Evening star., 1936-08-25
1t is in such a deplorable and dilapi-


1t is in such a deplorable and dilapi-
dated condition that occupancy much
longer will be impossible without ex-
tensive and costly repairs.
These repairs would include set
ting the building back from the bou-
levard (since the widening Of Conduit
road 1t now extends over the side
walk. reconstructing the foundations,
replacing rotted bearing sills on foun-
dation walls on the front and west
side of building, the replacement of
the entire wood shingle roof that leaks
badly and is beyond repair (this will
also entail resheatting rafters), ex-
tensive replastering and repainting
the interior walls and ceilings, and
burning of old paint, replacing rotted
siding and painting exterior.
"Since the building is wholly made
quate for efficient library service and
must be entirely removed when the
Fort drive Is cut through, any such
extensive repairs and requirements
would seem unwise and most uneco-
nomical. Also the frame building Is
considered highly inflammable and
constant menace to the book stock.
equipment, ETC., all valued at $1,000
or more.
THE National Capital Park and
Planning Commission has offered a
site acceptable to the community.
sketch plans have been drawn and
approved by the municipal architects
office for 3 one-foor and basement
building to cost about $4,000. Plans.
equipment and improvement Of
grounds are estimated not to exceed
$2,50O. It Is important to maintain
library service for this section. with a
population of about 5000. as it Is 4.8
miles from the Central Library and
% miles from the new Georgetown
Branch. The neighborhood Is rapidly
being built up and the residents are
far removed from other cultural facili-
ties"
Number of Readers Increase
In justifying the proposed increase
of eight in the library staff, to meet
the demands OF increased public serv-
ice. the trustees showed that in 1880
the registration of readers was but
73.467, as compared with 126,837 in
1886. Books circulated in 1880 num-
bered 1,680,022, as against 2,857,849.
In 1880 the library staff, exclusive of
cuStodial workers, numbered l49. as
against 1873 in 1886, and this included
additions for the opening of the
Northeastern and the Georgetown
Branch Libraries.
Explaining the need of an increase
of $4,000 for services to the schools,
the trustees presented statistics show
ing that since 1880 the number of
school buildings increased from 166
to 100, the number Of class rooms
from 769 to 1,13l. the number of
volumes sent to the schools from
80,620 to 123.559. the circulation from
342, ,185 to 612,350. During the same
period the staff assigned to this serv-
ice remained at nine.
The need for q 5000 increase in
personnel for the technical depart
ments is outlined as follows: Be
cause the need of. more adequate
book collection was obvious the Con-
gress increased the basic book fund
for 1887 from $4,000 to 100000. This
represents q most desirable addition,
though still not sufficient to keep the
library properly stocked.
1T is obvious that the staff can
not take on a third more regular work.
which the increases in the fund in
volve, without definite strengthening.
Besides the regular work there will
be the rush Job Of preparing the
original stock for the Petworth
Branch, which makes the above in
creases in the staff imperative. Other
wise, books are bought without pro-
visions to get them to the public. The
stocking of the Georgetown Branch,
which raised the book fund for 1886
to $4,000 without any provision for
additional staff, absolutely dislocated
the service, preventing the books and
catalogue cards from getting to the
public promptly and leaving the cata-
logue department with $500 volumes
uncatalogued at the beginning Of the
1887 fiscal year."
Asking $500 for strengthening the
administrative department, the board
said: THE administrative depart
ment has had no reinforcement since
1928, when the work was confined to
z instead Of IL buildings and to a
staff of 1874 instead of the present
223. An additional assistant profess
sionally trained and experienced Is
essential to compile information for
administrative action, assist in the
planning Of new branches, the train
ing Of the junior sta1f and to carry
the routine personnel work-inter-
views, correspondence, temporary I'd.
justments, records, files, etc. She also
will have charge of all employees as
signed to the Library through the
w. p. A., N. Y. A. and other grants"
Seek Longer Hours.
To open the Central Library 70
hours weekly instead Of the present "a
hours, additional personnel at an an
nual cost Of $e,350 would be needed.
The trustees said: "Unquestionably,
the Capital City should be able to
give comparable service to that Of
other cities. The trustees are anxious
to re-establish these hours ct the Gen.
tral Library as soon as possible and
10 open the additional hours at the
major branches progressively In sub
sequent years"
The library system asks a increase
from $20, 900 to $4,000 for binding.
sThis u essential for the following
reasons: To clear material uncared
Tor in 1885. amounting TO approx.
mately SIS, 900; to take care Of books
for Georgetown BraAch opened in
1885; by 1897 many Of these books win