Evening star., 1923-10-12
LIBRARIAN PLEADS
FOR BRANCH NEEDS
Employees and Funds Urged
by BoWerman for School
Equipment.

More employees and more funds with
which to equip branch libraries in
neighborhood schools are cited as
outstanding needs of the Free Public
Library by DR.. George F. Bowerns n.
chief librarian, in his annual report
10 the commissioners. DR.. Bower
mans summary of library conditions
is supplemental to the report of the
trustees. made public yesterday.
The condition of a desperately in
sufficient staff has not been relieved"
said DR.. Bowerman. Indeed, it was
made worse by the cutting year
$50 of $500 from the appropriation
~ substitutes in the face of an
urgent appeal for an increase OF
force needed to do present work and
thc extra work incident to prepara-
ton of books for new branches.
This compelled further draft
on the llbrdry's receipts from fines,
which, in turn, meant that fewer
books could be purchased
IL has not been possible to get
awaS from the bad habit of closing
every eonesday at pm. For the
coming year another $500 was clipped
from the appropriation for service
this time from the funds for Sunday
and holiday opening, with the result
.-::-e the library must close altogether
flt S"mh1er sundays and on more
Eoiiiays and must shorten its sun
day and holiday hours to 2 to L pm
IN the face of recognized need for
IL nger hours and for the opening Of
the branches on holidays"
Book Funds Needed
DR.: Bowerman recalled to the Com
missioners that although a library
room Is available in the new Eastern
iISh school, it must go unused until
funds are made available for books
strVice and other supplies.
It has been planned to have library
rooms in the new Macfarland and
Langley Junior High Schools, now
hearing completion, but the public
library has no funds with which tC
etuip them.
n addition to the large home use
OF BOOKS, DR.. Bowerman reported thai
III" reference service of the library
Was called on to answer 8,615 queS
tons during the year. Scores O.
students used the library as a gath
ling place for material for schoo
debates.
The Childrens department of tn,
library renders a unique service. O
thiS work the librarian says:
Tho new southeastern branch, will
its pleasant children's room, opening
up reading opportunities for abou
10000 children hitherto deprive,
of such privilege, and presaginf
branches in other sections of the city
is a step forward for Washington
The circulation of over half a million
Volumes to the children of Washing
ton for the current year, therefore
only indicates what the respons,
would he in Mount Pleasant. George
town, the northeastern and south
western sections of the city and thu
suburbs of the District were librar!
facilities, including childrens rooms
generally available,
with the erection and opening o.
the southeastern branch library &C
complished. and with the site pur
chased and the plans in progress fol
the Mount Pleasant branch, sub
Stantial new beginning has been made
toward the development of the system
of separate branch libraries, to in.
cludC not less than the seven provid
program called for branches in Ia
koma Park topened in November
I9lD. in the southeast topened ii
December. 1920, in Mount Pleasant
(to be opened, it is hoped. on January
]. I92Jl, in the northeast. in the south
ity of Dupont Circle.
Washington is far behind other com
parable American cities in branch L.
brary development, and it is. nigh tim,
that strenuous efforts should be pu
forth to bring 1t up to date. Tn
table of municipal library expendi
turc book circulation and brancl
library provision in American cite
above 100000 population shows tha
these thirty-one cities Gncluding on
city having no branches, one cit.
laving only one branch and Wash
ington with it's two branches) hav'
an average of fifteen branch Libraries
of which an average of eight are il
separate buildings. This table show
Cincinnati (slightly larger thai