The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-18
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

All without was gloom and I was on the trail of a bit of information which was beginning to take hold of me, and had just come from a bookstore, having failed to get any track whatsoever of it, and had turned to the original source of in- formation.
 As I got off the elevator and started into the hallway which is being so well utilized, I heard a eheery voice say; "1 am so glad you dropped in, MT. Barnett, out of this" and then she began to un- fold the plans.
 Now, l have seen many wonderful plans evolved, but they have gone dead be- ca use no one arose to work them. l had rather have a poor plan with a live person behind it, than to have perfect one backed by d dead one.' Some peo- pie think the plans the thing when it isn't The person is the thing. Now, I had seen what life Miss Miller had put into the room when it was con- verted into war service department for she had not 5een merely content to put out a lot of books related to the war, but had given it home-like and finishing touch with osters and pictures, and one just naturally wanted to stop and finger the volumes and take in the decorations. I sure am glad that the day has ar- rived when libraries are no longer cold mausoleums for books, where the very atmosphere used to seem to breathe out, Touch not, taste not handle not and the librarians seemed deathly afraid that someone might stand bNhind a forbidden counter and by insistence demand not only to see a book but be permitted to carry it home.
 I have worked in some of the great libraries in the world. l mean in the sense of doing research work, and l am pretty well acquainted with the treatment one receives in the various capitals l was looking over some old papers the other day and found an official letter giving me authority to use the great Bibloteque Rationale at Paris.
 
 It's a. funny thing, but l have never been able to enjoy reading book taken from a library or one that was loaned of it, I wanted it for my very own, so that if I have the wish I can mark it in any way l see fit I admit it's bad habit and if everyone had the same idio- syncrasy public libraries would fall into dsuse.
 I may have but I have TO memory or ever having borrowed book from the Birmingham public library, though know some have been taken out on my card and 1 am also bit ashamed to confess that probably one hour will cover all the time l have ever spent in it. I make this admission because I expect to change and see if can't get more out of it and then I will be willing to put more in it. o4q e-seYn-s-* \ s*t sf ...H Birmingham has done great things for outside activities and now the time has come when we must begin to do DIE things for ourselves. I would like to see a real live movement put on foot at the proper time by live bunch like the allied army to make our library what it could be. It has done remarkable service for the interest and funds at it's disposal. It deserves well at the hands of the public.
 But I have forgotten Miss Miller and her dreams of making the room serve in time of peace as effectively as it did in time of war With the war over and problems of reconstruction uppermost, it was but a natural step for the Birming- ham public library to make over Its war service department into a vocational department" for the special benefit Of returning soldiers and sailors. All the resources of the library on occupations for men are sheved in this new depart ment and many new titles are beng ordered Birmingham will have collec- tion on vocational literature probably unequaled in the gulf states. | Ads in the classified colmns of the daily papers will be run next Sunday to bring l this new feature to the attention of the public. This is new departure for the 1 public library and probably for public 1 library.
 | Captions before groups of books read:
 Choosing a Career" Books That Will | Help You Succeed in Your Business, "Advertising, Machine Shop Work,
 .Business Books" /" Shipbuilding,' For ! eign Trade Expansion. 'The Lure of the Land" Automobiles. etc, etc. 1 A big sign soon to be seen swinging across Twentieth street will bear the nointed legend: "Back to the Job. What Job? Books on all Jobs at the Public
 Library. Use Them
 Here are some of the "hot shots" to be fired through the press:
 ! Soldiers and sailors. Get back in the
 game. Books will help. Free at the ! public library, city hall.
 Study and get that job. The man to
 read is the man to succeed. Public library free to all
 l Young man. You must study to keep
 up these day. Use the public library.
 Books on all trades
 Are you carpenter? Learn to be