Evening star., 1922-02-21
URGES MORE ADEQUATE
D. C. LIBRARY FACILITIES
Correspondent Also Cites Need OF
Better Pay for Members of
the Profession.
To the Editor Of The Star;

To the Editor of The Star:
Every one in Washington who
makes use of the Public Library or
books and other forms of literature
In general ought to come out with
an urgent plea for abundant pro-
vision for> adequate library facilities.
To round out it's educational advan-
tageS and make it the greatest of all
centers of learning, Washington
needs plentiful supply of branch
libraries and well paid librarians.
AS former humble librarian draw
ing one of the humble salaries that
are paid to librarians, the writer is
able to speak on this subject out of
the fullness of her heart and bitter
experience. Library salaries are still
SO Insignificant that they do not COW
er the necessities of decent living.
and the recipients of them could not
possibly stay in the service if they
did not live at home. Many members
of the profession have been compelled
to desert for that reason, after they
pensive training, such as library
standards require.
My latest visit paid to the Wash
ington Public Library, Saturday aft-
ernoon at o'clock, revealed a full
attendance in every division which
being vacant. The usual throng was
gathered about the card catalog cab
inets and the front doors were in
cessantly swinging in and out with
the throng that was coming and go
ing.
Because Of the high value which I
place upon library work and the
pride which / have in Washington, ]
have suffered a good many pangs at
the adverse remarks made about the
Public Library, but it is deeply dis
appointing to fill out book slips and,
OF
information, 'aThat book is OUT; but
this happens over and over.- an ]
some other book must be substituted.
One book was waited for for weeks
even after putting in a request to be
book on a popular enterprise that is
of public interest There should have
been several copies on the shelves
but the appropriation would not
permit.
Other disappointing features are
the school season, which makes II
necessary for searchers after knowl.
| edge to line up three deep in order
| to get their turn at the card catalog
. One SwelterS in wraps while waiting
and wearily stands about because
getting about the Wednesday after
noon closing and walking all the wa!
| there with an armful Of books onl!
to come up against barricaded door
| impresses one with the lamentabl,
| fact that the appropriation is to-
small to pay a sufficient number o
| librarians to keep the library opel
| all Of every day until 10 pm. Certai,
kinds of library work can merely b.
[started in two hours. Going in a
Z and being turned out at pm ma,
chop one off in the middle of an i'm
portant< operation.
One of the remarkable things abou
| the modern library is that catalogin,
has been made so simple and practi
| cable and Ineligible that even tn
smaller school children are able t.
make good use of the indexes, an,
| they swarm all around the cabinets IL
the school season. Surely the leas
that can be done for the education o
the people is to put within thei
| reach all the literature they need
| Nothing will help to steady the worl
faster than the education and en-
lightenment of all social ranks an,
orders within all the races of man
kind. Let Washington have libraries
| JULIA C. GRAY.