The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-02-25
AMERICAN SOLDIERS
HAD BOOKS TO READ
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION SALV-
AGED BOOKS LOANED TO
SOLDIERS DURING WAR

! Approximately 1000 Of the book
generosity of residents of Idaho TO-
the army, navy and marine corp!
! during the war are being returned tt
this state by the American Library
Association, after having seen serv-
ice literally in all parts of the
world.
The books, among them many tech
nical volumes, recently were shipped
from New York by the American
Library Association to Miss Marie
H. Schneider, librarian of the state
| library at Boise. The Idaho State
Library commission will have charge
of circulating the books throughout
the state. They are expected to re-
lieve temporarily the need for wider
public library service, which, since
the war has been acute, in Idaho as
well as in every other state.
In view of this need, the American
Library association expects to re-
ceive substantial support from the
residents Of Idaho in it's undertaking
of nation wide effort to extend
public library facilities. The associ-
alton is gathering fund of two
million dollars with which to carry
out this aim, as well as many other
features of program which, will
make the public library a vital force
in building up an intelligent, pro-
ductive citizenship throughout the en-
tire United States. In the work of
collecting funds, John B. Kaiser, IL
brarian of the public library of Ia
10 W2c hi 1rrfo
regional director for Idaho, Wash
ington, Oregon, Montana and Wyom-
ing.
An institute of the regional direct
ors from the entire country now is
being held in New York for the pur-
pose of perfecting plans for collect
ing the two million dollar fund, and
pushing the much needed work with
all possible vigor.
In the use to be given the books re-
Gently returned to the states, the re-
quest has been made that the war
service purpose of the books be re-
membered and that special effort be
made to meet the needs of ex-service I
men with them. Since demobiliza-
ion, the American Library Associa-
ton has found it necessary to main
tain huge mail service for lending
books to former service men who are
low home in communities which do
lot have public libraries. The books
recently sent to this state will prob
ably be used as travelling libraries.
Several millions of books were
worn out by heavy usage in the
amps, hospitals and training sta
ions, but the American Library AS
was able to salvage more
han one million volumes from it's
var work in American and overseas.
IF these, large quantities are being
etained by the army and navy for
'ermanent library work, and many
re being used by the A. L. L. for
ontinued library service to the
nerchant marine, coast guard, light
ouses and hospitals of the Public {
iealth service. In apportioning
mong the states the several hundred !
housand books remaining, the A. l..
/. based it's figures upon the number y
f men who entered the service from
ach state, and also upon the relative
eed of books as indicated by the
umber of books in libraries of each z
tate in proportion to it's population 6
The war library work taught thous- t
nds of men to make intelligent use S
books. In the past six months, c
braries in every state have reported I
lat they are overwhelmed by the de- 6
land, especially for useful books on s
,chnical or vocational subjects.