Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
Head of Institution on Capitol Hill Has
Made His Profession an Art, and
Created Within Granite and Marble
Walls Place Where Citizens MAY
Move Among Spirits of All
Ages-Soul of People.

and after Putnam. In the eyes of Con-
gress he is one of the most favored in
dividuals. Rare indeed does the legisla-
tive body disavow budget presented by
their" librarian. He is as much part
Of congressional furniture as the
Speaker of the House. So that when a
bill to increase the librarians salary
came before lawmakers it passed their
critical specs without a single demur
And when we applied for admission
to his sanctum there was no ceremony
or red tape. Just walk in"
THERE sat the librarian of Congress,
encased by walls of dulI-finished
oak, subdued light and leather uphol-
stored furniture. Alone with thoughts
and moods, not bothered by telephones.
rushing secretaries and hurried mes
sengers. Even books are rare about him.
He must love placid life. In fact, Her
bert Putnam is a soft-spoken man. In
this room, like an inner vault, there is
no need to raise ones voice. Whispers
sound louder than full-mouthed words.
And the librarian is all-attentive.
Among other matters, he spoke of a
suggestion to change the name of the
institution
For 1913 years." he said, I'VE have
used the name Library of Congress. The
movement to change it to the National
Library, comparable to Frances Bibli-
otheque Rationale, does not appeal to
me, although am not opposed to the
name as such. I'm in sympathy with
the plan of designating the institution
as the National Library only informally
In all other respects 1t should be called
the Library of Congress. Congress
sional Library may be shorter, and
hence more disable, but it is wrong, and
would like to see it abandoned en-
tiely. The legal title is Library of
Congress, and I hope it is retained
OF course, only Congress has power to
alter its present name"
rs 1t true that you originated"
Il didn't originate anything. nor start
anything, nor create it.. SOM have it
that I originated the card catalogue
system by which the library serves
4,300 others all over the world. But
not so. This idea was first suggested
by former secretary of the Smith
sonian.
and did I originate chairs in the
stances made it necessary that they be
established The need arose; we merely
filled it. We didn't have to create or
originate
Our use of the term chair and
faculty has caused an occasional ejacu-
lation:
"'Why-a university!
mo, not university We do not
prescribe, we do not teach, we do not
discipline. We hold no authority over
our constituency and we take no re-
sponsibility for results No library is a
university or can be. A house of studies,
II you like. inviting and encouraging.
providing material, apparatus to con-
venience, and, so far as resources per-
NIT, the counsel of its staff in the pur-
suit Of them through use of collection.
But not university"
What has this library cost our
Nation?"
Il think the figure can be deter
mined roughly. Aside from regular
maintenance and salaries, I believe the
National Treasury paid about $15,000,-
200, or half the price of a battleShip, for
this Library. About 100000 repre-
sents the plant, the remainder paid for
accessions. In 1913 years Of service we
have tried to repay that amount"
The current notion in some quarters
tnat the Library of Congress embraces
the worlds choicest collection of books
and documents does not spring from
Herbert Putnam. He frankly cites its
| deficiencies. Although this is a ma
tlonal library, its rare book collection
| does not have copy of the first printed
J book-the Gutenberg Bible New York
Clty's library owns one and so does
Princeton. All of them have been do
mated by wealthy collectors. A few
months ago Otto Vollbehr, the worlds
greatest private collector of incunabula,
offered TO give the globes most valuable
volume, his 100000 Gutenberg Bible
| and 1,500 incunabula on provision that
some other donor give the library an
amount equivalent to $500 books re-
manning with him 60 far this afEor