Evening star., 1938-11-20

ture theaters and their general
stores, not in opposition to them
but so that those who patronize
them will also stop in for book.
Recent showings of Marie Antoin-
cite" have taxed the French history
resources of all five plants.
When their library plants were
very young, patrons Of their lend
ing services very generally displayed
casualness concerning the return Of
the precious volumes, DESPITE polite
appeals by telephone and note. A
personally conducted search for the
missing books throughout the length
and breadth of the county on the
part Of volunteer vigilante COM
mittee not only resulted in their
100 per cent return, but an efficient
educational campaign which it has
never been necessary to repeat.
Leaders Developed.
Each of the five groups developed
outstanding leaders as the expert
ment became an actuality.
Mrs. George A. Collier Of the
Arlington library group went to the
University of Virginia summer school
sessions and took its courses in
library science to make herself more
effective in increasing Arlington's
collection of volumes from mere
handful to over 1900.
Mrs. Nat Hynes, leading spirit in
organizing Clarendon's library,
brought her baby in its bassinet to
her combined hours of baby and
library tending, so the county's
perfect score among its volunteer
library assistants would not be i'm
periled. The late Mrs. De Witt
Evans was a marvellous power in
achieving the move to Clarendon's
present more capacious and suitable
quarters. And so the story runs.
The women of Arlington County de-
termined that their families and
children should have library facili-
ties. and the will found the way.
The Arlington County Library
Association. which is today the CEN
tral clearing house for all of the
problems confronting the five units
which it administers, is not only
proud Of the effectiveness of its CEN
tral county librarian, Miss Eleanor
c. Leonard of Providence. R. l.. but
has taken her to its heart by affec-
tionately referring to her as our
little Yankee librarian, who is help
ing us to coordinate ourselves"
Four Libraries Catalogued.
The organizer of Rhode Islands
extensive library service, Miss
Leonard since her arrival in Airing
ton County year ago this past year,
has with the Whole-hearted CO.
operation of IS regular but volunteer
assistants from the ranks of Airing
ton County's mothers organized and
catalogued four out Of the five sep
arate library units according to
standard library system. She is
now at work upon the fifth.
Their present problem. she and
Mrs. Livingston say in unison, lis
how to meet the demand for books,
because OF Arlington County's vastly
augmented population with all of the
new residents that are coming to
live there. During the past six
months Clarendon has had a con-
slant, daily turnover of more than
one-half of its books and Cherry
dale of one-third of its collection"
1t is Mrs. Livingston's and Miss
Leonard's staunch opinion that the
remarkable feat which has been
accomplished of establishing the
centers for the countys future
library effectiveness could never
have been achieved had not each
little group demonstrated its ability
to work in unison for the entire good
of the whole.