Evening star., 1918-02-25
PROVIDES READING
FOR SOLDIER BOYS
American Library Association
Engaged in Stocking Camps
With Books,
BEST Literature IN LIST

BEST Literature IN LIST
OF especial interest at this time to
thousands Of young men who are re-
ceiving notifications to appear for as
signment in the National Army is the
work of the American Library Associa-
tion in the military camps Of the United
States
phase Of the war heretofore unde-
veloped has come forward in the care
of the mind of the American soldier.
To place before him literature OF the
best kind the American Library Asso-
citation has expended thousands Of dol
lars and contributed many books and
millions of magazines and newspapers.
Upon the entrance of the United
States into the war a war service COM
mittee was named by. the president Of
the American Library Association. Sub
committees on finance. publicity and
book collecting were subsequently ap-
pointed. On learning Of these steps by
the library association the commission
on training camp activities of the War
take charge of the work Of providing
reading matter for Americas troops.
Cannot Take Own Books.
Because of the restrictions imposed
by War Department regulations SOL
diers cannot carry individual stocks
OF books to camp. Libraries in the six
teen cantonments and various National
Guard camps, as well as the expansion
camps, are crowded day and night with
troopers who drop in for reading and
instruction at the end Of their duties.
A constant campaign is being pushed
by Libraries throughout the country
for more books for the soldiers. Nearly
every family, the American Library
Association points out, has a dozen or
more books lying idle. If these were
taken to the nearest library for dis
aid greatly in solving the problem of
the library authorities.
Some of the camp librarians are vol
unteers- Others are paid small salaries,
tence. an amount less than the pay of
a second lieutenant. Soldiers are oc-
casionally assigned to the libraries to
act as assistants.
Buildings of Plain Type.
The library buildings in all military
camps are plain wooden structures.
ed for the oantonments. They were de-
signed by E. l. Triton. The ordinary
library building contains 10000 vol
umes. but in many instances the camps
lack several thousands OF having their
quotas of books.
In some of the structures alcoves
have been assigned for the use Of Off
GERS.
in the average army camp. the library
authorities at Camp Sherman succeeded
in getting authorization to build
fireplace. eight feet wide with four
unusually attractive for the western
soldiers. according to reports
A library is being erected at Camp
Merritt, the embarkation camp at Tena-
ny, and additional buildings have been
Johnston. Through the policy Of the
War Department to assign casual
troops and regulars to Fort Oglethorpe
this camp has become one Of the largest
in the country: Originally it was the
home of the 11th United States Cavalry.
Camp Meade Men Want Text Books.
Camp Meade soldiers have shown an
unusual demand for text books and
other publications on technical SUBJ
jects. Engineering handbooks, me-
chanics' handbooks. books on sanitary
engineering and books on all branches
OF the military service are greatly
needed At this camp. according to the
report of the Meade librarian.
Contributions Of literature from we'll
meaning friends back home are not
without their humorous appeal. Among
some of the rejected volumes at sort
ing base in New York were "Proceed-
ciation," Ruskin's Letters to Young
Girls" '1Needlework." and the annual
report of q New York Episcopal eye,
ear and throat hospital. twenty years
A new postal regulation permits the
public to send current magazines to the
camps by afiixing a one-cent stamp on
the front Of the publication. The result
Gus degrees of suitability. Most Of
this matter. however. is greatly appre-
ciated by the soldiers.
Magazines in French are in constant
demand by the men who are studying
the language. SUBSCRIPTIONS have been
sent to France for magazines. which are
arriving regularly in many Of the
camps.
Ask for Author They Know Best.
It is singular to observe how the men
OF certain section OF the country ask
them. The Indiana privates want some-
thing by James Whitcomb Riley. Booth
Tarkingtons Gentleman from Indt-
ana" is a popular book with the Hoo
sier fighters. The Kentucky soldiers
of Kingdom Come" Trail of the Lone
some Pine" and Christmas Eve on
Lonesome"
At Camp Beauregard the writer's that
seem to be the most popular are o.
Henry. Harold Bell Wright, G. B. Nc
Cutcheon, Jack London, Mark Twain
Kipling. Poe and H. G. Wells.
Some Of the enlisted men. reports In
dicate, show marvellous capacity for
brary to spend the evening. and when
the time for closing comes two or more
books will have been added to the
storehouse Of their memory. There are
some who come in practically every
day for a fresh book. One patron took
out and read regularly three books a
oay until another soldier in his COM
pany began to do the same thing.
Then the former dropped to two, com
planning that his efforts for book read
ing supremacy of his company were
too tiring.
At Camp Gordon, near Atlanta Ca