Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-16


sounds like Cottage Cheese" said a
small boy at the desk, in the Childrcn's
department Of the Wilmington Free
Library. The Librarian was puzzled
but with the help Of other workers, she
finally discovered that the lad wanted
Scottish Chiefs"
This was but one Of dozens OF amusing
requests that come to Miss Nan Lang
and her assistant, Miss Janice Souther-
land, in the Children's department.
During the summer about 300 children
comedaily for books and tongues are
apt TO get twisted over an unfamiliar
title. That 1000 children borrowed
books from the library during July is
considered remarkable as children.in the
summer have the advantages Of outdoor
games and OF vacations.
During the summer months the shelves
OF fiction ore depleted, and all kinds OF
stories are in demand. More boy render.
patronize the library than girls and they
make more varied selections. The girls
want fiction, especially love stories, and
the various serials which take heroine
from childhood TO womanhood are as
popular as ever. Groups Of girls still read
the books in friendly rivalry, each trying
TO keep a volume ahead Of her conpeti-
tor. Little Women" which was
recently given first place on the list
Of the 25 best books for children, is vel
loved and copy Of it is hard to find or
the shelf. Dickens and Scott move toe
slowly for many girls and other classic;
20 begging. The average girl wants a
modern book with plenty q action and
sentiment. Stevenson is uninterestinp
to many feminine readers.
The boys under twelve revel IN Boz
Scout series and stories OF athletics am
adventure. Tie older boys want detec
tive stories, tales of western life, anc
any story of adventure ancient o
modern that has plenty Of action. The,
read many handcraft books and show
working knowledge Of mechanics. Book
on radio are in constant demand.
The moving picture Of a famous stor.
results in q rush to read the book. 70
weeks after "The Count of Mont
Cri.to" WAS shown, the book was peve
on the shelf and nobody apparently wa
disappointed with Dumas exciting re
nance not even the boy who asked 70
Douglas Fairbanks and the Thre
Musketeers." Mark Twain's "Con
necticut Yankee" could not be take
out without signing up weeks IN &C
vance, although some young movie tar
protested that book made no mention
motor cycles and automobiles. Movln
pictures Of "The Little Minister 1 an
Sentimental Tommy" aroused intere
in Barrie's works. This week a sma
girl asked for "The Sheik" and wht
told that it was not in the library, 81
requested some story about Arabia"
, Fairy tales are always popular at
certain age, and books OF folk lore
other lands and ancient mythology q
! eagerly read. Even the tiny children
know what books they want to read.
the desk drawer is kept a series OF sms
= books telling in simple language Il
2 adventures of Peter Rabbit" ar
3 BENJAMIN Bunny" One little be
I always words his request for one OF Il
. series, please, Mrs. have you any
5 those serious books!
7 Only two books may be taken out
a time on child's card, although he mf
also take out one book for an adul
It's difficult at times for the librarian
4 to cope with the boy who wants to tai
;, out four detective stories at once, "B
), cause my grandmother just loves d
: tective stores and she reads awful fast
During the summer Miss Lang ar
! Miss Switzerland have to make plen
q OF suggestions about "a good book
!, read" but when school opens, they a
: nearly overwhelmed with questions.
= few years ago only high school pup
= wanted reference books, but now CD
dren from the primary and grsmm
: grades come, wanting TO know wheth
= they can find out if the people OF Sou
!. America are progressive, how close '
\ are to Chill, what is the condition
a Russian railroads, and is there any bi
protection in Delaware. The SIN
y reference library in the Juvenile Depa
y ment is in constant use and many CT
s dren are referred 10 the main referer
:. department. Books on geography, b
n tory and biography are taken out &C
d stantly. While South America was bel
II studied last winter, several new cop
st of geographical readers were purchas
but they were insufficient to meet I
demand.
One source of pride in the iuven
Of reference department is the set
d The World Book" of organized kno'
a edge in story and pictures, which 81,
r. every imaginable bit of information
- language comprehensive for the chi
: An interesting device is the loose ],
-