Evening star., 1920-10-14
REP0RTSLBRARY
HOURS SHORTENED
] BY LACK Of FUNDS
Librarian Calls Situation
"HumiIiating"- Book Users
Rapidly Increasing.

Increase in the number of users and
books is shown in the annual report
of the public librarian. DR.. George F.
Bowerman. to the trustees of the Pub
lie Library, which forms part Of their
report to the District Commissioners
and which is made public today.
:. The library has 61,S27 registered
users, who during the last fiscal year
borrowed 69S.513 vol, mes and 66,S49
pictures. The increase in the num-
Der of books loaned for home use
was 10,460 above the figures of the
largest previous year. Collections of
the library have been increased to
223.51s volumes by the addition Of
1861 books
Owing to the lack of adequate ap-
Preparations resulting in actual re-
duction of staff, it was found neces-
sary to close the central library every
Wednesday at pm. from October
through the remainder of the year."
the report states. Moreover, 1t will
be necessary to continue to do SO. in
asmuch as no increase in force wa0
provided for the coming year. a prac-
tice which is at once inconvenient to
readers and humiliating for the Pub
lie Library of the National Capital"
Startling Changes in STAFF.
The library's total staff exclusive
Of bindery) consists of three
persons. During the year there were
forty-six registrations. or turnover
of 49 per cent as compared with a
turnover of 80 per cent in 1918 and
one of 9S per cent in 1919. This i'm
provement in the staff situation, the
librarian states, has resulted in part
at least from the hope held out by
the report Of the joint congressional
commission on reclassif1cation of SAL
aries and the active campaign for Sc
curing its adoption by Congress. For
some slight increases in the salaries
of most of the library staff, but such
increases have in no cases been suf-
ficient to meet the increase in the cost
of living. particularly since the SAL
aries previously paid had always
been grossly inadequate. But the re-
classification movement gives encour-
agement to an underpaid staff to
think that way out Is in sight, il
they will but remain In their chosen
profession instead Of deserting it for
better paid clerical Positions" says
DR.. Bowerman.
The librarian served as chairman of
the library advisory wage committee
for the reclassification commission
and Miss Clara w. Herbert, the as
sistant librarian. was also a MEM
Der OF the committee. Both devoted
a very large amount of time to this
task during the year. DR.. Bowerman
gives it as his opinion that no work
OF the year was more important or
promises SO much for the future well
fare Of the library: He states that
tion commission was published last
March it was found that although
the library salaries were in most cases
improvements over the unsatisfactory
salaries now paid in federal and Dis
trict libraries. yet they are entirely
with the salaries awarded in the re-
port to the other scientific. technical
and professional services with which
the library service 10 grouped in the
report"
CiassfAea41on II SfmDliAea.
After = long and careful restudy Of
the; situation the library advisory
wage committee recommended to the
rectsssihcatiom commission . new
Library servicecl4sstl7cation This the
,,erarsan r.s,,dadn states z xreatly simplined.
closely. co-ordinated with the ether
scientific, technical and professional
services represented In the classifica-
tion BY standardized specifcations,
nomenclature and salary scales" al
q matter Of Justice. the librarian
states. the same salary scale was asked
for the library service.
Dr. HoWerman states that the star
Of the Public Library, in common
with other librarians in federal and
District libraries. believe that the
principle and that It recommends fair.
Just and reasonable employment poli.
cies." He states that they believe this
SO thoroughly that they would like to
see 1t promptly adopted by Congress.
even before the inadequate and un-
equal salary scale for librarians is
awarded" since they have confidence
that later amendments by the Civil
Service Commission would give them
justice.
The librarian points out that in
framing their estimates for submis-
SION to the District Commissioners the
library trustees adopted in each case
the minimum salary recommendation
contained In the revised reclassifca-
tion drawn up by the library advisory
wage committee.
Retirement Aid to Library.
The librarian. in discussing the ef-
rect Of the retirement act and the
minimum wage legislation on the liz
orary situation reports as follows:
The retirement act as it finally
became a law covers the District
OF Columbia government employees,
including those Of the Public Library.
In the long run it is believed that
mt to the library. When reclassifica-
tion really comes it will greatly i'm
prove library salaries here and will
probably influence them elsewhere
The natural attractiveness of library
work. combined with proper compen-
sation. will lead more strong men
and women to enter the profession
and to continue in il as worthy
career. A pension al the end will
be an added inducement.
So much for the future. For the
present the deductions of 2k per cent
from inadequate salaries are not
hailed with enthusiasm The pinch
produced by such deductions enforces
the argument for the prompt adoption
of the reclassification report
The failure of the Nolan johnson
minimum wage bill to become a law
through filibuster in the Senate
during the closing hours of the last
session OF Congress was a great dis
appointment to the library staff. AL
though there were numerous small
increases Of library salaries granted.
most Of the salaries still fall short,
even with the bonus, of the 50 4
ay. or Sl.OS0 per annum. regarded as
the minimum for decency.
TT Is earnestly hoped that this bill
will shortly become law, partly as
effording further slight measure Of
relief and partly as marking another
milestone on the road toward the
fairer treatment of public servants.
including the stan Of this library.
whore efficiency and devotion to duty
are second to none in the public
service"
Handbook Of Library Service.
After the discussion of stan and
service problems already summarized
the librarian states that this year he
has thrown the main body Of his re-
Eort into the form of handbook
,.rbicb vHf11 later he iSSued aapa %nJ