Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-27
Speakers Tell Planning Com
mission of Need to Extend
Reading Facilities.
13-BRANCH EXPANSION
ARRANGEMENT EXPLAINED
Crowded Conditions at Central
Library Dictate Need of Relief
There Also, 1t Is Pointed Out.

Several changes in. the highway plan
Tor the District of Columbia were an
proved yesterday by the National Can
ital Park and Planning Commission.
which also took under advisement p,srs
!or the extension Of library facilities In
the city. -
Theodore w. Noyes, president of the
trustees of the Public Library. and Tr
george +. Bowerman, the librarian an
peared before the commission and ex-
plalned plans for the library expansion
CIoWoeo conditions at the Central
Library az Eighth and K streets die
tate the need Of expansion there thev
ADVISED the commission, and nlans for
Is branch libraries to serve the yarious
areas OF the city were explained.
Inc IL branch libraries are PROMISED
at these points: The northeast branch
TO serve the area north OF East Capitol
street and east of Union Station.
Georgetown branch, southwest branch
10 serve the area south of the Mall and
west OF South Capitol street; Anacostia
Drancn, Dupont Circle branch, Calvert
branch, to serve the area west and
south Of the Geological Park: Ecking-
ton branch, Woodbridge branch, Pet
worth branch, to serve the area west of
the northern portion of the Soldiers
Home grounds and west Of Rock Creek
Cemetery; the Connecticut avenue
branch. to serve the area north of
cleveland Park and west of Rock Greek
Park; the Cathedral branch, to serve
the area north and west of the Naval
Observatory; the Sixteenth street
branch, which contemplates the use of
the dwelling owned by the District of
Columbia and formerly occupied by the
caretaker of the reservoir. and a
branch which has not yet been speeifi-
cally designated.
Crowded Conditions Cited,
DR.. Bowerman called the commits
SONS attention to the crowded condi-
lions mat have come about in a quar-
Ter OF century at the Central Library,
que 70 increased demands on the part
OF the public and the growing collec-
tlon: More space is needed. too, for
administrative purposes. The number
of books Is so increasing that those
that should be stored at the Central
Library have to be placed elsewhere,
due to lack of space.
The librarian invited the commissions
attention to the point that at the Cen
tral Library the authorities are utiliz-
ing lecture hall, which should be usee
Ior Lecture purposes, for carrying o.
the work OF the library itself. One side
OF the grand staircase Is closed and this
Is being put to use for Office work, with
Two persons occupying desks on the
landing.
The possibility Of expanding the
Central Library structure itself. possi~
ply toward the rear of the building
ilne OF Mount Vernon place. was laid
before the commission, as was the traf-
nc situation In that area, as bearing on
library conditions. The commission was
asked to explore the feasibility of widen
ing Mount Vernon place, either on the
north or south side, to aid traffic con-
d1tions and to examine the problem of
enlarging the Central Library, so that
any architectural extension will be In
harmony with the Identification pro-
gram OF the National Capital.
Two Plans Submitted.
Two plans, previously prepared, were
laid before the commission for study.
and the aid of the commissions staff
will be brought to bear on the whole
problem.
Representative Gibson, Republican,
OF Vermont, has recently reintroduced
100000 for library facilities for the
District. A similar measure narrowly
missed passage at the last session
through the Senate filibuster.
The commission approved certain
proposed changes in the highway plan
for the District of Columbia These
were: Providing for the extension of
Fifty-Seventh street northeast to Lin
wood place, the placing of a slight
curve on Van Ness street and the elm
ination of Sedgwich street, between
Thirty street and Idaho ave-
nue.. which was considered unnecessary
as short block, as it was on steep
grade; a slight change at Sixteenth
street and the District line, to permit
of better development of the proposed
north portal as an imposing entrance
to the city and slight change on K
street northeast, where it enters Bla-
densburg road ~