The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-07
LINK LIBRARY
 WITH SCHOOLS
 ESSENTIAL Board s Both Inte- gryp zts Of Educa-
 nal System Py 1T FIRE HAZARD IS
 e JSE FOR REAL ALARM Limary Staff Insists Limit Has Been Reached For Safety : Of Patrons
P 1T FIRE HAZARD IS 6 JSE FOR REAL ALARM

,Bifminghaw's public library is defi- nitely and essentially q part of the city's educational system and a $780, 600 bond issue for a modern library building deserves consideration of the voters at the same time they pass on the school bond issue recommended by the board of education.
 This is the determined attitude of the library board as announced Wednesday by J. W. Donnelly, board chairman, and a campaign will be launched to have these issues linked together in the bond referendum on the ground that the library is part and parcel of an '.adequate educational sys- tenn" for Birmingham. Congestion in the city schools is no greater than at the library, say of ficials. Fire hazard at the library on the fourth floor of city hall is more alarming than in any school in the city, they declare. : NO ROOM TO GROW
 It is the belief of library bond adv6- cates that school authorities will glad ly agree to referendum in which only school and library bonds will be submitted. Instead of jeopardizing the school bonds, they believe the pro- posal for new library will materially aid them.
 The library is crowded to it's utmost capacity and City Building Inspector J. D. Spencer has warned that no more books or supplies should be placed in the present quarters. Thus, the li- brary's only hope of expanding to meet the ever-growing requirements is the passage of bonds for a new building.
 In the opinion of Mrs. Caroline Engstfeld, head of the catalog and order department of the library, the schools of Birmingham could not func- tion properly without an adequate li- brary system.
 Trained members of the library staff spend several days each week in the schools instructing students in the use of the library. For this work the chill dren get high school credit.
 "In addition" says Mrs. Engstfeld, five classify and catalogue the books in the school libraries. Other service is rendered which school teachers tell us is invaluable. You can't get away from the fact that the library is really a part of the school system
 ssesssA What Is Needed ess
 According to Lloyd W. Josselyn, Ii. Ehsary director, a new library building with ~ poo esQ,aafe feet of uf:s4rea is needed ip Bifmingham to take care of the present needs and the requirements for the next ten years.
 In 1909 Birmingham had no public library. In 1910 a, modest start was made with 1,75o square feet of floor space and 2,500 books. President Don nelly and the late Dr. Thomas D. Parke were members of the first Ii- brary board.
 The library now has 15,O00 square feet of area-and is badly in need of additional space. There are 103,00 books and more than 57,0O0 registered members who use the library almost daily. T sg Circulation of the books in 1923 was more than 100000. A total of 30O,- 900 persons were accommodated during the year in the reading and reference rooms at the, central library or the eight branches.
 Crowded Most of the Time s~ The reading and reference rooms in the city hall are crowded almost all the time. Standing room is at premium on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, when hundreds of industrial workers take
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