Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
BOOK CIRCULATION
OF LIBRARY RISES
Despite Lack of Facilities, Is
Per Cent Increase Occurs,
Annual Report Says.

Despite the insufficiency of library
facilities Of the District of Columbia in
relation 70 its population, there was an
increase Of Is per cent in the home
circulation of the Public Library dur
ing the past fiscal year, according to
the annual report of the board OF
trustees of the library, filed with the
District Commissioners yesterday.
The report, submitted for the board
by Theodore w. Noyes, president,
showed that the number OF books
loaned in the fiscal year, 1930-l93l,
numbered 1,957,697.
Further progress in the growth of the
Public Library system, through current
appropriations, is shown in report by
George F. Bowerman. public librarian,
which accompanied the statement OF
the board Of trustees.
Facilities to Be Enlarged.
Library facilities will be enhanced,
DR.. Bowerman points out, through the
construction of the Northeast Branch,
which will be ready for occupancy early
In 1892; in the appropriation by Con-
greSS of $4,000 for the grading Of the
Georgetown Reservoir tract for utiliza-
ton as a site for the Georgetown Branch
Library; and in the removal of the
library's acquisitions, cataloging and
bindery departments from the central
building to the Metropolitan Memorial
Methodist Episcopal Church building in
the area Of the new Municipal Center,
pending enlargement of the central
building Of the library at Eighth and
K streets.
1T seems peculiarly unfortunate" the
trustees report states, that the library
has been compelled to shorten its hours
at time when there is much unem-
ployment, and when Federal employees
have increased leisure due to the opera
ton Of the Saturday half-holiday law.
The library's activities. however, have
so far outrun its resources that the
trustees have felt obliged to close the
library on Saturday at pm, beginning
July /. 1881. An increase in circula-
ton of 277,000 volumes, or 16 per cent,
and especially the loss Of staff time
owing to the half-holiday law. aggre-
eating that Of seven persons, Offset only
by the meager addition Of three minor
positions added in July. have caused
this regretable curtailment.
Cites Need Of Larger Staff.
with every increase in book circula-
ton there is a corresponding or even
larger increase in the advisory,
reference, technical and clerical work
Of the library, which is not susceptible
Of statistical statement" DR.. Bower
man said. "On the basis generally ac-
cepted by the library profession Of one
additional assistant for every $4,000 to
10000 volumes of circulation, these in
creases in circulation and other work
Of the library should be balanced by
additions to the staff Of from IA to l8
persons.
Even in times Of depression, when it
Is not to be expected that rapid prog
ress will be made in initiating extern
sions Of service, planning for the future
Is necessary" Dr. BoWerman states.
The library's extension program is
based on surveys carried on continuously
for II years. During this period the
library agencies established have been
insufficient to meet the population
growth and the community extension
into new territories.
s7e7,735 Sought for 1888.
One-third Of the local population is
receiving adequate library service; but
two-thirds Of the population is still
without library service convenient to
the homes and Offices of all residents"
of the District, this being the standard
set UP by the act of Congress creating
the library. DR.. Bowerman points out
A schedule Of possible capital ex-
penditures required by the library dur
ing the fiscal years l932-1946 was pre-
pared in October, 1880. and shaped into
q program at the request of the Dis
trict Commissioners. Adopted by the
Board of Library Trustees, and sub
nitted to the Commissioners, 1t re-
ceived the Endorsement Of the Wash
tngton Chamber of Commerce shortly
thereafter, DR.. Bowerman reported.
The estimates for the fiscal year
1888, as submitted by the library trus-
tees to the District Commissioners,
amounted. for maintenance. to s520,-
1855; for the Georgetown Branch Lii
brary Building. s150000 (the appropri-
atoms for the fiscal year 1882 carry
100000 for the grading Of the old
Georgetown reservoir as a Site; for
the original equipment of the proposed
Municipal Center Annex branch,
$4,000; for the preparation Of plans
and specifications for the enlargement
purchase Of site for the proposed
utility building near the Central Lii
brary, 100000, and for the preparation
Of plans and specifications for such
building, $4,000: a total for extension
projects Of $4,000, and a grand total
Of &767,735.
Maintenance Funds Held Low.
THAT present library maintenance
appropriations are too low and that
the present estimates are modest and
reasonable can be shown by comparison
with public library appropriations in
comparable American cities" DR.. Bow
erman says.
In the last published comparative
table of library statistics for cities
above 10000 population. compiled by
the American Library Association, for
192s-1e3o. and covering AZ cities.
Washington ranked twenty-flrSt in its
per capita expenditures for its public
library, with "a cents per capita. as
compared with Cleveland, which spent
$2.12 per capita on its public library;
Boston. $1.51: Newark, SLIT Dayton,
$1.23. and Seattle. Sill.
For 1881, Washington's per capita
expenditure advanced to 70 cents. but
even II the foregoing estimates Of $780,
73S for maintenance were to be ap-
propriated In their entirety for the
fiscal year 1888, on the basis of the ex-
pected increase in population (494,0
on July l, 1882 the per capita ex-
would be only $1.05.
According to the latest published vol
ume of the Census Bureaus financial
statistics OF cities having population
of over 10000 for 1928. the washington
Public Library is receiving a dispro-
portionately small percentage of the
money spent for municipal mainte-
nance as compared with other cities. An
average Of 1.3 per cent Of all municipal
expenditures was maintained in all the
cities listed.
d. C. Spends Only 1 Per Cent.
In the group from 100000 to 100000
population an average of is per cent
OF all municipal expenditures was spent