The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-06-12
BOOKS BRING AID
TO SOLDIER SICK
American Library Association
Serves Ten Thousand Men
in Nations Hospitals.
EFFORTS BRING RESULTS.
Works on Vocational Training clreu-
lated Among Men Who Must Take
Up New caIIlnqs 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 thesismaller 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 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 newness of the revised Brallle
adopted for teaching to the American
war blind, literature printed in 1t Is
limited to fewer than 200 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
so great TO 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
nv 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 o.
4 books to help ex-serviee men who are
studying to advance themselves IL
their work. give 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 tn
e A. L. A. War Service is carrying on in
d cIude service to the Merchant Marine
e Coast Guard and lighthouses, servic
e TO industrial communities which ar
n resultant from the war, service to Unit
" ed States forces overseas. This wor
n is carried on with money received fror
n the United War Work funds, the us
of which is limited by the condition
m Of the gift to these specific purposes.
% The service Of the Merchant Marin
nj department provides free library ser
mi ice TO seamen on American merchaI
# ships in the form of crews libraries
Nc bookcase boxes, each containing abo1
10 so Books. These Libraries are e
ut ehangeable at principal ports. Bool
be and magazines are sent also to men
q, coast guard stations, in lighthouses al
on lightships.