Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-28
BOOKS WILL CHECK
SPIRIT OF UNREST
Library Association Hopes to
Assist Readers in All
Sections.

In an endeavor to check the spirit of
unrest sweeping the United States and
to provide suitable books for Ameri-
cans in every section of the country.
the American Library Association has
announced the completion of plans for
the placing Of libraries in every rural
and urban section of the country.
The "a. L. A. Blue Letter. issued
this week. declares that the spirit of
unrest indicates that the foreign born
must not be neglected.
Figures are presented showing that
approximately six million of the fifteen
million foreign-born in the United
States do not speak the English Ian
guage and that the great majority of
history, tradition or ideals.
Campaign for Funds.
The committee on the enlarged pro-
gram Of the association will inaugurate
a campaign to raise funds for carry.
ing on the work in the near future. it
is understood.
The proposed program calls for a
continuous effort" to establish and
develop complete library systems
which will serve every community,
every school and every penal insti-
tuition" Active workers will be in the
HELD to promote library extension,
especially in the states without IL
brary commissions or other state
library agencies.
The announcement was made that
the association will foster the de-
velopment of the technical and BUSH
ness departments in public Libraries,
helping them in the selection, order
ing and cataloguing of books.
A comprehensive survey will be
general or special character stand to-
day, SO that future development NAV
be directed. The association also an
nounced that it will aid in the print
ing and distribution of additional
books for the blind in the uniform
approved type.
The continuance of the work of
supplying coast guards, lighthouse
keepers, merchant sailors, persons in
public health service hospitals and
discharged soldiers. sailors and ma
rines with books, similar to the war
time program. is proposed.
An illustration of the plan of the
library service of the association is
cited in the fact that the founda-
tions for permanent library systems
in the Army and Navy were laid by
the service, and later turned over to
be followed with the institution of
local community Libraries. It is for
the financing of this work that the
funds will be needed during the COM
ing year. Certain funds are already
available.
Announcement of Purpose.
In the first announcement of its
campaign. the association declared:
1.-THE wiser use of our growing flood
of books and journals. and the wider
spread of good books and Journals
these are the tasks that four thous-
and organized librarians put before
themselves in the modestly ambi-
tious and carefully planned peace
time program they have adopted.
'They have raised and spent more
than 100000 in doing for our SOL
diers. sailors and other war workers
these very things. They have in
hand an uneXpended balance of the
money they raised for their war serv-
ice. That balance they hold as trust
and will use it to help make perma-
nent the supply of good books and
journals and the wise guidance in
during the war; and of all this the
government heartily approves"