davidson.
That the increase in the appropria-
tions each year has not been In pro-
portion to the increase in the volume
of work done at the library is also
pointed out. Statistics are quoted to
support the arguments advanced by the
trustees. and the report goes into de-
tails as to the growth of 1.-The people S
university"
Report of the Trustees.
The report of the board of trustees,
omitting the detailed estimates sub
mitted. is as follows:
AS trustees of the Public Library.
we renew our urgent appeal for
radical readjustment of the library ap-
propriations. We do not ask merely the
meager percentage of increase over last
years figures. which alone the years de-
velopment would justify in the case of d
municipal department which had been
once put upon an adequate basis of main
tenance. We contend that the Public
Library has never at any time been
placed on that basis of adequate main
tenance.
If a new impulse of healthy growth is
to be given to the mental and moral as
distinguished from the physical develop
ment of the National Capital, the Public
Library, the peoples university" is con-
spicuously a portion of the local educa-
tional system which needs and is entitled
to wise and sympathetic consideration in
the communitys interest
Inadequate Original Appropriations.
The original library appropriations
were slowly and inadequately made. The
salaries were fixed by Congress on star
walton basis. and no effort hitherto has
been successful in getting them from this
basis except in spots. Charwomen are
still paid $50 per year, as against mini
mum of $40 per year elsewhere; many
regular assistants mot pages, but pro-
fessional librarians) are paid $3.50 and
$40 per year when the minimum pay
for merely clerical work elsewhere in the
government service is $720; the librarian
originally received $500, and now re-
ceives $500 per year for labors which
are compensated in other American
libraries of approximately the size and
usefulness of that of Washington by an
annual salary of 5000 or more The
same suggestion of inadequate compen-
sat:on is given here and there throughout
the entire force from charwoman to
librarian.
Starting on an inadequate basis. build
ing on this cramped foundation, the in
creases in maintenance provision have not
kept pace with the growth in the library
itself. in its work. it's activity. its use
fulness to the community: and in the last
few years. during which its helpful ac-
tivities have developed wonderfully in
spite of all handicaps and all obstacles,
its maintenance provision has been vir-
tually at a standstill suffering practical
paralysis.
Overworked and Underpaid.