Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-23
LIBRARY MUST
REACH OUT TO
HELP SHUT-INS
More Books Necessary to Sup
ply Prisoners, Orphans
and Invalids.
READING BETTERS CITY

BY CHARLES Z. RUSH, LEBANON.
Have you who find in your public IL
brary a pleasure which you could not do
without, ever stopped to think of the
many classes of people who have abso-
lutely no contact with the library ana
no opportunity at all Of reaching 1t IN
any way?
There are the old people shup up in
homes and institutions too feeble or
= helpless to leave. but many Of them life
long lovers Of books. There are the men
and women, boys and girls held In cor
regional institutions, many Of whom
would find in a book a surer guide to
right way of life than In any amount OF
discipline or segregation There are the
little children in orphans homes. If ever
we needed telling that they crave books
surely Mary Cary" did that for US con-
clusively.
Then, too, there are the sick people in
our hospitals. Dr. Grayson, rear admiral
in the Medical Corps Of the United States
Navy. had an interesting article in the
December number Of the BOokman on
Books as Mental Diversion" IN which
he says:
"a man whose chief occupation and
delight has for many years been in books
can probably be helped more, when he
breaks down, by books than by basketry
or modelling or any other pastime. Ac-
the field Of ideas, he must still have
ideas for bis own mental nourtshment
even after he has become nervously Ill.
Nothing else will really interest him.
II books are really important items in
the physical and mental recovery OF GER
tain classes OF people then they, too,
should by all means be provided with
books.
OTHER GROUPS
10 BE REACHED.
Besides this great group OF shut-ins
who cannot reach the library in any way
whatever there are two other large groups
Of people who do not know the library
those too tired after the days work to
come for books and those who are in
different to the library because they do
not know about 1t or because they have
never yet found Just the book that opened
up to them delightful new world which
they had never before suspected.
It is to these groups Of people who
have little or no contact with or inspira-
ton from reading thar the library wishes
to take books by means OF its extension
activities. Il wishes to place frequently
changing collections Of books In the char
liable and correctional institutions Of
our city, it Is eager to place clean and
attractive books IN the wards of our hos
pitfalls. For those who are too tired at
the end Of the day for 4 trip to the
library there should be both inspira-
tiOnHl and instructive books placed in
cur factories, stores and manufacturing
concerns SO that a book may be easily
accessible on the way home from work
SEEKS CONVERTS To
LIBRARY HABIT.
And IN order to convert those to the
library habit who have never yet ac-
CURED it the library would make books
50 accessible and so contagious at com
munity houses. small business concerns
In outlying parts Of the city. drug stores.
guild houses, Fairgrounds and other pub
lie meeting places that no one in Indian
epoIis viii be able to say, I am Ignorant
because I had no books" or Il am a
know-nothing because I've never believed
IN books
Do you consider such ambitions as
these on the part Of your library as use
less Trlils: Or do you see Ia this pro-
gram the possibilities of a better Indian
Apols, where dreams come true7"
The library could be doing all these
things at the present moment If 1t only
had books enough. But that IS why its
hands are tied 1t does not have money
enough TO buy books for all these people
who need them. 1t cannot supply the
HOSPITALS, ncr the institutions, nor the
stores, nor half the factories and indus
trial plants in the city.
Can the citizens Of INDIANAPOLIS who
read this appeal not catch enough Of our
vision to help sell" this book idea to
the city? Give to the library outright
requests Of funds.
SMALL OR LARGE
GIFTS WELCOME.
Make small gifts or large gifts. make
gifts to be spent Immediately or give
endOwments from which a perpetual in
come may be used for the upkeep Of some
special collection. such as q sunshine Il
brary In a children's hospital ward or a
bookshelf IN the Florence Crittenton
Home.
Perhaps the idea Of giving books rather
than money will appeal to you more
Then present to the library new and
beautifully illustrated children's books
for the hospitals, or interesting story
books and fairy tales for the children,
and good new books Of fiction or non
fiction such as you have enjoyed for the
adult readers in the community houses.
If you are a business man you win
recognize at once the value Of these book
collections in Industrial plants Give
books or make It financially possible for
the library to buy books IN sufficient
quantities to supply these groups Of
FHrkers with good reading matter.
Help the library to help the people Of
Indianapolis. And give your help now,
when the world is realizing more than
ever before the need for books and when
d- ~