Evening star., 1937-04-11
TRUSTEES |ND0RSE
NEW LIBRARY BILL
Suggest Proposed Building
Be Made Eligible as
P. w. A. Project.

TIE Board of Trustees Of the Pub
lie Library has approved the Collins
bill for construction Of new main
building for the free library system.
DR.. George F. BoWerman, librarian
and secretary of the board, announced
yesterday, and has sent to Chairman
Norton of the House District Commit
tee number of amendments which
would alter some of the bills original
provisions.
The amendments were adopted ten
tatively by the library trustees, SUBJ
ject to approval by Representative Col
Inns, author of the measure, and were
finally agreed on and ordered to be
sent to the House District Committee
after Theodore w. Noyes, president of
the Board of Trustees, and DR.. Bower
man had conferred with Representa-
tive Collins and secured his approval
of the proposed amendments.
One of the principal amendments
suggested would make the new build
ing eligible as Public Works Admin
tstrat ton project by including the pur-
chase of a site and construction of the
building within the provisions of the
act authorizing the Commissioners to
obtain, by grant and loan, up to
Sl0,750,000 for municipal projects.
Only a part of this total has been
loaned to the District up to this time.
Specification on Funds.
Another important change in the
bill proposed by the library trustees
was to qualify the authorization of a
s2,500,0O0 site and building fund by
the words "or so much thereof as may
be necessary" and to specify that the
funds authorized for appropriation
would come out Of the revenues of
the District of Columbia and the
Treasury Of the United States" The
change in language would remove any
complications in connection with the
proposal of financing the building, or
a part of 1t, out of Public Works Ad-
mlnistration funds and of possible
finding that not so much as the total
appropriation would be necessary to
erect and equip the new building.
In connection with developing plans
and specifications and supervision of
construction of the building, the trus-
tees proposed an amendment designed
to meet the requirements Of the mu-
nicipal architect in the employment
of experts and assistants in this phase
of the work.
Another amendment advocated
would eliminate section of the bill
providing that the principal reading
room in the new structure should
bear the name of Theodore w. Noyes
president of the library board. This
was voted, the trustees reported to
Chairman Norton, at the urgent re-
quest of Mr.. Noyes.
The board also asked Chairman Nor
ton to hold hearing on the bill at
which the library trustees and the
librarian would outline in detail the
need for new main library and the
reasons for the enactment of the bill
at this time. Under the measure, the
site for the building would be located
west Of Sixteenth street and north OF
Pennsylvania avenue All plans and
specifications would be subject to the
approval Of the library trustees, the
librarian and the Commissioners.
The bill also provides that, with
the completion and acceptance of the
new building, the present central IL
hrary on Mount Vernon Square shall
be branch library to be known as
the Mount Vernon Square branch.
Collins Expresses Approval.
Mr.. Collins said yesterday he had
examined the proposed amendments
and they met his unqualified approval.
The one providing that the s2,500.-
900, or as much thereof as may be
necessary" he declared, lis in line
with what's proposed in most bills.
Another Of the proposed amend
n1ents authorizing P. w. A, loan. it
seems to me, is a happy way to solve
the problem Of financing the library.
My main interest is to get the
library erected. I'm not concerned 50
deeply about the mechanics involved" "
Mr. Collins has repeatedly expressed
his interest in library and school needs
IN the District, and has become one Of
the leading champions Of adequate
library expansion. The current Dis
trict bill reflected this interest in the
provision of sufficient personnel to
permit library service in the central
branch on Friday afternoons for the
first time since 1880, as well as Satur-
day afternoon service in the ajor
branches. The bill also carried funds
for completion of the Petworth branch
library and for new branch library
IN Southwest Washington in connec-
tion with the new jefferson Memorial
.n,pjor Eiob Crhool