Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-13
Pictures Widely Circulated.


more than $4,000 mounted pictures. 5000
picture post cards and very large
number of unmounted pictures. These
pictures were used outside of the libra
~ to the number of 93.745. Among
those to borrow them, numerous calls
from newspapers for pictures for re-
production were met. Inside the libra
ry buildings pictures depicting current
events, both local and of world interest,
are constantly put up on winged frames.
The years accessions numbered 22.532
volumes, the largest in the history OF the
library; but the Withdrawals numbered
1885 volumes. so that the net growth
of the collection was but 1896 volumes.
The library possessed at the close OF the
year 1913 volumes. Expenditures for
books were s12.O69.s7. making the
average cost per volume OF books pur-
chased ~ cents. The congressional ap-
preparation for book purchases was $1,000
larger than for former years, but the
book fund still falls short of the librarys
needs.
AT the request of a large committee
of Scandinavians; composed of represent
atives from the Danish. Norwegian and
Swedish races living in Washington, the
library purchased the beginning Of col
lection of books in these three languages.
The library now possesses books in the
German. Italian. Spanish. Portuguese.
Russian. Hebrew, Yiddish, Danish, Nor
wegian. Swedish, Latin, Greek (ancient
and modern) and Esperanto. together
with dictionaries for various other
languages.
The designations last year numbered
twenty out of a total force Of twenty six,
or 26 per cent The poyment OF better
professional salaries would result in
securing and retaining in the service of
the library larger proportion of men:
also the woman employees would be
more largely composed of those who re-
gard library service as their lifework
rather than as a stop-gap. The library
ought not SO frequently to lose Its
trained and experienced workers to
other libraries. Almost never Is 1t able
to get back its employees who leave to
take advanced courses in the regular
library schools. This library discovers
many Librarians by means of its train
ing class, only to lose them to other
Libraries. because Of its financial in
ability to retain them with the low
salaries prevailing here.
1T Is impossible to make too strong
the communication of the spirit and
general efficiency of the staff in the
face OF continued discouraging condi-
tons under which the members work.
Every year the library work in
creases faster than the stan enlarges.
with resulting greater strain and over
work. Each year members of the stan
find that the cost of their living has in
creased SO that they are less able than
ever to save anything from their sala-
ries for old age, and they look forward
to no pensions. Librarians. to do their
best work, need to travel and to spend
money in attending the theater. opera
and other means of cultivation. Such
things are in large measure denied to
the members of the staff because of
their meager salaries. In spite of this
condition of affairs spirit OF self-sac-
rificing devotion to the interest of the
public and to their chosen profession
prevails to high degree.
The library's eleventh annual train
ing class was an exceptionally good
one. Ten completed the seven-month
course. The spirit of the class is shown
by it's unanimous recommendation that
the course. which originally had been
six months long. be heightened from
seven to eight months: this recon-
mendation has been adopted for next
year"