Evening star., 1923-10-11
LIBRARY TRUSTEES
URGE ACTION FOR
BRANCH BUILDINGS
Annual Report to Commits
sioners Asserts Washington
Is Tagging in Development.

Asserting that Washington is lag
einy behind other cities of the same
size in library development. the trus.
tees of the Public Library advocated
purchase of sites for more branch
buildings in their annual report TO
the Commissioners today.
The directing heads of the library
system told the city executives they
have every reason TO believe the car
negie Corporation of New York VIII
provide the additional buildings need
ed if application for them is not de-
layed too long.
The trustees also urged the Com
missioners to give the librarian and
his assistants proper salary alloca-
tious under the reriassffication law.
Want Congress to See First Figures.
Another important recommendation
in the report is that the original
library estimates prepared eacl Yea:
by the trustees be sent to Congress
along with the revised figures of the
District and budget bureau officials.
On the subject of estimates and ap-
propriations, the trustees reported:
THE petitions of the trustees under
the law to Congress through the Com
missioners for library Legislation ana
appropriate ton are so altered by the
supervising and modifying action OF
the commissioners and by the arbt-
trary percentage reductions or the
budget bureau that, as We last Year
pointed out. the trustees in congress
sional subcommittee hearings con-
IN fkaa "a .
propriations have enjoyed oui! the
privilege OF explaining and defending
Inadequate proposals which they nave
not themselves made. in shape whicti
they can neither explain nor defend.
Printed In Annual Report.
"The trustees have been in the
port as the Public Library estimates
their own estimates for the approach
ing wear, compared with the current
appropriations. This showing has
been informative and useful both
practically in the present and as a
record for future reference. But to-
day who can say what are the rear
Public Library estimates? First, there
are the original estimates OF library
needs as set forth by the trustees.
fntrusted hy the law with the man
agement or the library. which eN-
press the deliberate convictions ofthe
trustees concerning such needs.
''NeAt come the estimates or the
trustees az modified by the trustee
themselves in response 10 specific di-
rections or requests of the Commits
sionerS. Next the Commissioners es-
Inmates representing not the library
needs. but the amount nf money which
they think can be spared for library
maintenance during tile YEAR, taking
into considerable all other municipal
expenditures. Next the COMMISSION
rrs' estimates as altered by the bud-
get bureau. Next the budget bureau g
ISliPl ieS. expressing its
nnAl conviction not concerning real
....,,.l. ia. concerning the
amount of money which is thought to
he available in partial satisfaction OF
these needs. And lastly the House
appropriations committee presents It's
own thought concerning full library
needs to the House in the tentative
draft OF a District appropriation bill.
The trustees estimates run the gan
let along the whole line. Practically
anybody's objection anywhere in the
line knocks out a specific proposal or
the trustees If the Commits sioners
dissent the protested item Will not
come even to the attention Of Con-
eress. Ii the Commissioners approve,
but the budget bureau dlsapproves,
The result is the same. out goes the
item.
Full Needs Set Forth.
',The trustees repeat with renewed
vigor and special emphasis our urgent
request of last year that our original
estimates be forwarded to Congress for
consideration along with these estimates
AS modified by the Commissioners and
the budget bureau. Just as the estimates
of the public schools (of which the
Public Library is by its organic act
"A SUPPLEMENT- are thus forwarded in
the Commissioners and the budget bu-
reau suggest limitations upon the
amount of appropriations. and the trus-
tees figures set forth the full library
needs and are helpful in appropriating
TO meet the greatest needs in the
wisest way whether the amount of APP
propriated money available is great or
small"
The library trustees conclude their re-
port by summarizing the needs Of the
library. as follows:
1. Proper ALLEGATION in reclassification
of the librarian and his assistants.
. Adequate estimates by the COM
missioners and appropriations by Con-
of the library workers as that indi-
Gated by the proper ALLEGATION of them
in such classification.
.'3. Consistent development of the
DranCh library system especially DN
appropria tions for suitable sites, so
that the community may not lose by
delay the additional needed branch
library buildings. which We have raa-
son to hope the Carnegie Corporation
Of New York will supply. if applica-
tions are promptly and earnestly
made, and the reasonable conditions
of the gifts are fulfilled. Washing
ton should not lose this opportunity
10 approximate its book distribution
system to that of the public IL
braries of other cities of its class.
1t falls woefully short in this re-
spect at present.
The report. signed by Theodore w.
Moves. president of the library board,
points out that the library has in
creased steadily in usefulness to the
community and in the affectionate re-
gard of book using Washingtonians,
as shown by an increase in circulation
of books and in the development of
the distribution system through an
increase in branch libraries and in
making closer relations with the pub
lie schools, by which il has increased
its work among children.
Important Events of Year.
The library trustees instance as the
vitality important events of the year
covered by the report the following;
u. The southeastern branch library
building, the gift OF the Carnegie Cor.
poration of New York. was opened to
the public. The corporation also had
offered not less than 100000 to erect
a Mount Pleasant branch library
building. Congress accepted this Of
fer and appropriated $4,000 to pur-
chase suitable library site. Through
the public spirited cooperation of
Mrs John 3. Henderson an admirable
site was purchased within the limit
of the appropriation.
"2. At the end of the last session of
Congress the classification act Of 1923
became law and the personnel clas-
yification board Is doing the neces-
gary nreliminarY work of ALLEGATION