The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-30
LAUNCH MOVE FOR
A PUBLIC LIBRARY
REPRESENTATIVE RICHMOND PEG
PIE PERFECT AN oRGASIzA-
TTON.
IN EARNES N 0 w
WASHINGTON LIBRARIAN AND
LOCAL SPEAKERS ENTHUsIAs-
TIC--ANoTHER MEETING
NEXT WEEK.
IN EARNEST NO W

! What may properly be designated as
the first determined movement to Sc
cure for Richmond IA public library
was launched yesterday afternoon
when a score of philosophical men
and women, representing as many
patriotic local organizations, met and
organized the Richmond Public LII
brary association.
The movement took tangible shape
at a luncheon given by the library
committe Of the Richmond Educa-
ton association TO the mayor, city Of
ficials and representatives of vari-
Gus welfare organizations in the din
ing room of the Hotel Richmond over
which Wyndham r. Meredith pre-
sided and followed enthusiastic adj
dresses In endorsement OF the pro-
+ ject.
/ Elect Officers.
/ The officers Of the new organiza-
I ton are:
/ Wyndham r. Meredith, president
! Robert Whittet. Jr., vice president
and Evan II. Chesterman. secretary
/ and treasurer. l.. r, Whipple was
/ chosen chairman of the publicity com
! mittee, and the appointment of the
/ finance, legislative and executive com
! mittees waS left to a later meeting
/ which will he held early next week.
Mayor Ainslie. Rabbi Calisch. Mrs
ID, b. Munford. Mr. Meredith and 9TH
ers made brief addresses. all enthus-
iastie and all to one purpose-that
Richmond must have a public library
without further delay. The feature OF
the occasion, though, was the ad-
dress of DR. George +. Bowerman. IL
brarfan of the public library of Wash
ington. d. G. whose subject was 'Ihe
Public Library an Investment-Not
an Expense"
DIR. Bowerman the Feature.
DR. Bowerman is no. stranger 70
Richmond educators. having address
ed a similar gathering in the john
Marshall high school here two wears
ago. He stated yesterday that he
was led to expect from the strong
resolutions adopted at that time that
by this time he rather thought ne
would be receiving an invitation 10
attend the opening of the library
! If the people have ben postponing
tho esta blfshnent Of a library because
/ they didn't want to pay taxes neces-
sary to support It. then they are oil
the penny wise. pound fooiish va
riety Richmond is not really post
ponIng the mourning of an expense
matter Of civic pride, some day "a
grudRfngIY assume. but are, on the con
trary losing the opportunity 10 make
an investment which Will pay large
dividends not in dollars and cents
but in what is more important. the
success and permenence of the intel
ligence and character OF its ci1!zeIs
DR.. Bowerman stressed the coFrela-
T ton OF the public schol system Wilt
the public library, and declared lnal
as an investment in good citzenshll
I one Is rs important 10 ehe cotiAA3"A'1NS
as the other
+ Closely LINKED With School.
Z The work of the modern pubic
library is closely linked up with the
4 school in order not simply 10 sup
I r,lernent. as IL largely does, the WORK
of the school by the loan or BOOKS
/ 10 teachers fer professional study ana
for class room supplemental read
ing. but also that II may capture the
children in the formative age through
a well-euuipped chldrens room con
I Quoted by experts. and make Of them
I lifelong library users. The presence
] OF a public library In any city N re-
cognttion of the fact that its citiZens
believe that education is not meas
ured by the period Of school instruc-
ton. but that their education VIII be
3
Public Taste Improves.
! ALTERNATING even an unexpressed
charge that a large part of the read
/ ing of public libraries Is composed OF
fiction. DIR. Bowerman stated that IN
1 his eight years experience as libra
ria4s at Washington the fetal annual
home circulation OF boUks had beer
= Increased from sTE, uU6 volumes 70
1 $4,000 volumes and at the same time
I the percentage of fiction in that cir
( culation had been reduced from 81 20
( IS, and he expects ultimately TO re-
tluce II to so. The present SIS per
cent, too. is composed of better
quality of fiction than. the former ~
per cent In concluding DIR, Bowerman
didn't hesitate to declare that the
4 people of Richmond are short sighted
and are postponing TO do their detri-
rnent the establishment AZ pubic
4 library.
Prominent Folks Present.
Among those present at the lunch
| con were Miss Mary Johnston, OF the
Equal Suffrage league: Rev. DR.. w
+ r. Bowie rector of St Pauls; Mrs
/ w. G. Stanard, president of the Won
ans club; DR.. j. c. Metcalf. president
! of the Richmond Education associa-
ton. Mrs. Il. III. Levy, president OF
the Council of Jewish Women. and
i other representative citizens to the
i. nngnhar az iwents three. II there IL
significance Is numbers the promo
ters of the library movement believe
that this time ii will be go" and
at the meeting to be held next week
/ plans will be perfected to carry the
campaign TO a successful conclusion