Evening star., 1932-10-08

| iloiioidAy pitSiuCiiI VI tllC NIiil oIouto'
F.. Edey. president; Mrs. Hoover, Mrs.
Mrs. A. o. Shoate and Mrs. N F. Bra
Northeastern Branch Library; the print
ing of the Lib:ary'S extension program
and its Endorsement by various citi-
zenS' associations, and the beginning
oil library service to hospitals.
| The item of $4,000 to start construc-
ton of the Georgetown Branch Library
was omitted by the Conference Com
mittee on District Appropria tions. An
other attempt will be made to secure
| the appropriation for the fiscal year
| 1884.
! Through the courtesy of the National
Broadcastlng Co, combination radio
and phonograph was installed at the
Northeastern Branch Library.
The total circulation OF 2,264 937
books gives Washington a per capita
book consumption of 459 Volumes Ap-
plicants for registration numbered "A
375, bringing the outstanding borrowers
cards were issued to 73l teachers. max
ing total of 1.730 of such cards in
force.
AS an emergency measure, due to the
difficulty experienced by many readers
in paying fines during a period of eco
nomic distress the board of library
! trustees authorized a flneless period
! of two weeks. During the experiment
/ 14C00 overdue books were returned. 720
/ cards on which there were fines OF
! long standing were released to bor-
rowers, and 422 books were placed in
the conscience box outside the central
library-some due as far back as 1918.
Advisory Service.
! The large increase in circulation de-
mands heavy personal service from
readers advisers. DR.. Bowman states.
| The economic crisis is reflected in all
! of the activities of the library which
| is being used as source for self-edu-
cation for those unemployed. or those
| facing unemployment unless inspired to
extraordinary efficiency; as a source Of
recreational reading by many for whom
amusemerts involving the outlay of
funds are denied, and as general
source Of books for unnumbered per-
sons who can no longer afford to pur-
| chase their own. This pressure for serv-
| ice is concurrent with the normal
student, teacher, parent and workers
! demands on the library.
Extensive work has been done with
| teachers for aid in their special fields
and Tor promotion examinations. Sum-
mer courses at local universities have
| brought to the library manv teachers
. from different sections of the country
Co. whom enacial material has been
collected and lists have been compiled"
&C ord.rT to D.. Bowerman.
The library has loaned small collec-
/ tions of books to organizations for study
and lectures: has co-operated with
| theaters through the compilation and
| distribution of lists, and has responded
! to requests for book reviews and talks
| to clubs and other groups.
Branch Libraries.
The library's extension program was
| carried forward by the opening of the
| Northeastern branch, the fourth major
branch in the system on March II. In
less than four months 92,276 volumes
| were circulated from a book collection
of % 682 volumes. In construction
equipment and organization the branch
stands "as model among major branch
libraries"
At the Mount Pleasant branch the
total circulation was 0,605 Volumes or
larger than the entire public library
circulations of many moderate sized
cities
Story telling was resumed at the
Southeastern branch, which recorded
a total circulation of 204.651 volumes
At the Takoma Park branch community
groups used the auditorium for "a
! meetings, and seven flower shows were
arranged in the building by the Horti-
cultural Club. The circulation of 49,
281 volumes represents 20 per cent
gain over last year.
The combined circulation of the five
minor branches was 301, ,189 volumes.
AS the combined staff of these agencies
numbers only II full-time employees. the
large calculations "argue for their
speedy replacement by major branches.
| especially since their small staffs and
limited quarters preclude the reference
and advisory service given in the regu-
lar branches and so much appreciated
by their communities"
The circulation gain at Chevy Chase
was 26 per cent, with circulation of
76,130 volumes. The Conduit road SUBJ
branch, the smallest in the system, cir
culated 23.s34 volumes, or 20 per cent
more than last year. The subbranch
in the Eastern High School had a circu-
lation of 62,79S volumes. of which 80, ,66l
| were adult and 29.135 juvenile.
The Tenley subbranch increased its
Ncirculation over a third. or 80 per cent
| with 56,727 volumes in circula tion. The
busiest subbranch was at Woodbridge,
! where 82.202 volumes were read by the
community. which also held 10 meetings
, in the branch, and put on two flower
| shows. In three years the average
/ monthly circulation for this agency has
| grown from 4,232 to $3.50.
Hospital. Reformatory Service.
One Of the notable projects under
/ taken by the library during the year was
| the extension of library service to pa
tients at George Washington University
Hospital in cooperation with the wom-
! ans board Of that institution. who sup
| piled funds for the services of libra
! rian for one year, the library furnish
ing books and equipment. The librarian
+ assistant in charge of the work makes
semi-weekly visits of two and a half
hours each 20 the hospital where she
! takes the books on specially construc-
ted truck directly to the bedSides of
the patients.
Equally important as an extension
project is the loan system established
between the library and the District of
/ Columbia Reformatory at Lorton, Va.
, The library also assisted in cataloging
| the reformatory collection. transferred
many books from its own collection to
| that institution, and secured similar
| transfers from the Library Of Congress.
The high school circulation increased
| BAL. per cent. including gain of 4,75l
in the number of volumes sent to pri-
! vate and parochial schools. The school
for pages at the Capitol was added to
tho lief of thncn dpnpndinp on the