Almost a year ago, a committee on Polish books in the Public Library was appointed by president Uyka of the Chicago Society. The committee of which brother Osuch is chairman called on Mr. Carl Roden, Librarian of the Chicago Public Library, and offered its cooperation in helping to secure additional books in Polish for the Public Library. The committee pointed out that according to the observations made in the branches of the Library located in Polish communities, the collections of Polish books were inadequate, and in such worn out condition that Polish readers could not be attracted to visit the Library for such books. Furthermore, no books were to be found that had been published in the last ten years.

Mr. Roden promised action, but as yet no new Polish books have appeared.

Several weeks ago, an article appeared in all the Polish papers, in which it was pointed out that according to the "Monthly Bulletins" of the Chicago Public Library, over 1,300 books in foreign languages have been added to the Library in 1923. Of 2these about 225 were in the Spanish language, about 250 in French and about 825 in Czech. A perusal of the "Monthly Bulletins" published in 1924, as well as the yearly lists of addition during the past ten years, failed to disclose any new books published in the Polish language.

Again the committee offers its cooperation in securing an adequate collection of these books for every branch of the Public Library located in Polish neighborhoods. It will further cooperate in seeing to it that adequate publicity is given through the Polish press to the fact that these books can be found on the shelves. There is no fear that the new books will remain on the shelves, and they will eventually be as worn out as the present meager collection of Polish books that is an insult to the largest foreign language speaking group in this city.

Poland has not only produced great poets, novelists, and essayists, whose works have been translated into dozens of languages, but it also appreciates its own masterpieces. The works of Mickiewicz, Zeromski, Prus, Slowacki, Kraszewski, as well as of Sienkiewicz and Reymont, both of whom have won the Nobel Prize in literature, 3and are in great demand among the readers in America as well as in Poland. We are not asking the Library to supply popular booksthat are of temporary interest only, but the universally accepted masterpieces that have been recognized as superior to most of the works as yet produced in the United States. For a second time the Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded to a Polish writer, and yet we must plead and beg for an adequate representation of this great literature in the Chicago Public Library.