Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07
LIBRARY BUILDING
PROGRAM IS URGED
I. W. Moves Calls for Action
by Coming Session of
Congress in Report.

Action in the five-year building anc
extension program at the coming ses.
sion OF Congress was urged upon tbs
District Commissioners yesterday IN this
annual report Of the board of trustees
of the Public Library, laid before them
by Theodore W. Moves editor of The
Evening Star and president Of this
Library trustees,
THE Library trustees believe that the
Public Library is now on sound basis
in law and fact" the report said. 1T
serves well the part of the community
who are able to use the resources Of the
Central Library, three branches and
three sub-hranehes But these agen.
eies can conveniently serve only about
one-third Of the Districts population
The great need now is to be able to
make full Library resources and service
effectively available to the other two
thirds Of the population, To that end
the Library trustees, representing the
library interests and needs Of the COM
munity, urgently request the aid of the
District Commissioners, the Budget Blu
reau and Congress"
New Suh-branches.
The estimates of the board of trus-
tees for 1880, it was revealed in the re-
port Of DR.. George F. BoWerman. the
librarian, also submitted, totaled S547,-
$50. During the year Chevy Chase,
Tenleytown and the neighborhood of
the Eastern High School received
Library sub-braneheS, the trustees re-
port said, and funds were appropriated
for q suh-branch for the Conduit road
section.
Pointing to the growth of the service
the report said that the home eiFcula-
ton of books has increased from ], 407,-
400 to l,5T8, 422, the registration of bor-
rewers from 6a,77T to 1892, and the
reference and advisory services have
developed both in quality and quantity
The report called attention to the point
that competent advisers are now avail
able in history, biography, sociology and
pedagogy, Washingtoniana, technology.
Illustration and childrens literature, as
well as trained assistants for the more
general fields.
During the past fiscal year, DR.. Bow
erman said in his report, the library
collected as fines, fees, etc, $l9,561, 66,
turning this sum over to the Collector
Of Taxes for the District for deposit in
the Treasury. These collections, he
said. are likely to exceed $4,000 for
1899.
1.-THE increase in book circulation and
the satisfaction manifested by these
communities" the trustees point out,
citing Chevy Chase, Tenleytown, the
Eastern High School and Conduit road
areas, furnish q convincing demnnstra-
ton Of the validity Of the branch idea,
and stimulate the library authorities in
the endeavor to provide all sections of
Washington with easily accessible
libraries"
Referring to branch development DR.,
Howerman says: The Eastern High
school suhbraneh made a fine record
OF service. we'll justifying the plan of
providing public library service in
school buildings. The Chevy Chase sub
branch likewise amply justifies its re-
Moval to fine new rented quarters in a
store building. Tenley subhranch has
excellent prospects for service by rea-
son of It's new housing In the abandoned
fourteenth precinct police station build
ing. transferred to the library by the
District Commissioners. The Conduit
Road School Suhbranch will occupy the
old frame Schoolhouse as soon as 1t Is
released by the Board Of Education.
Development Slow"
"The development Of the library sys-
tenn, however, Is too allow. No major
branches have been added. It Is safe to
say" DR.. BoWerman says, that for two
thirds of the population of the District
the Public Library has no effective ex-
iStence"
In the matter of branch library pro-
vision, according to the librarians re-
port Washington stands next to the
bottom Of the list in comparison with
81 other cities, Portland, Oregy for In
stance, with. a population Of $40, TAO. has
10 branches to Washirgtons 3. with
q population, in 1925, Of $4,000.
The trustees in their report express
the desire Ito make full library re-
sources and service effectively available
to the whole of the community. and to
that end urgently request the aid Of
the District Commissioners, the Budget
Bureau and Congress"
The opening up late In the Spring Of
the new Washingtoniana division, hous-
ing the lihrary's unique collection OF
books, pamphlets, maps and other ma
terial relating to Washington, has
proved a great satisfaction and 2 val
liable improvement IN making the Ii
brarys resources in this field more avail
able TO scholars, research workers and
all persons interested In old as we'll al
up-to-date information about the city,
the report pointed out.
"Tne library circulated from all agen-
cies into Washington homes and of
Aces" according TO the report, "i,57a,-
422 volumes, and 1882 mounted pic
lures, or l,726.7T4 pieces, The book
circulation increased IL per cent. ana
the picture circulation increased ii per
cent as compared with the previous
year."
Advisory Service.
A growing service in the library,
which has added greatly TO its useful
ness and efficiency, is that OF the read
efs' advisers. The specially trained
group of assistants stand ready to help
readers either in their serious work or
in general reading along lines which
particularly interest them, and IN max"
ing up book lists in their special field.
The advisory stah consists Of an ad-
Wiser in educational books, one in art
books. in biography, in fiction, in chill"
dren's reading, in technical books, be-
sides several general research workers.
The number Of questions recorded IN
the reference room of the central IL
brary for the past year was $3.50, IN
GLIDING l,lo6 telephone calls,
"The industrial division OF this de-
partment." said DR.. Bowerman. mas
lust closed one Of its most successIul
years. The circulation OF books ana
magazines from this division was s9'1oo,
or an increase OF lob per cent over
last year"
The Industrial division has become so
crowded that an adjoining room has
been equipped as O. stan once, thus
.,;,yf,o ,a,ora e,aoao in fhh main division.