USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1901 > Part 21
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Total number withdrawn
934
Total number of books withdrawn to January, 1901 . 4,600
66
66 ..
during 1901
934
Total
5,534
266
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Books Added.
Accession number January 1, 1901
52,672
January 1, 1902
57,691
Total number of books added during 1901 .
5,019
Books new to the library
3,757
Duplicates
1,262
Total number withdrawn
5,534
Total number of books in the library .
52,157
Binding.
Volumes rebound
3,122
Periodicals bound
213
Paper-covered books bound
35
Pamphlets
46
Total
3,416
Reference and Art Department.
The Reference, Art, and Americana Department, under the supervision of Miss Mabel E. Bunker, is a department of growing importance, increasingly used by the public. It is grati- fying to note the use that is made of the Reference Room by the pupils of the schools. The increasing use of Poole's Index and the Cumulative Index makes greater demands upon our bound magazines. As these magazines are also largely called for in the general circulation of the Library, it is frequently impossible to look up references in Poole's because of the absence of imagazines from the shelves. For this reason I would recom- mend the gradual purchase of duplicate sets of our most fre- quently-used magazines and reviews. Poole's Index is a very valuable work of reference, but its usefulness is largely nullified when the magazines and reviews to which it refers cannot be made available. A considerable amount of money has been spent upon the Reference Room for the past few years, and in order to keep it up to its highest standard of efficiency, consider- able sums must be spent yearly. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and, in fact, nearly all books of reference are brought out in new editions every few years ; and these new editions must be purchased as frequently as they are brought out, or the Reference Room will become antiquated, and fall into disrepute with progressive scholars.
The Art Department is one of the growing departments of the Library. Many valuable art books have been purchased from the proceeds of the Isaac Pitman fund, and new additions have been made to our collections of photographs of the old masters. Some kind of an exhibition has been kept on view in the Exhibition Room at all times. In this connection the exhibit of the art work done in the schools must not be omitted. This work was secured and mounted by Miss Mary L. Patrick, super- visor of drawing in the schools, through the courtesy of the superintendent, Mr. Southworth. This work was very largely
267
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
examined by the public, and was a revelation to many people. The public at large, before this exhibition, were utterly unaware of the excellent art work that is regularly done by the pupils of our public schools. There has also been during the year an exhibition of the manual work done by the pupils of the Somer- ville Vacation school, under the supervision of its principal, Harry F. Hathaway. Much of this work done by young boys and girls showed skill of a high degree, deftness, and artistic taste. These school exhibitions will be continued, not only for the incentive they give the pupils of our schools, but for the gratification they afford the public.
Another exhibition of Somerville artists should be arranged at an early date.
Below is given the statistics of attendance in the Reference Room during the different months of the year :-
Date.
Number of Visitors.
January
1,650
February
1,490
March
1,432
April
1,515
May
998
June
1,885
July
927
August
611
September
1,064
October
1,623
November
2,050
December
1,517
Total
16,762
The School Department.
The School Department, under the supervision of Miss Edith B. Hayes, continues to do an excellent and far-reaching work. The teachers who use our school libraries are greatly pleased with the service, the children appreciate the privileges thus afforded them, and in many instances the parents are as enthusiastic readers of these school library books as the children themselves. I regard these books as one of the potent educa- tional influences of the city. Miss Hayes has visited all the schools twice during the year, and some of them three times. In this way she has been enabled to learn intimately the wants of the schools; and the Library has in every instance attempted to supply these wants as far as the means at its disposal would permit. In fact, practically all the books asked for by the schools have been supplied. Many books of this nature have been bought from time to time during the past three years, and the Library is at present pretty thoroughly equipped for this work. I would recommend that during the coming year the night schools also
268
ANNUAL REPORTS.
should be supplied with school libraries, the same as the day schools. In fact, the pupils of any of our schools, whether night schools or day schools, whether public, private, or pa- rochial, are all children of our city, and they should all share equally in the privileges afforded by the Public Library. If, as I believe, the distribution of its books is the most important function of the Public Library, I see no valid reason why its books should not be circulated through the Sunday school, if any Sunday school should chance to be desirous of such service.
The number of volumes circulated through the schools in 1901 was 5,171. The number of special libraries sent to the schools was 100. The circulation of these libraries was 52,200. One hundred and thirty-three books were sent to the Vacation school for six weeks.
The Children's Department.
The Children's Department, under the supervision of Miss Anna L. Stone, is doing an excellent work. Below is given in detail the circulation for 1901 by months :-
January
7,790
February
8,242
March
9,171
April
10,750
May
8,304
June
5,884
July
4,847
August
5,397
September
4,772
October
6,743
November
8,460
December
6,826
Total
87,186
The Children's Room is one of the salutary educational in- fluences of the city. It is a matter of regret, that, owing to the distance to be traveled, it is not available to our entire juvenile population. It is probable that the children in one-half the area of Somerville seldom visit the Children's Room, and there are doubtless hundreds, especially of the younger children, who have never visited it at all. This deprivation is not so serious as it would be if the children were not privileged to secure books through the schools. Still these distant children are not given the freedom of selection that the other children of the city are given, with the consequent education that comes from direct contact with books. Possibly this injustice, which has been considered unavoidable, might be remedied by making two or three of the schoolhouses in the more remote districts of the city distributing centres for juvenile books. Several hundred books should be sent to these schoolhouses, so that the children might be granted a somewhat wide range of selection. If this should
269
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
1
be done, it would relieve to a certain extent the pressure upon our own shelves in the Children's Room, which are already over- crowded.
The Children's Room is a most salutary influence as long as children: remain children. But to retain children in the Chil- dren's Room after they have come to desire mature works is repressing nature and stunting and distorting intellect. We should try to advance our children from the children's depart- ment to the adult department as we try to advance them from the grammar school to the high school. They should not only be allowed to use the mature books of the Library, but should be encouraged in every legitimate way to do so.
I am glad to say that the Children's Room is now in posses- sion of a beautiful clock, a Christmas present from the members of the staff.
Gifts.
The Library has received the following donations of books, pamphlets, and periodicals during the past year :-
270
ANNUAL REPORT.
List of Donations.
Vols.
Pamph.
Period.
Adams Nervine Asylum .
Agricultural College
American Humane Association
Amesbury, Mass.
1
Armstrong, Mrs. H. B.
61
Balch, T. W.
Bartlett, Sarah S.
1
Barton, Lieutenant William
2
Borough of Manhattan
1
Boston Transit Commission
1
Bostonian Society
1
Bowdoin College
1
Brine, Eugene
2
Broadway Congregational Church .
68
Brooks, F. A.
1
Brooks, Geraldine
1
Brown, David H.
1
Brown University
1
Clarke, Col. Albert
1
1
Coats, Rev. Orville
1
Co-operative Publishing Co.
1
Dana, Richard H.
1
Daniels, J. F.
1
Dolbear, Prof. A. E.
14
47
Dow, George F.
1
Dunham, Mrs. H. M.
543
Ellis, George H.
1
Fales, Albert
1
Field, Marshall
2
Fleischner, Otto
1
Free Public Library Commission
1
Galpin, Barbara
1
Glines, Hon. Edward
2
Goldsmith, B. W.
16
Hanscom, Dr. Sanford
1
Harmer, J. T.
20
20
Harvard University .
1
Haskell, A. L.
1
Hayden, J O.
1
Hill, F. H.
1
152
Hopkins, James A.
1
Imperial Society
1
3
Insurance Library Association
1
Johnson, Charles A.
15
Knopf, Dr. S. A.
1
Lincoln, Heroeg A. .
22
232
Lowe, Mrs. Martha P.
3
6
Luce, Hon. Robert
318
Lynn Historical Society
4
McCall, Hon. S. W.
1
Macy, J. C.
1
1
Carried forward
.
.
166
326
1,102
1
2
3
Amiraux, Frank
1
1
Indian Rights Association
271
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
LIST OF DONATIONS. - Continued.
Vols.
Pam
Period.
Brought forward
166
326
1,102
Macy, J. E.
Marvın, William J. .
36
Massachusetts .
14
3
Massachusetts Abstinence Society
2
2
Metropolitan Water Board
1
1
Mixter, C. S.
6
Moody, James H.
1
Moore, Mrs. C. E.
15
1
Newcomb, Mrs. Emma
2
1
Norcross, F. Mabel .
4
1
Peabody Institute
2
Perkins-street Baptist Church
5
Pierce, F. C.
2 1
Public Libraries : -
Alleghany, Pa. .
1
Beverly
1
Boston
1
Brookline .
5
Burlington, Vt. .
1
Cambridge
1
Chelsea ( Fitz Public Library )
1
Cincinnati, Ohio
1
Cleveland, Ohio
1
Concord, N. H. .
1
Erie, Pa.
1
Everett
2
Fitchburg
1
Groton
1
Hartford, Conn.
1
Haverhill
1
Lancaster
1
Malden
Manchester, N. H.
Lynn
Medford
Milwaukee, Wis.
Minneapolis, Minn.
New Bedford
New Haven, Conn.
1
New York City
2
Newark, N. J.
1
3
Niagara Falls
1
North Adams
1
1
Northampton
1
Carried forward .
254
385
1,141
.
39
Pillsbury, Albert E. .
Pratt Institute .
1 1
New Hampshire Library Commission
O'Malley, T. F.
1
Moore, Prof. John
Murray, T. H.
Michigan Board of Trade
2
Newton
272
ANNUAL REPORT.
LIST OF DONATIONS. - Concluded.
Vols.
Pamph.
Period.
Brought forward
254
385
1,141
Public Libraries ( Continued ) : -
Northampton ( Forbes Library )
Paterson, N. J.
Pawtucket, R. I.
1
Pittsburg, Pa.
1
Philadelphia, Pa.
1
Portland, Me. .
1
Portland, Ore. .
1
Poughkeepsie
1
Providence Athenaeum
1
Providence, R. I.
1
San Francisco, Cal.
1
Scranton
1
Springfield
1
Syracuse, N. Y.
1
Waltham
1
Washington Heights
1
Watertown
1
Winthrop . Woburn
1
Rideout, Dr. H. L. .
26
Robinson, Warren J.
7
1
Sawyer, Charles W.
136
46
329
Shepard, Charles I.
1
55
Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent Co. Smithsonian Institution
6
2
Somerville Journal .
52
Sprague, H. B.
2
State Normal School
1
Stearns, F. P. .
1
Swan, C. H., Jr.
1
Thorpe. E. J. Ellery
1
Tufts College
3
United States .
42
83
University of Pennsylvania
1
Walsh, J. J., M. D.
1
Wellington. Amy
1
Werner & Swasey
1
West, Charles A.
1
72
Wilmington Institute
Winona Educational Association
1
Women's Auxiliary
5
Wood, Henry .
3
Woodman, Mary A.
1
1
Woods, John M.
Young Men's Christian Association
1
Total .
485
555
1,649
2
Reid, Whitelaw
1
St. Louis Mercantile Library Association
2
1
1
1
1
273
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
General Work.
The general work of the Library, under the immediate supervision of Miss Adele Smith, the assistant librarian, is so organized that it goes forward with routine smoothness, and much is accomplished. The present year our Vacation Card system, adopted last year, was continued, and was highly appre- ciated by many who spent their vacations out of town. The past summer 215 cards were issued, on which 1,250 books were taken out, 945 of which were fiction, and 305 other works. The general circulation figures of the year are as follows :-
January
22,919
February
23,408
March
25,704
April
30,653
May
22,175
June
19,024
July
18,631
August
13,386
September
18,631
October
20,445
November
23,201
December
26,050
Total
264,227
Of this circulation 733 per cent. is fiction, and 262 per cent. other works. Below is given our circulation by classes, exclu- sive of fiction :-
General work
6,093
Philosophy
935
Religion
1,226
Sociology
1,779
Philology
190
Natural science
2,055
Useful arts
1,847
Fine arts
3,879
Literature
7,578
History
11,722
37,304
Children's room
19,057
Schools-Specials, etc.
13,433
Total
69,794
Circulation of Children's Room.
Fiction
68,983
Other works
19,057
Total
88,040
PERCENTAGE.
78 2-7
Fiction
Other works
21 5-7
By a recent vote of your Board, a four-day limit for books in great current demand was adopted. No considerable criti-
274
ANNUAL REPORTS.
cisin of this system has been brought to my attention, and the reading public as a whole is pleased with the arrangement, as it nearly doubles the chances of every reader to secure the book desired. The problem of supplying the public with current fiction will always be a troublesome one. Many poor novels are written ; but there are always a few excellent ones brought out each year. It seems to me that as soon as it can be determined which ones are the good ones, a goodly number of duplicates should be bought. On the contrary, as soon as it can be deter- mined which are the worthless or mediocre novels, none should be bought at all. It is better to give the public as many good novels as it desires than to give it a miscellaneous choice of the good, the indifferent, and the worthless.
The New Stack Room.
The most important event in the history of the year is the completion of our new stack room. This is now finished, the books have been for some time moved into it, the books in the old stacks have been re-arranged, and we are now ready for the adoption of the new experiment of free access. This cannot be done without serious embarrassments to us. The whole routine of the Library will be revolutionized, and it is probable that many vexatious incidents will attend the new departure. But the new regime will be of incalculable benefit to the public, and I feel that no other action ever taken by the Library, with the possible exception of the removal of the age limit and the opening of the children's room, can have been more productive in salutary results than this new action is sure to be.
Binding.
The present year $1,454.21 were spent for binding. With free access to the shelves and with the natural increase of circu- lation this item of expense is sure to increase and probably with rapidity. The time will probably arrive at no distant date when it will be feasible to establish a bindery of our own in connection with the Library. The outfit for such a plant is not expensive, and should be a part of the equipment of all libraries doing a large business. With a bindery plant, working under the man- agement of the Library, our books could be inspected with greater frequency and repaired more promptly. They could be kept in a neater and sounder condition. While I do not urge this recommendation for immediate adoption, I think the time has arrived for carefully investigating the matter with a view to future action.
House Delivery.
It still seems to me that the energies of the Library should be applied with even greater persistency to pushing the circula- tion of its books. To quote what I have already said in another place, "The population of Somerville in round numbers is 62,000.
275
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Let us estimate roughly that there are 50,000 persons capable of reading (for the little tots of five and six are taking out our pic- ture books). If each of these 50,000 readers should take out but one book a week it would bring our circulation up to 2,600,000. This would be more than twice the circulation of the Boston Public Library, one of the best public libraries in the world. This circulation would double Boston's circulation, and would probably exceed the circulation of any public library on earth. It would be unparalleled, phenomenal, and, under present con- ditions, unthinkable. But yet it would be only one book a week for each reading member of the population. But the condition of library affairs is now such that one book a week is an un- paralleled, inconceivable, and utterly unthinkable thing. If one book in two weeks were circulated by the Somerville Library then we should have a circulation of 1,300,000; and even this would be an unparalleled and utterly unthinkable thing. If one book in three weeks were circulated, then we should have a cir- culation of 866,666. Even this would be an unparalleled and un- heard of circulation for a city of our size, and, I am inclined to think, even this, too, would be unthinkable. Now if it seems an almost impossible and unattainable thing for a public library to circulate one book in three weeks to every reading member of its community, it is really time for libraries to set before them higher standards of possibilities.
"But the Somerville Public Library is at present circulating about one book in ten weeks to each member of its reading popu- lation. Counting the whole number of our population we are circulating about one book in twelve weeks. Now we have a really large circulation as circulations go, but is a library that gives out a book once in three months to each member of its population doing the very best it can for its community? It seems to me the answer must be a loud negative." And I am very glad that the initiatory steps have been taken by this Li- brary which I hope, in time, will improve this condition of affairs. I allude to the house-to-house delivery of books. This question has been before your Board for some time. It was found, after careful investigation, that it was inexpedient to have these books delivered by team; and a short time ago the Librarian was authorized to employ boys for the purpose, these boys to receive two cents a book for each book delivered. Already fifteen boys have been assigned to fifteen different sections of the city. The work has simply been organized, but not developed ; and it is too early to give definite statistics. But enough has been learned from this experiment already to fully warrant us in adopting it. The patrons of these boys are largely people who have not used the Library hitherto. Many of them had never visited the Library, some of them did not know its location, and some were ignorant of the existence of the Library at all. I believe that one reason public libraries are not more used is because people
276
ANNUAL REPORTS.
do not know there are such things. There is nothing very strange about this condition of affairs, especially in a city like Somerville made up so largely of new residents. Our delivery boys-unconscious little missionaries of culture-will very speedily make this condition of things impossible.
It will take time to establish this system on a good basis. The whole difficulty of the problem is to find the right boys. Our delivery boys are as good as the nature of boys will permit them to be; but it is to be expected that the right boy will not always be discovered the first time. It will be a series of experi- ments, and the fittest will survive.
General Statistics.
Below is the statement of the general work of the Library for the year :-
Volumes in the library
57,692
added
5,019
Delivered for home use 66 at West Somerville
18,530
66
South Somerville
4,935
66
" Magoun square
1,079
66
" Beacon street
4,430
66
Grammar schools
4,803
66
from Children's room
88,040
Volumes circulated in school libraries
5,171
Number of Reference Room visitors
16,762
Art Department, photographs circulated
463
Cards issued
2,938
Books covered
644
Cash, Catalogues
$54 91
66
Books
19 26
Fines
411 55
Total
$485 72
Conclusion.
The machinery of our interior library management is now well adjusted and in good working order. The staff is in per- fect harmony, working together for a common purpose. There is but little call for the devotion of more time to the elaboration of library detail. But the one great aim and purpose of the Library should be to reach more people. The whole public library movement everywhere is young, and a very large proportion of people have not yet been brought into relation to it. Our first great duty is to get good books. A second, but equal duty, is to get them read. The campaign of the future should be con- centrated very largely to this end.
Respectfully submitted,
SAM WALTER Foss, Librarian.
Somerville, Mass., December 30, 1901.
264,227
" East Somerville
6,840
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH, CITY HALL, January 1, 1902. -
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :---
Gentlemen,-We respectfully submit the following as the twenty-fourth 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, 1901 :-
Organization.
ALLEN F. CARPENTER, Chairman. WILLIAM P. MITCHELL, Clerk. CALEB A. PAGE, Agent.
Inspector of Animals and Provisions. CHARLES M. BERRY.
Inspector of Milk.
JULIUS E. RICHARDSON.
Superintendent Collection of Ashes and Offal.
GEORGE W. S. HUSE.
278
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Nuisances.
A record of nuisances abated during the year, in compliance with notices issued by the Board, or under the Board's direction, is presented in the following table :-
NUISANCES ABATED IN EACH DISTRICT IN 1901. (SEE DESCRIPTION OF DISTRICTS IN LATTER PART OF THIS REPORT. )
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX. 1
X.
Total.
Population ( estimated ).
7.718 6,103 5,236
6,134 11,736
6,706
7,428
3,390
4,953 3,596
63,000
Cellar damp .
11
5
7
6
4
8
3
2
4
3
53
Cesspool offensive
2
1
*2
3
1
3
4
16
Cow barn offensive
3
1
2
1
1
3
11
Drainage defective
y
4
6
3
5
8
6
3
4
4
52
Drainage emptying into cellar .
3
2
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
17
Drainage emptying on surface .
11
5
4
6
7
6
3
2
5
6
55
Goats kept without lic
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
18
Hens kept in cellar
1
2
1
1
1
1
Manure exposed and offensive '
2
8
4
2
5
6
4
3
4
45
Manure pit defective
4
3
3
3
5
3
2
2
3
32
Offal on land
5
8
·2
4
2
4
9
7
4
2
47
Offensive odor in and about dwellings
11
3
5
2
3
7
5
2
4
4
46
Pigeons kept in chamber
4
1
1
2
1
6
Premises untidy
14
8
7
3
6
6
6
3
4
5
62
Privy-vault offensive
10
1
1
3
4
7
2
1
3
1
33
Rubbish in cellar
13
5
6
4
6
5
3
1
4
5
52
Sewage-gas in house
3
2
1
3
2
4
1
1
1
1
8
Stable infected with glanders
7
4
3
2
5
1
4
2
1
29
Stable and stable premises filthy and offensive
5
2
3
1
1
2
1
1
1
17
Stable without drainage
3
1
1
2
3
1
1
1
2
2
11
Waste-pipe defective .
13
6
4
5
7
4
5
2
3
2
51
Waste-pipe not trapped .
5
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
2
4
21
Water-closet defective
11
4
3
4
5
7
3
2
3
5
47
Water-closet insufficiently sup-
7
4
2
3
2
4
3
1
1
2
29
Water-closet offensive
18
2
4
5
4
3
1
2
5
3
47
Water in cellar
4
1
2
2
1
5
2
1
1
19
Water under stable
5
1
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
20
Total
197
81
81
76
36
113
77
53
66
76
906
Number of nuisances abated
906
Number of nuisances referred to Board of 1902
76
Number of nuisances complained of
982
Number of complaints (many covering more than one nuisance)
476
Number of notices mailed
594
Number of notices served by constables
3
1
2
2
1
1
7
Hennery offensive
4
4
2
3
1
.. .
7
1
1
7
Premises filthy .
3
1
18
Slops thrown on surface
3
1
1
1
Stagnant water on surface
2
2
1
1
.
1
1
3
Pigs kept without license
5
Fish offal
se
In addition to the above, 235 dead animals have been re- moved from the public streets, and many nuisances have been abated on verbal notice from the agent, without action by the Board, of which no record has been made. Each spring the
1
15
plied with water
279
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
whole city is examined, and cellars, yards and alleyways where rubbish and filth have collected are required to be cleaned.
Glanders .- Twenty-nine cases of glanders have been re- ported during the year. Prompt action was taken in every case, and twenty-six of the horses were killed, three being released from quarantine by order of the Cattle Commissioners.
Permits.
The record of permits to keep cows and swine, to collect grease, and to remove manure is as follows :-
Cows .- Twenty-eight applications were received for per- mits to keep 150 cows. Twenty-five permits to keep 129 cows were granted, and three permits were refused.
Swine .- Eighteen applications were received for permits to keep twenty-seven swine. Sixteen permits were granted to keep twenty-five swine, and two permits were refused. The fee is one dollar for each swine.
Goats .- Four applications were received for permits to keep four goats. . All were granted. The fee is one dollar for each goat.
Grease .- Thirteen applications were received for permits to collect grease, all of which were granted. The fee is two dollars. Three of the parties licensed reside in Somerville, three in Charlestown, three in Cambridge, two in Boston, one in Malden, and one in Revere.
Manure .- Three permits were issued during the year for the carting of manure through the streets of the city in the daytime, between May 1 and November 1. All permits issued for the re- moval of manure from the stables in the city in the daytime, or for carting through the streets of the city, remain in force until i evoked. No fee is charged for these permits.
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