The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-14
At the Library
Interesting Coincidence.

An extremely interesting coincidence
came to the notice of the librarian a
few DAYS ago-one which will interest
Brattleboro people, and especially those
who have contributed books or money
lowing: Mrs. c. S. Chase of Brattleboro
has received a letter from her son,
Paul Chase, who is with the American
expeditionary force in France, saying
that when he was on the transport
crossing the ocean he took book
| from the library on the ship and in
the book was written the name and
address of DR.. f. r. Lynch of Brat
tleboro The book was Captains Coura-
! geous, by Rudyard Kipling
When il is remembered that there
are now about 100000 men in service
in France and many thousands in camps
in this country, and that over 100000
books have been placed by the Ameri-
4
can Library association in various sta
| tions for the use of these men, it is
remarkable coincidence that a Brattle-
boro man should have found a Brat
tleboro book in the library of the trans
port ON which he was going overseas
This undoubtedly was one of the books
sent by the local library, as by particu-
lar request of General Pershing and
other high officers, the supplying of
reading matter to the troops has been
centralized in the American Library
association and thus duplication and
competition are avoided.
The last number of the War Library
| Bulletin, published by the War Library
| Service, with headquarters at the Lii
brary of Congress, gives the following
statistics as to books sent through the
i American Library association.
s'There have been So camp library
buildings erected: IL large camp libra
ries established: 81 hospitals and Red
! Cross houses supplied with books: 2l2
Librarians in the service: 237 small
military camps and posts equipped with
book collections; 249 naval and marine
stations and vessels supplied with
Libraries; 1923 branches and stations
placed in Y NJ G. A. and X of c.
huts, barracks and mess halls: 1885, $40
books shipped overseas; 4l1.505 books
purchased, largely technical; 100000
gift books in service -
The officers, the camp Librarians
visitors to camps and hospitals, and
personal letters of the soldiers to their
. families and friends, all testify to the
helpfulness of books in keeping their
minds pleasantly and proftably occu-
pied. In regard to the character OF
books read, the records show that the
variety is very great, and although
there is always demand for fresh new
fiction, some camp librarians report that
about three-quarters of the books taken
i, are non fiction; the latter including a
| great many tetnHlcdi WoThS. IecHHl
5 cal books to be of practical .alue must
be up-to- date; most of these must be
purchased, as few are included in gifts
, of books, and they are expensive The
J average life of a book Gin the service
!. is three months, and vast numbers viii
be required to replace those worn out
, and to supply new stations as the
e work overseas is extended. Stations
. for the distribution of books in France
, now number 203.
The American Library association il
one of the seven organizations for tn,
welfare of troops which are soon t,
unite in drive to secure funds Il
carry on their work. Brattleboro's con
tributions to these organizations vii
G come from the War Chest instead o.
. from individuals.