Senator TYDINGS. The part you have stressed is set up at the 1 of the page. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TYDINGS. That which you consider the irreduciblen mum. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TYDINGS. Following that you have some things calle part of the $71,000 break-dow cessions and what not. Is that a Mr. ROBERTS. Which one is that? Senator TYDINGS. On the same page you have some additional ter, after the $71,000 break-down. Mr. ROBERTS. That just explains the divisions for which the are asked. Senator TYDINGS. That takes the general headings and subd them, with explanations. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes; I might add, Mr. Chairman, that up time the annex had been provided, we were so restricted as to in the main building that even though you had granted us the sonnel, we would not have been able to utilize it. However, certain divisions and material to the annex has released space main building, so that Dr. Putnam is now prepared tog with an arrearage running over many years. Besides, there routine work connected with 300,000-odd volumes which come every year. Senator TYDINGS. I think we should insert this statement in the record. It is very comprehensive, and self-explanatory you have some additional points. Mr. ROBERTS. There are just two small points which I like to make. There are two changes in phraseology at the the second page. Senator TYDINGS. Is not that a part of the letter? BOOKS FOR ADULT BLIND Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, sir; at the top of the second page. 1 "Books for Adult Blind, page 34, line 24 (House print), af word 'including' insert 'not exceeding $17,000 for personal s and." The project for the blind, with which you are no doubt fa provides that the Librarian furnish the blind of the country in raised type and talking book records. In addition to th supervise the lending of 20,000 talking book machines to the furnished under the emergency relief appropriation. Senator TYDINGS. All over the country? Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, sir; all over the country, including Haw Alaska. Under the act of March 3, 1931 "An act to provide for the adult blind," there is no mention of service. The Lik thought it might be well to have this provision to warran expenditure. T ADMINISTRATIVE COST Senator TYDINGS. In other words, that is the administrative cost of this service. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, sir. At the present time it is about $13,000, but we have need of some one to give his full time to directing the work. At the present time I give about one-third of my time, and the assistant superintendent of the reading room gives about threequarters of his time. The purpose is chiefly to get a warrant for spending money for services. INCREASE FOR SERVICES REQUESTED Senator TYDINGS. You have here an increase of roughly $71,000. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, sir. Senator TYDINGS. That $71,000 takes care of what you call the irreducible minimum. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TYDINGS. As a part of that $71,000 Mr. ROBERTS (interposing). That is not an increase, Mr. Chairman. We get $100,000 for Braille books, and $175,000 for talking-book records. Senator TYDINGS. But the $71,000 is broken down, showing the rreducible minimum. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TYDINGs. That is the increase you want. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TYDINGS. You want part of that $71,000 for services. Mr. ROBERTS. No; all of that is services. BOOKS FOR ADULT BLIND Senator TYDINGS. What is the idea of saying "Not exceeding 5.000 for personal services"? Mr. ROBERTS. That applies to another appropriation, "Books for alt blind." There is another item in the appropriation calling for Books for the adult blind." APPROPRIATION INCREASE REQUESTED Senator TYDINGS. The point I make is that you increase the approation from $1,073,020 to $1,144,500. Mr. ROBERTS Yes. Senator TYDINGS. The difference is $71,480. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, sir. Senator TYDINGS. Then you show how you are going to handle Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TYDINGS. You have accessions, binding, documents, law, d so forth, which consume all the $71,480. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Senator TOWNSEND. That is all for personnel. ADMINISTRATIVE COST IN CONNECTION WITH BOOKS FOR ADULT BL Senator TYDINGS. Then you say, in the amendment increasin "not exceeding $17,000 for personal services." Mr. ROBERTS. No; that is just simply a warrant for us to money for personal services in connection with books for the The original act did not provide for expenditure for personal ices. We took it up with the Comptroller at the time, and he th in view of the fact that the act was mandatory, that he woul a reasonable amount for personal services. All that the Lib desires is the warrant to spend it. Senator ADAMS. You were speaking of a change in phrase It occurs to me, in the letter from Mr. Putnam, that there mi a little change in phraseology. He refers to the House as brushed aside the request, as though without consideration, and in the last line, he says, "I earnestly hope that your committ take a large view of the situation presented," indicating th thought that the House had taken a small view. It seems there might be some change in phraseology there. TALKING BOOK RECORDS Mr. ROBERTS. There is one more change in the phraseology. on page 35, line 3, after the word "Librarian," the following: the unexpended balance of the appropriation for this purpose for the fis 1939 is continued available for the fiscal year 1940. Up until last autumn we purchased these talking-book which are like phonograph records, from two philanthropik profit-making institutions for the blind. About October sever mercial firms requested permission to bid, so we, of course, it. We have been delayed in getting the commercial people to ure up to the standard of excellence that has been attained. 4 months remain of the fiscal year, we are fearful, despite tl. that there is great demand for these records for the blind, tha of the money may be unexpended by June 30 and we are in that your committee may decide Senator TYDINGS. In other words, you do not want more but you want the right to use the money you now have for a period. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, sir. Senator TYDINGS. Very well. We understand. Is that al Roberts? Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. STATEMENT OF WILLIAM C. BOND, SUPERINTENDENT BUILDINGS Senator TYDINGS. How long will your testimony take? Mr. BOND. The committee has a copy of my memorandum. I read the memorandum? Senator TYDINGS. I think so. Mr. BOND. The legislative bill as passed by the House this date, provides for a custodial force Senator BYRNES. The committee has read that memorandum. Senator TYDINGS. Unless you have something further, we can just incorporate the memorandum in the record. Senator BYRNES. Do you have something to add to it? COMPARISON OF BUILDINGS ON CAPITOL HILL Mr. BOND. Only this, that as a matter of comparison I have taken the different buildings on Capitol Hill. I have taken the number of square feet of floor area and divided by the number of charwomen, 50 as to give the ratio between square feet to be cleaned and the number of women. It works out as follows: For the House Office Building, they have 9,542 square feet for each charwoman to clean; the Library of Congress has 11,484 square feet; the Senate Office Building has 12,099 square feet; the Supreme Court 8,912 square feet; and with the number of charwomen provided for the annex building it works out 31,750 square feet. Senator TYDINGS. We have the figures and we can consider your request in the light of those figures. SELECTION OF LIBRARY EMPLOYEES Senator MALONEY. Are all of the employees of the Library selected under civil-service regulations? Mr. ROBERTS. No. Senator MALONEY. How are they selected? Mr. ROBERTS. Under the act of 1897 Congress provided that the ibrarian should make appointments based upon their fitness. Aplicants fill out an application form and state their qualifications, he colleges of which they may be graduates, and so forth, and the me having the best qualifications to fit a particular job is selected. le is appointed for a probationary period of about 6 months, which really an examination over a long period. At the end of that me, if due to his personal characteristics, or some shortcoming or ck of qualifications for the particular position, he does not measure to the standard required, he is not confirmed, and he just drops ut. On the other hand, if he does qualify he is confirmed in the rvice. Senator MALONEY. Is that all you take into account? Mr. ROBERTS. His qualifications and personal traits, as mentioned. Senator OVERTON. It would be rather difficult to prepare regulaons in the Civil Service Commission to fix the qualifications of mployees in the Library. Mr. ROBERTS. Yes, especially in the higher grades. Senator TYDINGS. The letter from Dr. Putnam, together with the Weak-down of the figures, and the statement submitted by Mr. Bond, ill be printed in full in the record. (The statements referred to are as follows:) THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Re Legislative appropriation bill. Chairman, Subcommittee on Legislative Appropriation Bill, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: You are invited to comment, for the Library on the bill as it passed the House. I limit it to the one item of personnel, which is the crucial one in the present situation. We asked 201 additional positions at a total outlay for next year of $349,280. The bill grants 13 at an outlay of $25,340. The rest are brushed aside with the remark that consideration of them should be deferred until my successor can express his views o the needs. My successor may discover further needs; but he will scarcely dis pute those which I admit after 40 years of office. They were submitted in the attached "letter of estimates," marked to show the few items granted. That attention to the rest should be be deferred for over a yea seems incredible. It would neglect the opportunities now afforded b our Annex, and the opportunities in the main building for a superic service to Congress and the public through utilization of spac released here. The estimates were in part to deal with arrears long accumulate but a large fraction of them are for the current routine in the vario divisions, a lag in which directly impairs our service to Congress an the public. It is a fraction of that fraction which I emphasize on the a pended sheet as of emergency present importance. The outlay volved for it next year would be only $71,480, as against the to of $349,280 requested. It might be provided by the addition $71,480 to the $1,073,020 on page 31, line 19, of the House bill. But I cannot believe that, after expending $8,000,000 for Annex, Congress would wish to preclude us from taking full vantage of the opportunities which it affords. And I earnes hope that your committee will take a large view of the situat presented. Faithfully yours, HERBERT PUTNAM, Librarian NOTE. Transmitted also is a memorandum from the superinten ent of our buildings whose request for an additional sum of $16.06 fully support. LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION BILL 1939-40 AMENDMENTS OF HOUSE BILL REQUESTED BY LIBRARY OF CONGRESH A. Page 31, line 19 (House print), for "$1,073,020" substit "$1,144,500." |