Evening star., 1925-05-31
LIBRARY CENTER
IN CAPITAL SOUGHT
National Headquarters and
Graduate School Urged
by Expert.

Erection of national headquarters
building for the library profession in
the National Capital.
Location in Washington of a ma
tional graduate school of librarian
ship.
These are two important projects for
which nationwide campaigns are
being conducted under the leadership
of DIR. Herman H. B. Meyer, legisla-
tive reference librarian of the Library
of Congress, who has just completed
most successful year as president of
the American Library Association
the first Washington president of the
national library body since 1904.
DR.. Meyer is one of the best known
photographers of his day. a graduate
Of Columbia University and of Pratt
institute Library School. He has been
an official in the Library of Congress
Tor more than 20 years and chief of
the periodical division, of the order di-
vision. as chief photographer and now
as chief of the legislative reference
service. He is author of many i'm
portant works.
Capital Ideal as Center.
DR.. Meyer encouraged the move
ment for a national headquarters
building. After the American Library
Association fund for this purpose was
started a national committee was ap-
pointed with DR.. Meyer as chairman.
The advantages of Washington as
location for such a headquarters build
ing have been strongly presented.
Establishment of a national grad
uate school of librarianship for
Washington has been sponsored by a
"a ., -.
has been an active worker. The com
mittee published a prospectus, ad-
dressed to the Carnegie Corporation
outlining the plan for such national
school and describing the advantages
OF Washington as a location SubSe
quently a meeting was held in Wash
lngton, with members of the American
Library Association board of educa-
tion for librarianship as guests of the
local committee, at which time the
case for Washington was presented.
For the last 20 years DR.. Meyer has
been moving force in the District of
Columbia Library Association. He
has served on its committees, on its
executive board and as its president.
He undertook for this body and car
ried through to completion the first
careful survey of local libraries. The
results of this study were published
by the Library of Congress in 1914 III
Handbook of the Libraries of the
District of Columbia -
Originally An Engineer.
DR.. Meyer once was employed as
an engineer in the Oregon Iron Works
and later the Brooklyn Union Gas
Works for many years, but in 1905
his love for books and literary work
resulted in his acceptance of a posi-
ton as chief of the periodical divi-
sion of the Library of Congress. Since
then he has been successfully in
charge of important branches of the
library service and has won a host of
friends among his fellow workers.
AS indicating the progress made in
the last 40 or so years in library faCil-
tiles for children, DR.. Meyer contrasts
his own experience as boy in getting
access to libraries with the abundant
opportunities now placed before the
Young. 1t was not until after he had
attended the old Northmore Street
School in New York City for almost
year that he discovered that there was
a school library in the building. 1t
was kept in large bookcase in the
inner office of the principal. under
lock and key. and the key was kept
in a locked drawer of the principals
desk Access to the books was grant
ed only to the honor boys and girls on
Friday afternoons.
10000 Books i'm Private Library.
After strenuous effort DIR. Meyer
found himself one of the group al
lowed to draw books over the week
end. And then began for him q dis
sipated course i'll the children's ClaS-
sizes of past generation-the Rollo
books and the F'ranconia stories.
little later the Apprentices Library
was discovered. This was operated by
the Mechanics Institute Of New York
City and open only to working boys.
School children were absolutely pro-
hibited. In order to gain access to
this library. therefore. it was neces-
sary to resort to subterfuge. A job in
a small factory during the following
summer vacation gave the necessary
status of a working boy, which Sc
cured the privileges of the library.
subsequent return to school was kept
a deep secret, and the use of the
library was continued for several
wears In those days a library was
closed to boys and girls on the ground
that it interfered with their studies.
AS a lover of books DIR. Meyer has
not been able to resist the fascination
Of book collecting. His private library
numbers about 10000 volumes eSpe-
ciaIly rich in American and English
literature and history. II includes
many first editions of modern authors,
English, Irish and American. Special
attention has been devoted to fine
printing in America, and the collection
includes specimens from most of the
noteworthy presses. The collection of
books printed by Bruce Rogers, Amer
ica's foremost printer, is practically
complete.