The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-06-04
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 CalIinas 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-
ton. In the larger hospitals, contain.
ing over 800 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 week
and learn the book needs Of the pa
TENTS.
A special effort is made to supply tc
ex-service men in hospitals the books
In demand as 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 Bratlle type. Because OF
the newness of the revised Braills
adopted for teaching to the America:
war blind, literature printed in it =
limited to fewer than 200 boot,
Though the total number of blind;4
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 fer former service men who
are sick or disabled Is the association
working. The value of books proved
SO grent 70 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 \. l.. \ head
quarters from former service men tell
ing OF the lack Of library facilities il
particular localities to which t!oSe
men have returned.
Direct Service Prov::!c9.
In many cases there Is Stale nora
~ commission or q nearby library tt
which a man can be referred for the
books he needs, but II there is no such
organization through which he can b.
served, books for almost any serious
purpose may be borrowed directly
from the A. L. A. War Service, "a Wes'
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 o.
books to help ex-service men who are
studying to advance themselves II
their work. "Five Hundred Business,
Books" zone Thousand Technical
Books" and reading courses on rrnc
teal subjects are now In preparation.
Other Work Being Done.
Other branches Of work which tn.
A. L. A. War Service is carrying on In
clude service to the Merchant Marine
Coast Guard and lighthouses, service
to industrial communities which ars
resultant from the war, service to Unit
ed Stntes forces overseas. This wort
IL carried on with money received from
the United War Work funds. the use
OF which Is limited ny the condition.
Of the slft to these specific purposes.