Evening star., 1927-10-11

sent not more than 81 per capita of
the Districts population. II the pro-
posed maintenance item of $393,25O
should he appropriated entire, on the
basis of a minimum population of
505.750, the per capita maintenance
expenditures for the library would he
but III cents, as compared with the
minimum standard for municipal pub
lie library maintenance set up by the
American Library Association of 81
per capita and as compared with
library maintenance expenditures of
other American cities above 81 per
Boston, $1.24."
Present Appropriations.
Increases in appropriation for the
coming fiscal year." said DR.. Bower
man. provide for an enlargement of
staff sufficient to do away with the
closing of the Central Library and
branches every Wednesday at 3 Pm
condition enforced on the Library
since 1919. The increase in staff also
permits the opening of the Mount
Pleasant children's room full hours
for the coming year.
appropriation increases also pro-
vide for the opening of a sub-bra nch
of the Public Library in the Eastern
High School, in the fine large room
fitted from the beginning with library
furniture and designed for a branch
library. Other increases in appropria-
tions provide for the rental of spe-
cially built quarters for the Chevy
Chase sub-branch and for the enlarge
ment of the staff of that and the
Tenley sub-branehes, opened on alter
nate days by the same staff"
Book Turnover.
Readers of the District of Column
bia have taken out from their IL
brarios 1,4o7, ,499 books during the
fiscal year, which is an increase of
109, ,094 books over the preceding year.
1T is unfortunate" DIR. Bowerman
says, that no method has been de.
vised for measuring the extent and
especially the quality of reference and
advisory service. They are large and
constantly, growing both in extent and
competence
students, teachers, club members.
writrs, professional and business
men, research workers and others, I"
the report states, make use of the
service of the reference room. A rec
ord of 9,33S questions, of which 926s
were telephone calls. were kept DUR
ing the year"
The industrial division of the IL
brary, equipped with S32 reference
books, $4,000 circulating books, Isl
trade journals, 10000 trade catalogues
and PIT periodicals and house organs,
has a record for the year of meeting
an ever-increasing demand for spe-
cialized srevice.
To satisfy the growing interest in
educational problems and child care,
a room in the central library has been
shelved with books on these subjects
and put in charge of a trained assist.
ant, competent to act in an advisory
capacity concerning them.
An important innovation in the pic
ture division was made in the re-
moval of 5000 art books from the
closed stacks to open shelves, Great
ing thereby an art division of the IL
to the report, 133.597 mounted pic
lures were loaned during the year, an
increase of 1851 over the figures of
1926.
1.-THE preparation of lists has be-
come increasingly popular" the re-
port states; many persons desire
them for short reading courses. In
connection with lists, material was
furnished for essays, these and SUBJ
jects used in university work. Many
requests were received from club
members seeking topics and books for
club papers, and from educational
institutions and associations.
The branch libraries record advisory
service in reading, which has been
given to nursery schools, finishing
schools, classes Of student nurses, nor
NAL school groups and reading clinics
for special children.
The net strength of the book col
lection, according to the report, pass
ed the 100000 mark in September,