Evening star., 1913-11-22
HOW TO INCREASE
VALUE Of LIBRARY
DR.. BoWerman in Favor of.
Branches in Schools and
Departments.
ONLY DREAM AT PRESENT:
HOPES FOR REALIZATION
Tells Federation of Womea's Clubs
More Money Is Needed to
Garry on Work.

Expressing the hope of seeing small
library deposit stations or small branches
of popular literature established at the
District building and in all government
offices needing such service, DR. George
r. Bowerman, librarian Of the Public
Library. this morning addressed the Dis
trict of Columbia Federation OF Womens
Clubs. DIR. Bowerman outlined num-
ber OF projects for encouraging people to
read and to take advantage Of library
facilities and to teach those who are COM
PEELED to leave school early that the IL
brary is means provided by the govern
ment for continuing their education.
He spoke of the needs Of the Public
Library and asked the support Of the
federation in obtaining a larger appro-
priaton this year. declaring that "the
difficulty of securing adequate appro-
priations properly to carry on the work
now under way makes one hesitate to lay
out program whose adoption seems
then spoke of the dreams mot yet
plans) for future development" which
he had.
Progress Has Been Slow.
1.-The main library" he said, has long
since been crowded by the throngs who
come. 1t took seven years from the
time the money for branch libraries was
offered before we were able to get legis-
lation to build the first branch. Is it too
wild hope to indulge that the time
will come when there will be a system
of from six to eight branch library build
ings throughout the District. each main
tanning the principal activities now car
ried on in the central building?
From the beginning now made at send
ing out school duplicates for home cir
culation to the public schools most re-
mote from the library we hope ultimately
to make every pubic. private and pa
rochial school in effect a branch library.
In time past many of the government
offices have maintained not only spe-
cialized reference libraries, but also Ii
braries of general literature for home
circulation among their employees.
THE latter features have properly been
discontinued and the persons concerned
have been referred to the Public Library.
l should like to see Public Library de-
posit stations or small branches of pop
ular literature established at the District
building and in all government offices
needing such service. The developed
library system of the future should also
include library branches in the field
houses which will yet, l believe. be built
in the municipal Fairgrounds and in
many of the school buildings. especially
in the suburbs.
Instead Of the present plan Of volun-
tary service in the library stations in
social settlements this service should be
conducted by paid employees. The Public
Library should be able to stock with
books all Sunday school Libraries which
apply and agree to observe necessary
rules. The parcel post, which will soon
carry books, will afford another means Of
inexpensively getting books to individuals
without the necessity Of their coming to
the library. ---s.- ~<t--.-..-- ---
Trained Use of Books.
But the public library system should
be so developed that 1t will not only be
easy for every person, young and old, to
get books. through library agency near
every home, but also means should be
found for training up the people to be
habitual library users, readers who use
books intelligently, reasonably and profit
ably. To this end the present informal
and loose cooperative relations of library
and school should be developed into a
close linking together of the work Of the
library and the school
This union should be made so close that
from the very beginning of school life
school children will not only be made to
feel that the Public Library is the nat
tuition to which they should tie up for life
but also that they will be instructed either
in the school, or by very much enlarged
and highly skilled library staff, in the in
telligent and profitable use of books In
structional work to the same end will be
done in the case of adults through the
medium of lecture halls, study clubs and
reading courses
In addition to the present use of the
lecture hall and study rooms by voluntary
organizations, l would have the library it
self conduct in the lecture halls In the
main library and branches series of lee
lures especially designed to direct the
reading of auditors. l would have an off,
Ger or officers who would tactfully organ
iZe. direct and supervise the reading of
study clubs, groups or individuals, In or
der thus to give it point, system and def
initeness.
These are some of the projects about
which we may dream; and some of them
or notifications of them will sooner or
later be accomplished as actual facts.
Need of More Money.
THE library had $4,000 for mainte-
nance in 1904; this had ben increased to
only $6S.00O in 1913. when the circula-
ton had increased two and one-half
times and when the library had added all
of the many activities most of which
were undreamed Of In 1904. It is now
asking for an appropriation OF about $685.
900.
IF the District of Columbia Federation
of Women's Clubs thinks that we have
given a good account of our stewardship,
that We have made good use Of the money
placed in our hands. and that our abli-
ties for further service ought to be in
creased, then we should be glad to have
your aid"
( Mrs. Ellis Logan, president of the Dis
trict federation. introduced DR.. Bower
man. She also announced that Judge j.
Wilmer Latimer would tell of the needs
of the Juvenile Court at II o'clock next
Cafnrday. at the P,lh1tc ihrary