Evening star., 1936-10-11
LARGER QUARTERS
AND STAFF URGED
FOR D. c. LIBRARY
Central Building Declared
Inadequate in Report
of Trustees.
HOME CIRCULATION
UP 134,26 VOLUMES
Near 100000 Mark-12e,s37
Persons Are Registered
Members.

Substantial increases in stan and
enlarged quarters for the central
building Of the Public Library are two
grave problems facing the Board of
Library Trustees. according to the
report Of the board and the librarian,
submitted to the District Commission
ers yesterday by Theodore w. Noyes,
president Of the board.
The trustees. In considering broad
ly the events Of the fiscal year 1885.
express their qualification at the COM
pletion of the new branch library
opened in Georgetown in October.
1885. and the assurance Of q branch
In the Petworth section through ap-
preparation in 1887 and authorization
for 1885," the report says. The in
crease in the book fund from $4,000
to $50, 900 Is most encouraging, also.
THE board appreciated greatly the
action Of the trustees Of the Peabody
Library in transferring that library to
the new Georgetown branch. Such
transfer Is in line with the best
thoughs which advocates the consol-
idation of resources into single units
OF service.
12s,ss7 Registered Members.
THE report of the librarian shows
that l26,S37 persons, or around one
fourth of the population of the Dis
trict, are registered users Of the Ii
brary. and the home circulation ap.
proaches the 100000 mark.
But more significant even than
these figures is the serious use of the
books as indicated by the demands for
technical and vocational material,
books and pamphlets on current civic.
economic and political subjects, and
works in cultural fields"
The home circulation OF books was
1887, $40 volumes, DR.. George F. Bow
erman, the librarian, reports-"which
represents a gain Of l34,226 volumes
for year in which libraries through
out the country were losing circula.
tion, and an increase Of 70 per cent
over the figures Of 1890"
THE requests from individuals and
groups Of citizens organiza tions for
reading matter on all questions of pub
lie or personal importance as recorded
In the report Of the librarian are i'm
pressire." the trustees report con.
tinues. The library is created to
meet these demands. 1t Is impossible
to turn people away or to refuse the
personal assistance the citizens right
fully expect to receive, but the de-
msnds have long passed the point
where 1t Is possible for the s.ad to
cope with them adequately.
Status Of Personnel.
I'm the face of these demands no
additional personnel has been added
to the library staff in the fiscal years
1888 to 1887, apart from the staff for
the new Georgetown branch and one
position for the new music division.
The work increases in the meantime
at every point-in the number of bor-
rowers served, In the books loaned for
home use, in importance and complex
ity Of questions asked and material
sought. in the necessary records. and
In administration. Substantial addi.
tions to the personnel are, therefore,
urgent.
1T has been recognized for some
time that the present central library
Is not large enough to take care OF
the demands made upon 1t. During
the major part of the day the main
lobby Of the present building Is 50
congested that it Is almost impossible
to accommodate the throngs who come
for books; the reading rooms are over
crowded and Inadequate In number
Shelf and stock space for books is
entirely outgrown.
Built more than 30 years ago for
! city Of less than SOC, 900 tpopula-
tion 1900, 27S,sls). the building Is
for central unit of
growing city Of over half q million
From the administrative side the
present building is most inefficient.
Every available spot is now utilized,
wen stairways and halls are con-.
Verted into offices; quarters for the
ever-growing work with schools are
the acquisitions, cata-
logue and binding divisions occupy
1000 square feet in temporary quar-
,ers q mile away in . District build
ng which will within few years be
required for the municipal. center or
be sold. There Is no adequate provi.
sion for the building force or for
supplies.
Situation Called Acute.
During the past year the situa-
ion has become acute and the trus-
,ees have given much thought to the
problem, seeking to find the way to
adequate space and administrative ef-
iciency ut the least cost to District
;axpayers.
When the time for final action by
the sppropriating bodies arrives the
trustees urgently appeal for the intel. |
igent, hearty and sympathetic co-op-
eration of the District Of Columbia |
Commissioners, the Budget Bureau |
md Congress In securing . central |
ibrary either by skfllful enhancement |
II the present structure. or by erec-
lion Of q new building. which ct . |
minimum cost will be adequate In
pace and eficient in operation, ap-
,ropriate to the demands OF q city
II the size and Importance Of WASH
ngton."
DR.. George F. Bowerman, in his re-
,ort to the trustees stated that "the
number of registered library users,
2e.s37, marked q gain Of 3,43s over
he previous year and an increase
Il 72.6 per cent above the figure Of
930-73, ,467.s DR.. Bowerman added
hat these registration figures do not
include . large percentage Cpossibly
5000 to $4,000 Of the 5000 ele-
nentary and junior high school pu-
,ils who secure Public Library books
rom the collections sent to the
chools, many of whom live too far
way from any library agency to be
esularly registered q library card
FOLDERS.
ITO the book circulation Of 2.SS7.-