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 1937 > Part 26
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The baseball field will possibly be completed with bleachers, players' benches and backstop in the near future.
A circular Rubble Stone Lookout has been added at the highest point in the area, with a rough stone cap (pointed). The inside radius of this Lookout is 86 feet and will allow Parking for 75 automobiles. This Lookout offers a panorama of Boston Harbor and a large area of Braintree and Weymouth. The finish grade and surfacing for this project is yet to be completed. A rubble stone fire place was also constructed close to the Lookout so that picnic parties might enjoy the advantage of this outdoor facility.
Twelve field stone seats were built on Faxon Park, and 2500 feet of bridle paths were completed.
The winter of 1938 will find a Skating Rink available and a shelter built of field stone by the National Youth Administration adjoining the Skating Rink.
We have added to our Park facilities a concrete enclosure at Squantum that may be used for ice skating in the winter and roller skating in the summer. As a matter of fact, this may be used for any sport activity that can be performed in an area of 80 ft. x 100 ft. This enclosure has a side wall of concrete and a cement floor and could be flooded with water in the hot summer months for bathing for the small children of this section.
The Birch Street Stadium has had bleachers added on the north- erly side for an additional 1000 seats, and the seating capacity will be complete for the football season of 1938.
The William T. Shea Park of West Quincy, which has been men- tioned before in this report, was completed under W.P.A.
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REPORT OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT
A beautiful project has been operating in the St. Moritz section, West Quincy, comprising the clearing and care of thirteen acres of park property, with the additional work of surgery and trimming of trees. On the project the W.P.A. will possibly remove 2000 undesirable trees.
The contemplated erection of bleacher seats for the Dennis O'Neil Playground will be finished for the baseball season of 1938, giving this playground a set of wooden bleachers on cement foundations with a seating capacity of approximately 1000. This playing field is the largest in the city and serves a large area in the north end of the city.
The erection of the beautiful Municipal Stadium with a seating capacity of 5500 at Pfaffman's Oval has added greatly to our park facilities. This Stadium with its natural surroundings will possibly be recognized as one of the outstanding projects in Massachusetts. Directly underneath the stands will be the 50' x 20' locker room, containing six showers on each side. The main entrance from Hancock Street will be practically at street level. The Stadium is to be dedicated in the fall of 1938, and will be deeply appreciated by the citizens of Quincy.
We offer the following recommendations for your consideration: Purchase of land adjoining LaBrecque and Perkins Playgrounds. Purchase of Quincy Column property on Water Street.
Double tennis courts at Montclair, Perkins, LaBrecque and O'Rourke playgrounds.
Artificial ice ponds at Montclair and Kincaide playgrounds.
Resanding Avalon Beach.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM J. SPARGO, Manager J. ERNEST COLLINS, Secretary ORRIE D. WILIAMS
410
CITY OF QUINCY
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1937 Published by the Trustees 1938
TRUSTEES, 1937 COL. GEORGE E. ADAMS, Chairman
GEORGIANA C. LANE, Secretary
PAUL A. COLETTI, Treasurer
HENRIETTA C. THOMAS
VINCENT J. READDY
PAUL C. REARDON
LIBRARIAN GALEN W. HILL
STAFF
GERTRUDE F. CALLAHAN, First Assistant
MARTHA E. ROSVALL, Cataloger
MARGARET M. HEBERT. Chief of Circulation
SARAH B. KINGMAN, Children's Librarian
EDNA AMET, Assistant
FLORA DIBONA, Assistant
JOSEPHINE GALANTE, Assistant
ELEANOR Gow, Assistant
DOROTHY HENRIKSON, Assistant
ELIZABETH G. KEATING, Assistant
DOROTHY E. NEWTON, Assistant
IRENE M. PONTI, Assistant
¿DOROTHY K. WHITE, Assistant JESSIE D. WILFORD, Reference Librarian
BRANCH LIBRARIANS
MARIE CORAYER, Parkway Branch MABEL E. CORIATI, General Palmer Branch
¡HELENE CROFTS, Hospital Librarian M. LOUISE DINEGAN, Lakin Square Branch BARBARA M. HILL, Montclair Branch BEATRICE M. KENILEY, Manet Branch CAROLYN KITTREDGE, Atlantic Branch RAGNHILD LINDBERG, Temple Branch MARY I. MILLS, Baxter Branch BETHIAH MORRILL, Squantum Branch MABEL F. PORTER, Merrymount Branch
*FRANCES B. RAYMOND, Squantum Branch DORIS E. RIZZI, Norfolk Downs Branch CATHERINE SAVILLE, Wollaston Branch
JANITOR JOHN V. MEAD SAMUEL ALWARD, Substitute
CHAUFFEUR AND GROUNDS KEEPER LESTER A. WHITE * Part time * Resigned
411
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
DIRECTORY AND LIBRARY HOURS
MAIN LIBRARY, 40 Washington St. Tel. Pres. 0081. Open 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. daily except Sunday. Open Sundays (for reading only) October to May, 2-6 P.M.
BOYS' AND GIRLS' HOUSE, 25 Spear St.
Open daily except Saturday and during vacation, 1.30-6 P.M. Open Saturdays and daily during vacation, 10-12 A.M., 1.30- 6 P.M.
BRANCHES:
ATLANTIC, 137 Sagamore Street, Atlantic Open every afternoon, 1-6 P.M.
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings, 7-9 P.M.
BAXTER, 139 Water Street, South Quincy Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-6, 7-9 P.M.
GENERAL PALMER, Adams Shore School, Pelican Road Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1.30-6 P.M. Open Monday and Friday, 7-9 P.M.
LAKIN SQUARE, 495 Beale Street Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 1-6 P.M. Open Tuesday and Saturday, 7-9 P.M.
MANET, Atherton Hough School, Houghs Neck Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-6 P.M. Open Monday and Friday, 7-9 P.M.
MERRYMOUNT, Merrymount School, Agawam Road Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1.30-6 P.M. Open Monday and Friday, 7-9 P.M.
MONTCLAIR, 91 Holbrook Road, Montclair Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-6 P.M. Open Monday and Friday, 7-9 P.M.
NORFOLK DOWNS, 6-8 Tyler Street, Norfolk Downs Open every afternoon, 1-6 P.M. Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 7-9 P.M.
PARKWAY, 1248 Furnace Brook Parkway, W. Quincy Open every afternoon, 1-6 P.M. Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 7-9 P.M.
SQUANTUM, Squantum School, Huckins Avenue Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-6 P.M. Open Friday, 7-9 P.M.
TEMPLE, 516 Washington Street, Quincy Point Open every afternoon, 1-6 P.M. Open Monday and Friday, 7-9 P.M.
WOLLASTON, 41 Beale Street, Wollaston Open daily except Saturday, 1-6, 7-9 P.M. Open Saturday, 9-12 A.M., 1-6, 7-9 P.M.
HOSPITAL SERVICE, Quincy City Hospital Daily except Saturday, Sept .- May, 1-6 P.M. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-6 P.M., June-Sept.
412
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
To His Honor, the Mayor of the City of Quincy:
The sixty-seventh annual report of the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library is submitted herewith.
The work of the library department has proceeded in a normal way during the year 1937. Attention is invited to the report of the librarian and to the statistical information appended to his report for a more detailed record of the functioning, of the library for this year.
It will be noted that an additional amount of $2,000.00 in the book appropriation was granted in the annual city budget, which made possible an increase in the circulation of the library. This was much appreciated and is a step in the right direction towards bringing the book stock up to a point where the library can render more efficient service to its large and ever increasing number of patrons. However, reference is made again to the report of the librarian to show that only in this item of the amount appropriated for the purchase of books does this library fail to compare favor- ably with others of a like size and serving a like number of read- ers. It is hoped that an increase will be made each year in this appropriation for the benefit of the reading public.
The Trustees acknowledge with thanks two gifts during. the year, one from a former trustee, Mr. Arthur J. Noble, of a valuable set of Massachusetts biographies and the other from Mr. Frederick H. Bishop of a bound set of Harper's Magazine complete from volume one to date, a very useful and much appreciated gift.
The W. P. A. project of pointing up the stone and brick work of the main building has been satisfactorily completed and the book mending project by the same organization is still being carried on.
Under the settlement of the estate of Albert Crane certain funds and property have been turned over to the Thomas Crane Library corporation. These are being held for accumulation until such time as they reach an amount sufficient to construct an addition to the main library building in accordance with the expressed wish of Mr. Crane.
The Trustees take this opportunity to set forth again the ef- ficiency, loyalty and zeal of the librarian and members of the staff and also take this occasion to thank the Mayor and City Council for their support and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE E. ADAMS, Chairman.
GEORGIANA CUSHING LANE, Secretary.
413
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
TREASURER'S REPORT-1937
Crane Memorial Fund
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1936
*6-$1,000 N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co. 1st mortgage 5% gold bonds Series "A" 1952 @ 1241/2 $ 7,447 50 *6-$1,000 Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis RR 41/2 gold bonds Series "C" 1977 @ 1091/8 6,555 00
*6-$1,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. 4% first and refunding mortgage bonds Series "G" 1964 @ 1081/8 6,487 50
*2-$1,000 Terminal Railway Ass'n of St. Louis 4% mortgage refunding sinking fund gold bonds 1953 @ 1085/8 2,172 50
$22,662 50
Securities received Jan. 25, 1937
*6-$1,000 Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania first and refunding mortgage 5% bonds Series "C" 1960 @ 12834 $ 7,725 00
*4-$1,000 Detroit Edison Co., general and refunding mortgage 41/2% bonds Series "D" 1961 @ 11558 4,625 00
*8-$1,000 Illinois Bell Tel. Co., 31/2 first and refunding mortgage bonds Series "B" 1970 @ 1073/8 8,590 00
*6-$1,000 N. Y. Central R.R. refunding and improvement mortgage 5% bonds Series "C" 2013 92 5,520 00
*2-$1,000 N. Y. Lackawanna & Western, first and refunding mortgage 4% bonds Series "A" 1973 @ 9814
1,965 00
*6-$1,000 Province of Ontario 5% debenture bonds 1942 @ 1121/8 6,727 50
*6-$1,000 Province of Saskatchewan, Canada 5% debenture bonds 1939 @ 993/8 5,962 50 *6-$1,000 Union El. Light & Power Co. gen- eral mortgage 41/2 bonds 1957 @ 1061/2 6,390 00
*2- 50 U.S. Treas. Bonds 1955 104 19/32 522 97
*4-100 U.S. Treas. Bonds 1955
$70,690 47
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank Dec. 31, 1936 $ 46 82
Balance in Norfolk Trust Co. 5 96
Interest N. E. Tel. & Tel. bonds 300 00
Interest P. C. C. & St. L. bonds 270 00
Interest Terminal R.R. Ass'n of St. L. bonds 80 00
Interest Detroit Edison Lt. & Pr. bonds 180 00
Interest U. S. Treasury bonds 15 00
Interest Bell Tel. of Penn. bonds 300 00
Interest Ill. Bell Tel. Co. bonds 280 00
Interest N. Y. Central R.R. bonds 300 00
Interest Province of Ontario bonds 300 00
Interest Province of Saskatchewan bonds 134 17
Interest N. Y. L. & W. R.R. bonds 80 00
Interest Union El. Lt. & Power Co. 203 25
414
CITY OF QUINCY
Interest Pacific Gas & El. Lt. Co. 240 00
Interest on deposits Quincy Savings Bank 90 €
Interest Northern Pacific R.R. bonds 300 00
Rentals Columbus Ave., New York City prop- erty 5,770 55
U. S. Trust Co., N. Y. balance cash distribu- tion of trust funds created under the 5th paragraph of will of Albert Crane . .
10,534 07
.. U. S. Trust Co., N. Y. refunds of security for rentals of Columbus Ave., N. Y. property .. Sale of 6-$1,000 Province of Saskatchewan bonds @ 90 5,400 00
1,500 00
6-$1,000 Union El. Lt. & Power Co. bonds called Aug. 2, 1937 @ 10334 6,225 00
$32,555 49
Payments:
Quincy Savings Bank Safety deposit box
$ 9 90
W. Porter & Co., treasurer's bond 300 00
Registered mail and transfer taxes 20 51
Granite Oil Burner Service 65 00
Chapin Home for Aged, 1/3 security for rent Columbus Ave., N. Y. City property
500 00
Chapin Home for Aged 1/3 rent from Remey Co. 90 28
New York City Collector 2/3 of taxes Colum- bus Ave., N. Y. City property
3,772 00
U. S. Trust Co., misc. expense 2 68
Transfer to Special Rent Security Fund . ..
1,000 00
Paul A. & Carroll Coletti, architects fees .. George E. Adams, Esq., legal services
800 00
Purchase 10-$1,000 Northern Pacific R.R. bonds
11,075 00
Purchase 6-$1,000 Jersey Central Power & Light Co. bonds
6,210 00
294 93
Commissions & interest on bonds purchased Balance in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1937 Balance in Norfolk County Trust Co., Dec. 31, 1937
6,652 30
226 89
$32,555 49
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1937
6-$1,000 N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co. 1st mortgage 5% gold bonds Series "A" 1952 @ 1241/2 $ 7,447 50 6-$1,000 Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis R.R. 41/2 gold bonds, Series "C" 1977 & 1091/8 6,555 00
6-$1,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. 4% first and refunding mortgage bonds Series "G" 1964 @ 1081/8 6,487 50
2-$1,000 Terminal Railway Ass'n of St. Louis 4% mortgage and refunding sinking fund gold bonds 1953 @ 1085/8 2,172 50
6-$1,000 Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania first and refunding mortgage 5% bonds Series "C" 1960 @ 12834 7,725 00
4-$1,000 Detroit Edison Co. general and re- funding mortgage 41/2% bonds Series "D" 1961 @ 11558 4,625 00
1,536 00
415
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
8-$1,000 Illinois Bell Telephone Co. 31/2 first and refunding mortgage bonds Series "B" 1970 @ 1073/8 8,590 00
6-$1,000 N. Y. Central Refunding and im- provement mortgage 5% bonds Series "C" 2013 5,520 00
2-$1,000 N. Y., Lackawanna & Western R.R. first and refunding mortgage 4% bonds Series "A" 1973 @ 981/4 1,965 00
6-$1,000 Province of Ontario 5% deb· nture bonds 1942 @ 1121/8 6,727 50
4-$100 and 2-$50 U. S. Treasury bonds 1955 @ 104 19/32 522 97
10-$1,000 Northern Pacific R.R. 6% bonds refunding & improvement mortgage 2047 @ 1103/4 11,075 00
6-$1,000 Jersey Central Power & Light Co. 41/2 bonds 1961 6,210 00
$75,622 97
*Securities received from the United States Trust Co. of New York, trustee of the trust created by the fifth paragraph of the will of Albert Crane.
Ellery Channing Butler Fund
Principal in Quincy Savings Bank Dec. 31, 1936 $1,000 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank Dec. 31, 1936 28
Interest on deposit Quincy Savings Bank 30 14
$1,030 42
Payments:
Galen W. Hill, Librarian, sundry items
$ 8 44
Mass. Library Association institutional mem- bership
, 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank Dec. 31, 1937
16 98
Principal in Quincy Saving Bank, Dec. 31, 1937 1,000 00
$1,030 42
*Crane Special Fund
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1936 $11 24
Interest from Hartford-Connecticut Trust Co. trustees 28 87
Interest on deposit Quincy Savings Bank 68
$40 79
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1937
40 79
$40 79
*This fund created from income received from the trustees of the estate of Albert Crane under the terms of the 9th paragraph of the will of Albert Crane dividing the residue of his estate.
Special Rent Security Account
From Crane Memorial Fund deposited in
Quincy Savings Bank $1,000 00
Interest on deposit Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1936 12 50
$1,012 50
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1937
$1,012 50
$1,012 50
416
CITY OF QUINCY
George W. Morton Fund
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1936
2-$1,000 Kansas City Terminal Bonds 4% cost
$1,880 50
Principal in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1936 $3,207 12
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1936 74 83
Interest on K. C. Terminal Bonds 80 00
Interest on deposits Quincy Savings Bank ..
97 48
$3,459 43
Payments :
Gertrude F. Callahan, expense Adult Educa- tion Institute, Chicago
$ 78 20
Hibbett Plumbing Co., repairs buildings
33 88
Patterson's Flower Store
1 25
Chas. Whalen, M.D. medical services John Johnson, repairs buildings
96 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1937 37 98 Principal in Quincy Savings Bank, Dec. 31, 1937 3,207 12
$3,459 43
Alice G. White Fund
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1936
Mattapan Cooperative Bank 5 matured
shares (cost)
$991 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank
119 94
Dividends Mattapan Cooperative Bank 32 50
Interest on deposits Quincy Savings Bank
2 93
$155 37
Payments :
Boston Music Co.
$ 62 04
University Society Inc.
65 26
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank
28 07
$155 37
Securities on hand Dec. 31 1937
Mattapan Cooperative Bank 5 matured
shares (cost)
$991 00
Cotton Center Johnson Fund
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1936
2-$1,000 Kansas City, Clay Co. & St. Joseph R.R. bonds, cost $1,890 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank 4 04
Interest on deposit Quincy Savings Bank 1 26
Received by liquidation of Kansas City, Clay Co. & St. Joseph R.R. bonds 152 77
$158 07
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank Dec. 31, 1937 $158 07
PAUL A. COLETTI,
Treasurer. HENRIETTA C. THOMAS, VINCENT J. READDY, Auditing Committee.
5 00
417
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
To the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library:
The setting up of standards by professional groups by which insti- tutions in their respective fields may be rated is common practice to- day. Hospitals are classified by the extent and quality of the service they are prepared to give. The same is true of medical and law schools, and the list could easily be extended. Some years ago the Massachusetts Division of Public Libraries formulated a set of standards which public libraries in the state should be expected to meet to qualify as institutions giving reasonably adequate service to their communities. These standards consist of thirteen points which include qualified trustees, a trained and experienced librarian, a sufficient income, an adequate, well selected and well proportioned book stock, proper cataloging and other records, suitable quarters, specialized services, extensions and branches, hours of opening, size of staff and per capita circulation. In the classification of cities and towns of the state to which Quincy belongs, there are six libraries which met all standards to rate one hundred per cent, the libraries of Beverly, Brookline, Newton, Springfield, Watertown and Worcester. The one point which kept the Thomas Crane Public Library from inclusion with the above libraries was the income standard, "A minimum appropriation of one dollar per capita ap- portioned approximately fifty per cent for salaries, twenty-five per cent for books and twenty-five per cent for maintenance. Our per capita appropriation has for the last five years averaged about ninety cents and the book budget only eighteen per cent of the total. An appropriation of $18,000 for books would just enable this library to qualify on both points and take its place with the one hundred per cent group.
From the high point of 901,823 books circulated in 1933, the number of books loaned by the Thomas Crane Public Library has fallen off each year until in 1937 a new low of 671,676 was reached, a drop of twenty-five per cent in four years. The reasons for this decline have been fully discussed in my reports for the last three years and I have no intention or inclination to go over them again. The loss in circulation would be more discouraging were it not that there are indications that perhaps the bottom may have been reached and that the tide may have turned. A few of the branches showed gains for the whole year and all branches, together with the main library and the children's department, reported increases for the last three months. The so-called "recession" may be in part accountable, but I also believe that the increase of $2,000 in the book budget began to be reflected in the circulation by the last of the year. The branches which showed gains for the entire year were Wollaston, Baxter, Manet and Squantum.
Books added during the year numbered 7,311 while 3,771 were withdrawn, the net gain being 3,540 and the total size of the book stock 109,843 volumes. In addition, the library subscribes to nearly 200 magazines. There was a small increase in the number of borrowers, the total registration at the end of the year being 23,874.
Quantitative statistics "how much" and "how many" as yard- sticks leave something to be desired for they do not and cannot indicate the quality of a thing or a service. For a grocer to say that his sales of coffee broke all records might prove that his
418
CITY OF QUINCY
customers kept coming back for more, but it would not prove that his coffee was high grade; the attraction might be due to the fact that the coffee was cheap. During the last four years a policy of buying many more copies of the best selling fiction as well as more novels of the rental library type would undoubtedly have raised our circulation figures, but such purchases would have involved the sacrifice of many more worthwhile and more permanent books and would have meant a lowering of desirable standards.
There seem to be no qualitative statistics, "how good" which can be applied to test the service of a library and we can only depend on the expressions of satisfied or dissatisfied customers. The criti- cisms of the latter refer mainly to the lack of sufficient copies of some best selling books or to a dearth of books in some subject in which the patron is interested. An example is a recent letter calling attention to the need of more recent books on chemistry in one of our branches. This sort of criticism is always welcomed. On the whole, favorable comments overbalance unfavorable and many readers express surprise that we have so many books on their particular interest. There is much satisfaction to be taken from the remark made by a man to one of our assistants at the main library: "You might be interested", he said, "to know that the books I have been getting here are directly responsible for my securing a much better job."
The Hospital Library Service at the Quincy City Hospital is now in its twelfth year. Coincident with the opening of the new Ad- ministration Building, the library moved into the new quarters provided for it in the basement. An attractive room with built-in book cases, easy chairs and plenty of room for growth, it all, to quote from the hospital librarian's report, "helps to create a cheer- ful atmosphere". Another improvement has been made in extend- ing the service. Instead of three afternoons a week, the librarian devotes five afternoons from one to six o'clock to her work. The room is open from one to two-thirty for the use of the hospital staff and again from five to six o'clock. This allows the librarian two and one-half hours for visiting the wards with her book truck, each ward receiving three visits a week. This added time gives her more opportunity for bedside calls without being hurried and furthers a better acquaintance with the interests and desires of the patients in reading matter. A very satisfactory increase of 1,460 books in circulation was made, a total of 14,700 books being issued.
At the main library changes have been made to facilitate the administration routine, the chief of these being the removal of all the branch exchange work and all the book accessioning proc- esses to the basement. During the summer, Miss Callahan, assist- ant librarian, attended the Institute of Adult Education for Libra- rians at the University of Chicago summer school. Her purpose was to learn what is being done by libraries along the lines of adult education, and to discover how the efficiency of our own library in this field might be enhanced. She returned very en- thusiastic about the course and with many practical suggestions. The result has been a re-arrangement of schedules and the re- assignments of members of the staff to provide a simple but more effective information and reference service. We are still of the opinion that under present conditions our work in adult education
419
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
must be supplementary to established agencies in this field rather than originating such work in the library itself.
Miss Hebert, in charge of the art and music collections, has completed the splendid project on which she has been engaged for two years, an analytical card index to our books of instrumental music. Miss Henrikson's author and career files have continued to grow in size and use. The cessation of Mrs. Wilford's column in the Patriot Ledger for five weeks in the fall, due to her illness, brought many questions as to the reasons therefor and expressions of appreciation for it.
In June the library lost by resignation a valued assistant, Miss Frances Raymond, now Mrs. Laurence Webber. For five years Miss Raymond served as librarian of the Squantum Branch and won the respect and esteem of the users of that library as well as of her associates on the staff. Additions to the staff were Miss Bethiah Morrill and Miss Josephine Galante.
Since the first of August we have been without the services of Mr. Mead, janitor at the main library, due to a serious accident in which both his legs were fractured. We are glad to know that he is well on the road to complete recovery and meanwhile, Mr. Samuel Alward has been an efficient substitute.
As usual in conclusion, I must express my gratitude for the loyal and intelligent service on the part of the staff and to your board for wholehearted interest and cooperation in the work of the li- brary. I should add also my sincere appreciation of the additional time allowed me last summer to attend the convention of Rotary International at Nice as the delegate of the Quincy Rotary Club.
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