The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-06-10
American Library Association
Serves Ten thousand Men
in Nations Hospitals.
EFFORTS BRING RESULTS.
Works on Vocational Training circv
lated Among Men Who Must Take
Up New csliings Because Of
Their Injuries.

| Hospital library service maintained
| by the American Library Association
during the war was credited with greA
value in aiding IN the recovery OF many
sick aud disabled men.
There are still in our hospitals more
than 10000 former service men. OF
these nearly 5000 are in Public Health
Service hospitals, the remainder in
civilian hospitals Books, magazines
and newspapers are sent 10 these men
from the American Library Associa-
ton. In the larger hospitals. contain
ing over 300 patients. special librarians
are placed TO the smaller hospitals.
through the cooperation OF many pub
lie libraries, library visitors are sent
10 visit the wards once or twice week
and learn the book needs Of the pa.
tents
A special effort is made 10 supply 10
ex-seryice men in hospitals the books
in demand as result of the training
given by the Federal Board for Noca-
tional Education.
More Books for Blind.
The A. L. A., in cooperation with
other agencies already Interested In
work for the blind, Is printing books
i'm the new Braille type. Because Of
the newnesS Of the revised Braiile
adopted for teaching 10 the American
war blind. literature printed in II is
limited 10 fewer than POO books
Though the total number Of blinded
soldiers Is small, their need of books
Is great. and the magic of print can
do much TO restore hope and useful
ness 10 them.
Not only for former service men who
are sick or disabled is the association
working The value OF hooks proved
so great 10 men in camps that EFFORTS
are still being made to connect dis
charged soldiers and sailors with libra
ries wherever they may be. Hundreds
OF letters have reached A. l.. A. head
quarters from former service men tell
ing OF the lack OF library facilities in
particular localities TO which those
men have returned
Direct Service PROVIDED.
In many cases there is state libra
~ commission or nearby library to
which q man can be referred for the
books he needs. but II there Is no such
organization through which he can be
served. books for almost any serious
purpose may be borrowed directly
from the A. l.. A. War Service, "a West
Thirty ninth street New York city.
The only expense In connection with
these loans Is prepayment OF return
postage on books borrowed
The A. L. A. has published lists OF
books to help ex-service men who are
STUDYING TO advance themselves In
their work Five Hundred Business
Books" Zone Thousand Technical
Books" and reading courses on prac-
teal subjects are now in preparation.
other Work Being Done
Other branches OF work which the
A. l.. A. War Service Is carrying on In
cIude service TO the Merchant Marine,
Coast Guard and lighthouses, service
TO industrial communities which sre
| resnltan, from the war. service 10 Unit
/ ed States forces overseas This WORK
il carried on with money received from
the United War Work funds, the use
OF which is limited by the conditions
| OF the gift to these specific purposes.
The service OF the Merchant Marine
department provides free library serv-
ice 20 seamen on American merchant
ships in The form Of "crews' libraries.
bookcase boxes. each containing about
so books These libraries sire ex
changeabie 81 principal ports Books
\ and magazines are s..nt also 70 men Ia
coast guard stations. In lighthouses and
on iighfships