Evening star., 1933-10-15
ID. C.PUbL|CL|BRARY
|SETSU.S. RECORD|N
|BOOKS CIRCULATED
SO Per Cent Gain During
Period of Depression
Is Shown.
REPORT OF TRUSTEES
CITES AID TO JOBLESS
1885 Estimates Filed With Recon-.
mendation for Figures to
Maintain Service.

of books has increased So per cent and
the number of registered library card
holders 81 per cent.
These figures are supplied by the an
nual report Of the Board Of Trustees Of
the library filed with the District
Commissioners by Theodore W Noyes,
president of the board, yesterday
The report said that the gain In cir
culation exceeded that reported by any
other major city of the United States.
In table of statistics prepared by the
American Library Association for 80
cities, the Capital leads the list.
The report also called attention to the
significance of the character Of books
read. The percentage of fiction, 1t was
declared, dropped from SIS to so per cent,
while at the central library sociology,
including economics, education and
political science gained Isl per cent;
history 121 per cent, biography 1872 per
cent, philosophy and religion 102 per
cent, and arts and crafts go per cent
The questions asked by patrons and
| the condolences volunteered at the ref
erence and advisory desks show that
the library Is being used to meet vital
needs Of the community The report
| noted requests for material required In
obtaining and holding positions; for
authoritative opinion on questions of
| the day; for books to aid in making
enforced leisure profitable and for
books giving solace and spiritual aid
and comfort.
Maximum Value to City.
"The phenomenal showing Of increase
| in demand for wholesome library books
| and helpful library information during
the period of business depression" the
| report said, "sustains fully our conten-
| tion that the maximum value of the
| library to the community develops in
| hard times and demonstrates convinc-
! ingly the necessity in periods of de-
preston of strengthening the library's
/ ability to meet the extraordinary de-
mands upon it and the unwisdom OF
! cutting down the library service at such
| a time"
| The report argues that "it is more
economical and infinitely more profit
| able to the community to maintain its
constructive agencies than, as an al
| tentative, to meet increases in expenses
| caused by crime and mental breakdown.
| both of which are increasing at rapid
rate throughout the country.
"In addition to the grave needs OF
! adults. preventive measures are par
! ticularly necessary for children grow
| ing up under the denoralzing condi-
| tions of the depression. 1t is not diff
cult to attract children to good books
| if they have access to them in the
| formative years. A little money to pro-
vide wholesome and healthful mental
| occupation is rich in results OF con-
| structive citizenship.
In filing the estimates for 1885 the
trustees recommended the minimum
figures on which the library could
maintain its present service. They de-
sired to cooperate fully with the Dis
| trict Commissioners in their retrench-
ment program. but members of the
staff are already bearing burden
which greatly exceeds the maximum
load used as a standard by other large
Libraries. It is impossible to give
readers the service they need and de-
mand with the present staff.
Need Of Repairs.
| Seven of the library buildings re-
| quire substantial repairs IN accordance
with the recommendations Of the COM
| nittee appointed by the District Com
missioners to make a survey.
| 1.-The book fund, badly cut in 1884.
needs to be restored to at least the base
of 1931-33 Lacks in book supply add
substantially to the cost of reference
and advisory work
| Urging early construction OF the
Georgetown branch library. the for
warding of plans for the Petworth
branch and the enlargement Of the
central library, the report declared
that: Next in Importance to the pro-
| lection, adequate enlargement, and
wholesome development of the person.
mel of the library force comes the need
of the increase of housing facilities for
library books and library activities.
UNLESS money is made available
through the Public Works Administra-
ton in response to the trustees urgent
plea, efforts should be made in the esti-
mates for current appropriations to go
on with the ibrary's building program
in order to meet community demand"
The site Of the old reservoir at r
street and Wisconsin avenue has been
graded, and sketch plans have been
completed for the building needed in
Georgetown. Work could go on rap
idly as soon as money became available.
1.-THE people of Georgetown" contin-
ues the report, now have to travel to
miles to get any public library
service. They feel that their commu-
nifty. in existence before the city OF
| Washington, should no longer be de-
|
In Petworth a population Of approx
imately $4,000 needs branch library
badly. BY agreement with the Board
of Education a site has been made
available on the campus of the Roose-
welt High and Mcfarland Junior High
Schools. It is hoped that the plans
used in the recently erected North
eastern branch may be adopted for the
Petworth branch and the cost thereby
ninimized "Tbe board of trustees"
says the report, considered a branch
to serve this section as one of the
most pressing and urgent items OF the
extension program.
/ PetwOrth Seeks Branch.
"The citizens of the Petworth section
have long sought q branch library and
have repeatedly petitioned the Conmis-
sioners for the branch. The board OF
trustees of the library included the
Petworth branch, next to the George
i town branch, in the list furnished the
Commissioners under date Of June 10,
1888, in response to their request for q
list Of public library construction prof.
ects for consideration in connection
with the public works program provided
| under the national industrial recovery
act"
It Is argued that the enlargement Of
the central library Is greatly needed to
take care of the heavy and constantly
increasing public demand. During
the major part Of the day." the report
said, "the main lobby is 50 congested
that It Is almost impossible TO accom-
modate the throngs who come {Qs
lCor1tinued on PAGE q. CollImn N