El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-30
Soldiers NOzO
Reading Books
On The Trades
War Service Libraries Pop
ular With Men About
To Resume Civil Life.


The soldiers OF Fort Bliss and along
the border have more or less time for
recreation and now with peace they
will naturally have more. they are
naturally turning back in their minds
to what they viii do for the liveli-
hood when in civil life again. To help
themselves as well as for recreation
and general information they are
reading the vocational books Of the
war service library. They are calling
more and more for books on occupa-
tons like farming. mechanics. etc.
The foregoing statement was made
after an interview with Miss Geneva
Rrock. assistant librarian Of the war
service library with headquarters in
the basement OF the Carnegie library.
There is a growing demand for books
on the occupations" said Miss Brock.
only the other day we had call
from Fort Bayard. y. NJ. for 60 diff
ferent books on poultry. That gov
eminent hospital is for soldiers with
lung troubles and I suppose some Of
them are planning 10 do things and
are turning to something within their
strength. like poultry raising.
Would BE Decorator
The motor transport men have been
getting books on automobiles. mechan-
les, and among the engineers works
on architecture, and various kinds OF
building and construction
"One soldier in the fifth cavalry got
a book on interior decorating His
occupation and what he wants TO do is
naturally suggested
'One soldier is a cartoonist and got
a book on cartOoning.
we keep a requisitiOn list" said
Miss Brock, and we make special
acquisitions almost daily for books
asked for. The American Library as
ISOLATION is buying nonfiction history.
travels. trades and occupations. Most
Of the vast contributions have been
fiction.
Got Soldiers Enthused.
Miss Cornelia Marvin. state Ii
brarian of oregon. who was here in
charge Of this library for some time,
gave a great impetus TO the use of
our library by the soldiers In her
deeply earnest. magnetic way. she en-
Unused the men TO read useful. espe-
cially books on occupations in which
they were interested If she was ad-
dressing soldiers she would put such
question as this: Would any one
here like to be a dairyman@ Perhaps
one lone hand would go up She would
then say: Good Such and such men
are the authors Of such and such
books. They are in the war service IL
uEdIg- yet luOSe DOCKS Iley are
the wisest men on dairying in the
United States. and let them talk to
you in their books on the very sub
Ject you are interested in And so
Miss Marvin would 20 from subject
to subject, not entirely on vocational
books. but history. war travel. the
peoples at war and the like
An Studying Now.
Naturally when the men were ex-
pecting or hoping to go overseas they
were mostly interested in books on
military subjects. the countries at war
and kindred subjects, but always some
thoughtful men were looking forward
TO after the war. They even then
found some time for books on voca-
tions they had followed or wanted 10
follow. Now they are nearer hack
home and study OF books on occupa-
tons. each to his particular bent, is
on the increase
Have 10000 Books.
This library with Headquarters
here has approximately $4,000 vol
umes and we are furnishing books 10
every soldier camp. big and little. from
as far east as Maria. Tex. and as far
west as Nogales. Ariz- We have lent
out from here about 1000. In all we
have 81 branches. - OF which were
organized in October. There are IA in
Fort Bliss and the Y II. C. A. build
ing and the Red Cross hostess house
when completed will each have
branches.
Our work here in headquarters IS