Evening star., 1921-10-09

opened there when the building Is
ready. The library board. the school
board and the Commissioners. the
librarian points out. have long been
committed in principle to the plan
by which the system of branch
libraries in separate buildings should
be supplemented by system OF
branch libraries in certain public
school buildings, chiefly suburban.
and serving neighborhoods remote
from the central library or any of
the proposed separate branch Ii
brarieS.
BaIlou Working Out Program.
DR.. Ballou has not only approved
of the branch library allotment in the
new Eastern High School building.
but has also begun to work out in
conjunction with DIR. Bowerman a
program for the proposed series of
branch libraries in school buildings.
The idea of these branch libraries is
to serve first the teachers and pupils.
next to cooperate with the commu
nifty center work and finally to serve
the general public. According to the
present understanding for their main
telasics and operation, the board of
education will furnish the permanent
equipment, janitor service. heat and
light. but the books and magazines.
library supplies, library service and
nished by the board of library
trustees.
Suggests New School Branches.
The librarian points to the fact that
the proposed school building program
calls for the establishment of several
Junior high schools. to be erected. it
is understood, in suburban sections.
lnasmuch as these are to be new es-
tahlishments. not provided with
school libraries. as are the present
senior high schools. the librarian sug-
erected. with branches of the Public
Library. which would serve the
schools first and after that the needs
of the general public.
To illustrate the possibilities for
the establishment of branch libraries
in suburban schools as we'll as to
give credit for the fine effort of
community in supporting a substitute
for a full-fiedged branch. the libra
rian points to the fact that the Chevy
Chase Citizens Association has for
some time been supporting a library
station at the f. V. Brown School.
The Public Library can supply only
the books.
System Is UnderdevelOped.
In closing his report. DR.. Bower
man comments on Washington's un-
utEutNtlOpeu puUllc library system.
1T is high time" he says, that
Washington's public library system
should be SO strengthened and ex-
tended as to afford full library facil-
tiles to this Intelligent population
living in homes scattered over a
ran calls attention to a table in his
report giving certain facts concern
ing the public libraries of the thirty
three American cities above 100000
which shows that these
cities have an average of fifteen
branch libraries and an average of
nine such branch Libraries housed in
separate buildings. Several cities
smaller than Washington have
branches in excess of these averages.
For example, Indianapolis has sixteen
branch libraries. nine of which are
in separate buildings, and Minneapolis
has sixteen branch libraries, eight in
as yet but one branch library.
Now that a fresh start has been
made at branch library development
here" the librarian writes in con-
clusion. lit is hoped that the efforts
put forth will soon succeed in supply
ing the branch libraries that Wash
ington SO much needs and that in
this respect Washington will not
much longer be compelled to lag so
far behind much smaller cities. Not
less IMAM one bTducH library year
should be erected until the entire
seven separate branches are erected
and in operation. Concurrently. the
program for erecting new schools
now going forward should, by the
inclusion of branch library rooms
where needed 10 supplement the sepa-
rate branch buildings. speedily COM
plete the system of branches re-
quired to give complete public Ii
brary service to all Washngtonians."