Evening star., 1933-10-15
LIBRARY INCREASE
BREAKSU.S.RECORD
$500 Gain in Book Circulation
Reported for 1929 to 1888
Depression Period.
(Continued From First Page.)

books. The reading rooms are over
crowded and inadequate in number.
L" Shelf and stack space for books Is en-
tirely outgroWn.
quilt more than 80 years ago for a
smaller city, the building is inadequate
for the central unit of city OF hall
Q million and represents a form OF
architecture which no longer meets
current library demands.
From the administrative side the
present building Is most 1nenclent.
Every available spot is now utilized.
even including desks on stairWayS ana
in halls; quarters for the growing work
with schools are over-congested With no
further extension possible; the acqulSl-
tions, catalogue and binding departments
are located in temporary quarters a mile
away in a District building which with
ing few years will be required 1or the
Municipal Center"
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, it is set forth,
has approved the use Of the additional
park land needed for the central library
enlargement The space now occu-
pied by the library is one-seventh OF
Mount Vernon Square. The proposed
extension of the building would occupy
slightly more than one-fourth."
"The commission" it is explained.
"directed William T. Partridge, its
consulting architect, to prepare sketch
plans and perspective of the library
extension to the east and west and
voted to recommend to the library
trustees and librarian the development
Of plans based on the sketch plan and
perspective of Mr.. Partridge"
The enlargement would consist OF two
wings which would practically double
the size of the present building. and
alterations increasing its facilities, in
Guiding shift in the location of the
heating plant and other changes to
make the enlarged building modern,
workable unit.
The report concludes its appeal for
funds from the Public Works Admins
tration fund by saying: The time has
arrived when the District through its
governor and mayor, the President OF
the United States, and through its only
legislature. Congress. should maintain
in Washington a central library and
branches in keeping with its half-mil-
lion, population and its Importance as
the National Capital.
"The recovery of the Public Library
from depression to full activity and
maximum community usefulness should
not be delayed to await the general
recovery from business depression under
TIE new deal.
"The Public Library is itself an in
teeral part of the new deal. an mstru-
mentality promoting effectively business
recovery by teaching practically as the
university for the people, and as sub
stitute for saloon and speakeasy the
new deal doctrine of cheerful conf
dence and inspiring hopefulness by fit
ting better the unemployed. both adults
and minors, for wholesomely diversified
forms of employment. and by counter
acting in some degree the harmful ef-
fects of depression upon the respondent
and despairing.
Librarian Gives Data.
With the trustees report was filed the
report of Dr. George F. Bowerman,
librarian. showing that Washingtonians
spected 141,385 mounted pictures,
total of 2,772.102 pieces, during the
fiscal year. Book circulation increased
16 per cent, and there was circulation
of SO volumes per capita for the entire
population. The library now has 49,
E44 registered borrowers. It also served
an undetermined number of non-regis-
tered patrons who seek the aid of the
advisory and reference work depart
nents
DR. Bowerman said: I'm a year
marked by exceptionally large increases
in number of registered borrowers and
books circulated, but by no increases in
staff, the major problem was to keep
hours of service without loss in quality
of service. Never were peoples needs
30 urgent. To have failed them would
have been a calamity, loss of the
hbrary's greatest opportunity for civic
usefulness.
"The staff. responsive to the emerg-
ency, met increased load with fine
professional spirit. Every effort was
made to stretch the library's resources
to meet the ever-increasing demands,
including a re-eXamination of all pro-
cedure for possible simplifications and
economies in time and material
Library business has doomed dur
ing and partly as result of the hard
times, DR.. Bowerman explained. In
period OF depression as in normal
seasons the library functions as the
principal, the most effective and the
most universal agent for adult educa-
ton, one that helps every member Of
the community who will come to it.
In addition, in these difficult times,
the library has aided people in their
employment problems. directing them
to books that have helped them to save
their Jobs, or to prepare them for re-
employment. 1t has furnished through
books reinforcement of morale. It is
not too much to say that the library
has helped to keep more than one hard
pressed soul out of an institution for
mental cases; that it has given many a
one courage to go on. in spite of
most unpromising outlook.
Welcome to the People.
"It is hoped and expected that the
throngs of people who have been led
to have recourse to the library during
the depression years will continue to
come in good times. The new deal
plans for a good living for all, but with
should bring even more people to the
library. But there is need for more
books. larger staff and more library
agencies. Until these needs are met the
library cannot furnish to all residents
Of the District the adequate and con-
venient library service, set up as a
standard by the act of Congress es-
tAblishing the library: it cannot ade-
lGuately supply the means for education
through the library to present and fu-
ture citizens that should be an i'm
portant part in any recovery program"
Books circulated among adult readers,
the Librarian reported, reached total
of 1,353,090 volumes. Junior readers
borrowed 1,227,876 books. In six years
the circulation in the latter of these
two classes has increased II per cent.