Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-09-12
GREAT MUNICIPAL ASSET

If there is one institution in this city that is entitled to
special consideration when the Board OF Aldermen make out
their budget for the coming year it is the public library. It's
no reflection on the city officials 10 say that the average po1ti-
clan has very little use for a library and 1t is doubtful If some OF
the city fathers have been inside the building more than once
or twice in their lives, If at all. 1t is hard to impress them,
therefore, with the important place that the library fills in the
community.
But it is not necessary to be a constant visitor Of the
library to realize the popularity of the institution. The monthly
reports of the librarian, which are published regularly, snow
the growth of the work there and the constant demand for the
latest books, from the most technical to the newest fiction,
Hundreds of persons frequent the library daily and in the az
ternoon after school the children's department is literally over
run with the youngsters.
New books are expensive these days, however, and the
general running expenses, including the pay for the employees,
all Of whom have to be especially trained, are much higher
Even with the most judicious hendling of the library's funds
the trustees now find themselves with hardly enough to go on
TO the end of the wear, although the purchase Of books has been
cut down to a minimum, and there is still a deficit hanging over
from last year to be met.
But providing the people of the city with good reading
and the latest works of reference is not the only way that the
library has been serving Perth Amboy. During the past year,
or since the war started, an important civic work has gradu-
ally been built up with the library as the center OF activities
SO that today were it to close its doors 1t would be hard to hnd
o suitable home for many Of the organizations that now meet
there.
Yesterday the EVENING NEWS published the schedule
for the use of the club room and the pretty little auditorium In
the basement of the building. Five nights q week and on sew
eral afternoons besides these rooms are occupied. All the
work that the War Camp Community Service was conducting
among the girls and young women Of the city has now been
transferred to the library. The auditorium has been tastefully
furnished as a clubroom and is used on different nights by
about ten different girls organizations. The smaller room In
the basement is used by the several AUGMENTATION classes
and troops of boy scouts.
All of these things make the library an extremely busy
place. Naturally, it increases the work OF those in charge Of
the institution, especially in the matter of janitor service, and
adds to the general expenses, such as light, heat and repairs.
But Perth Amboy must have a civic center Of this sort. 1t
is a matter Of pride to the library trustees that, In the absence
of any other suitable place, the library is able to provide tho
accommodation. At the same time 1t tends to popularize the
strictly library features Of the institution and many of the girls
of the city, particularly those working In our numerous indus
tries, have become regular borrowers OF books through the
habit of frequenting the building for social purposes.
The point is, the library, to continue to function as such
in O progressive and growing city, must be amply provided for.
That means its appropriation must be substantially increased
next year. Anyone doubling the necessity Of such an increase
needs only visit the library some afternoon or evening and
spend an hour or two there and see what Is going on.