Evening star., 1948-12-05
THE LITERARY SCENE IN AMERICA

xlNl07
fraction of the income of our citizens is
devoted to intellectual exercise.
This is borne out by the testimony of our
merchants, who declare that although in
expensive reprints, paper backs and rentals"
are always popular, Washington readers pre-
fer books they can keep A large downtown
store has observed a definite change from
the wartime insistence on ''escapiSt" litera-
ture. Fiction has tumbled to point near
the bottom of the sales -tallies. Instead,
current taste has turned to-
l. World affairs. (T1his cat cory sur-
passes all the others.)
2. Eastern Europe. (Unaccour ably there
Is little interest now in Germany
3. Religion. "a marked increale In sales
has been noted, which may foreshadow
spiritual awakening9
4. Juvenilia.
5. Economics.
6. Historical biographies.
In addition, psychology and psychiatry.
art, music, antiques, cookery, technology.
etiquette, sociology and anthropology retain
their changeless but active popularity. Pur-
chasers do not object TO the increased cost
Of general works, but resent the price they
have to pay for fiction.
This rebellious sentiment 10 confirmed by
where customers resort to rentals rather than
submit to what they regard a. overcharge.
Throughout tho community there Is an obvi-
GUS trend toward serious" reading Govern
ment employees (civA, military and navaD
now stationed overseas continue their book
buying through local outlets.
g.. Reading Trends Shown
BY the Libraries
These altered habats Of the hterate are
further evidenced by the records oe our
libraries. AS the only free institution which
lends Its collections to all local residents for
home use. the District Public Library is I'm
an excellent position to report. Last year
!5l 600 more books were borrowed than dur
ing the preceding year. Seventy nine per
cent Of its patrons were adult. II per cent
children. Currently the interest Of its users
centers on such matters as:
!. How to eat and live at lower cost
2. World politics and the United Nations.
8; Russia-both contemporary events and
background history.
4. Racial problems
5. Remote or foreign places (these are the
demands OF expectant tourists, servicemen
and journeying civil servants).
o. Foreign languages (war brides it IN said
long for their own lterature)
Steadily come calls for guide books how
to-do-ltS, elf-lmproverS and the vast mate
rails calculated to dispose Of personal prob
lens In the branches, circulation averages
81 umes tne number Of books In stock; at
Anacostia it Is 84
The Library Of Congress Is primarily q
reference library, which is to say that aside
from members Of the Congress Cincluding
their families, their Office staff and their
COMMITTEES aides, the executive and judicial
branches OF the Government, and the
diplomatic corps, the use of its collections Is
confined to the premises. The Library's
Legislative Reference Service is devoted ex-
clusively to gathering. compiling and digest
ing data for members Of the Congress in the
execution Of their official duties. It's expert
stan analyzes appraises, evaluates subjects of
proposed or pending legislation It reports
but 1t never recommends. It's object Ia to
present fully and completely. but without
bias or persuasion. such authentic informa-
ton as viii provide . basis for wise decision
BY reason Of its nature the work Of the
Legislative Reference Service Is confidential
work.
1t betrays NO confidence however, to remark
that members Of Congress borrow some COO
books . month. and that their recreational
reading Gas opposed TO their legislative-
connected studies9 corresponds to the more
enlightened OF their associates In private life
Occasionally they seek western or q mystery.
they assume an obligation to familiarize
themselves with the current periodical and
newspaper press. but by and large their
cultural concerns are well above the average
Indeed. the American electorate should take
pride In the high character Of their Wears
Beyond it's official uses, the Library ef
(Ses LITERARY SCENE, Page a.