Evening star., 1933-03-28
BUDGET CUTS MAY
CLOSE LIBRARIES
Chevy Chase, TenIey and
Woodbridge Hit by New
Recommendations.

The closing of three Public Library
subbranches-those at Chevy Chase,
Tenley and Woodridge-will be neces-
STATED if the decreased appropriation
for library personnel recommended by
the Bureau of the Budget is approved
DR.. George F. Bowerman, District
librarian, said today.
Service Impairment Seen.
The library service also will be seri-
ously impaired in other respects, DR.
BOWerman said.
''InaSmuch as the demands on the
central library and on each branch
and subbranch are more than can be
taken care of and are constantly in
creasing" the librarian said, lit is
impossible to reduce the force of any
agency The only way to meet the
proposed cuts is to close a sufficient
number of agencies to make up the
deficiency in the appropriation"
DR.. Bowerman pointed out that the
norarys present appropriation for Serv-
ices is s2l3, ,440 Deducting Is per cent,
the amount Of pay cut expected under
the economy act. the balance is S271.-
524 This sum, the library official said,
Is necessary to retain the library's pres
ent force, The budget figures have,
In the estimates submitted by Director
OF the Budget Douglas yesterday, been
reduced to S260,000, a deficiency of
$11. .524
The total net salaries of the three
subbranches at Chevy Chase, Woodbridge
and Tenley total S11 ,526, DR.. Bowerman
said. The salaries at the Chevy Chase
subbranch total S4,S6O, or S4131 after
the IS per cent pay cut The Wood
ridge salaries total $3.50 gross, and
S4.488 net. while the gross salaries for
the staff at the Tenley subbranch total
S3,420, or S2,9O7 after the is per cent
deduction
Inc amount of rental for the quarters
in Chevy Chase and Woodbridge, how
ever. are left in the estimates submit
ted yesterday
Statement Of DIR. BOwerman.
d.. Bowerman stated that a recent
tabulatlon OF the work of the library
shows that since 1929 there has been
an increase in the number of registered
readers of 80 per cent and a correspond
ing increase in book circulation of 60
per cent The library, he asserted, had
10000 registered readers in 1929 and
10000 in 1882. The book circulation
was 100000 in 1929 and $500, 900 last
year
All Of this increase in use came
about without increase in staff other
than the original staff of the new
Northeastern branch, opened in March,
1882, DR.. BoWerman said
The Chevy Chase subbranch, To-
Gated in rented quarters more than
four miles from the central library,
had IN 1882 circulation of more than
IN O00 Volumes WooIriIro oil l.
Gated in rented quarters more than
four miles from the central library,
circulated more than $4,000 volumes,
and the Tenley subbranch, housed in
an abandoned police station at Wis
consin avenue and River road, circu-
lated more than $1,000 volumes that
year.
AS was pointed out at the hearings
before the House Committee on Appro-
prlatlonS in the last Congress. it is
neither possible nor sensible to close
the central library or the major branch
Libraries, or to shorten their hours to
keep the subbranches open. If the
library force is reduced the only prac-
,ticable and reasonable thing is to close
some of the subbranches"
Discharging Involved.
The cut in the library's personnel ap-
preparation, the librarian asserted, Will
involve the discharging of seven trained
library workers and two janitors. The
staffs of these three subbranches, as are
other employees of equivalent salaries.
include people educated in college and
library school, who have been on the
library staff for several years, and who
have dependents, DR.. BoWerman said
A serious curtailment in the library's
service also will result from the de-
crease in the book fund from S54.5oO
to $4,000. he declared The library is
not now able to buy sufficient number
OF copies of needed books promptly on
publication, and the use of the library
is so great that more than $4,000 vol
umes wear out annually, he stated