Evening star., 1921-11-13
BOOK
WEEK WILL OPEN
Public Library to Help Par
ents in Securing Gifts for
Occasions.

"Childrens book week" begins to-
morrow at the Public Library. where
trained library workers will be glad
to furnish parents of Washington
with all the help possible in the Sc
lection of books for Christmas gifts
and other occasions.
An interesting exhibit has been in
stalled on the second floor of the
library adjoining the children's de-
partment at the east end of the
lobby. under the direction of Miss
Louise Latimer, director. and Miss NJ.
Ethel Bubb. supervisor, workers with
the schools.
More books in the home" is the
aim of the week. which is national in
scope. being observed throughout the
country. Out of the immense list of
children's books the library officials
want to direct parents to the very
best books.
Against Mediocre Books.
Mediocre books are what the IL
brary workers want to save the chill
dren from reading, and the children q
parents from purchasing. These med
iocre books, it Is declared. are a mere
waste of time, both to the children
and parents. They waste the child's
time and give it distaste for read
ing: 1t is loss to the parents in
every way.
The great" children's classics. and a
small number of new books each year
comprise the best of the books for
children, the workers state, and it
is to help parents in the proper Sc
lection that the exhibit has been ar
ranged.
Parents are invited by the Public
Library to visit the children's de-
partment any day from 9 am. to 0
p.m., with the exception of Wednes-
n hn iS of
3 pm. Here they will find the lobby
Of the second floor filled with cases
containing the best of the children'S
classics. illustrated editions and pic
lures from especially well illustrated
books
In the small room to the left of the
children's department parents will
find a special exhibit of books and
lists of books suitable for children
of all ages. To the right. in an
other small room. Is an exhibit of
historical books of interest to chill
dren.
Development Of Taste.
The development of the average
childs reading taste proceeds along
a fairly regular course. experienced
workers have found out. and SO has
every parent, if he or she stops to think
about the matter
First the child likes picture books
and nursery rhymes. then fairy tales
and myths, next legends and hero
stories and then stories Of real life.
Then as the children grow up. the
tastes of boy and girl readers gen.
orally diverge. The girls like stories
of home and school life. the
boys want stories of adventure and
achievement.
The library wants parents Of the
city to come to 1t for help In select
ing books to buy for their children,
instead of going it blind" among
the large number of old and new
books offered in the stores every
Christmas season.
During the school year the Public
Library furnishes many books
through the schools to the children
of the city, the work being made nee
essary through the lack of library
branches. and made possible through
cooperation of school officials and
teachers.
The library workers feel that they
are doing not only constructive work
in this regard, but preventive work
in ''stemming the tide of mediocre
and sometimes vicious books which
are available to children Nothing
is more sure than that the average
child will read something, they de-
clare.
The children's room contains spe-
cial exhibits. in connection with the
"children's book week." and there
also is a special case in the lobby on
the main floor.