special lists, statistics blanks, withdrawal book,
labels, book-plates, application blanks, stu-
dents', teachers', and children's cards, and the
various notices of fines, reserved books, and
special information. A sample card catalog,
author, title, and subject, was shown in a small
model case, and there were miniature newspaper
and magazine racks, binders, etc. The exhibit
was carefully prepared and arranged to the best
advantage; some of the work shown was remark-J.
ably good — notably the library handwriting and
the catalog cards and as a whole it was an in-
teresting bird's-eye view of the detail work of a
library.

oak panellings. In the reading-room is an open
fireplace of brick and oak panelling, with wrought
iron andirons. Oak cases are provided for the
reference books, and there are oak tables and
heavy oak chairs upholstered in leather. The
stack-room has shelving for 15,000 v., with a
capacity of double this amount.

|

In addition to Mr. Adams' gift of the library building, the site was presented to the town by Adams Bartlett, the grading was done at the expense of C. E. A. Bartlett, and two gifts of $500 each for the purchase of books were received from T: M. Ādams and T: P. Proctor.

Canton (O.) P. L. The library was opened in its new quarters in the last week of April. The chief change in administration resulting from the removal is the abandoning the plan of open access to the shelves. It has been arranged to add the books of the public school library to the public library's collection; this gives the library a total of some 6000 v.

Chelmsford (Mass.) P. L. The new public library building, given to Chelmsford Centre by Amos Francis Adams, of Newton, a native of Chelmsford, was dedicated on the afternoon of May 8. There was a large attendance at the exercises, and a dinner was served to over 600 guests. The keys of the building were presented to the president of the board by Mr. Adams, and the speak of the day was Rev. E. A. Horton,

of Boston.

The building occupies a commanding site and is planned in the shape of a cross, crowned by a round dome. The short arms in the centre are devoted, in front to the entrance and vestibule, and in the rear to the trustees' room. The southern wing contains the reading and reference rooms; the northern, the stacks and delivery room; while the central hall or rotunda, lighted from the top through the dome, which is surrounded by windows, is for use as a public reception-room. The basement contains the heating and lighting apparatus, with one wing left unoccupied.

Chelsea, Mass. Fitz P. L. (Rpt.) Added 434; total 14,384. Issued, home use 67,483 (fict. 55.99%; juv. 27.75 %); reading-room use, 6446.

The improvements made during the year comprise principally the placing of additional bookshelves and racks in the library room, and fitting up two rooms in the second story for library uses, one to be made a " Chelsea memorial room."

Dayton (0.) P. L. (34th rpt.) Added 1135; total 33,716. Issued, home use 120,689 (fict. 58.7%; juv. .26%); lib. use 50,625. New cards issued 1878; total registration 9366.

The circulation of 1894 showed an increase of 14,958 over any former year.

East Weymouth, Mass. The $50,000 left for a public library in Weymouth by the late J: H. the four trustees. They intend to erect a stone Fogg, in 1892, has just come into the hands of der of the fund for books and running expenses. building costing $20,000, reserving the remain

Fairhaven, Mass. Millicent L. Added 1129; total 10.164. Issued, home use 5199 (fict. 79 %). New cards issued 467; total registration 2204; 352 cards are held by non-residents.

The library was open for business every day of the year, including Sundays and holidays, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday opening has proved a success. Librarian Stevens in his report says: 'In September our stack-room was thrown open to the public, and patrons invited to secure books from the shelves for inspection. This privilege has added greatly to the educational influence of the library, and is to be recommended, at least, for all town libraries where most of the patrons are known by the attendants."

In construction and in finish care and taste have been exercised. The building covers on the ground floor 2600 square feet, and is 23 feet in height to the top of cornice and 13 feet to the top of the dome. The main walls and partitions are of selected Dover brick. The steps and buttresses and lower courses of stone-work are of white Chelmsford granite. The polished columns of the porch are of Fox Island granite, and the trimmings of windows, cornices, etc., are of buff terra-cotta. The dome is covered with heavy sheet copper and the roof is slated. The

Germantown, Phila. Friends' F. L. (Rpt.) Added 817; total 18,082. Issued 13,625. No. interior finish is all of selected quartered oak, card-holders 1500; no. visits to library during 21,259. Receipts $4053.47; expenses

finished in its natural color. The windows are glazed with plate glass in large single lights. The porch is paved with Welsh quarry tiles. Great precautions have been taken against fire; the furnace and fuel are in a special fireproof

cellar; the building is divided by two brick crosswalls; walls and partitions have fire stops, and the upper floors are laid over asbestos paper.

The interior decorations consist of cornices and raised mouldings in stucco, and quartered

Fall River (Mass.) P. L. A site for the new library building has been purchased for $50,000, leaving $100,000 to be devoted to the building.

year

$3027.44.

culation of juvenile books, and a growing use of There has been a decided increase in the cirthe library by children in their school work.

Girard (Pa.) P. L. The new library building was dedicated on May 3. It was endowed by the late Robert Wilcox, of Hammond, Ind., who left $10,000 for the erection of a building, and $5000 for the purchase of books.

Jackson (Mich.) City L. (10th rpt.) Added 1243; total 13,506. Issued 82,171 (fict. 49,478); no. cardholders, 3890.

The year's work shows a notable increase over any previous year, partly attributed to the new and attractive rooms. The librarian suggests that a new charging system be adopted and that special privileges be allowed to the schools.

Marathon, N. Y. Peck Memorial L. The Peck Memorial Library, given to the town of Marathon by the will of the late Mrs. Marsena Peck, was dedicated on the evening of May 15. The library was founded by a bequest of $20,000 left in trust by Mrs. Peck to three executors for the establishment of a free library in a suitable building. The executors, who were subjected to no conditions or limitations, promptly organized into a board of trustees, and the library building was completed within 18 months from the time the bequest was received.

Knoxville, Tenn., Children's Home Libraries. Several months ago the system of children's home libraries was introduced into Knoxville, in connection with the public library. Money was The commission purposes to undertake, "in contributed by interested persons, and a colleca very humble way," the experiment of loaning tion of 75 v. was secured. These have been dis-reference books to small libraries, or to persons tributed in various locations to groups of 10 interested in special studies in towns to which it children, boys and girls, between the ages of has supplied libraries. The books will be loaned seven and 17. The "libraries" are changed directly to the library and issued to the borevery three months, or when all the books have rower. Persons desiring special books are inbeen read. vited to make their wants known to the officers of their town library, who will then decide whether to make application to the commission for the books. If such application is made, the library will be held responsible for losses or injuries.

The building was begun in June, 1894. It is a two-story structure of pressed brick, with sandstone and terra-cotta trimmings. The interior finish is of red oak. The first floor is devoted to the library, with the exception of two rooms leased by the Marathon National Bank. Entrance is by an arched vestibule, on which appears the memorial inscription, into a spacious lobby, 17 x 23, from which opens on one side the library rooms, the other side being devoted to the bank. The main library room, 28 x 45 feet, will be fitted with 1000 feet of shelving, and supplied with reading-tables and chairs. Opening from this room is a reception-room, 17 x 26, where newspapers and periodicals will be kept. The second floor is devoted to an auditorium, with a seating capacity of 700. The library will not be ready for the circulation of books until the fall. It is expected that it will then be open eight hours a day for five days each week.

though in a few of this class small association libraries exist."

Mass. F. P. L. Commission. (5th rpt.) During the year 13 towns have accepted the provisions of the library act of 1890 and have been supplied with books by the commission. "Of the 353 towns and cities in the state 247 contain free public libraries that are entirely under municipal control; 32 contain libraries the use of which is entirely free, and in the management of which the municipality is in some form represented; 22 contain libraries to which the town or city appropriates money, but over which it has no control. Most of these libraries are free for circulation, but a few are free only for reference. Twenty towns contain free public libraries that are supported entirely by private benefaction, and with which the municipality has no official connection; and 32 towns have no public library,

Under the provisions of the act of 1892, authorizing the commission to furnish $100 worth of books to towns with a valuation less than $600,000, which maintained a free library before the law went into effect, five towns have received books, and eight are still to be supplied. A list of the gifts made to libraries and the new library buildings erected during the year is given, showing that 37 towns were benefited in this way in 1894.

Mass. State L., Boston. (Rpt.) Added, v. 3272, pm. 4315; total not given. Receipts $6836.90; expenses $6112.92. The financial figures cover only books and binding. Pp. 13-243 of the report are devoted to an author-list of the "Additions to the state library for the year ending Sept. 30, 1894," being the 15th annual supplement to the general catalog.

Malden (Mass.) P. L. (17th rpt.) Added 2083; total 24.934. Issued, home use 92,085 (fict. 74.83%); reading-room use 6579. issued'1399; total cardholders 6286. Receipts $9783.62; expenses $8616.38.

New cards

home use in the first half of 1893, and a reac"A decrease in the circulation of books for tion by which the circulation was largely increased in the later months were noticed in our last report. This sudden and, at first, apparently unexplainable increase has continued during the present year in even larger proportions, and has resulted in an increase of nearly 23% over the circulation of 1893.

"A largely increased number of cardholders, and the fact that, while the total circulation of books has far exceeded that of any previous year, the percentage of fiction has slightly diminished, leads to the hope that the present use of the library will be increased by a vigorous and healthy growth. The growth of the circulation of books for home use has been accompanied by a similar increase in the number of books taken for use in the building."

A system of teachers' cards has been adopted, each teacher being allowed special cards which may be used by pupils as directed and supervised by the teacher. 559 v. have been issued on these cards from October, 1894, to January, 1895. New books suitable for children are arranged on open shelves for examination and selection; this plan is also followed with books for older readers, fiction only being excepted. The circulation of current numbers of popular magazines has been continued.

66

The reading-room and art gallery have been

open on Sundays from 1 to 9 o'clock p.m., as in 1893; and the results are no more satisfactory than formerly. A decreased number of visitors has been offset by an increase of readers; but the results still fail to realize the hopes of those who predicted a great success of the experiment. The expense is more than it ought to be, in consequence of the necessity of keeping a special officer in the rooms to prevent the disorder by which readers were formerly annoyed."

Meriden, Ct. A library committee of 25 was recently appointed by the city council to outline plans for the establishment of a public library. In report submitted May 8, and accepted by the council, it was proposed that a public meeting be called by the mayor, and a provisional library committee, of five women and 25 men, be appointed to raise funds for the library, the committee to continue in power until the permanent library corporation be organized, which organization shall not take place until the sum of $10,000 has been raised or pledged. As a means of starting a popular subscription for the library, the committee proposes to issue blank forms, to be signed by subscribers, pledging the contribution of one day's wages, to be collected on a date set by the committee, and known as "library day." Other ordinary subscription blanks are also provided, but it was thought that the one day's wages plan would reach many and be generally popular.

as among those of humble station. The two thieves whom we have detected were a university student and a teacher. The naive lady who brings in some day a long-sought-for book, waving it airily and remarking: You were so busy I thought you would not mind if I took it without waiting to have it charged,' will be, quite likely, a lady of the best position. In spite of the loss of books, I am not aware that any members of the board, the library staff, or the community, is disposed to make a change in our free policy. It was adopted in the beginning; it is a most popular plan; it saves much in service; for a like amount of accommodation to visitors under a policy of exclusion would involve an added number of attendants to carry books back and forth. The inconveniences, and the occasional losses through careless and thievish people, are far more than balanced by the advantages enjoyed by our public."

Minnesota Hist. Soc. L., St. Paul. (8th biennial rpt.) Added 3483; total 55,265.

There is a steady increase in the growth of the library, and the growing public interest in the collection is evidenced by the large increase in donations of books, mss., pictures, and curios. The collection of Minnesota newspapers is a valuable one, and within the past two years the society has been able to complete several broken files of early editions; there are now 2924 bound v. of newspapers in the society's vaults. The Minneapolis (Minn.) P. L. (5th rpt.) Added library receives 346 daily and weekly papers, of 7628; total 73,218. Issued, home use 428.744tion to the library was the collection of the more which 14 only are paid for. A valuable addi(fict. 47.92%; juv. 16.92%); reading-room use (estimated) 200,000. New cards issued 7166; total registration 28,346. Receipts $58,778.24; expenses $48,511.23.

important letters and papers of the late Gen. H. H. Sibley, containing much original information regarding the development of the state.

The increase in circulation is almost 16% over that of the preceding year. There are now three branches and four delivery stations. Dr. Hosmer suggests that the present system of is suing all books to branches from the central library be dispensed with, and that the Baltimore and Cleveland plan of having the branches contain independent and fairly complete collections be adopted. He also urges more effective work with the schools, on the methods in use at Detroit and Milwaukee.

"The careful inventory revealed the fact that during a year 175 books, perhaps, disappeared from our shelves, unaccounted for. Though not so large as the loss reported from Cleveland, the library nearest ours in size and volume of business, where a like freedom of access prevails, the loss is undoubtedly larger than if our system were less free than it is. With a stream of men, women, and children pouring through every story in the building, every day in the year, with a policy which allows a shelf permit to every adult applicant who seems reputable, and which allows even children to go freely to books adapted for them, some loss is inevitable. In deed, a greater loss might reasonably be expected, and the disappearance of valuable rather than cheap books, in a circulation of 600,000. While the great proportion of our visitors justify this policy of confidence, heedless and dishonest people will sometimes appear; as often, it must always be said, among those well placed,

Nashua, N. H. Suit has been brought against the city of Nashua by Miss Mary E. Hunt, to recover possession of $50,000 given by herself and her mother to the town for a library. The gift, with its condition, was unanimously accepted by the city councils in September, 1892. The only condition required the city to purchase a site to be selected by a committee of the library trustees and city councils previously named. The latter agreed upon a location known as "the Greeley site," and bonded it, but the councils refused to accept_the_report or purchase the site. The councils of 1893 took the same position as its predecessors, that they and not the locating committee were to be the final judges of the location. Meanwhile the bond upon the property expired and it was sold to a syndicate at an increase in price and again bonded by the city. Prominent citizens through the attorney-general asked the court to interpret the contract at the March term in 1893 and it was ruled that the city was bound to buy the lot selected by the committee. The councils still refused to take the necessary action and the court issued an order to the councils commanding its purchase. In July, 1893, prominent citizens and the donors asked the court to reopen the case, which was granted and a decision rendered in September that the Greeley lot must be secured unless the donors asked for a return of their money, because not expended “within a reasonable time." This question was at once raised but has never

Philadelphia (Pa.) P. Ls. Branch No. 5 of the Philadelphia Public Library was formally opened urg-ercises had been issued, and there was a large on the evening of May 22. Invitations to the exattendance. Speeches were made by Dr. B. C. Baltimore; Judge W: B. Hanna, S: B. Huey, Steiner, librarian of the Enoch Pratt Library, located in the building known as the West Philaand Judge W: N. Ashman. Branch No. 5 is delphia Institute, and the books formerly in the institute now form part of the new collection, Three rooms which opens with about 6500 v.

are devoted to library purposes, and there is accommodation for about 20,000 v. The librarian is Clarence S. Kates, who was transferred from Branch No. 4 in Roxborough.

cards issued 706; total registration 12,378. Re- will alter every call-number and make the ceipts $5670; expenses $5335.99. printed catalog of 1888 and its various suppleSt. Louis (Mo.) F. P. L. The librarian therefore At a meeting of the ments quite useless. directors on May 11, the librarian was author-cially recommends the publication of a printed urges the necessity for a card catalog, and espeized to send box of books to such charitable classed finding list of all books in the library, institutions as desired them, and the managers of which would be responsible for their safe-giving author and title entries and full index. For this he asks a special appropriation of $2000.

keeping and return. Books will also be sent to the various engine-houses of the fire department, provided the chief of the department will guarantee their return.

San Francisco (Cal.) Mercantile L.

(42d rpt.)

Added 1427; total 68,499. Issued, home use 41,722 (fict. 69.75 %); no record of lib. use is kept. Total subscribing membership $1073; total membership 1304.

The classification of books, according to the decimal plan, has been continued as persistently as possible, and 4043 v. have been classified and shelved. The report is chiefly a presentment of the financial status of the library, which is not gratifying, as the association has an indebtedness of $75,000, and its income is much below its needs. Strict economy has been necessary in all branches of the administration. On Jan, 1, 1894, the dues were reduced from $9 to $5 a year, the change resulting in a considerable increase of membership, though it did not bring the large growth that had been hoped for.

San Francisco (Cal.) P. L. Several innovations have been introduced into the library within the past few months, chief among them being the publication of a monthly bulletin of accessions, devoted also to library notes and miscellany. Special efforts are being made to extend the relations of the library with the local schools. Books for class work, in lots of 20 v. or so, are selected by the teacher and sent to the school by the library for a period of two weeks, subject to renewal. Borrowers' cards are then made out for each pupil and given to the teacher, who issues books to the scholars in rotation or by any preferable method; the borrowers' cards thus issued to the teacher in his pupils' names are good only for books for school use, the pupils having temporarily surrendered their library rights to the teacher. Should they desire to become borrowers in person, their cards in the teacher's possession would have to be cancelled and new ones issued in the usual manner.

Southbridge (Mass.) P. L. (Rpt.) Added 472; total 15,502. Issued 21,920 (fict. 44.34 % ;

juv. 19,89 %). New cards issued 225; total registration 2974. Receipts $2099.90; expenses $1975.49.

Tacoma (Wash.) City L. The library reopened on May 8, after a thorough rehabilitation. The doors dividing the three library rooms have been removed, and the alterations afford considerably more space for books and readers, and better light. A collection of curios, belonging to the late Bishop Paddock, of Washington, has been installed in the library.

University of Illinois, Champaign. On May 17 the House of Representatives passed to its third reading, without amendment, the university appropriations bill, which contains an item of $150,000 for a library building. As this has already passed the senate, the appropriation is practically assured. Although it is less than the The university library now numbers over 27,000 amount asked for, it will suffice for a beginning. v. and is growing, at present, at the rate of nearly 3000 v. yearly. Under the direction of merly superintendent of public instruction for its new president, Andrew Sloan Draper, for

the state of New York, the university has taken a long step forward, numbering now 810 students and over 80 instructors, with excellent prospects of rapid growth in the future.

Watertown (Ct.) L. A. Added 373; total 7103. Issued 11,508 (fict. 8398); periodicals 3691. New cards issued 127; total card-holders 635.

Westfield, Mass. The Westfield Athenæum was opened on May 10 as a free public library, under arrangements made by the town authorities and the directors of the association. The rooms have been altered and improved, and the library will be open for certain hours each day. It contains about 15,000 v., and it is proposed to print a catalog as soon as practicable.

Wilkesbarre, Pa. Osterhout F. L. (6th rpt.) Added 2061; total 21,115. Issued, home use 66,101 (fict. 67 %); lost and paid for 9. New cards issued 1894; total registration 5077.

Somerville (Mass.) P. L. (22d rpt.) Added 2860; total 27,729. Issued, home use 106,341. New cards issued 923; total registration 5538. Receipts $9567.48; expenses $9557.83.

44

The classification of the library, heretofore unattempted, was begun during the year; information slips" and greater freedom and facility in the use of the reference-books were also introduced, and the adoption of the two-book system is recommended. An important alteration is the changing of the book-room into a stack-room, fitted with new steel Westervelt shelving, accommodating 60,000 v. These improvements will give the library a total capacity of 86,000 v. The classification of Worcester (Mass.) F. P. L. (35th rpt.) the books and their consequent rearrangement | Added 5314; total 98,225. Issued, home use

There were loaned to the schools 8221 v., an increase of 253 over 1893. A children's readingroom is much needed. "The long-deferred supplement to our catalog of 1889 is being printed, and will be quite as large as the catalog itself, as we have nearly doubled our number of volumes since that was issued. It will be arranged in the same way as the catalog, and will open up a valuable collection of books to our readers."