The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-10
n, FRANK P. sTocKBRiDcE.

UTNHE ftiuottcuthi tAbFhNy, <ANruote-
III ton has been designated by
the, Government al the sole
,sency for supplying books and read.
hr matter. to our soidisrs, SAILORS and
marines on this side and overseas,
IN fulfilling this Obligation this or.
s.nisatlon. which is Seomposed OF the
three thousand principal public IL
bnries OF the United BATES and their
librarians has made accessible to our
6shting forces nearly four million
sOoks of which II obtained something
more than three million by solicitation
from the general public. and has dis
\ .rbuted something like ten million
copies OF magazines. Sia' 5 NS]
Il has sent overseas more than a
million and quarter books. It has
established on this side nearly four
hundred camp libraries. forty-three
Of them occupying their own buildings
IN the larger camps. an, has estab-
lished branch libraries in some two
hundred hospitals and Red Cross
houses and nearly two thousand
buildings Of the Young Mems Chris
tan Association. Knights Of Columbus.
Young womenas Christian Associa-
ton. salvation Army. Jewish Welfare
Board and War Camp Community Ser
vice, as we'll as In barracks, mess halls
and officers auarters. This in addition
10 the installation of libraries on all
chips OF the navy and tho cargo YES
sells Of the Emergency Fleet Corpora
| ton, and at mary naval stations
Every transport taking American
troops to France has its deck library
with "Y'' or K. Of c.. secretary act
ing as librarian: these books. as well
ss the fifty tons month sent as cargo,
supply the overseas service. This Is
under:the direction Of Burton e. Ste
vensou, the novelist, who has estab-
shed a great central library IN Paris
euc two large library centres at other
points. The overseas library service
las as its base the branch Libraries
Placed by Mr.. Stevenson in the huts.
,!ub. houses and convalescent houses
4 the Red Cross, Y. N. c. A. *. Of c..
Young women's Christian Associa-
ton. Salvation Army and other organi-
sat.ons and soldiers clubs-neariy q
thousand Of these are now installed.
The second layer in the pyramid Is
the lpec.al libraries Of technical books
purchased by the American Library
Association and grouped in classified
collections and Installed at the head
quarters of every American military
unit in France. no matter how large
or how small There are special libra
fries on railway construction and engi-
peering, for example: special libraries
on aviation and ballooning, on forestry.
on cement work. on motor transport
ind all the other highly technical SUD-
.ects on which different attachments
Of the American Expeditionary Force
must be experts, as well as on general
military topics. Tho books for these
| special libraries. Of which there are
undrsds, With from fifty to 200 vol
umes in each collection, have been Sc
IIected by the General STAFF In Wash
lrton and the members OF Gen. Per-
shing's staff overseas.
The capstone of the overseas library
service Is the direct mail circulation or
looks from the Paris central library
10 Individual eoldiers. Under the
ranking privilege recently granted by
Sen, Pershing any soldier may write
10 the American Library Association
headquarters in Paris for any book he
vants. It Is obtained for him II 1t has
- be sent for to England or the United
States and Is forwarded to him free or
postage; he may keep 1t a month ana
return It also post free Nearly n
thousand book requests day are
row being filled IN this way.
Soldiers Must Have Books.
II has been surprising even to those
VINO anticipated a considerable demand
for reading matter on the part OF the
American Army and Navy TO discover
The actual extent of the demand II
ranges all the way from the most ele-
mentary subjects to the highest scien-
tific and technical works; In fiction
from the stories OF the "Deadwooc
Dick" and Nick Carter" type to the
classics Of English literature.
Books to help totally illiterate sol
diers to learn how to read and write
the English language, and books &c
4 aid the university graduate. who Ii
SSyorking for his doctors degree, botf
some within the scope OF Library Wal
/ L.. Il In n