Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-07-21


ton. the original appropriations,
donations to support the library before
appropriations we're made the Car
uczie gift Of the central building and
the offer NJ branch buildings and
that effective help has continued
ever since.
Insures Appointment by Merit.
The present system Of appointments
and control secures greater efficiency
Of management than one which would
concentrate all power Of appointment
in the District Commissioners. The
present law insures the appointment
Of a Librarian for merit alone and
by ccntcrine executive power and re-
sponsibility in the librarian. with the
backing Of the board has Likewise
insured staff appointments for merit
alone. with the result that a staff with
high professional Standards has been
built up II the library staff were
appointed by the Commissioners. II
was feared that, under the fierce
political pressure for Office to which
they are subjected, the efficiency,
loyalty 10 the library. and enthusiasm
Of the librarian and staff might be
materially reduced
The present system is in accord
with American practice. The plan
proposed is contrary to the whole
spirit Of public library development
7
practice in this country Even the
cities which have commission or
council manager forms Of govern
ment have nearly all retained their
library boards with powers and re-
sponSlbilitleS. such boards in this
country are either elected by the
peoplc-sometimes as committees of
school boards-or they are appointed
by the city executive or they are
self-perpetuatine. In most cases they
are divorced from local politics.
Citizens Boards Essential.
Citizens boards are more essential
in Washington than anywhere else.
For reasons which are stronger in
Washington than elsewhere. the sys-
tenn of utilizing citizens boards in
the performance of certain important
municipal functions should be re-
/ tanned here even if it we're not the
almost universal practice in other
American cities, at least as far as
the public Libraries are concerned.
/ Especially in a community without
( representation in its government.
| municipal or national, it is essential
| that every conceivable method should
be employed of interesting the COM
munity in its own affairs and Of
| fostering public spirit and civic
loyalty by giving the people maxi
mum of indirect participation through
these citizens boards and otherwise
in their own municipal government.
To take from the library trustees the
power of appointment of the librarian
means the practical abolition Of
citizen participation in the govern
ment of an important agency of edu-
cation, with only harmful results to
be anticipated.
Opinions on Library Boards.
The recognized authoritative publi-
cation on the public library in
America is The American Public
Library" by DR.. Arthur E. Bostwick,
librarian of the St. Louis Public
Library and former president Of the
American Library Association. The
fourth revised and enlarged edition
of this comprehensive work, published
in 1929, was issued with the indorse-
ment of the American Library Asso-
citation.
Extracts From Book.
Some pertinent extracts from DR.,
Bostwicks book are the following
Where public library is
owned by city or town it is
generally managed by separate
board Of trustees. although some
times it is operated as part of the
educational work Of the munich
pality, and sometimes its governing
board has other public institu-
tons. such as a museum or an art
gallery. under its charge. Although
something may be said in favor of
combinations Of this sort, they
often result in discrimination
y
general opinion among librarians
that the board of directors. trus-
tees, or managers that administers
the library should be as indie
pendent as possible,
Library opinion generally favorS
the rentention of a separate board
of trustees, which should prefer
ably be a small one appointed by
the mayor, although elected
boards have worked well in some
places. It also strongly
fayors leaving the constitution
and regulation of the service en-
tirely to this board, even where
other public employees are placed
under the authority Of a civil
service board of some sort. The
experience of libraries seems TO
/ have shown pretty conclusivelY
/ that the control of a governing
body by hard-and fast civil
| service regulations. enforced by an
/ outside board. while it may be
necessary to curb political or per-
Sonal fayoritlSm in those likely to
/ exercise it. does not conduce to
( good administration when applied
1 to bodies that are not likely to be
preiudiced in either of these direc-
tions. Political or personal favorit-
ism IN an ordinary public library
is in fact rather rare"
+ CThe statement here quotes other
authorities in support of independent
library rule
Should BE Free of Politics.
To summarize the foregoing;
l. The best development of the
: ll,ra ~ Is o $1,000 ,1rnGnr o hnnra ~