Connecticut western news., 1920-06-03
BOOKS BRING AID
 TO SOLDIER SICK
American Library Association Serves Ten Thousand Men
 in Nations Hospitals.
EFFORTS BRING RESULTS.
Works on Vocational Training circu lated Among Men Who Must Take Up New CaIIings Because of
 Their Injuries.

Hospital library service maintained by the American Library Association during the war was credited with great value in aiding in the recovery of many sick and 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 to these men from the American Library Associa- tion. 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 to visit the wards once or twice a week and learn the book needs of the pa tients. -.....
 A special effort is made to supply to ex-service men in hospitals the books in demand as a result of the training given by the Federal Board for Voca- 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 in the new Braille type. Because of the newHess of the revised Braille adopted for teaching to the American war blind, literature printed in it Is limited to 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 to them.
 Not only for former service men who are sick or disabled is the association working. The value of books proved 50 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 a state libra ry commission or a nearby library to which a man can be referred for the books he needs, but if 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" "One Thousand Technical Books" and reading courses on prac- tical subjects are now in preparation.
 Other Work Being Done.
 Other branches of work which the A. l.. A. War Service is carrying on in- clude service to the Merchant Marine, Coast Guard and lighthouses, service to industrial communities which are resultant from the war, service to Unit ed States forces overseas. This work is 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 to seamen on American merchant ships in the form of "crews' libraries" bookcase boxes, each containing about so books. These libraries are ex- changeable at principal ports. Books and magazines are sent also to men in coast guard stations, in lighthouses and on lightships.