Evening star., 1921-10-08
EXPLAIN
NEEDS Of LIBRARY
Higher Pay, Larger Staff,
More Books and Branches
Are Urqed in Report.

The annual report of the Public
Library trustees, signed by the presi-
dent of the library board, Theodore
W. Noyes, was filed with the District
Commissioners this morning. The
trustees state that the two most
urgent needs of today are G) the
strengthening of the central library
by increasing the pay of the force.
by an increase in the number of the
staff and by adequate new hoax saos,
cessions, and (2) the extension Of
the scope of the library's useful
ness sthrouEh separate libraries ana
through branches in school buildings.
Mr.. Noyes' report consists of an out
line of the ways by which the main
library may be strengthened and the
extension program may be put into
effect. He says:
Rehabilitation Legislation Urged.
THE question of adequate compen-
sation for an adequate force will be
answered in the solution of the re-
classification problem. whether the
solution be along the line of the
sterlinE.LehlbaGh bin or Of the
pay for librarians-equal to that
awarded to other scientific. technical
and professional workers with COM
parable education, training and re-
sponsibilities-has been followed in
both bills, and tentative ALLEGATIONS of
the library staff to the two classical
tions indicate that in salary scales
they run close together. The library's
need of larger and better paid force
is so glaringly obvious that the ap-
plication to the library of any scien-
tific and equitable project of reclassT-
loot ha aCn N
to secure a maximum of efficiency,
will surely result in a material bet
terment of library conditions.
1.-THE trustees therefore urge the
speedy enactment Of the Smoot-Wood
or the Sterling -Lehlbach reclassifica-
ton bill: and. prior to such enact
ment, if Congress approves the basic
principle underlying both bills or
either bill. the trustees urge the ap-
plication of that principle in shap-
ing the Commissioners estimates and
in congressional appropriations for
increase of pay of District employees,
including especially the underpaid
and undermined Public Library
force.
Would Raise Librarians Salary.
"Since the librarian is the only Of
fetal appointed directly by the libra
ry trustees, the board feels a special
OOl1SdIlOn 10 Cdll IePcdlSoAS ASAcWSu
attention to the inadeQuacy of our
librarians salary when compared
with the minimum for the librarians
grade in both reclassification bills;
when compared with the salaries of
librarians of cities of Washington's
classification in population. contain
ing libraries of approximately the
same grade as that of Washington.
and when considered in the light
of Librarian Bowerman's standing
among the foremost progressive
librarians of the country. in the light
of his high personal and professional
qualifications and in view of his
seventeen years of devoted effective
service in the library's upbuilding.
The salaries of librarians in cities
of washington's class and in some
cities of much smaller population are
New York city. chief librarian
(probably), $4,000 (chief. circulation
department, $5.500); Brooklyn, 5000;
Chicago, 1920; Detroit. $500;
Boston, $4,000: Baltimore. $1,000;
$4,000: Buffalo. $1,000; Milwaukee.
$4,000; Newark, $3.50 (plus bonus.
sS75, s9.125); Minneapolis. $4,000;
kansas City, s6,01o; Seattle, $500;
indianapolis. $4,000: Rochester, 5000;