The Washington herald., 1921-07-12
Explains Library Closing.

TO the Editor, The Washington Herald:
You may be sure that your edi-
torial entitled Public Library Open
Sometimes" was much appreciated
by those who are trying to give
library service to the people OF
Washington-the best in quality and
extent that our pitifully insufficient
appropriations will permit. You
rightly place the responsibility for
any abridgement of hours elsewhere
than on the management. But your
correspondent. "A Constant Read
err" seems to hold us responsible.
since she says instead of two sets
of clerks during the day. it would
be quite as easy to obtain three.
1t therefore seems desirable to state
the exact situation.
The Public Library is entirely de-
pendent on Congressional appropri-
ations for it's maintenance. Every
year shows large increase in the
use of the library. For several
years the force provided by Con
gress in the District bill, instead
of being enlarged to take care OF
this increased use, has either re-
manned stationary or has been in
creased but slightly. For example.
the circulation last year increased
from S9S, 900 volumes to 9S5, 900 VOL
umes. or 10 per cent. whereas the
force supplied by Congress was in
creased by only one persona
per cent increase. Instead. there
fore, of being able to increase our
force TO three shifts. we cannot even
supply a full two-shift force ade-
quate 10 take care of the throngs
who crowd our central building.
This condition of rapid increase
In circulation and very slow increase
in force needed to take care Of
the crowds antedated the war. got
worse during the war and has now
become acute Though feeling keen
ly the disgrace of closing up the
central building OF the Public Lii
! brary of the Natiopal Capital on
any day. we were none the less
forced to close on Wednesdays at
p. m. nearly two years ago. Last
summer and again this summer we
have been forced to close every Sat
urday at p. m. and for some time
we have been compelled to shorten
our Sunday hours. We do keep
open, however, all holidays except
July 4 and December %.
Seven months ago the situation
became so urgent that the library
trustees faced the possibility OF
closing UP some essential work OF
the library such as the children's
department. To avoid that they au-
thorized the use of a large Dor
tion of the money collected as hnes
(for keeping books overtime) for
,,f LET q NJ
fine money had heretofore been
spent almost exclusively for DOCKS,
AS a result, the library is now on
| very short rations in the matter
of book purchases, in the face OF
the fact that books are costing about
rs per cent more than formerly
This fine money is, of course. In
sufficient to employ all the extra
help needed. With its help the IL
brary can keep all departments run
ming. though not at the full strength
required for proper work nor TO
avoid abridgement of hours.
OF course, what is needed Is the
building of the branch libraries In
all parts of the city to DIVIDE the
crowds. Forces of assistants, aoe-
quate in numbers and properly palo'
must be provided for such branches.
But also the main library must
be strengthened. The force mere
has always been too small and too
poorly paid, so that there has al
ways been a wastefully large turn
over, which has interfered with the
best service.
From long experience here / have
come to the conclusion that there
is a larger demand for public IL
brary service in Washington than
in any, american city of equal pop
ulation. The demands of this high
ly intelligent reading population
should be fully met. but they are
not and cannot be with present re-
sources. Several American cities
above 100000 population support
their public libraries to the extent
of more than 81 per capita annually
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