Evening star., 1950-09-22
NewBookmobiIe
Is Asked in Next
Library Budget
$2,4S2, SAG TotoI
Request Is Million
More Than This Year

Public Library's new bookmobile
and a. staff to extend the popular
service are among library. fund
requests totaling $2,482.546 for the
fiscal year 1852. the Commission
ers disclosed today.
The library renewed its plea for
new branch buildings in Ana
costa. Benning and Cleveland
Park, and money to purchase sites
and draw plans for two others in
the Tenley and Congress Heights
areas.
The estimates, totaling little
over 81 million more than was ap-
proprjated for this fiscal year, ask
SO new employees. including six for
the present bookmobile and nine
for the new one.
BoOkmobile Popular.
The popularity of the mobile
book service. begun last May is
on a limited basis. "lnas surpassed
expectations" library officials de-
clared. and evening service is re-
quired.
Only three employees were
granted for the bookmobile this
fiscal year, and six more are asked
next year so the service can be
provided for other sections Of the
city now lacking library facilities
and in the evenings.
In addition, the library wants
the new mobile unit, at a cost of
$4,000 and nine employees to staff
1t. at an annual cost Of $26, 1000.
Library officials pointed out the
areas that would have been served
by IL proposed branches dropped
from the original program of the
Board of Library Trustees since
1947 could be served by the book
mobiles.
Costs Compared.
A minimum staff for the II
branches would have cost 1901 ,675
a year, they noted. The total staff
proposed for the two okmobiles,
on the other hand, would cost
$4,000 year.
The officials estimated that con-
struction of the II branches would
have entailed an outlay of $780,
600. while the cost of two bookmo-
bileS is about $4,000,
Another new staff member re-
quested by the library is a man
agement officer. This is in line
with the Hoover Commission re-
port emphasizing "the Importance
of staff members assigned to man
agement and review"
Much has been done toward
applying sound management prac-
tices in the last three years, the
Commissioners were informed, but
a full-time staff member is needed
to study Public Library organiza-
ton and management problems
throughout the system. AS a di-
rect result of what has been done
so far is this line, 10 positions in-l
cluded in the 1851 budget have
been dropped from this years re-
quest, it was said.
Service to Young Adults.
The library wants two assist
ants to provide more complete
service to young adults.
An adviser in biography is
sought for the opening of a biog-
raphy division in the Central
Library, as well as an assistant
for the Washingtoniana division.
The library seeks two assistants
for work with the blind. While
the Library of Congress now cir
culates talking books" to blind
readers of the District, it is pro-
posed that the Public Library as
sumo this function.
Another need seen by library
officials for fiscal 1852 is the addi-
ton of three assistants for the
catalog department. This is the
minimum required to bring the
catalog staff to full strength for
the present work load, it was
said. From a little more than
100000 in 1888, the book stock
has grown to more than 100000
now.
Assistant children's librarians
are sought for the AnacoStia and
Woodbridge branches, and an as
sistant at the Tenley branch to
permit expansion until a new
building is obtained.
The total 81 ,6O3, 1926 sought for
operating expenses of the Central
Library, IA branches and mobile
service includes $9,555 worth of
new equipment for the basement
reading room.
The equipment requests include
$31. .910 for wood and steel shelv-
ing. and $14,915 more than the
present appropriation for books,
bringing the book fund to $685.
900.
The capital outlay estimates in
clude $275,000 for the proposed
Cleveland Park branch building,
and $250,000 each for those at
Benning and Anacostia. Citizens
of Cleveland Park have con-
tributed $4,000 toward the branch
site in their community.
There is no public library serv-
ice available in the large area
across the river north of Penn
sylvania avenue, and the Benning
branch is considered high pri-
ority. Limited service has been
given Anacostia residents from
rented quarters since 1912, but the
available space has been out
grown.
Sites for all three branches
are available, at Connecticut ave-