Evening star., 1939-08-27
Public Hearings
Set on Al d.
Estimates
Budget Requests
For Free Library
Total $1,505,322


were completed yesterday by the
Commissioners as they released the
budget requests for the Free Public
Library. which call for appropria-
tions totaling $1,505,322.
Most of the increase of SCOT 1872
over this years appropriations sought
for the library system is for funds
for completion of the new main Ii
brary building, on the District
owned site at Pennsylvania avenue
and John Marshall place NV, con-
struction of which is to be started
this year.
Continuing practice started some
years ago, the Commissioners plan
ned open hearings on the total esti-
mates to give individual residents
and organized groups an opportunity
to voice their views on any item or
the total before the Commissioners
send their own budget requests to
the Budget Bureau.
Civic Groups Advised.
Godfrey M. Thornett, secretary to
the Board of Commissioners, yester-
day sent out letters to various civic
groups inviting them to have spokes-
men at the hearings and requesting
that they notify him by mail or tele-
phone of the representative who
would appear and the time re-
quested. Because of the long list
expected to be heard, the city heads
asked that each statement be made
as briefly as possible.
Budget proposals of six of the
larger divisions so far have been
released by the Commissioners.
showing requests totaling nearly
$40 0,OO00 900, or roughly ST 900 900 less
that these same six divisions re-
quested a year ago. This was take II
as an indication that the total sum
requested by all departments would
exceed $50, 1000 900. in spite of pleas
by the Commissioners and Budget
Officer Daniel J. Donovan for econ
omy. Last year the original re-
quests totaled $66, 344,000. but the
city heads slashed some $4,000 COG
from the estimates.
For the completion of the new
main library building. which has
9 limit of cost of S1.118,000 the
Board of Library Trustees requested
a fund of s768 ,000 Congress has
appropriated s350,00O for this fiscal
year for beginning construction of
the new structure. which is to pro-
vide housing for the administrative
offices of the Board of Education as
well as space for library purposes.
Anacostia Site Is Asked.
The Board of Library Trustees
again has requested funds for pur-
chase OF site for a proposed branch
library in Anacostia, to serve areas
Tar distant from existing library
facilities. For this purpose $4,000
was asked. A site would be approved
jointly by the Commissioners and
the library board.
The board asked that the staff
be strengthened by the addition of
81 new positions. at a cost of ST.
$40, in asking for personnel item
of S505.245. Twenty of the jobs
would be for stating of the new
southwestern branch, to be erected
as part of the new jefferson
Junior Memorial High School and
library: q positions were requested
to meet the growth in demands
upon the present service and seven
positions were asked so as to per-
init an extension of the hours of
service at the Chevy Chase and
the Woodbridge branches.
Library authorities requested
funds for employment of an addi-
tional janitor at the southeastern
and another at the Takoma Park
branches to reduce the hours of
work of the present janitors, now
required to be on duty approx
mately 96 hours week.
Books Increase Sought.
For the purchase of books,
periodicals and other publications,
the board asked for an increase
from s65,000 to $105,OOO. Require
ments for the original stock for the
southwestern branch, which Is ex-
pected to be opened in September
of next year, would cost $4,000 and
the remainder of the increase, or
$4,000, would go to meet annual
needs for new books and for re-
placements. 1t was explained no
real provision was made in the 1910
act for the new Petworth branch.
For binding operations, the board
asked an increase from $4,000 to
100000, explaining that there has
been no increase in the item since
1884, when the circulation amounted
to 2,622,9l1, whereas in the last fis-
cal year the circulation had risen
to 3,257.890. There now are more
than $4,000 volumes waiting bind
ing, library officials said.
For maintenance work, an appro-
priation of 1877 is proposed, or an
increase of $38,617 which would
permit purchase of original furni-
ture and equipment for the new
Southwestern Branch and its main
tenance during 10 months of the
next fiscal year; $4,000 for major
repairs, requirements and improve
ments to existing units; $500 for
micro-filming Of The Star and $500
for a micro-film reading machine
so as to make the films available
for use by the public.
Georgetown Branch Property.
Among major repairs and i'm
provements would be funds for COM
pletion of the plan for the ultimate
development of the Georgetown
Branch property. including grading
walks, seeding and topsoil for the
rear portion of the lot. pointing up
of mortar joints, provision OF
wrought-iron fence, repairing of the
entire Wisconsin avenue wall and
planting.
An item Of $1,750 is requested to
permit installation of flag poles at
the Mount Pleasant. Northeastern
Southeastern, Petworth and Takoma
Park Branches.
Lost Bond Concert
The 1899 band concert season in