The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-27

Can I get "A Boy Mechanic'?" asked colored boy of 10 or 12 years at the Birmingham public library.
 The question addressed to Miss Lila
 May Chapman, vice director of the li- brary. exciting her curiosity, she asked what he wanted with it.
 "If I had that book I could make a lot of things" came the prompt reply That was in July of this year. So when the board of directors met the next day Miss Chapman related the in cident, with the result that the Booker T. Washington branch of the Birming ham public library was then and there determined upon. This branch was opened on October 3, without. however the elaborate programme that had been arranged for the occasion.
 The programme which had to be
 amondoned because of the influenza epidemic included talks by several prominent white and colored men and women, among them Dr. N. A. Barrett, president of the city commissions: City Commissioner John R. Hornady, Dr. J. H. Phillips. superintendent of the city schools; G. s. Lewis, A. H. Parker. w.. B. Driver, Mrs. Pauline Jackson and Hattie Herd. President J. w. Don nelly of the Birmingham Public I.i-
 brary association was scheduled to preside
 The Booker A Washington branch was made possible through the fore sight of pr. J. II. Phillips. who saved up and turned over to the public library the different sums realized from enter tainments held a the colored schools of the city. When the directors deter mined to establish this branch they had s34o0 in this fund, and with that as nucleus they bought 1000 books covering wide range of subjects, from history, biography. science. philosophy and reference to fiction, and scores of volumes for children
 Among the first books bought how ever, were two copies of "A Boy Me chanic," insisted upon by Miss Chapman and they were about the first to be taken out of the library, and they are still out.
 Only 1900 of the books have been in
 stalled up to the present, however, as
 the others, due to the deranged ship
 ping conditions, have not yet arrived
 This branch library is located at 17l5
 Third avenue in storeroom 17xl00 feet
 which has been newly papered and fitted with attractive and substantial antique
 oak furniture. Shelving space for be- tween 3000 and 40O0 books has been pro- yided. together with eight tables and 40 chairs
 The first day the branch library was opened eight membership cards were is-
 sued and since then the daily average
 has been between 40 and 50 Duplicates
 of these cards are kept at the main
 library in the same manner that the
 cards from all the other branches are
 kept there.
 Matte Herd is librarian. She is we'll
 equipped for the position, having spent
 a year at the colored branch of the
 Louisville Public library, admittedly the
 best colored library in the country, talk
 ing special course in library work In the event any questions come up that she Is unable to answer she calls upon
 the librarians at the main library in the city hall, who readily assists her In whatever way possible.
 The same care is exercised in select ing books for this branch as is exercised in selecting books for the main library
 or any of the other branches" said Miss Chapman We are trying to give the colored people of Birmingham books that will both entertain and instruct them We want them to use the library and we have the promise of the teachers m
 the colored schools that they will direct their pupils to this branch for their reference work. Red Cross and other
 war activity workers are encouraged to meet there and plan their wor In addition to the books the branch library suhscribes for about 70 magazines and other periodicals, and a dozen or