Evening star., 1918-02-19

please send US some books. We amt
got no books at all. We are Regulars
and get just as lonesome as National
Guards"
Thus wrote a private soldier to
public librarian in one of the eastern
states. The soldier was in small
camp-if he had been in a large one he
would have been able to take advan-
tage of the library service which the
American Library Association has es-
tablished in all of the national canton
ments. The books he asked for were
sent promptly, and others have fol-
lowed with regularity. But in the first
shipment the thoughtful librarian in
cluded a supply of tobacco and candy.
The response was Immediate!
IF you ever done good to a man you
but please don't waste no more space
for eats. Just send the books"
Incidental Bit Of Evidence.
This is merely one incidental bit Of
evidence as to the keen desire on the
part of the men in the camps for read
ing matter-evidence which is ac-
cumulating daily at the headquarters
II.
coming in from every camp containing
expressions of appreciation for the
work that is being done.
And this appreciation is not on the
part of the men alone. Older Army
officers. who were at first inclined to
think the men would not have time for
reading, nor inclination for it, have
changed their minds and are cordially
supporting the work of the A. L. A. In
some of the camps the commanding
"A
ing attention to the advantages of the
camp library service and urging the
men to take advantage of it. Others
have written direct to headquarters ex-
pressing their appreciation and willing
ness to be of service.
They have come to realize that the
reading the men are doing is not mere
ly to help pass leisure hour, but is in
great part undertaken with direct
desire for improvement. The technical
books. which the A. L. A. is furnishing
in large quantities. are designed to
make the men better and more efficient
soldiers. and their officers are quick to
realize the advantages they derive from
them; in fact, in one organization the
commanding officer is keeping tab on
the men who use the library as a basis
for selection for promotion.
Get Books Promptly.
What the A. L. A. is trying to do lis
books. as we'll as the service necessary
| to make them available. but to see that
private book owners who wish to help
out by donating books can get their
books to the camps promptly and sure
ly 1t is only necessary for the donor
to deliver his gift to the public library
nearest at hand-the library will do the
rest.
The library service in the larger
camps is now well organized, although
many more books are needed, and this
need is growing greater as the service
is extended overseas and to the small
lest camps and naval stations here
Books are now being delivered wlrer-
ever men are engaged in the war serv-
ice of their country, and naturally the
supply of books to meet this tremen-
dous demand must be very great.
So the public is urged to give and
give and give. not only the books they
don't want. but those they do, for no
book is too good! And every book thus
given makes available just so much
more of the A. L. A. book fund to be
used in the purchase Of text books and
technical literature unobtainable by
gift.
Books Of Lighter Literature.
In almost every home there are some