Evening star., 1948-08-08
Library Offers
Program Aid
T0Cub1VOmzen
Varied Services
Are Available
By Frances Lide

the late spring-to help organiza-
tions work out their programs for
the coming season is one of the
aspirations of Mrs. Helen T. Stein
barger.
In the meantime, as consultant in
adult education for the Public Lii
brary of the District, she is giving
day-to-day aid to many Of Wash
ington's program chairmen.
Mrs. Steinbarger, who has an
Office at the Central Library, Eighth
and K streets NV, acts as liaison
between the library and organiza-
tions, and rarely misses an oppor-
tunity to bring the two together.
"A good many people, however,
don't realize how much material we
have here that can be used by
clubs" she declared. "It isn't
necessary, of course, for the pro-
gram planner to see me personally.
But I'm here to help and I'm always
delighted to discuss program ideas
and show how they can be developed
through the library"
To those who aren't familiar with
its services, the Central Library's
music division comes as delightful
surprise. Here one finds not only
books on musical subjects, miniature
scores and the like, but collection
of record albums that is special
boon to clubs.
Organized groups may make
-. &~ TaNnrdg
overnight and library advisers ire
uuently assist in selecting numbers
to carry out a given theme. There
even have been occasions when
ANAL groups have signed up for Ger
tain periods in the library'S listen
ing rooms and have met as body
to hear recordings.
Art DivisiOn
The art division is another treas
ure trove for program planners. OF
particular aid to clubs Is its COL
lection of 10000 mounted pictures,
containing photographs and color
reproductions of well-known paint
ings, ranging from the works OF the
old masters to modern subjects.
These mountings may be taken out
for a month at a time and their
popularity can be judged from the
fact that total of $4,000 were cir
culated last year.
Incidentally. the collection has
been made with very little expense
to the library. The division has
equipment for mounting pictures
and most of the reproductions come
from magazines and books that are
ready for discard. A recent addi-
ton is file on the paintings from
the German collection exhibited
here last spring at the National
Gallery Of Art.
Art and music, however, are only
two of the fields in which the library
renders aid to clubs.
Most Washington groups prob
ably know about the Washing
toniana division, containing books,
pamphlets, clippings, maps and pic
lures relating to the District. AL
though much of the material is. of
historical interest, this division also
contains a fund of current informa-
ton about Washington and even
has q file on the various organiza-
tions here.
Members Of such groups as the
League of Women Voters and the
American Association Of University
Women are regular patrons Of the
world affairs room. It's material on
the United Nations and the Mar
shall Plan has been Of special inter-
est to clubs.
Many a paper has been prepared
from information CLEANED from the
sociology division. Here, requests
for publications on child-care prob
ably lead all others. Also popular
in club circles have been such SUBJ
jects as 80 Years of Womens
Progress" and Employment Of
Women Over As"
Exhibits ARRANGED
But to go on probably would mean
to list every division OF the library.
Religion, home economics, literature,
drama. education. travel, history,
the sciences-au these and more are
topics Wnlcn many groups stuuy
during the club year.
One of the library's most valuable
services to organizations is the pro-
vision of special book exhibits In
connection with conferences. SEM
inars and the like. The Parent
Teacher Associations and the Ma
tional Conference of Christians and
Jews are among those which have
taken advantage of this service.
Last year. during an eight-week
seminar. the library arranged a diff
ferent exhibit each week, the books
being selected according to the top
les being studied at the time.
Mrs. Steinbarger pointed out
that such exhibits usually are set
up. by Mrs. Dorothy D. Mason,