Evening star., 1943-01-04
New Drive for Books
For Men in Services
Begins Here Tuesday
Modern and Technical
Reodins MoterioI
To Be Sought

Emphasizing the need of service
men for the latest type OF reading
material rather than "any old book
from the attic" Mrs. Philip Sydney
Smith yesterday announced the
opening tomorrow of the 194a
Victory Book Campaign" The
campaign will continue through
March 5.
Mrs. Smith is directing for the
second time the Districts share in
the national drive for books for
soldiers, sailors, marines, Coast
Guardsmen and merchant seamen.
The national campaign held from
January to March Of last year netted
10000, 900 books, Of which the Dis
trict contributed $4,000.
This year the accent will be on
quality rather than quantity" Mrs.
Smith explained. I'VE want recent
books for the boys"
She said that either regular or
pocket editions are acceptable. She
listed as the most desirable current
fiction and no-fiction, westerns. y
adventure, mystery, humor and
technical books.
May Be Mailed In.
Besides the new emphasis on
newer books, Mrs. Smith said, the
method Of collection has been
changed from trucks to mailing
This year, as last year, books may
be left at any branch of the Public
Library and the libraries of George
Washington University and Catho-
lie University. 1t is preferable, how
ever, Mrs. Smith said, to mail the
books to the classification center at
the Southwestern Branch of the
Public Library, Seventh and H
streets S.W. She said postage would
be 3 cents per pound
The director explained that the
plea for modern books was made
because thousands of the books
turned in nationally last year were
"hopelessly out of date and "in
very poor condition" She said that
the District had done unusually we'll
compared to the rest of the country.
Only 10000 books were not accept
able, and $4,000 were approved by
the public librarians here
Army Librarians Help.
As was the case last year librarians
Of the armed forces stationed near
Washington are assisting Mrs.
Smith in management of the cam
paign. Sponsored nationally by the
American Library Association, the
Red Gross and the United Service
Organizations, the drive is also
backed here by the District Com
missioners and Miss Clara w. Her
bert, public librarian. Last year
President and Mrs. Roosevelt also
joined in the local campaign, the
President contributing one OF his
published speeches and Mrs. Roose-
welt her autobiography.
The books branded last year as
In poor condition or otherwise not
acceptable for shipment to United
States forces all over the world were
sold e.s scrap paper. The money was
then used to buy technical books
vi oCl Gu NY lliC SCl lNlSCS. 1lS Sdlllt
system will be followed this year
with the addition that lists of the
desired technical books will also be
published periodically for private
contributors to prchase The director
added that money sent by persons
who have no books to give should
be mailed to her at the Franklin
Building, 18th and K streets NV.
Books Sorted, Graded.
The books mailed to the South
western Branch Library should be
wrapped in strong wrapping paper
and tied securely, Mrs. Smith said.
She added praise for the librarians
there. who voluntarily sort all the
books into literary types and then
grade them as to condition.
Books donated here last year were
sent as far as Greenland and Ice
land, Mrs Smith said Some of the
soldiers stationed at nearby Fort
Meade and Fort Belvoir were so
anxious to get their share. she re-
called, that they sent their own
trucks to pick up thousands of books
before the campaign had officially
closed. Although the bulk of the
books were turned in during the
three months of the drive, small
number have been coming in regu-
larly through the public library
branches ever since.
Last year the Army and Navy
distributed most of the books to
soldiers and sailors. but this year
the coast guardsmen and marines
also will get a substantial portion
AS an offset of the drive, Mrs. Smith
added, several hundred phonograph
records were also brought into the
Public Library, and those again will
be acceptable.