The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-03
Depression Aid
 To Increase Of Public Volumes
Miss EmeIyn Barrett, Librarian, Believes Lack of Employment Spur to Reading-Re-elected to Position-New Executive Committee Members Named

entrance hall, the reading room, the librarians office and the cat alog room, all of which work was done by our two janitors.. If we may impose upon their good na- ture and willingness a second year, we might for the coming year give some thought to painting the walls of the three upper stacks and the large room on the third floor used | by the mending department. An item of expense which we must count upon during 1892 is suffi- cient new metal shelving to take care of the bound files of news papers for the next year or two. Something which we should con- sider before another winter is the weather stripping of the large bay window in the reading room. At tention is again called to the fact that because of the pivot win dows on the main floor of the building it is almost impossible to get a constant circulation of fresh air and the ventilation is conse- quently very bad. If some plan for remedying this situation could be discovered even though the ex- pense might be prohibitive in 1892. 1t would be an improvement which we could look forward to at per- haps some not too distant date.
 The Cost of Library Service
 For the year 1881, the Bronson library spent $58,854.17 for a pop ulation estimated at 99,902 G930 federal census). This is a per cap ita expenditure of approximately $.58, of which the City of Water bury contributed $.37 as against $.41 in 1880 and $.45 in 1929. A comparative study of the latest li- brary statistics available for 40 representative cities of 75,000- 199,O0O population, would place Waterbury thirtieth in it's per cap- ital expenditures for it's public li- brary. The four Connecticut cit ies whose populations would en- title them to be included in this group spent as follows: Bridge port, $1.52; New Haven, $1.11; Hartford, $.93 and Waterbury $.58.
 A universally reported increase in the use of public libraries. due to enforced leisure and the reduc- tion of personal expenditures for commercial recreation, resulted in the adoption of the following reso- lution by the council of the Ameri- can Library association at the New Haven conference last June:
 "The present economic depres sion with it's accompanying unem- ployment has stimulated the de- mand for library service, in- creased the circulation of books, and enlarged the contribution which libraries make in the prep aration for new types of employ ment, in the profitable use of lei sure time. and in the maintenance of public morale. We call these facts to the attention of the gov ernors and legislatures of various states and to all public officials of counties, cities, and towns and urge them to allow no reduction of appropriation for books and service, but to maintain the libra ries of the country in their full ef- ficiency in this period of special need"
 For the year 1892, our income. except for a ten per cent cut in the amount appropriated for sal aries. will be about what it was for 1931, provided that receipts from the Bronson and other funds, fines, etc, net the amount expect ed from these sources. Although no extension of it's service can be contemplated the library can with this outlook for the coming year, hope to meet the challenge of the