Evening star., 1945-09-25
Service 70 City
Is Keynote Of
Library Report
Citizens Kept Posted
On World Issues
Board Head Writes

The District Free Public Library
was more useful to Washington
citiZens-through lending of books,
giving information and opening new
services-in 1944-5 than ever before,
the Board of Trustees declared to-
day in its annual report to the Dis
trict Commissioners.
1.-The library is always seeking 10
make its resources more effective
in the lives of Washington citizens, y
Theodore w. Noyes, president OF the
board, wrote in the report, more
than ever important at this time OF
world upheaval, marked by need OF
all citizens for authoritative in
formation in regard to local, ma
tional and international issues"
The report included statistical
analysis by Miss Clara Herbert,
librarian of the Free Public Library,
Of the assets of the library. This
year the 18 branches had total of
720,972 volumes, she said.
The public information service the
library maintains equals in i'm
portance the number of books avail
able, the trustees report stressed.
mo longer is the general use OF
the library for readers who select
their own books from the shelves
and depart" the report continued
Now the service is personal, Ii
brarian to reader, involving knoWl-
edge of pertinent material and an
intuitive recognition of the implied
need"
1867 Questions Asked.
Questions asked in the central Ii
brary alone, for example. totaled
1907 - 40 per cent more than
the average number asked four
years ago. Other branch libraries
had similar increases of requests for
information to meet personal needs,
such as their home life jobs, school,
Ing and recreation, the report stated.
The number of books borrowed
increased 145, 1868 during the fiscal
year over the preceding fiscal year,
totaling 2,482,30O.
There is every indication of a
boom in the home use of books with
the termination of the war and the
shorter work week." Mr.. Noyes de-
clared
These heavier public demands
we're met in the midst of the highest
personnel turnover in the history of
the library, the report indicated.
Personnel turnover was 81 per cent,
with particular difficulty experienced
in getting page boys and office
clerks
Backlog of Repair Work.
A huge backlog of repair work
has piled up during the war years,
but considerable progress was made
during the past fiscal year on get
ting entirely new library buildings.
Congress appropriated money for
branch sites in Brookland, Tenley-
town and Benning Half the money
for branch in Cleveland Park was
granted by Congress. The rest was
raised during the year by the citi-
Eens of the neighborhood.
Money has been given during the
1856 fiscal year for plans also for
new branches in Anacostia and
Pleasant Plains. New sites for which
funds have been appropriated dur
ing this fiscal year are in the
Brightwood and Woodbridge areas.
In addition, the library trustees
have hopes they may soon be able
to move the Central Library from
its present site at Eighth and K
streets NV. to the new building al
Pennsylvania avenue and John
Marshall place NV, occupied ir
wartime by the War Department.
Hope of occupying the new Cen.
trail Library within the ensuing yea!
was given by the appropriation Of
100000 for furniture and equip.
ment, and by the excellent new.
from the war front, Mr.. Noyes said
Much better service will be possible
In this more favorable location"
New Services Established.
New services established this veal
included a library at the Glenn Dale
Sanitarium for tubercular patients
and a literature discussion group
for adults at the Central Library.
To interest adolescents in "gooc
reading and the habit of using the
library" staff members have beer
trying to maintain even closer rela-
tions with teachers, librarians anc
students in the senior high schools
the report said
The Importance of maintaining
the interest of adolescents is fully
recognized" Mr.. Noyes declared.
Services in the childrens' rooms
had to be curtailed because of per.
sonnel shortages, but reading groups
class visits, story hours and pup.
pet shows we're increased.
Various technical processes were
improved.
In addition, an increased use wa!
made by the public of ad audio.
visual devices, such as Language
records and films. The Washing.
tonian division of historical ane
current material on the city, wa!
reopened after lapse of some tim,
and was widely used Hours wer,
extended at the Woodbridge ant
Chevy Chase branches.
f !. Trener. Alexandria