Evening star., 1922-10-05
Annual Report Shows an In
creased Use of the Book
Collection.
ESTIMATES FOR SUPPORT
MUST RUN THE GAUNTLET
Southeast Branch Soon to Be Open
ed-Mount Pleasant Branch
Next to Be Built.

The DEVELOPMENT of the Public
Library system, it's achievements, the
extension of its service. with the sup
port required for it's enlarging work.
are covered in the report of the board
of trustees. filed with the Dis'rlct
Commissioners today.
The report. signed by Theodore W.
Noyes, president of the library ooaro'
points out the increase in the use
of the present library plant, Whlch
circulated from the main library and
the Takoma Park branch over a mil
lion volumes last year: and the deh-
mite progress that has been made TO-
ward securing additional branches 1or
extending the library's usefulness.
The southeastern branch, with site
purchased by municipal approprla-
tion and with building donated by
the Carnegie Corporation, is now
nearly completed" the report states.
land Will soon be open to the pubic
and utilized for the benefit OF the
10000 Washingtonians in that sec
tion of the city.
Mount Pleasant Branch Next.
"For the Mount Pleasant branch,
with the librarians plan as approved
by the trustees. the promise OF Sloo.-
600 for the building has been made
by the Carnegie Corporation ana an
option at a reasonable price upon
most desirable site has been secured
and a municipal APPROPRIATION ny
Congress to purchase this site IS con-
fidently anticipated.'
Extension through library brancneS
in new school buildings is making
practical and encouraging headway
The new Eastern High School library
is to be opened" it is announced IN
February, 1928. and two other schooi
libraries - in the Macfarland ana
the Langley junior high Schools-are
promised for September, 1923. Ihe
board of education and the board OF
trustees. through the superintendent
of schools and the public librarian.
are laboring earnestly and enect1Vely
to develop the proposed system OF
public school branch libraries, whose
necessity and great public usefulness
are manifest
Running the Gauntlet.
Library development" the report
continues, 'is retarded by the fact
that the trustees showing of library
needs and of appropriations and leg
islation to meet them do not get to
Congress for consideration In their
original shape. but only in mutilated
form after running the gantlet of
cutting and slashing by Commission
ers and the bureau Of the budget. Too
often appropriation committees nave
refused even to consider any Distr
appropriative proposals except those
which have been approved ana SUD
mitted through the Commissioners
and recently the bureau of the
budget, and too often it has resulted
from this policy that when subcom-
mittee hearings have been granted
the trustees they have enjoyed only
the privilege OF explaining ana oe-
Tending inadequate proposals, "nlcn
they have not made, in a shape they
can neither explain nor defend.
Since the library, by the organic
act of 1896, is declared to be sup
plement of the educational system of
the District the trustees urge that
their estimates of library needs In
respect to items and amounts should
go to Congress for possible considera-
ton along with the estimates as al
tered by Commissioners and bureau
of the budget just as the estimates of
the board of education in respect to
the public educational system (of
which the library is a supplemen)
are, under the provisions of the law,
thus forwarded"
The two primary needs and aims
which the trustees would like to take
in full to Congress are: One. strength
ening of the Central Library, (a) by
increase of pay of the force. (b) by
increasing the numbers of the force
and Co by adequate new book acces-
eions, and two, extension of scope
of library's usefulness, (a) throug h
branch Libraries and CD through
library stations and branches in
school buildings.
Increased Appropriation Required.
The growth of the library service
and its development through branches
have made it necessary to ask for
large increases in the appropriations.
with which the trustees report deals
in detail. The increases are required
for four principal reasons:
The statutory salaries of the exist
ing establishment are grossly made
quate and should be increased to the
extent of 33 1-3 per cent over exist
ing pay plus bonus. Such an increase
Is called for in the pending Sterling
Lehlbach reclassification bill, en-