Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-19
PLEASE SEND
US SOME BOOKS.

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 soldiersto-a
public librarian in one Of the east
ern states. . The soldier was--in a
small camp-if he had been in "a large
one. he would have been able to take
advantage of the library service
which the American Library associa-
ton has established in all of the ma
tional environments. The books he
asked for were sent promptly, and
others have followed with regularity,
But, in the first shipment, the
thoughtful librarian included a sup
ply of tobacco and candy. Just where
he got them, deponent sayeth not, but
at any rate they wen forward. The
response was immediate! :,
IF you w done good to a man
%youadone good to me-" wrote theasol-
der, but please don't waste no. more
space for eAts. Just send the books.,"'
This is merely one incidental bit Of
evidence as to the keen desire onsthe
part of the men in the camps for
reading matter-evidence which is
accommodating daily at the .%headquar-
ters of the A. L.. A. war service. Let
ters are coming in from every camp
SoilIdIAiAAS chpEeSSlOuS Oh dpQTeCld.
ton 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 1t,
have changed their minds and are
cordially supporting the work Of the
A. u. A.. in some of the camps the
commanding general has issued a spe-
cial order calling attention to the ad-
vantages of the camp library service
and urging the men to take advan-
tage OF it. Others have written di-
rect to headquarters expressing their
appreciation and willingness to be Of
service.
They have come to realize that the
reading the men are doing is not
merely to help pass a leisure hour,
but is in great part undertaken with
a direct desire for improvement. The
technical books, which the Al. A.
designed to make the men better and
more efficient soldiers. and their Of
ficers are quick to. realize, the advan-
tages 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.
What the A. L.. A. is trying to do
Is not only to furnish these technical
to make them available, but to see
that private book who wish
to help out by donating books, can
get their books to the camps prompt
ly and surely. 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, al
though many more books are needed,
and this need is growing greater as
the service is extended overseas and
to the smallest camps and naval sta
tons here. Books are now being de-
livered wherever men are engaged in
the war service of their country, and
NATURALLY the supply Of books to meet
this tremendous demand must be
very great.
So the public is urged to give and
give and give. not onl" 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. In almost ever,
home there are some books Of lighter
INSTRUMENTATION, essays, poetry
which can we'll be devoted to the
needs Of our men in khaki, and plan.
are under way for a national cam
%paign which will direct public atten.
ton to the magnitude Of this need
and make sure that every suitable
book so given is placed promptly a
the service Of our men.
The Grand Forks public librar.
will receive books for soldiers ant
aailora. and IF tho lfhrarv io rof}0od
the books will be called for.