USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1917 > Part 14
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During the latter part of the year because of the great activity at the Fore River Plant, the city found it necessary to widen Washington Street, and this involved the taking of a strip of land from the library grounds about nineteen fect wide. Incidental to the widening it may, and probably will, become necessary to remove the trees which now are on the new side- walk, and also to regrade that portion of the grounds. The city authori- ties and those in charge of the work have consulted us in regard to various matters affecting the library grounds, and we are assured of their assistance in restoring them to their proper condition.
Our great difficulty, emphasized particularly by the war conditions, is the absolute need of increasing the salaries of our assistants so that we may keep our valuable trained workers instead of allowing the library to become a training school for furnishing workers for other libraries. Thc salaries should be increased and should be commensurate with the value of the services rendered.
The need of a lecture hall for story hours, club meetings, exhibits and such, is keenly felt. It would greatly increase the usefulness and efficiency of the library. In closing we wish again to emphasize the need of a branch library or reading room in Wollaston. That section of the city has long
227
228
CITY OF QUINCY
since outgrown the basket-delivery stage. As we have stated in our former reports, the only reason that we have not already established such a branch is because of lack of funds. Again we wish also to emphasize the necessity of larger quarters in West Quincy. We have entirely outgrown the present quarters, and the work is being done under great difficulties. Again we repeat that in our opinion it is essential that the city should own the build- ings occupied by the library branches.
Respectfully submitted for the Trustees,
GEORGE W. ABELE, Chairman.
City Appropriation.
Forward from 1916.
$400.00
Appropriation for 1917
17,487.00
Dog tax .
2,302.95
Additional for water, November, 1917
20.67
Total
$20,210.62
Expenditures.
Central Library:
Salaries and services.
$9,843.38
Books.
3,004.19
Periodicals, binding and printing
1,434.11
Fuel and lighting
970.47
Sundries.
1,494.91
$16,747.06
West Quincy Reading Room:
Rent and care of room
$426.67
Salary and assistance.
824.71
Books and periodicals, etc.
154.27
Fuel and lighting
116.50
Sundries .
63.55
1,585.70
Atlantic Reading Room:
Rent and care of room.
$540.00
Salary and assistance.
695.37
Books and periodicals, etc.
200.50
Fuel and lighting
87.47
Sundries .
79.57
1,602.91
Total expenditures
$19,935.67
274.95
Held for contract for coal .
$20,210.62
229
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
TREASURER'S STATEMENT. 1917.
Thomas Crane Endowment Fund.
Balance on hand December 31, 1916:
Massachusetts State bonds (cost price) $19,656.75 1,052.85
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank .
630.00
Received interest on Massachusetts State bonds. Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank
42.34
Received rebate on bond for F. Morton Smith, treasurer .
3.49
Paid American Surety Co. of N. Y., premium on bond for treasurer .
$12.50
42.39
Beckford & Lynch, installing and repairing lights Granite Trust Co., rent of safe deposit box .
5.00
F. S. Hardy & Co., special fixtures for lighting stacks.
252.45
J. C. Hayden, labor on grounds, etc.
360.00
J. E. Keniley & Co., coil and labor, gas heater.
24.10
Krohn & Harrington, brass railing .
6.00
Norfolk Iron Co., sign post and sign.
170.00
William Patterson, flower seed and labor
16.50
W. Porter & Co., insurance.
161.33
John G. Thomas, repairs on roof .
36.48
William Westland & Co., supplies and repairs.
6.05
Balance on hand December 31, 1917:
Massachusetts State bonds (cost price)
19,656.75
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank.
635.88
$21,385.43
$21,385.43
Catalog Fund.
Balance on hand December 31, 1916.
$802.35
Received from library fines.
599.18
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank.
17.32
Paid Ruth Alexander, reclassification and cata- loging .
$520.00
Boys, assistance in reclassification work.
233.01
Granite City Print, printing .
178.50
Library of Congress, catalog cards.
100.00
Pratt Co., printing
15.30
Balance on hand December 31, 1917
372.04
$1,418.85 $1,418.85
230
CITY OF QUINCY
Cotton Center Johnson Fund.
Balance on hand December 31, 1916:
Kansas City, Clay County and St. Joseph bonds (cost price) . $1,890.00 169.03 100.00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank
Received interest on bonds .
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank. 7.06
Paid Harper & Brothers, books .
Charles E. Lauriat Co., books
$40.00 103.38
Puritan Linotype, book .
4.00
Balance on hand December 31, 1917:
Kansas City, Clay County and St. Joseph bonds (cost price) .
1,890.00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank
128.71
$2,166.09
$2,166.09
Gift of Albert Crane.
Balance on hand December 31, 1916.
$26.68
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank.
1.06
Balance on hand December 31, 1917.
27.74
$27.74
$27.74
George W. Morton Fund.
Balance on hand December 31, 1916:
Two Kansas City terminal bonds, 4's
$1,880.50
Three Massachusetts gas, 412's.
2,912.38
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank
275.28
Received interest on bonds
215.00
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank. .
13.39
Paid John Q. Adams & Co., books.
$48.00
Ruth Alexander, work done for F. Morton Smith and Charles R. Safford, treasurers.
10.00
Mabel S. Baxter, work done for Charles R. Saf- ford, treasurer .
10.00
Beckford & Lynch, lights in children's room, and repairs .
53.86
De Wolfe & Fiske Co., books.
7.75
William Filene's Sons Co., flag
5.50
Globe-Wernicke Co., files
1.10
J. C. Hayden, lumber
1.27
Henry L. Kincaide Co., table.
3.70
Quincy Lumber Co., lumber
12.71
A. T. Stearns Lumber Co., lumber
8.93
William Westland & Co., supplies .
1.84
Gustaf Wilbas, steel partitions
1.00
Balance on hand December 31, 1917:
Two Kansas City terminal bonds, 4's.
1,880.50
Three Massachusetts gas, 412's.
2,912.38
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank .
338.01
$5,296.55
$5,296.55
231
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Children's Fund. (Gift of Quincy Women's Club.)
Balance on hand December 31, 1916. $61.44
Received interest on deposit in Quincy Savings Bank . 2.46
Balance on hand December 31, 1917 .
$63.90
$63.90
$63.90
Mt. Wollaston Bank Account.
May 8, 1913, deposit by transfer from Endow- ment Fund . .
$100.00
Balance on hand December 31, 1917
$100.00
$100.00
$100.00
CHARLES R. SAFFORD, Treasurer.
Approved: H. O. Fairbanks,
Auditor of Accounts.
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN.
To the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library:
I have the honor to submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1917.
The library has circulated more books than in any previous year, namely 183,934, an increase of 15,832 over 1916. This increase has like- wise been larger than in any previous year except in 1913-increase, 30,427 -due to the first full year of two branch reading rooms. The circulation as well as the increases from each desk may be seen in the appended statis- tics. It is noteworthy that in a gain of over 6,000 in the children's room fiction is lower by 31/2 per cent.
The rebinding and the repairing and mending of the books as well as the replacing of popular worn out copies have been kept up in the wear and tear of an increasing circulation, and only lack of funds should allow this: to fall into arrears.
There has been an unusual number of gifts, 609, the largest except in 1871 and 1872, the days of the library's beginning. These gifts included 169 volumes from Mrs. W. G. Corthell, of which forty-two volumes, being duplicates, were sent to the West Quincy reading room; 381 books in the Italian language from the Quincy Società Operaia di Mutuo Soccorso, and twenty-seven books in the German language from Mr. Peter W. Bran- scheid.
Among the accessions were "Luther Burbank: his methods and discoveries," in twelve volumes; some important works on shipbuilding and marine engineering, and other technical books, but not nearly enough to meet the demand, which lately at the Atlantic reading room has been from men from the new Victory Plant for books on naval construction and gasolene engines.
There are constant requests to add to our limited collection of books of music, the circulation of which was 1,581, and we should not lose sight of the refining arts in the stern practical demands.
232
CITY OF QUINCY
We have begun the much needed school duplicate collection by the purchase of 766 books and added 365 duplicate copies of other books to the juvenile collection, these latter being on deposit at the branches. These 1,131 duplicates are but a "drop in the bucket" for the constant and ever increasing demands of the Branches and schools. The number of books issued from the children's room to teachers and schools for the year is 1,969; from the West Quincy reading room, 648; from the Atlantic rcad- ing room, 311. A selected list of books for the fifth and sixth grade pupils was published. Both this and the seventh and eighth grade list of last year seem to be appreciated by the teachers and pupils, judging by the constant use of the books. While over 300 more pictures have been circulated from the small collection, here is a need of money to be spent in building up this recognized valuable aid in the work with teachers and schools, both at the Central Library and at the Branches.
A marked improvement was made in the Children's room by the changed position of the delivery desk, all the children in the room now being in front of the attendant, and by the better lighting resulting from the new plans. On May 18, a flag was unfurled over the entrance, and 600 Cod- dington School children proudly took part in the exercises. The Christmas entertainment given in the basement under the direction of Miss Elizabeth Reed was enjoyed by somc 150 children.
Statistics of Branches may be of interest. Books on deposit at West Quincy 1,535, own collection 881 ; on deposit at Atlantic 1,235, own collec- tion 581. Average number of books exchanged per month, West Quincy, 105, Atlantic, 104. I cannot leave this subject without calling attention to the overcrowded quarters of the West Quincy reading room in the even- ing, where, in a room thirty feet square, with tables and chairs seating thirty, it is not uncommon to have sixty-five or seventy people especially during cold weather. Discipline is difficult and adults find little room or inducement but to exchange their books and go out.
The service to Norfolk Downs had dwindled to so few books that it was decided to discontinue the delivery basket the middle of July as not paying for weekly expressage. But through the kind co-operation of Mr. and Mrs. Carstairs, who agreed to receive and care for the books without pay, the service was resumed and about twenty-five books per month are sent by parcel post to approximately eight families. In Wollaston about thirty-five families use the basket with an average circulation of nearly 114 per month. This service has been continued for over thirty years, and the Wollaston Woman's Club are most anxious for better library facilities for their community.
The fulfilling of one of the long cherished hopes of the librarian to see this library's collection entirely reclassified has failed of realization just in sight of the goal by Miss Alexander's call to Washington. It has been impossible in this arduous year for anyone else here to finish the work, which, let us hope, is only temporarily abandoned. The other ideal, the open-shelf book room, has begun to be a reality by the placing of about 1,500 volumes each of fiction and non-fiction upon the stacks installed in the reading room. Although, owing to the delay in lighting, this service was not ready until November, many words of appreciation have come from the public for this accessibility to a greater number of books. Exclu- sive of these and all other collections in the reading room, over 2,000 books on special subjects have been placed here for readers during the year.
The privileges of the library were extended to the guards at the Fore River Plant, to all war workers there and elsewhere in Quincy, and to the sailors at Camp Hingham. We spend no time in keeping statistics of
233
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
readers or in recording library use, but a larger number of men read or con- sult the reference books in the room. The aviators and sailors came to the Atlantic reading room in the summer, and this winter men from the Victory Plant come there either to register or to read in the room.
By no means has the publicity work of the Library been limited to the subject of war, but space forbids further reference except to what will appear later in that connection.
A list of useful and up-to-date books on business was issued late in the year and copies have been sent to business and industrial organizations, stores, salesmen, bookkeepers, etc.
Inasmuch as there had been only revisions of the registration for nine years, and as the numbers were above 13,000, on July 1 a re-registration was begun, and on December 31 practically 5,430 persons were actually using the Library. A total of 2,065 new borrowers is recorded for the year versus 1,870 in 1916.
The average number of readers during the twelve Sundays at the begin- ning of the year that the Library was open for reading and study was fifty- eight, the proportion of High School pupils thirty-eight per cent. In November it was deemed not advisable to open the library on Sundays in view of the increased expense for heating, lighting, and janitor's service. The seriousness of the coal situation at the present writing has fully justi- fied our action.
Staff.
At a meeting of your Board in September, Miss Alexander was granted leave of absence to engage in war work for the American Red Cross. At the same time Miss Packard resigned to accept a position in the children's room of the Boston Public Library, and is now children's librarian at the Waltham Public Library. Then followed the resignation in December of Miss Wainwright after a period of over seven years of valuable construc- tive work at the West Quincy reading room. Miss Gertrude Callahan was placed in charge there. Miss Elizabeth Reed, who during her appren- ticeship with us had taken a course in English literature at Simmons College in the winter, and had passed the summer course in library science there, was added to the staff in September. Since April we have been fortunate in having with us Miss Muriel Almon whose knowledge of books and literature is daily called upon. And just here let me say that if we would keep the workers who have become valuable to the Library through training and experience we should raise salaries all along the line, or the standard of service of the Library cannot be maintained.
Library War Service.
From the latter part of July when through the local press, posters, etc., the Librarian made her appeal to the public to contribute books and magazines for the soldiers at Camp Devens or elsewhere, a gratifying response through the year made it possible to send 764 volumes-622 fiction and 142 non-fiction-and uncounted magazines, the gift of 100 or more individuals. Many of the books were most attractive and in perfect condition; sixty were repaired here, a few were patriotically rebound by our binder without charge; a neat book plate was pasted in each to show that it was the gift of a citizen of Quincy. At the request of the Library Com- mission of Massachusetts some of the books were sent to the Boston Public Library and from there sent to southern camps, to forts and trans- ports. Our thanks are due to Miss M. Lizzie Furnald and Miss Georgiana C. Lane for collecting some of the books for us, to Miss Sweeney and Miss
234
CITY OF QUINCY
Eaton, High School pupils, who gave us an afternoon's help with the pasting, and to both daily papers for the generous space in their columns.
In September, the week of the 24th, came Library War Fund Week, during which the American Library Association with the Library War Council appointed by the War Department, conducted the campaign to raise funds to build and maintain a library at every training camp and cantonment for soldiers, sailors, and airmen at home and abroad. In the strenuous drive with the slogan "$1,000,000 for 1,000,000 books for 1,000,- 000 men," Quincy's library gave ready response to do its share by raising $1.00 for every twenty of the city's population.
Subscriptions large and small were received. An entertainment was given by the Library staff September 24, in Wollaston, followed by a dance and candy sale; the same repeated in Quincy September 28, followed by a Library exhibit. These two evenings, together with the proceeds of a dance at the Quincy Yacht Club arranged by Miss Whittemore, and contribu- tions from the staff, netted the fund $168.88. Eighteen sailors from the United States Naval Training Station at Hingham gave a part or the whole of their one day of liberty in the week for our cause, and the net returns of these enthusiastic collectors were $252.54.
The echoes of this local library effort did not die away until Novem- ber, at which time the sum of $2,365.42 had been sent to Washington by Mr. Sanborn, the treasurer of the local War Library Council. With an estimated population of 45,000, Quincy joined the cities of Massachusetts which exceeded their quota. To the local press hearty thanks and appre- ciation are here given for their free publicity.
All library workers rejoice that the fund has now reached more than $1,500,000 for the purchase of books, the erection of buildings, and the administration of the service, and that more than half a million books have been given by the public, sorted by the librarians and shipped to camps, forts, training stations and naval vessels.
Our war publicity work has been carried on along the lines of the three fundamental needs for the winning of the war: Men, food and ships. A large number of books on military and naval art and science were bought, extra copies kept in reading room, lists of same printed and distributed. We have bought books on food production and conservation, have main- tained a bulletin board devoted entirely to this subject, secured latest government pamphlets and bulletins, printing and distributing a list on canning and preserving. We have published articles in the local papers on these topics of current interest, and have co-operated with the Quincy Food Production and Conservation Committee in calling attention to library material at meetings planned by the committee. We have endeavored as far as possible to meet the needs of the men in the shipyards for their technical and mechanical books.
Collections of books on the war in all its aspects have been placed in the reading room. Under the heading "War Time Reading for War Time Co-operation" have been grouped books on thrift, courage, physical hygiene, foreign trade expansion, and Red Cross work.
Several children came to the children's room in the summer, and instead of having a story hour, made fifty scrap-books for wounded soldiers, which have been sent through the Massachusetts Library Commission to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital Unit in France.
The free use of the West Quincy reading room on Friday evenings has been given to the West Quincy Branch of the Quincy Women's Prepared- ness League. A little play was given in Atlantic by children from the reading room there for the benefit of the Red Cross.
235
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Summarizing briefly the needs: an ever increasing material for work with schools, larger quarters at West Quincy, a Branch reading room at Wollaston, increase of salaries, and the great and crying need for the Quincy library to furnish the technical books, many of which are expensive, called for by those studying to help win this great war and notably by the men who come to us from the two great shipbuilding plants in our midst.
With the still soaring cost of our supplies, to which even electric lamps and the extra cost of postage add their share, it is difficult to avoid Scylla and not fail upon Charybdis in the desire to give as economical an admin- istration as is consistent with our very existence as an educational institu- tion, recognizing the need of rigid economy in a year of war.
Respectfully submitted,
ALICE G. WHITE, Librarian.
236
CITY OF QUINCY
STATISTICS. Size and Growth by Classes.
No. of Vols. in Library Dec. 31, 1917
Added by Added by Purchase 1917
Gift, 1917
Added by Binding Periodicals, 1917
General works. .
23
3
10
Philosophy and religion.
1,376
31
26
Sociology
1,798
114
20
. . .
Science ..
1,337
70
6
. . .
Useful and fine arts ..
2,059
193
39
Literature and philology.
3,266
114
310
. . .
History .
2,896
92
70
Travel .
1,804
18
8
. . .
Biography
2,857
33
22
. . .
Fiction .
7,715
370
11
Unclassified bound periodicals
4,921
18
143
Reference .
1,576
22
34
. . .
.
. . .
Fiction
3,697
565
2
. ..
Non-fiction
4,628
1,193
1
5
West Quincy reading room
881
112
16
2
Atlantic reading room.
581
164
1
Total.
44,512
3,094 540
609
150
Volumes replaced, 1917
Number of books bought from city appropriation.
3,558
Number of books bought from Cotton Center Johnson Fund.
59
Number of books bought from George W. Morton Fund. .
17
160 periodicals were bound and 2,054 books and periodicals were rebound in 1917, at a total cost of.
$941.92
Circulation by Classes, 1917.
Main Hall
Chil- dren's Room
West Quincy Reading Room
Atlantic Reading Room
Total
General works.
460
533
186
1,036
2,215
Philosophy and religion.
1,300
273
401
160
2,134
Sociology
1,984
187
126
108
2,405
Science
1,038
1,005
615
630
3,288
Useful and fine arts .
5,723
1,992
1,149
1,224
10,088
Literature and philology .
3,257
8,197
7,274
1,898
20,626
History
2,135
2,086
1,616
713
6,550
Travel .
1,559
1,985
1,294
758
5,596
Biography
1,586
919
651
385
3,541
Fiction.
42,000
21,415
18,817
26,176
108,408
Periodicals (unbound)
12,916
1,851
1,864
2,452
19,083
Total
73.958
40,443
33.993
35,540
183.934
. .
Document room.
2,885
15
Children's room:
..
. . .
. . .
237
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
*Number of books lent to schools. .
*Number of books lent to Fore River Plant.
146
*Number of books lent to Boston Gear Works.
29
Increase of circulation in 1917:
Main hall 2,613
Children's room.
6,242
West Quincy reading room. 4,327
Atlantic reading room. 2,650
Total increase of circulation, 1917 15,832
Average daily circulation, main hall.
244
Average daily circulation, children's room.
133
Average daily circulation, West Quincy reading room
112
Average daily circulation, Atlantic reading room.
117
Percentage of fiction, main hall.
56.7
Percentage of fiction, children's room.
52.9
Percentage of fiction, West Quincy reading room
55.4
Percentage of fiction, Atlantic reading room .
73.6
Vacation books lent .
345
Books in foreign languages lent .
504
Books borrowed from Boston Public Library
24
Books of music lent
1,581
Stereographs lent ..
3,535
Mounted and unmounted pictures to schools.
835
QUINCY DONORS TO THE THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY DURING THE YEAR 1917.
Addison, Mrs. Thomas A. Universalist Leader.
Alden, Mrs. Elizabeth H. Books.
Associated Charities of Quincy. Report.
Branscheid, Peter W. Books.
Branscheid & Martens. Free delivery of local papers to Atlantic reading room.
Christian Science Publishing Society. Periodicals.
City Hospital of Quincy. Annual report.
Clayton, Mrs. Alice. Books.
Cockayne, Mrs. Frances M. Daily Mail. Overseas edition.
Corthell, Mrs. W. G. Books.
Fore River Plant. Fore River Log.
Geist, Mrs. Marguerite A. Books.
Hall, John. Book.
Hallowell, Mrs. Elizabeth S. Books.
Hicks, Miss Lillie A. Books.
Keyes, Mrs. Emma S. Book.
MacIsaac, Mrs. Adelaide. Books.
Melcher, Mrs. A. L. Association Monthly.
Melville, John T. Book.
Perry, Mrs. Helen A. Red Cross Magazine.
Prescott Publishing Co. Quincy Patriot-Ledger to the branch reading rooms.
*Classified and included in general circulation; counted one for each book issued.
.
.
3,022
238
CITY OF QUINCY
Quincy, City of. Annual report.
Assessment of a poll tax, 1917. Planning Board. Annual report. School Department. Annual report.
Quincy Branch National Alliance. Christian Register.
Roche, Wm. J. Extension Magazine.
Società Operaia Italiana di Mutuo Soccorso. Books in the Italian lan- guage.
Spargo Print. Quincy Telegram to the branch reading rooms.
Turner, Miss Hattie E. Books.
W. C. T. U. of Quincy. Young Crusader.
Wainwright, Miss Belinda E. Books to West Quincy reading room.
Waterhouse, George S. Ambition.
Whitticom, Mrs. Bessie. Book.
Y. M. C. A. of Quincy. Association Men.
STATISTICS ARRANGED ACCORDING TO THE FORM ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. Annual Report for Year Ending December 31, 1917.
Name of library: Thomas Crane Public Library.
Name of librarian: Alice G. White.
City or town: Quincy. State: Massachusetts.
Population served (Massachusetts census 1915)
40,674
Terms of use: Free for lending. Free for reference.
Total number of agencies, consisting of :
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