Library Economy and History. GENERAL. EASTMAN, W: R. A new aid to education: travelling libraries. (In Forum, Jan., 1895, p. 616-621.) Mr. Eastman gives a comprehensive sketch of the work done by the travelling libraries, conducted, under his supervision, by the State of New York, detailing the classification of the books sent out and the percentage of their use. FLETCHER, W: I. The public library movement. (In Cosmopolitan, Nov., 1894, p. 99106.) An account of the growth and development of the public library movement of to-day. Although beginning with the libraries of Assurbanipal and Sargon, Mr. Fletcher devotes himself especially to the modern movement in the United States, as started by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. Mention is made of the Redwood Library, the Peterborough (N. H.) Library, and the libraries of Boston, Chicago, New York, St. Louis, and other leading cities. There are several illustrations, and portraits of Dr. Winsor. Dr. Poole, and Mr. Spofford. HOVEY, E. C. The ideal free public library building. (In North American Review, Jan., 1895, p. 118-120.) A waiting-room, a reading-room, if possible a newspaper-room, a study or reference room, are the necessities of the ideal public library, to which Mr. Hovey would add a children's room and a room for "the poorer element of a community," which should 'supply the place of the village reading-room." LOCAL. Albion (N. Y.) P. L. Added 500; total about 4200. Issued 13,047; no. borrowers, 1150about one-fourth of the entire population of the village. There is urgent need of more reference-books, and of an increased supply of good juveniles. Auburn (Me.) P. L. (4th rpt.) Added 200; total 5200; issued 9958 (fict. 50 %; juv. 20 %); no. visitors 12,195. The library was closed 13 days for repairs after the fire of Jan. 10, 1894. Miss Prescott says: "No books have been lost during the year. About 1000 of them were removed at the time of the fire, but were all returned in better condition than could have been expected, although more or less damaged. An increasing amount of the time of the librarian has been spent in reference work, chiefly for the clubs. In a small library, this is especially necessary in order to make all material available. A full card catalog is greatly needed for this work." Baltimore, Md. Enoch Pratt F. L. THE PEO American, An account of the organization, development, and work of the Pratt Library and its branches. There are cuts of Mr. Pratt, B. C. Steiner, and of the central building and one of the branch libraries. Beloit (Wis.) P. L. A one-mill tax for the support of the public library was carried by a large majority on election day. Boston P. L. Since the last week in December the work of moving the books to the new building has gone on rapidly. Several of the general departments are already in their place at their future home. All the contents of Bates hall, probably, will be in the new building in less than a fortnight. The work of stripping the alcoves is going on easily, and with very little inconvenience to the users of the library. As the shifters reach the several alcoves, canvas screens are hung up, and the books are quietly removed. Each alcove contains several thousand books, which are packed in boxes and sent in wagons to the new building. The boxes used are similar to those employed for moving the special libraries, and the contractor doing the work of removal employs a force of his own, numbering nearly 400 men. He has, too, the assistance of the evening force of the library. An officer of the library is in charge at either end, and the work is under their constant supervision. So far, none of the books in the fiction department have been touched, and they are likely to be the last to go. "The screen arrangement at the alcoves prevents the dust, arising from the removals, falling upon the readers, and but for the movements of the busy shifters the patrons of the library would not know that the huge task of moving the library was going on, so quietly and deftly is it conducted." Brooklyn (N. Y.) Institute L. By a vote of the board of trustees it was determined to open the library of the Institute, as a general lending library, for the use of the members and the general public, as early in 1895 as possible. A large portion of the books have been in storage since the fire in the old Institute building, some four years ago. They will be removed with as little delay as possible to the Bedford Park with the volumes already on the shelves of the Museum, where they will be properly cataloged museum. Brooklyn (N. Y.) L. The alterations that have been in progress during the past six months were completed in December, and the library enters upon 1895 thoroughly rehabilitated and practically remade. The changes have already been noted in the L. J. (19:312). They add greatly to the convenience of readers and staff, and allow for a total book capacity of 200,000 v. Brooklyn, N. Y. Pratt Institute F. L. The Long Island Free Library, which has been established in Brooklyn since 1881, has been made one of the branches of the Institute library, and will henceforth be conducted by the directors of tains about 6000 v., and had, in 1893, an attendthe Institute. The Long Island Library conance of about 41,000 readers; it should prove an active and useful branch, being in a part of the city that Pratt Institute has not widely reached. Besides this library, and the older Greenpoint | chairman of the commission, has issued circulars branch, the Institute has opened delivery stations at Froebel Academy, in Williamsburg, under the auspices of the South Third Street Presbyterian Church, and at Slocum Memorial Kindergarten. It is intended to extend the system, as rapidly as possible, to other kindergartens and to the public schools. Bridgeport (Ct.) P. L. In January Superintendent Hills will inaugurate a new departure in the art department of the library, which he has so successfully developed. There was on exhibition during December a collection of color paintings by well-known American artists. This is to be followed in January by an exhibition of the black-and-white work of the leading book and magazine illustrators of the day. Mr. Hill has secured from Scribner, Century, Outing, and other well-known magazines, permission to exhibit the originals of some of their best illustrations, and most of the leading artists in blackand-white will be represented in the collection. The library has issued catalogs of the various exhibitions held in the art department. Bryn Mawr (Pa.) College L. The Sauppe philological library, purchased for the college library in the spring of 1893, is described in the Nation of Dec. 20 (p. 461). The collection is now being cataloged; it is very rich in early editions of classical authors, and besides its special subject-classical philology—includes an interesting and valuable Goethe collection of several hundred volumes. to the various towns of the state, urging that advantage be taken of the state law of 1893, offering $200 worth of books to any town voting an equal sum for the establishment of a public library. During 1894 the following towns took advantage of the law: Seymour, Wethersfield, Suffield, Plainville, Newington, Scotland, Durham, Putnam, Haddam, and Union. Decatur (Ill.) City L. The library has issued a supplement, showing that 6000 v. have been added since the catalog of 1892 was issued. Elizabeth (N. J.) P. L. Added 300; total 7086; issued 27,839. The falling off in circulation which in 1893 was 33,093- is explained by the fact that the library was closed for alteration and repair from July 28 to Oct. 21. "The wisdom of issuing teachers' cards has justified itself 35 have been given out, 33 are now in constant use, and 438 volumes have been drawn on these cards during the year." All of the additions to the library have been gifts. In order to provide a fund for the purchase of books it is intended to raise $250, by 10 subscriptions of $25 each. A part of this subscription has been already secured. FULLER, H: B. The Newberry Library. (In Harper's Weekly, D. 29, '94.) I col. A short account of the building, accompanied by a page of illustrations, showing five views of the interior and exterior. Galena (Ill.) P. L. The new library building, given to Galena by B: F. Felt, of that town, was formally presented to the city on the evening of Jan. 2. The exercises, consisting of prayer, music, and addresses, were largely attended. Among the speakers were Dr. Gunsaulus, of Armour Institute, Chicago; Rev. W: R. Lawrence, J. W. Scott, and H. H. Kohlsaat, all of Chicago. Mr. Felt's offer to the town and the organization of the library have already been noted in these columns. (L. J., 19: 39091.) Hopkinton (Mass.) P. L. The new library building was dedicated on January 1. The exercises were held in the town hall, which was completely filled. Canton, Ill. Parlin L. The Parlin Library was opened to the public September 5, 1894, and has become very popular with the people of the town. The building and grounds have cost about $20,000, of which $8000 was bequeathed by William Parlin, deceased, an old and esteemed resident of Canton; $5000 raised by taxation, and the remainder given by Mrs. Parlin, the widow of the deceased, and her family. The books, furnishings, and entire running expenses of the library have thus far been the gift of the Parlin family. The library started with 2000 volumes, and is increasing at the rate of 100 volumes a month. In the three months since the opening, the number of readers has increased to 650, and the total circulation of books was 4425, of which 298 were reference-books. The yearly list of The building is a two-story gothic structure, newspapers and magazines numbers 54. It has 33 x 60 feet, built of Milford granite with Nova been the purpose of the board of trustees to in- Scotia buff trimmings. On the south wall of vite to the building all literary and art clubs, and the vestibule is a massive bronze memorial serious students, and for this purpose a room has tablet, inscribed as follows: "The sons and been set apart in which two clubs meet weekly. daughters of Hopkinton, who have built this Access to shelves is encouraged, and has proven public library, place therein this tablet in of benefit to the readers. An art-room is com- grateful remembrance of those sons of Hoppleted on the second floor, which is as yet unde-kinton whose names are inscribed who died in veloped, though it is the intention of the Parlin family to furnish it by degrees with pictures from abroad and from America. H. Elizabeth Cory, a graduate of the 1894 class of library science at Armour Institute, Chicago, Ill., has had charge The first floor contains the reading-room, of the organizing, classifying, and preparation of book-room, and shelf alcoves, with a capacity of finding-list; her work occupied four months, and 25,000 volumes, the librarian's quarters and on December 1 Mrs. J. H. Resor, of Canton, was toilet-rooms. The walls of the reading-room left in entire charge, with one assistant. are handsomely tinted and frescoed, and the inConnecticut P. L. Commission. C: D. Hine, terior furnishings are entirely of quartered oak. the service of the country in that war which destroyed slavery and preserved the union." Below this inscription are 54 names followed by an appropriate quotation. The second floor is adapted for a public lecture-room, and has a seating capacity for 150. The building is heated with two large furnaces and is equipped for lighting with electricity. The site for the library was given by Mrs. Sarah Whitin, of Whitinsville, a native of Hopkinton. Mr. Sanford Phipps, of the firm of Loring & Phipps, architects, Boston, gave the plans and specifications and supervised the construction. The first step towards the library's establishment was made by J: Quincy Adams, a native of the town, living in Wheaton, Ill., who subscribed $4000 on condition that $10,000 more be raised for the purpose. More than $17,000 raised among others interested. Kansas State Univ., Lawrence, Kan. was The new Spooner library building was formally dedicated on Oct. 10, and opened for the use of the students. The exercises were attended by prominent men from many states, and the dedication address was read by Dr. Cyrus W. Northup, president of the University of Minnesota. The building was erected from the bequest of $91,618, left to the university in 1891 by W. B. Spooner, of Boston. About $15,000 of the legacy was devoted to building a residence for the president of the university, the rest was set aside as a library building fund. The new library building was designed by architects Van Brunt & Howe, of Kansas City. It is 140 by 78 feet, and has two stories and a basement in the form of a T, with "lean-tos" added on each side of the main building. White rock, with facings of Colorado sandstone, are the materials used; the square front is much like that of the new Boston Public Library, and the front entrance is Romanesque in style. The fire-proof stack, 25 feet wide, 44 feet long and 45 feet high, is separated from the main building by fire walls and iron doors. The front entrance to the building is from a massive portico opening on the second floor. The stairway, leading to the third floor and to the basement below are flanked by cloak-rooms, the newspaper-room, and one of the six seminary rooms in the building. The reading-room, commodious and well lighted, is modern in every detail, including reading-tables and deadened floors; it is lighted with incandescent electric lamps, furnished with alcoves for private study, and at the east end are the librarian's office and cataloger's rooms, equipped with the latest devices for the quick handling of the 100,000 books, which is the capacity of the five-story fire-proof book-stack that faces the east end of the entire structure. The basement is entirely aboveground, and contains, besides the large storage-rooms, quarters where the books are received, invoiced, and sent up to the catalogers by means of lifts. There are five seminary rooms on this floor. The third floor of the structure is taken up with a banqueting-hall with the necessary adjuncts. Manchester (N. H.) City L. The library is being reclassified, according to the Cutter pansive" system, and a dictionary card catalog is in preparation. Miss Sanborn received permission to inaugurate these changes at the September meeting of the board. The trustees ex have also voted to allow teachers to take out six books at a time for school-work. The mayor, in his inaugural message for 1895, says: The city library, under the progressive administration of Miss Sanborn, has apparently entered on a new era of usefulness. She has inaugurated many reforms, none of them, perhaps, being better appreciated than the purchase of books monthly, instead of quarterly or semiannually, as heretofore. By this innovation the popular books are on the shelves of the library ready for circulation almost as quickly as they are found on the counters of the booksellers themselves. The library now contains 38,351 volumes, there having been added during the year 1147 new books. Miss Sanborn has just issued a fiction catalog, containing the names of between 6000 and 7000 volumes, for which there in preparing a general catalog of all the books in was a pressing demand, and is now engaged the library. "The library building itself needs to be repaired, and if the structure is to remain where it in order to popularize it.” is there should be a reading-room added to it, Milwaukee (Wis.) P. L. The library board has adopted two recommendations made by Miss West in her annual report, submitted in November. The first reduces the fines imposed for holding books over time from three cents to one cent a day; it is thought that the latter charge, while in no sense a burden, is yet sufficient to enforce the rule. The other change is the adoption of the two-books-on-a-card plan, which it is believed will increase the circulation of “solid" literature. New Hampshire State L., Concord. The new state library building was dedicated on the afternoon of January 8, before a large audience, including members of the legislature and prominent citizens from all sections of the state. Among the speakers were C: P. Burns, of Wilton, chairman of the building committee, who presented the keys and building to the governor; Governor Buriel, Senior Associate Justice I. W. Smith, and G: C. Gilmore, president of the library trustees. President W: R. Tucker, of Dartmouth, delivered the oration, and A. R. Spofford, librarian of the Congressional Library, spoke on "The world of books." New Orleans, La. Howard Memorial L. (6th rpt.) Added 4007; total 27,797. Details of use for the year are not given. Of the total number of books and pamphlets above noted, about 1000 are duplicates, "the accumulation of which was almost unavoidable during the early history of the library. During the ensuing year it is expected that most of them will pass to the shelves of other libraries, either in exchange or as conditional donations, subject to their being made of public benefit. and pamphlets are still undergoing careful examination previous to entry. "The recommendations of the librarian last year on the subject of lighting has been partly carried out by the substitution of the Welsbach incandescent light for the old burners. The result at present is most satisfactory. "The board-room is now being utilized as a meeting-place for two literary classes, who occupy it for about six hours a week. This tends to bring many to the library who would be otherwise unaware of its value." New York. School libraries. Superintendent Jasper, of the board of education, has recently developed plans for the establishment of school libraries in the various city schools. The nucleus for these libraries was formed in 1894, when the city received $15,000 of the $55,000 appropriated for school libraries. To this the city added $15,000, and the whole $30,000 was divided among the schools in proportion to the number of teachers in each building, allowing about $6 to each teacher. This effects a rather arbitrary distinction, as a school with two teachers has but $12 to invest, while a large school, with say 50 teachers, receives $300. Two lists of books have been prepared. The first comprises the essentials-books to be purchased by each school as fast as practicable —viz.: dictionaries, cyclopædias, gazetteers, etc., with a few standard American and English poets, and a set of Shakespeare. The second list contains such | books as "American patriotic selections," "Dictionary of phrase and fable," "The first book of knowledge," The senses and the will," Compayre's "History of pedagogy,' ,""How to know the wild flowers," etc. New York. THE ASTOR LIBRARY. (In N. Y. Tribune, D. 8, '94.) 2 col. An exposition of the library's rules, the conditions for its regulation imposed by its founder, and its working methods, with suggestions for alteration and improvement. New York. University of City of N. Y. The Lagarde Semitic library, purchased two years ago for the university library, is now established as a separate departmental library, under the jurisdiction of Prof. J: D. Prince, professor of Semitics. Plans for a new library building are in preparation by Stanford White, supervising architect of the new site of the university. The building, when completed, is to serve as the home of the college library proper, and also for a reference and circulating library which it is intended to establish for the benefit of the northern wards of the city, where the new building will be situated. Newark (N. J.) P. L. At the November meeting of the library board it was decided to re-establish sub-stations in six different parts of the city. The stations are located in drug-stores, and it was decided that where the maximum price paid to the store-keepers for the privilege exceeded $5 a month at the rate of one cent a volume, half a cent a volume should be paid. The contract for carting the books to and from the library was awarded to the lowest bidder at $19 a week. The approximate cost will be for It takes the whole time of the four assistants to deal with the books as they come in, and it would be impossible for them to attend to the wants of a public that was consulting and borrowing books. The library, therefore, has not been opened for circulation. Philadelphia. Evening Home and L. Assoc. On November 10 the corner-stone of the new building of the Evening Home and Library Association was laid with appropriate exercises. The association has existed since its organization under the auspices of the First Unitarian Church; it is intended to offer a pleasant and helpful gathering-place for boys and young men. The new building will contain a hall for entertainments, a library, reading-rooms for men and boys, a coffee-room, class-rooms, and possibly a dormitory. Philadelphia F. L. The Free Library of Philadelphia, established by the Pepper bequest and located in the city hall, has practically been made a municipal organization by the action of the city councils in December. The councils passed two ordinances, the first accepting for the city the 14,356 v. contained in the library, the second creating a commission to manage the library, and appropriating $25,000 for its support during 1895. The trustees named in the ordibranches of councils, a citizen to be elected by nance are the mayor and presidents of both each branch of councils and the following gentlemen: Dr. W: Pepper, R. H. Bayard Bowie, G: Tucker Bispham, S: Wagner, J. Parker Norris, Eugene Delano, W: Platt Pepper, David Pepper, Isaac Norris, G: B. Roberts, Clarence H. Clark, S: R. Shipley, T: L. Montgomery, T: Dolan, and W: J. Latta. Vacancies are to be filled by the board and the mayor alternately. This seems to be a first step toward the consolidation of the library with the several free libraries established by the board of education. As the rooms in the city hall are too small, and are also needed by the city authorities, the library is to be removed to Egyptian hall," near its present site. In the new quarters there will be a libraryroom 100 x 60, a board-room, and a librarian's office, the floor space being more than double that formerly available. The hall will be divided into three divisions. The largest, with a depth of 50 feet, will be devoted to the general books, to the public, and to receiving and giving out books. The next, 30 feet in depth, will be converted into a reading-room, with closed cases, in which can be stored books to be kept carefully. Then will come a room 20 feet deep, which will be set aside for the catalogers and other employés of the library. All these " rooms will be lined with bookcases, and stacks will be added by degrees. The library has at present about 20,000 volumes, but the number will be very largely increased during the next four or five months, and the shelving, to be at once provided, will accommodate about 50,000 volumes. The arrangements are being so carried out that probably, if necessity arose, 100,000 volumes could be stored in the library. Philadelphia P. Ls. The liberal policy of the city council in appropriating for 1895 $50,000 to the board of education for its branch libraries, may be taken as definitely marking the success of the free library movement in Philadelphia. The appropriation is an increase of $25,000 over that allowed for 1894, and will enable the board to establish two more branch libraries during the next few months. It has already been decided that one of these branches shall be located in the West Philadelphia Institute, at 40th and Ludlow streets, where there is already a small library belonging to the Young Men's Institute. It is the intention of Chairman H: R. Edmunds, of the board of education's public libraries committee, to add 10,000 books to this collection, and to open the new library in the spring. The other branch will probably be opened in Germantown. The growth of the free libraries established by the board of education has been remarkable. The first was organized in 1892, when an appropriation of $15,000 was made to the board, with which Branch No. I was established. This was followed by $25,000 in 1893, and the same amount in 1894, with which branches have been opened at Roxborough, Broad and Federal streets, and Frankford avenue and Norris street. With this small sum-$65,000-41,000 volumes have been collected in the three years, and the expenses of the four libraries, which require 28 librarians and assistants, have been met. There are over 26,000 registered borrowers, and the circulation for 1894 was 525,438 volumes, an increase of 335,916 over the record of 1893. The four libraries that have already been established have become so popular that the rooms are not large enough to comfortably accommodate the very large number of persons using them. At Branch I (Wagner Institute) 1825 volumes were issued on Saturday, Nov. 24, and this was only a slight increase over the record of other Saturdays. The total circulation for the year was 224,130 V. This is an increase of 79,000 v. over the record of last year. There are 14,800 names registered as cardholders, and the number of v. cataloged is 15.679. All the work of the branch is done in one room 25 x 70 ft. The circulation at the other branches for 1894 is: Branch 2, 26,290 v.; Branch 3. 80,637 v.; Branch 4. 71,510 v. Branch 4 was opened in March and Branch 3 in May. Providence (R. 1.) P. L. By Nov. 1, the date by which plans for the new library building were to be submitted to the committee, that body had received nine sets of plans from local architects, which were forwarded to the consulting architect, Prof. W: R. Ware, of Columbia College, to be examined and reported on. 44 On Rindge, N. H. Ingalls Memorial L. Dec. 17 the Ingalls Memorial Library, given to Rindge by the Hon. Rodney Wallace, of Fitchburg, was formally made over to the selectmen of the town. The offer of the library was made in June, 1894, when Mr. Wallace offered to build on a site belonging to him, "a good substantial building, complete in all particulars, to be used for a free public library and readingrooms, to be called the Ingalls memorial library,' to cost not less than $5000," and to give a deed of the building and land to the $500 be raised and expended within one year town of Rindge, on condition that the sum of chase of books, and also that the sum of $1000 after the completion of the building for the purbe raised, to be kept as a permanent fund, the income of which is to be used annually for the purchase of books, or for the care of the library, proposition was at once accepted by the town, as the trustees each year may deem best." The and appropriations were made in accordance with Mr. Wallace's request. The building was completed in December, 1894, and was made over tail, even to a supply of coal for the coming to the town furnished and equipped in every deyear. The deed to the town was accompanied by a check for $1000 to be invested, and the income devoted to caring for the building, and a books. The dedication of the building has been check for $500 to be used for the purchase of postponed until next summer. Mr. Ingalls, of whom the library is a memorial, was the father in-law of Mr. Wallace. The library building is 40 x 47 feet, of the built of pressed brick and sandstone, with granmodern Romanesque style of architecture; it is ite underpinning, immediately surmounting which is a course of sandstone ashlar work three the same feet high, capped by a nine-inch water-table of stone. Access to the building is through a handsomely carved archway, nine feet wide. The vestibule is four by 10 feet, the waiting-room 10 by 13%, directly in front of which is the delivery-desk, with the book-room beyond, which is 19 by 32% feet, and capable right of the waiting-room is the art-room, 121⁄2 of accommodating about 8500 books. On the by 21 feet, and on the left the reading-room, of the same dimensions, both connected with the waiting-room by sliding doors. Both rooms and can at any time be finished into a hall. The attic is well lighted, have open fireplaces. The finish in the book-room is western ash, all the rest of the first floor being quartered oak, wainscoted to the height of three feet with with the exception of the vestibule, which is marble, and has a tiled floor. The attic is fin ished in white wood. The ground around the building has been graded, and a substantial wall of rough fieldstone built. This is the second library established by Mr. Wallace, the handsome library and art building in Fitchburg bearing his name. The Ingalls library has also received a check of $500 from Mrs. N. J. Bigelow, to create a fund in memory of her father, Marshall P, Wilder. |