Evening star., 1933-01-08
new RECORD |SSET
!. BY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Circulation Figures Show so
Per Cent Increase, DR..
2oWerman Reports.

1eled development Of reader service.
This became known yesterday when
Or. George F. Bowerman, librarian, was
asked what reply he had made to a
telegram of inquiry received from Carl
H. Milan, secretary, American Library
Association, Chicago, requesting infor-
nation for the Midwinter meeting of
the council of that organization con-
cerning the increase In Washington's
library circulation over 1929.
Il reported a. so per cent increase in
circulation figures" DR.. Bowerman
said. In the fiscal year 1929 we lent
1861 ,62l books; in the fiscal year 1882
the figure was 2,264 ,937; for the calen-
der year the total was 2,495, 400. In
1929 we had 72,4l9 card holders; at
the end of 1882 we had 1886.
Effect of Depression.
IT think that these figures are very
significant. They indicate what the de-
pression'S effect upon readers has been.
The American Library Association OBJ.
tanned reports from SO cities, represent
ing one-tenth of the total population of
the United States, and these reports
show that the number Of books bor-
roWed from their libraries in 1882 was
81 ,663 ,423, an increase for the whole
group of 81 per cent since 1929. But
the Washington Public Library ran far
ahead of the average. Our increase
over 1929 Is approximately so per cent.
THE explanation lies in the fact that
there has been vast multiplication OF
the number of card holders, men and
women in search of practical informa-
ton on ways and means of improving
their lot Libraries were created by
our democratic society in order that |
every citizen might have throughout life |
the means of self-education, and the |
present crisis has demonstrated. as |
nothing else could, the social value of |
that concept. It is because of the basic |
human need of the people that books |
on current political and economic prob |
lens and on the primitive but su- !
premely important business Of making |
a living have tCen in such great de- |
mand.
Demand for Information.
"The washington Public Library is |
one of those listed by the American !
Library Association as member of a |
classification of cities with 100000 pop
ulation or more, and in that class it
is the leader in the growth Of its cir
culation service. The same demand
exists throughout the country, but here
in Washington 1t has been especially
insistent. During 1892 the Library has
been called upon to an unprecedented
degree to furnish accurate information, |
data for practical everyday purposes, |
vocational aid for the unemployed, |
material for people to study in order
to get or to hold positions, aid to
parents to minimize the evil effects Of
hard times on their children, books to
encourage, divert and inspire"
DR.. Bowerman described the functions
of the Library as follows: ITO serve
the half million people of Washington
who do not have the right to borrow
books from the Library of Congress;
to provide and circulate books on all
subjects for home reading; to furnish
a popular reference and a popular but
educationally sound advisory service; |
to assist children and teachers in sup
Elementary material related to subjects |
of school instruction and to promote |
adult education; to incuicate in chill |
dren love of good reading: to aid |
workers in securing the best informa- |
ton on business and professional meth |
ods; to assist parents to the best |
thought In home management and child |
training"
246 Library Agencies.
The Library organization, he explain
ed, consists of 246 agencies, including:
Central Library, branch libraries,
5 sub-branches, college centers,
205 school centers (2,898 collections
sent to l,034 class rooms in ITS Schools),
IL stations, 10 Summer camps, and
2 miscellaneous agencies.
On July l, 1882, the Library had 419,-
987 books, % 430 of which were in ref
erence collections, and 126,743 in the
childrenS department.
To do the work of the library there
were lat staff members, exclusive of
building force. in 1929; ITS in 1882.
Under present conditions each staff
member IS carrying an increasingly
heavy burden Of duty
The cost of maintenance of library
service for the fiscal year ended June
80, 1882. was 1888, ,85343 of mainten-
ance of buildings, $55,72128. The pro-
portion of library costs in the total
municipal budget was formerly seven
tenths of l per cent; it is now nine
tenths Of l per cent, according to the
District auditors latest table. The cost
TO the average taxpayer Of Washing
ton was 30 cents per year in 1881. The
cost Of library service is twice as high
in Boston, three and a half times in
Cleveland.
100000 Circulation Seen.
BY 1884, Dr. Bowerman believes, |
circulation figures will have reached
3,OO0,0 900.
One of the particular problems of
library service is that of the acquisi- |
ton of new books. requested by readers. |
The book purchase appropriation for
1929 was S35, 1873 43, representing the
cost of 26,235 volumes. For 1882, it
was $s0,793.69, with the number of
titles, $685., of which 1852 were for
the new Northeastern Branch, opened I,
March H.
Books wear out and have to be with
drawn. The total of these losses in
1929 was 1875: in 1882, 23,235.
Budget estimates for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1884, imply cut which
may affect the library adversely. Re-
ductjon in personnel may be necessary,
DR.. BoWerman admitted, and 1t is con-
ceivable that one or more Sub-brancheS
may have to be discontinued. The plan
for a branch in Georgetown has been
dropped for the present, in spite Of per-
sistent demand for such an accommo-
dation for the people of that section
of the city
Social Morale Issue.
DR.. Bowerman is especially concerned
with the practical value of the library
as an all in the maintenance of social
morale in the depression perioj. %.
the total books lent" he said, about
81 per cent were fiction. but that does
not represent an impractical phase of
the work. On the contrary, good fic-
ton takes those who are overburdened
away from their cares for the moment.
gives them opportunity to relax and
helps them to sustain the spirit of
hope. without which no man or woman
could solve any difficult personal prob
lem
The library does not exist for pur-
poses Of its own. Its whole intent is
service. 1t has no other function. The
depression has added TO its resDonsi-