Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-13
REPORT SUBMITTED
BY DIR. b0WERMAN
Librarian of Public Library
Shows Greater Number of
Books Are Read.
FUNDS ARE INADEQUATE
INCREASE FACILITIES
Institution Faces in Coming Year
Still Greater Work With Insult.
ficient Staff and Funds.

JILL 0ACotCI "VAh VIII 4ASo4-
ficient Staff and Funds.
Either actual or proportionate in
crease in the public service rendered to
the people of the National Capital and
its surrounding territory through near
~ every department of the Public Lii
brary of Washington is shown in care
full detail in the annual report of DR..
George +. Bowerman. the librarian. for
the fiscal year ended June 80 last. just
submitted to the District Commission
ers through the library trustees.
This document. which covers the elev-
enth year of DR.. Bowerman's incum-
bency. further points out to the library
trustees that this increase has come
about in the face of inadequate con-
gressional support and lack of many
needed facilities. and that the institu-
ton faces the coming year, which is
almost sure to show a still further in
crease in its work. with no increase in
staff or in funds for the purchase of
books.
by DR.. Bowerman are an increase in
home circulation of books of no less
than S9,364 volumes: the loaning out of
nearly a hundred thousand mounted
pictures: a slight drop in the proper
ton of fiction circulated; marked in
crease in the work of the children
department: the emphatic need of funds
for the valuable service of the circula-
ton of reading matter through social
settlements, schools and offices-work
hitherto done gratuitously or paid for
by money contributed from other or
ganizations: net growth in the collec-
tion of books owned by the library of
nearly IL 900: the purchase of collec-
ton of books in the various Scandina-
Wan tongues; the problem OF retaining
trained library workers at their present
inadequate salaries. and. finally. the
fine spirit and general efficiency of the
library staff. This last item. states DR..
Bowerman. it is impossible to empha-
size too strongly.
Increase in Circulation.
For the year under review the con-
gressional appropriation for mainte-
nance was increased IL per cent"
states the librarians report, in part.
"and the number of employees was in
creased S1a per cent. but the work
done, measured by the home circu
lation of books, increased 1871 per cent.
Previous to last year the appropria-
lions and stan had for a number of
years remained almost stationary, but,
in spite of that fact, the work of the
library had each year shown sub
stantial increase. Last years rate of
increase in resources was outstripped
in rate of increase of work done. The
library now faces the coming year,
which will almost surely show a fur
ther increase of work, with absolutely
no increase in staff or in funds for the
purchase Of books.
According to the United States CEN
sus bureaus estimate the population
n nf nj hi
July !, 1915. The clientele OF the library
includes in addition many persons liv-
ing in Maryland and Virginia who have
regular business or employment in the
District. To give even the relatively
inadequate service enforced by the
present lack of a system of branch
libraries the library used last year 16s
different agencies in serving its con-,
stttuency. Such agencies include those
wholly supported and administered by
the library and certain institutions
which, without expense to the library,
act as its agents in the distribution of
library books"
These agencies. explains the report.
include branch libraries. social settle
ments, hospitals, government buildings,
high and grammar schools. private
schools colleges. parochial schools.
business houses, school Fairgrounds,
summer camps. parents associat 'ons,
Sunday schools. missions. charitable
and correctional institutions and clubs
The home circulation for the year
numbered so2.99S volumes, as against
1855 volumes in 1914. an increase
OF SS.36l volumes. or 121z per cent
GAIN continues DIR. Bowerman. ''Tne
library also lent for home use 93745
mounted pictures, a IS per cent. in
which were 84.924.
Greater Number of Cardholders.
During the past year the registra-
ton Of cardholders numbered HES
as against 15.112 in the previous year.
The total registration at the close Of
the year was 1926. as against 1884
year ago. These figures t.ke no ac-
count of the large number of children
who secure books from the schools
without formal library registration.
TT is interesting to record another
drop of l per cent in the proportion
of fiction circulated. 1t should also be
remarked that the supply OF fiction fur
nished has never been more generous
than during the past year.
There has been az increased use of
parcel post facilities for the exchange
of books This is especially noticeable
during the summer months, when many
readers, absent Oh vacations. secure IL
brary books by this means.
The general increase in the work Of
the library has nowhere been more
marked than in the children'S depart
ment. This increase was the result of
no stimulation on the part of the IL
brary. and was handled without any
corresponding increase of staff
Although the circulation of Juvenile
literature by the library is now more
than 100000 volumes annually, and
forms about 80 per cent of the library's
total circulation. yet the library is now
able only 10 scratch the surface of the
problem. But the library's book stock
Is too meager II lacks system of
branch libraries. and the system of dis
tribution through the schools is alto
gether inadequate to meet the problem
as II should be met Out of the 10000
children OF the District of school age
not more than 5000 get library books
through the school distribution plan.
1t is estimated that not more than 49,
900 other children secure books from
the central library, the Takoma branch
the school stations and home libraries
This means that the library fails to ex-
tend its resources to "a 900 children of
school age. who are growing up and
leaving school without ever learning
10 use the library.
Use of Outside Agencies.
Outside of the circulation of books
through the school class rooms. the
library ut!lizes three principal classes
of outside agencies for book distribu-
ton. as follows: Social settlements
school stations and stations conducted
In offices. These agencies circulated
last year almost $4,000 volumeA OF
this number $4,000 volumes were dis