Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-22
BOOKS USED IN
WAR LIBRARIES
RE TURNE D HERE.

Approximately LOO of the books
which were provided through the
generosity of the residents of New
Mexico for the army, navy and
marine corps during the war are
being returned to this state by the
American Library association, after
having seen service literally in all
parts of the world.
The books, among them many
technical volumes, recently We're
shipped from New York by the
American Library association to
Miss Pearl Stone, librarian of the
state normal school at Las Vegas.
Miss Stone will have charge of cir
culating the books throughout the
state. They are expected to re-
liave temporarily the need for
wider public library service, which,
since the war, has become acute,
especially in New Mexico Stats
ties recently compiled by the Unit
ed States commissioner of educa-
ton show that there are public Ii
braries for only 11.5 per cent Of
the people of the state.
In view of this need, the Ameri-
can Library association expects to
receive substantial support from
the residents Of New Mexico in its
undertaking OF a nation wide effort
to extend public library facilities.
The association is gathering a fund
Ct two million dollars with which to
carry out this aim, as well as many
other features of a program which
will make the public library a vital
force in building up an intelligent
productive citizenship throuhout
the entire United States. In the
work of collecting funds, Miss
Elizabeth II, West secretary Of the
Texas library commission. at Aus
tin. is serving as regional director
for New Mexico, Texas, oklahoma
and Arizona.
An institute Of the regional di
rectOrs from the entire country
now is being held in New York for
the purpose of perfecting plans for
collecting the two million dollar
fund, and pushing the much needed
work with all possible Vieor.
In the use to be given the books
recently returned to the states, the
request has been made that the
war service purpose of the books
be remembered and that especial
effort be made to meet the needs
of eX-service men with them. Since
demobilization the American lii
brary association has found it
to maintain a huge mail
service for lending books to former
service men who are now in home
communities which do not have
public libraries. The books re-
Gently sent to this state will prob
ably be used as travelling libraries.
Several millions of books were
worn out by heavy usage in the
camps, hospitals and training stay
tions, but the American Library
association was able to salvage
more than one million volumes
from it's war work in America and
overseas. OF these, large quanti- |
ties are being retained by the army
and navy for permanent library
work, and many are being used by
the A. L. A. for continued library |
service to the merchant marine,
coast guard, light houses and hos
pitfalls Of the public health service |
In apportioning among the states
the several hundred thousand
books remaining, the American Ii
brary association based its figures
lpon the number of men who en-
tered the service from each state, |
and also upon the relative need of |
books as indicated by the number |
of books in libraries of each state
in proportion to its population.
The war library work taught |
thousands of men to make intelli-
gent use of books. In the past six |
months, libraries in every state |
have reported that they are over
whelmed by the demand, especially |
for useful books on technical or
,ncationaI eI1binptS