Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-14
Ou~,o, RsvDv~
onA 9ntunsIaAs4

NJ EARLY twelve years service on the Public
IN Library board created interest in the growth
and usefulness Of that institution. which has not
tagged since severed official connection with IT, and
/ have kept less in touch with the library,
and with library people. For the first time in it's
history the library will year have sufficient
sources to branch out and expand it's activities, anil
make itself OF factor In the intellectual life
OF the community than It has been.
Talking to Miss Tobitt the librarian. long
ago. I made a suggestion which seemed TO strike her
favoraby. which hope may be carried out, the idea
having come to from the unique installation of
the Juvenile books in the Matthews book store,
devised by Mrs. Matthews who planned everything ~
this department specially to appeal the little
and make them feel at home. II commercial estap-
lshmen finds to advantage to cater TO the children
by making a cosy alcove Of books for them. why
should not our Public Library. whose chief function
is TO instl in young folks appreciation OF good
literature and love OF books7 My advice TO Miss
Tobitt. therefore for a complete revolution of
the chldrens in the Public Library Why
should not the youngsters patroniEing the library
have room not only their own, but equipped and
furnished with view to making it comfortable for
them and making them want to stay in H7 True. the
chidrens there is. and has been for some
time fitted with chids size tables and chairs AMI
the walls embeished with pictures OF subjects
within the chds conception-but that is about far
the differentiation has gone. Why not, I asked
make 1t into real living with easy chairs
and comfortable settees, II upholstered rockers
instead of the bottomed, strsight-back chairs,
ranged round tables stiffly set in rowg7 Who ever
sits at table nowadays, anyway. unless he
the table to make notes? People used to read at
tables because the tables held the lamps
else there light enough to read by. Uncomforta-
BILE chairs and desks may be all right for school
where uniformity and discipline necessary but
they are not necessary In reading room.
The furniture IL not the only thing either that
makes attractiveness IN q room, for rugs carpets
pleasing pictures and ornaments and hansinss,
tribute to well-apponted living room or library in
the home. and would also help nightly the juvenile
part OF public library And IL comfort should prove
a stimulus TO the Of the library by the children
perhaps could later be extended to the reading and
reference rooms reserved for the adults More than
this II such innovation should out well here
in Omaha, would be taken up by libraries In other
cities, and start something worth while
Another suggestion have made would make avail
able for library a lot Of valuable space in the
basement-it ought not TO be called a basement for
1t is entirely out of ground-now required for the
heating plant With the completion of the new Grain
Exchange building the opposite side Of Nineteenth
street would pay the city enter into contract
for the heating Of the library building from the
steam boilers In the office building Though speak
ing wholly without authority In the matter 1 have
not the slightest doubt that the Exchange peo-
pie can supply the heat for the library at a profit
for less than II Is costing the library heat its own
building now and eliminate all the bother Of coal
and ashes and boiler risk and Repairs Inasmuoh as
the library has no elevator service not slre but
what favor putting the children's room with the
new furnishings have outlined in this basenent
and thus do away with having the youngsters
run up and downstairs constantly as they do now.