Evening star., 1938-08-12
IS ASKED
F0RNEWCENTRAL
LIBRARY BUILDING
Trustees Submit Budget of
$1,336,751 to Care for
Demands of Public.
SUM INCLUDES UNIT
AT PROPOSED SCHOOL
Two Projects Account for Most
of $743, 900 Increase-Growth
Of System Cited.
By DON S. WARREN.


An appropriation of $500,o0o to
start construction of the projected new
central library building at Pennsyl-
vania avenue and John Marshall place
NV, already authorized by Congress,
was proposed today by the Board Of
Library Trustees in their estimates for
the 1910 fiscal year.
The board also sought $175,000 for
construction of the branch library
which is to be erected as a part of new
Thomas Jefferson Junior High School
and Library, for which a site now has
been acquired between Seventh, Ninth.
H and streets S.W.
These were features of estimates for
the next fiscal year which. show total
$743.ooo over this years funds, mostly
accounted for by the two construction
projects.
In the current appropriation act
Congress allotted $50 1000 for drafting
of plans for the new building. author
ixng 1t to be placed in square 49l. in
land purchased originally as part OF
the municipal center site, but no
longer needed for that purpose.
Cites Inadequacy Of Building.
In calling for funds for starting the
new central building, the board ex-
planned that such q development has
been urged for more than 10 years and
that the old central building was to-
tally inadequate. OF the requested
$500. 900 sum $65, 900 would be to meet
the additional cost Of drafting Of
plans as estimated by Municipal Ar
chitect Nathan c. Wyeth.
The Board Of Library Trustees. OF
which Theodore w. Noyes is presi-
dent, has suggested the new central
library for inclusion in the Districts
Public Works Administration program,
and il such financing is made possible.
the construction item would be stricken
from the regular 1910 estimates.
Funds are requested by the board
for the employment Of 50 additional
workers. which would permit the CEN
tral library and the branches to meet
more adequately increase serving de-
mands and to permit an extension OF
the hours Of the Chevy Chase and
Woodbridge branches.
Salary Item $471,sl7.
The total salary item would be
$471,917 as against $394,300 for this
year. The new Petworth branch Ii
brary is scheduled to be opened next
January /. To permit continued op-
Grafton Of this branch in the next
fiscal year $15,370 additional will be
needed.
The new Jefferson branch library
is expected to be completed by March
l, 1910. To permit its operation in
the last four months of the next fis-
cal year salary items totaling $l0,l67
are requested.
Twenty-Five of the proposed new
personnel would be to meet growth in
the library service demands. It is
proposed to add an assistant readers
adviser at the Takoma Park Branch,
where circulation has increased IS per
cent since 1890, and an assistant read
ers' adviser at the Mount Pleasant
Branch. where circulation has in
creased 10 per cent since 1880. A SIM
liar position Is requested for the music
division OF the central library to per-
init it to be opened 72 hours a week,
instead OF the present 41-hour limit.
Several assistants are requested for
the children's division Of the central
library to keep pace with an increase
OF more than 100 per cent in circula.
ton in the past 10 years.
Overtime Work Cited.
Among other new workers asked by
the board are two janitors. for the
southeast and the Takofna branches,
Library officials protested that resi-
dent janitors now at these buildings
are forced to be on duty s6 hours a
week and they insisted this was neith-
er economically nor socially sound.
In asking funds to permit the
Chevy Chase and Woodbridge branches
to be operated 70 hours each week
the board said the residents of these
areas were entitled to such service. as
illustrated by the circulation demand
figures.
An increase from $65, 900 to $105. 600
Is sought in the appropriation for
books. periodicals and other printed
matter. Aside from normal require
ments. the board proposes to spend
$4,000 for needed stocks for various
branches which have never previ-
ously been met. The major increase
In this item would be $4,000 for an
original stock of books and other
reading matter for the new Jefferson
Library Branch.
For maintenance, repairs and i'm
provements to buildings and grounds
the board finds $54.074 will be neeed,
as against $49.65O for this year. The
increase would be caused principally
by plans for rebuilding the retaining
wall on the A street frontage Of the
Georgetown branch and other i'm
provements to its grounds, which are
estimated to cost $4,000. Improve
ments of more minor nature are
planned for the Petworth. Mount
Pleasant, Takoma and Southeastern
branches