South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-19

the TWO million books are 10 come
are not all bOOk-wise The judgment
of many of them as TO the kinds of
books that viii be needed is not en-
tirely infallible and should therefore
be guided The camp Librarians say
that the men in the camps want
books Of great variety but that thee
are certain limitations.
OF fiction books, stories OF adj
venture. including western stories
and detective stories, are very pop
ular. Too. they want love stories OF
the very best kind; stories of bust
ness and historical novels. OF nom
fiction books those OF military
science including books on the con-
struction and operation of aero
planes, engineering, electricity, aU-
tomobiles. mechanics are in great
demand. Books on business. agricul-
ture. horses and books on drawing
are constantly inquired for. Books
on the war, especially those from
the trenches wireless telegraphy
and telephony; simpler texts such
as arithmetics. algebras, geometries.
books on letter writing and fling
methods-all Of these come in for
their share Of attention. And poetry,
too. but rev and standard poetry.
What is Not Wanted.
The kind of books that they 90
not want sent TO the libraries are
the cheap, salaciOus kind. There is
no room for them. Nor do they want
books that are unattractive edi-
tons with tiimsy. yellow covers and
cheap bindings. They want attrac-
tive books, the clean copies Of good
editions and the more of them that
they get the better service they can
give TO the men. They do not want
out-Of-dat books on science aud
technology. nor out-of-date text
books They do not want books
that appeal especially TO women.
a story is told of an occurrence
in the library az Camp Lewis. Wash.
AT enlisted man called at the
charging desk and asked for The
best availa BILE book on motors The
librarian gave him one, in fact the
best in stock at that time. The sol
dier glanced at the title and sail.
Il have read this one. Did il while
il was i'm manuscript for l drew the
illustrat tons. thought il rather
elementary" The soldier who was
a private. was draughtsman and
illustrator OF technical books. And
he is only one of a million and a
half men whose needs the camp
libraries have undertaken 10 supply.
If a soldier asks for a book and il
is not in stock il is sent for u
the nearest city library and is gen.
orally supplied within "a hours aft-
er requested. All public anG college
Libraries are cooperating with the
camp libraries and if it is neces-
sary the book will be purchased.
Call for Technical Books.
I'm non-fction the greatest call is
for technical books on electricity.
gasoline motors, tractors and artil-
lery. Second in non-fiction comes
books on the war. with bound
Volumes of the presidents speech,
why We Are At War" as a most
popular volume. Poetry is ranked
as the third in popularity in the
non-hction circulation. These are
the generalties of army reading
The thousands of exceptions ana
specialties are even more interest
ing. The range OF books is all the
way from primers and first and sec
Ond readers 10 the books of John
Ruskin ana Burroughs. There have
been many requests for "A Message
TO Garcia i'm fact. so many in one
camp that the librarian had sup
ply mImeOgraphed so that the de-
mand could be answered. In an
other camp there were so many re-
quests for religious books that the
librarian set up a special reference
library for this need Requests for
books on the drama have been re
ceived and dlled; books on the value
Of public utilities. on conservation:
on sewage disposal-aH OF these
have come in.
This is an appeal 20 the people II
south Bend. in fact the people or
the entire country 10 do another bit
for the boys by sending good read
able books DO not send trashy out
Of-date books Of any kind. Thew
cannot possibly be used and will
only have TO De discarded. and this.
of course. will create additional
work on account of the handling.
The books should be delivered 10
the public library building