The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-02-04

Hutchinson, MT. Maloney and John P. Elton.
 Executive Committee
 Dr. John G. Gilmartin, John M. Hutchinson and E. Vincent Ma loney were reelected members of the executive committee. Officers of the executive committee are. President, Frederick s. Chase; treasurer, MT. Northrop, and sec- retary, Judge John L. Gaffney.
 The board voted to extend its appreciation to Charles H. Swen- son, member for 27 years, who retired. MT. Swenson was secre- tary of the board up until 1926. He was appointed December ', 1914, as the successor to the late John O'Neill.
 Awards Announced
 The committee on the award of Holmes scholarships at Yale uni versity reported the following awards: To Theodore Meyer, aca- demic 1943; James Bowling, aca- demic 1945; Anson Stocking, aca- demic 1942, and George Elmore, Sheffield, 1942. The committee con- sisting of Dr. Gilmartin, MT. Ma loney and Judge Gaffney was re- elected.
 Librarians Report
 Miss Barretts report, in part, follows:
 The number of books borrowed for home use, approximately 400 ,000 volumes, shows a loss of only 2h per cent over the number borrowed in 1940. This almost negligible drop in circulation, when libraries uni- versally are reporting losses of 10 or Il per cent, is unusual. It is particularly SO in an industrial city which is experiencing a tremendous Step-up in employment. Library ex- perience shows that an increase in employment usually results in de- crease in reading and other leisure time activities.
 In 1941 the library bought some 5000 new books as against 6 ,25O pur- chased in 1940 and fewer than 5000 purchased in any single year in the period from 1881 to 1889. We ven- ture to give this as the chief reason why Waterbury, with its factories working day and night on govern ment defense orders, has not con- formed to all heretofore accepted library experience, with sizea ble drop in book circulation. That Wa terbury has not conformed, would seem to bear out 8 contention that people will find time to read If only the process is made sufficiently at tractive to them.
 During the present national emer- gency we should be unwilling to &C., cept the statement that a working population is not reading popula- tion. Books, by providing a con- Structive escape during leisure hours, can contribute greatly to public morale. We hear constantly the statement that an informed nation is one of Americas best defenses Probably no one will question the truth of this statement and no one should question the part which pulp lie libraries will take in keeping this "an informed nation" It is there fore of vital importance, at this time, that the public libraries of the country receive public support and encouragement in stepping-up their services for recreation and infor- nation.
 Books Most in Demand
 It is interesting, and perhaps in- dicative of the serious nature of great deal of reading. to note that although some $500 fewer volumes of fiction were borrowed from the library in 1941 than in 1940, the de- cline in serious reading did not keep pace with the drop in fiction reading. For example, 5000 fewer books were read in the combined classes of literature, biography and travel and 400 fewer in science and the useful arts, while in the field of history, the number of books bor- rowed fell only 35 short of the 1940 record.
 People always like to know what bokos were in greatest demand during a given year. in short. what books were being read in Waterbury in 1s41? We can answer this ques- ton by asking another, What books was the whole country read ing in 194l?" The answer to both