Evening star., 1934-10-14
Funds Behind Demands.

corresponding increases in appropr1a-
tions for staff and books" the report
adds. There have been reductions in
both these funds at time when peo-
pie have been turning to the library
for skilled advisory service, and for
books that they could not afford TO
own"
The central library is still closed
every Friday at l pm. and the major
branches every Saturday at l pm,"
DR.. George F. Bowerman, the libra
rian, declares, land the sub-orancheS
are open only 30 hours week, though
at least two of them circulate nearly
100000 volumes each annually. AS
no increase in staff has ever been
made to compensate for the reduced
hours of service of library employees
necessary to meet the enactment of
legislation in 1881 establishing the
f1ve-anda-half day weke, or to keep
pace with the growth in public de-
mands on the library, it is necessary
to continue a practice which fails to
keep all major agencies open when
library service is needed, which causes
inconvenience to those who use the
library, and Is not very creditable to
the Public Library of the National
Capital"
THE trustees are gratified at the
appropriation by Congress of $50, 900
for the erection of the Georgetown
branch library building" the trus-
tees report states. THE George
town citizens have striven so long
for this branch, that it is confidently
expected that the use Of this library
will equal or approximate that of
the Mount Pleasant branch. The
trustees urge that an adequate staff
and an ample book stock be provided
from the outset.
38 Per Cent Of Area Covered.
"It is estimated that from the
hbrary's existing agencies it is posi-
BILE to give to the people in only SO
per cent of the Districts area public
library service that is convenient to
the homes and offices of all residents,
the standard set up by Congress in
the library act" the report continues.
When the Georgetown branch is
built, properly stocked and stated
convenient library service will be avail
able to residents of not more than
so per cent of the Districts area.
For 1886 the trustees are propoS-
ing a building for Petworth, a site for
an Anacostia library, and plans and
specifications for the enlargement of
the main library. The citizens of Pet
worth, with a population of about
$4,000, have for years been petitioning
for a library and numerous organiZa-
tions recently have been urging the
Commissioners to include in the bud
get the estimate of $150,000 proposed
by the trustees. A fine site, part of
the campus of the Roosevelt and Mac
farland High Schools, Is available for
the purpose.
"Anacostia citizens long have been
urging that a branch be provided for
the population of 10000 of their ter
ritory. An item of $4,000 for a site
for this branch is proposed for 1886"
Central Building Enlargement.
"The trustees program for the en-
largement Of the main library to twice
its present size should be reinforced
by the hearty support of the entire
community" the report declares, "for
such enlargement Is in the interest of
ALL"
THE existing building has long since
been outgrown," the report continues.
"One whole floor Of the old Ford
Building is now used for book order
ing. cataloguing and binding, for the
storage of supplies and for the shelv-
ing of many files of newspapers and
periodicals. The administrative work
of the library is seriously hampered
by the necessity for the removal from
the main building of processes and
collections that can only be advan-
tageously conducted and housed in the
central library. Sooner or later the
Ford Building is to make way for one
of the proposed Municipal Center
Buildings and then other space must
be found"
Enlargement of the central build
ing would provide for housing together
the central library's valuable reference
collections instead of scattering them
in branches and the Ford Building,
and it also would furnish additional
rooms for further development of de-
partmentalized service to the public,
a feature which has been adopted with
profit in several of the newer central
libraries in large cities, the report
declares.
''It is estimated that to double the
size of the main library would cost
$3.50, 0,000," the report continues. '"This
is small by comparison with the cost
of the only other practicable alterna-
tive, the purchase of a new site and the
erection of an entirely new central
library. The proposed extensions Of
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