USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1900 > Part 20
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These purchases should be continued. If, in addition to the
February
2,630
June
248
ANNUAL REPORTS.
regular income from our Pitman fund, the Library should an- nually spend an equal amount from its own appropriation, an art department in a few years would be developed in which the city would have reason to feel just pride.
The Library has had several fine exhibits during the past year from the Library Art Club. At present, through the efforts of F. Edward Kaula of the staff, we are showing a fine exhibit of water colors and oil paintings from our local Somerville artists. We have on exhibition pictures by Miss Emily S. Davis, Miss Lizzie F. Wait, C. Scott White, Robert C. Woodbury, Alfred E. Smith, and William J. Kaula. It is the universal testimony that this exhibition is an excellent one, and the city that can produce such artists should do all it can through its Library to encourage art. It will be the aim of the Library to have some exhibition on view all the time. Later on we hope to have an exhibit of original drawings, pen and ink drawings, architectural designs, decorated china, and other decorative work, an art exhibit of the school children, loan exhibits of famous foreign pictures, and a loan exhibit of fine paintings from our own citizens. The Li- brary ought to own a few oil paintings of a high order of merit, preferably illustrative of local historical themes; or pictures of some literary significance. Nothing, however, of a cheap order should be considered in this connection, and the funds for such purposes should be supplied by private benefactions.
The School Department.
This, as a distinct department, is of very recent organization. It was started early in October, and was placed under the super- vision of Miss Edith B. Hayes. The object of this department is to bring about a closer co-operation between the Library and the schools. In the pursuance of this object Miss Hayes has visited every school in the city and had personal conferences with nearly all the teachers. In one instance she addressed the teachers of one of the schools in a body. She has learned by personal inquiry the needs of the teachers, as far as Library ser- vice is concerned, and these needs as soon as learned we have endeavored to supply. She learns, as far as possible, the themes of study to be taken up in the immediate future, and then pre- pares lists of Library books bearing upon these themes; which lists are very useful, not only to the teachers and the pupils of the schools, but also greatly facilitate the work of our own staff. During the year we have sent out 112 special libraries to 112 different schoolrooms. We have also delivered in boxes to the different schools 5,624 volumes. Our entire circulation through the school libraries has been 58,520, of which 32,480 have been fiction, and 26,040 other works.
I am more and more convinced that it is through the schools that the Library can find a field for its greatest useful- ness. In the schools it finds all the machinery of distribution prepared ready to its hand, and when, as in Somerville, the
CHILDREN'S ROOM.
„+p
249
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
school authorities are so willing to co-operate with the Library, a great work can be done. Our system of special libraries in the schools should be developed to a higher degree of efficiency. The children who live in distant parts of the city, especially in the winter season, find it impracticable to come to the Central Library; and if our special libraries in the schools were large ›enough, the schools would practically be distributing centres for the Library. We now send out about three thousand books in these special libraries, each library consisting usually of twenty- five books. This number, in most instances ought to be ·doubled, in order that there may be at least one book for each pupil. Children's books are not expensive, and it is probable that these three thousand books could be purchased for fifteen hundred dollars. Knowing how desirable such books are, and the great educative value they would be to the community, it is ardently to be hoped that funds will be furnished us for their im- mediate purchase.
There are at present, by an approximate estimate, twelve thousand pupils in our public and parochial schools. Reckon- ing that all our pupils who take out books from the Library and from the special libraries hold their books for a period of a week, then, during our largest weeks, six thousand pupils use our Library books. In other words, fifty per cent. of the pupils of our schools are supplied regularly with books from the Library. This is a good showing, as children's circulations go. But I can see no reason why we should feel complacent in regard to it. A very pertinent inquiry arises, "Why should not all our twelve thousand pupils use the Library and be readers of its books?" Until we make it easy, at least, for all our children to do this, there is something culpably wrong in our system of distribution. If our books are good for one-half of our pupils, they are also good for the other half, and we should make it easy for this other half to get them. It is evident that there is still work for us to do among our younger generation of readers.
The Children's Department.
The Children's Department, under the supervision of Miss Anna L. Stone, has made a remarkable advancement during the present year. The Children's room, which is the largest room in the building, at the busy hours of the day is thronged to its utmost capacity. Below is given the circulation by weeks since the opening of the school year in September :-
For the week ending September 8th
833
66
66
66
15th
903
...
66
..
16
66
October
6th
1,656
66
20th
3,095
66
66
66
16
27th
3,299
66
66
November 4th
3,063
10th
2,827
22nd
1,077
29tlı
1,155
13th
2,565
66
66
250
ANNUAL REPORTS.
For the week ending November 17th
3,012
60
66
.6
24th
3,046
16
:6
6
December
1st 8th
3,070
66
. ..
15th
2,260
..
66
22nd
2,152
66
66
29th
1,889
This is really a remarkable increase, and, in the amount of actual business done, places our children's room, as far as can be ascertained, the first in the state. This increase was largely due to what I regard as one of the wisest acts ever done by your board, the absolute removal of the age limit. This removal of the age limit, through the courtesy of Mr. Southworth, the superintendent of schools, was announced in every school in the city. Application blanks for the children to fill out were placed in all the schools that desired them, and were distributed by the teachers to the children. The response of the children was im- mediate, and, for a time, alarming. The crowds that came were not anticipated, but in a few days the internal arrangements of the Library were so adapted that the increased attendance was taken care of without friction. This removal of the age-limit has put the resources of the Library at the disposal of all the children of the city who desired to use them, and the result has shown that this desire on the part of the children has been very general. It has brought the bookless into contact with books at an early age, and has accomplished a service the influence of which will continue far beyond our generation.
Our Children's department is a new department, and, con- sequently, our number of children's books is few. This sudden influx of new readers inevitably strained the resources of the department to the extreme limit. The present needs of this de- partment are great and urgent. There are about four thousand' books in the children's room. When it is remembered that the circulation of the books from this room, in a single week, may reach three thousand, and at no distant date is sure to go much higher, it can easily be inferred what a meagre supply we have with which to meet the demand. The drain upon our resources is so great that sometimes only about a thousand books are left upon the shelves in our children's room. It is really wrong for the city of Somerville to thus present its children with a supply of books no larger than the collections that can be found in scores of the private libraries in this city. Our supply of books for this room should at least be doubled. It would be almost a criminal act toward our children to double this supply gradually. It should be doubled at once. I earnestly hope that at least twenty-five hundred dollars may be appropriated for this pur -. pose and be spent immediately after its appropriation.
Gifts.
The Library has received the following donations of books, pamphlets, and periodicals during the past year :-
3,005
66
MAGAZINE ROOM,
251
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
List of Donations.
Vols.
Pamph.
Period.
Acker, Finley . Aitken, Charles F. . .
1
American Union League Society
Amherst College
Balch, E. S.
1
Barnes, W. A.
1
Blunt, M. M.
94
Book Reviews
20
Boston Book Company
2.
Boston Transit Commission
1
Brigham, Johnson
1
Broadway Congregational Church
12:
Brooks, Elbridge S. .
155
Brooks, Geraldine
1 1
Burnett ( Joseph ) Co.
1
Christian Register
52
Christian Science Journal
63.
Christian Science Sentinel
52
Cook's Excursionist
12.
Dewey, Melvil
2
Dramatic Review
1 1
52'
Electric Fireproofing Co.
1
Elliot, Mary E.
1
Ellis, G. H.
1
First Universalist Church, Somerville
32 .:
Fitchburg, Mass.
Food, Home, and Garden
1.
Foss, Sam Walter
Frye, A. E.
Gifford, F. K.
42
Goldsmith, B. W.
7
Hall, I. G.
1
Harmon, L. B.
13
Harvard University
1
2
Hawes, Frank M.
267
Helper
38
Herbert, John
81
Higgins, Charles M.
1
Home Market Club .
16
Houghton, Mifflin, & Co.
Humane Alliance
Hunnewell, J. F. .
Ipswich Historical Society
Journal of Orthoepy .
1
Land of Sunshine
12
L. A. W. Bulletin
6
Lewis, Gilman .
6
2
Literary News
12
Carried forward
304
54
737
Farmer, J. E.
1
Glines, Edward
1612 1 2
111 1 1 1
6.
Egypt Exploration Fund
Emerson, Arthur and Frank
Brophy, T. C.
1
1
1
-252
ANNUAL REPORTS.
LIST OF DONATIONS .- Continued.
Vols.
Pamph.
Period.
Brought forward
304
54
737
Little, Brown & Co.
Lowe, Mrs. Martha Perry
3
Malden, Mass.
1
Manifesto
12
Marshall, Dr. Julia A.
63
Massachusetts .
24
2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1
Metropolitan Water Board
1
Murray, T. H.
1
1
New England Anti-Vivisection Society
1
Newell, L. C.
1
1
. O'Malley, Thomas F.
1
Oregon Native Son .
1
Palmer, B. P.
13
Pennsylvania Prison Society
1
People
52
Perkins Institution for the Blind
19
1
Pope, Mrs. C. G.
7
Public Libraries : -
Baltimore, Md. ( Enoch Pratt Library )
1
Boston .
3
12
,Brockton
1
9
Brookline
3
4
Cambridge
1
10
· Chelsea ( Fitz Public Library )
2
Cincinnati, Ohio
1
· Concord
1
Detroit, Mich.
1
Dover, N. H.
1
Everett
1
Fall River
1
Fitchburg .
1
4
Groton
1
Hartford, Conn.
1
3
Haverhill .
1
Hyde Park
1
Jersey City, N. J.
1
Lancaster -.
1
Lawrence
1
3
Leicester
1
'Los Angeles, Cal.
1
Lynn .
1
12
Malden
1
Manchester, N. H.
3
4
Medford
1
3
New Bedford
1
4
Carried forward
377
97
962
1
Massachusetts Society of the Sons of American Revolution Merriman, T. M.
1
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston .
24
Newcomb, Mrs. Emma
Occult Matter
1
4
Minneapolis, Minn.
1
253:
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
LIST OF DONATIONS .- Continued.
Vols.
Pamph.
Period.
Brought forward
377
97
962
Public Libraries ( Continued ) : -
New Haven, Conn. .
1
12.
New Orleans, La. ( Howard Memorial Library ) New York City
3
Newark, N. J.
1
2
2:
Northampton ( Forbes Library )
1
Norwich, Conn. ( Otis Library )
2
Paterson, N. J.
1
Philadelphia, Pa.
1
Portland, Me.
1
Portland, Ore. .
1
3.
Providence, R. I.
7
6.
Rochester, N. H.
2
St. Louis, Mo.
1
Salem ·
1
10.
San Francisco, Cal.
1 8
Seattle, Wash. .
1
4
Syracuse, N. Y.
1
Taunton
1
Waltham
1
4
Waterbury, Conn. ( Silas Waterbury Library )
2:
Watertown
1
Westboro
1
Woburn .
1
2 :
Worcester
1
" Punch "
Putnam's ( G. P. ) Sons
1
Radiator
Raymond & Whitcoinb, pubs.
14
Reform Club, N. Y.
10.
Sadler, Ralph
Sargent, Aaron
Sawyer, Charles W.
Simas, Mary L.
Small, Maynard, & Co.
Smyth, Thomas
1
Somerville, Mass.
1
Somerville Journal
104
Souther, Emery
Sterling, Mrs. D.
Theosophical Book Concern
Thierry, Margaret P.
Thinker
3
Tiernan, C. B. .
Towle Manufacturing Company
Travelers' Record
10
" True American," pseud.
1
Trueman, Mrs. J. A.
1
33
Tufts College .
1
Carried forward .
.
396
186
1,174
1
12:
Northampton
1
8 .
Springfield
1
12
3 1311121112 11 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
.
New London, Conn. .
2
-254
ANNUAL REPORTS.
LIST OF DONATIONS .- Concluded.
Vols.
Pamph. Period. 1
Brought forward
396
186
1,174
Tuftonian
United States
36
68
82
Wells, Webster
1
West, James H.
1
1
West and Jenny
4
West Somerville Reporter
104
Wilder, Wm. L.
1
Woman's Journal
52
Wood, Henry
2
Woodstock College
1
Writer
12
Zion's Herald
52
Total
437
257
1,488
General Work.
The general work of the Library, under the immediate supervision of Miss Adele Smith, assistant librarian, has ex- panded and developed in many ways. The most notable feature of this expansion is the considerable increase in our general circulation. Herewith subjoined are our circulation statistics for the current year :-
January
24,383
February
21,995
March
23,340
April
29,441
May .
21,885
June
18,469
July
18,070
August
12,728
September
13,736
October
28,302
November
27,045
December
30,739
Total
270,133
8
University of Pennsylvania
1
Last year our circulation was 215,448. We accordingly show an increase the present year of 54,685, or twenty-five per cent. We have perhaps been inclined to feel satisfied with our circulation figures ; but when we reflect that each member of our population has averaged less than five books apiece during the year, it does not afford reason for great jubilation. Such a con- dition of affairs should not prevail; and unless the Library can do something to change this condition of affairs, it is not living up to the standard of its possibilities. The public library sys- tem generally, it seems to me, is especially weak in its distribut-
REFERENCE ROOM.
ART ROOM.
PICTURE ROOM.
255
-
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
ing capacity. In the matter of the distribution of its wares it is much behind most private business concerns. It does not adopt business methods in circulating its goods. One reason that newspapers are much more widely read than books is due to the fact that private enterprise has devised an elaborate system for delivering newspapers directly to the doors of purchasers. I do not see why it would not be entirely feasible for trust- worthy boys to deliver books to houses for two cents a book- the boy, and not the Library, to retain the two cents. A book is heavier to carry than a newspaper, but a newsboy receives for himself only a half a cent for each two cent newspaper sold, and only a quarter of a cent for each one cent newspaper. Any en- terprising boy who can secure a good hand-cart in the summer time, or a good sled in the winter, could probably make more money delivering library books than in selling newspapers. There are a large number of elderly persons, invalids, busy mothers, and busy men to whom such boys would be a positive boon. Of course, if a cheap library post bill could be passed by congress (and this will probably eventually be done), the gen- eral post-office would do all this work for us; and, as far as the library is concerned, it would be an ideal arrangement. But un- til some national system of this sort is devised it is the business of individual libraries to devise their own systems, and this system of boy-carriers, it seems to me, is a feasible one.
Of course an even better system than this, if some respon- sible individual would assume the enterprise, would be a system of team delivery from house to house. A man of tact and busi- ness energy should be able to establish such a system of delivery with a fair margin of profit. Private enterprise, which always, somehow, seems to get ahead of public enterprise, is already en- gaged in delivering books to private subscribers for a fee, and is finding it lucrative, I am told, to do so. Public libraries should lead and not follow in these things. But as it is too late for us now to lead, let us follow, as close to the front as possible.
Needs of the Library.
Many of the needs of the Library have already been de- scribed under the separate departments. But there are several general needs that urgently demand consideration. The great- est and most pressing need of the Library is a largely increased number of books. Our number of books has not increased at all in the same ratio as our circulation. I have estimated that we have less than forty thousand books in the circulating depart- ment of the Library. When the circulation in a single month is liable to go above thirty thousand, and perhaps, within the coming year, may even reach the forty thousand limit, it is easily apparent how utterly inadequate is our book supply. A li- brary with our circulation ought certainly to possess twice the number of books it contains at present.
256
ANNUAL REPORTS.
One of the strongest grievances that the patrons of the: Library urge against it is their inability to obtain the popular novels of the day without long and vexatious delays. These complaints are numerous, persistent, and sometimes fierce in. their intensity. But I believe that they are no more fierce than. they are just. These novel readers make really a strong indict- ment against the Library. The complaint is made persistently that the Library has plenty of books, except the books the people- want. The tax-payers feel that they have rights in this matter that the Library management is bound to respect. Public libraries everywhere are falling into disrepute simply because- they do not, or cannot, gratify the dominant literary taste of the day. If a book is good, if it contains real literary merit, even if it does happen to be interesting and to be a novel, I believe that the people have a right to demand it of the Public Library ; and I wish that the Library might be able to satisfy this demand at the time it is made. A library should never be "just out" of books, any more than a grocer should ever be "just out" of sugar. A business house that supplied the demands of its patrons no better than. the library supplies the demands of its . patrons for current novels, would go into bankruptcy without a pitying spectator. This is an age when men of genius give expression to their genius in the form of novels ; just as men of genius expressed themselves in the time of Shakespeare through the drama, in the time of Addison through the essay, or the time of Wordsworth through the poem. People have a right to de- mand that the product and output of the current literary genius of the day shall be accessible in the institutions established to disseminate the products of literary genius-the public libraries. I would recommend that our purchase of the great current favorites in fiction should be doubled, and in some instances; from twenty-five to thirty copies be bought. In the neighbor- ing city of Medford such extra copies have been bought for the library through private donations of money for such purpose. Perhaps these Medford donors may find imitators in Somerville ..
Free Access.
The next great reform that should be made in the conduct of the Library, it seems to me, is free access to all the books that are available for general circulation. Already we have free access to all the new books, and to many of the best books of all time and to all of the children's books. The system, as far as we have tried it, has worked well. In fact, no other system could prevail in the children's room. If the children did not select their own books, they could not be supplied at all in view of the. great crowds that throng the room after school hours. The open-shelf system actually saves labor. It does not result, as: far as we can determine, in any considerable loss of books by theft. The library should grant its patrons the same privileges ..
7
FAST AND REAR VIEW. NEWSPAPER ROOM.
HALL AND STAIRWAY.
CATALOGUERS' ROOM.
257
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
at least, as stores grant their patrons,-the privilege of examin- ing goods before selecting them. To carry this free access pro- ject into execution it will be necesary to complete the unfinished wing of the Library. After this is finished and such a system adopted, the internal arrangements of the Library will have been carried to a high degree of efficiency.
Reading Rooms.
After the internal arrangements of the Library have been thus perfected, the consideration of branch reading rooms should be taken up. A reading room is narrowly local in its sphere of reaching the people. The majority of people, including women, the aged, and busy men, seldom find it convenient to travel a mile to reach one. Most people neither have the time nor the in- clination to travel over half a mile. £ It ought to be possible in a city like Somerville to have a well-equipped reading room within a distance of half a mile of every home within its bound- aries. Such rooms would be as effective toward good order and municipal wholesomeness as a curfew ordinance, or many police- men. The rent of such rooms and the salaries of their attend- ants, however, are almost prohibitive obstacles to their establish- ment, unless much more generous appropriations are given. This being the case, perhaps good schoolrooms might be ob- tained from the hours of 4 P. M. to 9 P. M. The sum of two hundred dollars would secure most of the principal reviews and periodicals for such a room. Perhaps a thousand books, or thereabouts, might be sent to the room from time to time for dis- tribution ; but if the house to house delivery system should be carried into execution, this would not be necessary. I hope, at least, that one such reading room as this may be established dur- ing the coming year.
Several acts of your board within the past twelve months have done much to make it easy to obtain books from the Li- brary. One was the removal of the age limit, to which I have already referred; another was the repeal of the old regulation which compelled a would-be card holder to obtain two male resi- dents of Somerville as sponsors before he could obtain a library card. Both these acts are in entire harmony with the new spirit of library management. It should be as easy for a man to ob- tain a book from a modern public library as it is to obtain a walk in the public parks or a drive in the public streets. Every possible vestige of red tape should be torn away. It is always an abomination to straightforward men, and a hindrance and a reproach to the institution that employs it.
The city that makes it easy for its people to obtain books will develop a citizenship that will be worth all the money it costs.
258
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Conclusion.
The Library, it seems to me, when gauged by the measure of its possibilities, is, as yet, in the infancy of its achievements. It is the business of a public library to assume the intellectual leadership of its community. The library deals in brain ; and it should not confine itself exclusively to brains embodied in books, but its dealing should embrace brains in pictures and all the forms of art, brains in music, and even brains in the form of pub- lic lectures. I hope the day will come when the library can take the lead in supplying good lectures to the people. Let it be an intellectual and inspirational force along all lines of human thought. It should be a purveyor to the literary, artistic, scien- tific, and aesthetic needs of the city. It should not only supply these needs when developed, but should be one of the most powerful of the agencies in developing these needs. It should be animated by the missionary spirit of making intellectual liv- ing contagious. It must reach more people. In the early days of the public library its first and greatest commandment was, "Get books." That day has passed ; and to-day the great com- mandment is, "Get the books to the people." That should be the objective point of our campaigns of the future. It is not enough that a few families should come into the library; the library itself should knock at the door of every family. It is not beyond the possibilities of a community that supplies water to all the homes that pay for it to furnish books, likewise, under the same condition. The library has very much to do along these newer lines. It seems to me the present is a propitious time to inaugurate these undertakings.
Respectfully submitted,
SAM WALTER Foss, Librarian.
Somerville, Mass., December 28, 1900.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, January 1, 1901.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :-
Gentlemen,-We respectfully submit the following as the twenty-third annual report of the Board of Health, in which is presented a statement, tabulated and otherwise, of the sanitary condition of the city and the business of the Board for the year ending December 31, 1900 :-
Organization.
ALLEN F. CARPENTER, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk. CALEB A. PAGE, Agent.
Inspector of Animals and Provisions. (Acts of 1899, Chap. 408.) CHARLES M. BERRY.
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