Evening star., 1937-10-17
TRUSTEES URGE
PROVISION OF NEW
CENTRAL LIBRARY.
Report Asks It Be Made In
tegraI Part of Civic
Improvement Plan.
COLLINS BILL APPROVED
WITH AMENDMENTS
Enlargement of Present Plant
Would Be Unduly Costly,
DR.. Bowerman Says.


tegral item in their plan of 5-year or
10-year civic Improvements, the library
trustees, through Theodore w. Noyes,
president, have submitted to the Dis
trict Commissioners their report on
the Public Library for the fiscal year
1936-37. To it they attached the re-
port Of the librarian to the library
trustees which contains a statement
in detail of the library development,
conditions and needs.
In their report the trustees say:
During the past year the trustees
deliberations were chiefly concerned
with the problem of greater facilities
for the Central Library. The board
was unanimous in recognizing the
acute need for increased space both
for the public service and for admin
istration purposes. Recognizing fully
the serious financial situation con-
fronting the District government and
the local taxpayers, the trustees sought
solution of the problem which would
be sound, but which would add the
least amount to the tax burden, and
accordingly made exhaustive studies
of various proposals. They came to
the final reluctant conclusion that a
new building, simple in design and
stripped of any unnecessary orna-
mentation, but representing essential
requirements for the best modern serv-
Ice, was the only solution that would
be economically sound and forward
looking.
Welcome Collins Bill
"The trustees, therefore, welcomed
the bill H. R. 3410 for a new library
building introduced by Representative
Ross A. Collins, chairman, House Sub
committee on District OF Columbia
Appropriations and formally ap-
proved it with certain amendments to
which Representative Collins gave for
NAL assent.
The amendments were in substance
as follows:
81 No. / broadens the sources from
which the funds for the new library
are to be derived by adding to the
words there is hereby authorized to be
appropriated out of revenues of the
District of Columbia the words and
the Treasury of the United States un-
der the provisions of the act of June
25. 1884 public No. 465 Seventy-third
Congress) as amended
20. No 2 adds the words or so much
thereof as may be necessary to the
words the sum of $2,500,000.' This
amendment meets the contingency of
further contribution by the United
States Government for this library
purpose as, for example, by donation
of a site, or of donations of land or
money by public-spirited citizens to-
ward new library cost.
Authorizes P. W. A. Participation.
"3. No. proposes measure of par
tial relief of depleted District revenues
from the strain of meeting in full and
alone the cost of site and erection of
the new library building. 1t authorizes
participation by the P. w. A.-partly
by loan and partly by gift-in me~ting
the cost of new central library 1t
includes the library proposal among
the projects to which may be applied
the unexpended balance of the S10,-
100000 which the Commissioners are
authorized to borrow from the P. w.
A. and the P. w. A. is authorized to
lend.
a. No. 4, In order to meet the re-
quirements of the municipal architect
In connection with the planning Of the
building, inserts at the A,ginning of the
sentence beginning such expert'-the
following words: All personal services
In developing plans and specifications
and for supervision of the construction
Of the building, including
as. At the urgent request OF Theo-
dore w. Noyes, section Of the orig
inal bill honoring him by giving his
name to hall in the proposed new
building was recommended to be
eliminated. Mr.. Noyes, while deeply
hoIlored by the proposal, felt that its
inclusion would react ,unfavorably
upon public opinion, if, omitting mem
ton OF all others entitled to consid-
Grafton like Andrew Carnegie, the bill
which he had helped to frame and
which, as president of the library
trustees he has vigorously advocated,
specifically honored only himself.
"Mr. Noyes, in this connection,
expressed the hope that the bill. when
enacted into law, would formally des-
ignate as the Andrew Carnegie Build
l.. ing the building on Mount Vernon
Square given by Mr.. Carnegie as the
central library building, but hereafter
to be branch library building.
Status of Building.
IS. No. recommended that the
words after the word Provided
should be omitted from section S. The
proviso contained ] assumptions an6
recommendations concerning the lega
status of Mount Vernon Square Ii
brary Building after its abandonment
as the main central library.
81. At the hearing on the new
library bill before the House District
Committee, Mr.. Thomas S. Settle
secretary and legal adviser Of ths
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, appeared as a represent.
ative of the commission and recon-.
mended two amendments of the bill
as follows:
First, strike out the words provid
ing for a suitable site west of Six
teenth street and north of Pennsyl
vania avenue and substitute tn
words, in Northwest Washington
Second, revise section 3 SO tina
the provision will read The Com
missioners of the District of Colum
bia, after consultation with the Boar
Of Library Trustees and the Nationa
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion, are authorized to acquire b.
purchase, condemnation or otherwis