USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1907 > Part 20
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9.
HARRY F. HATHAWAY, Master, 495 Broadway
$1,900
1890
9. 8.
Elizabeth J. Mooney, 168 Summer Street
700
1894
7,8. 7.
Naomi E. Stevens, 134 Austin Street, Cambridge
700
1902
6.
Georgia M. Robbins, 495 Broadway
700
1906
6.
Lucy K. Hatch, 103 Glenwood Road
700
1892
5.
Mary F. Mead, 35 Kidder Avenue
700
1905
5.
Harriet F. Ward, 20 Dartmouth Street
700
1895
4.
Eva M. Barrows, 118 Rogers Avenue
700
1903
4.
Helen L. Galvin, Braintree
700
1903
3.
Harriet M. Bell, 34 Bow Street
700
1904
3.
Bessie J. Baker, Malden
700
1905
2.
Grace F. Mulcahy, 143 Sycamore Street
700
1903
2.
Nellie R. Bray, 7 Jasper Street
700
1897
1.
Mabel E. Mansir, 77 Albion Street
700
1894
1.
Clara L. Griffiths, 39 Ames Street
700
1902
9.
CHARLES G. HAM, Master, Watertown
$1,900
1898
9.
May E. Berry, 14 Billingham Street
.
775
1880
8.
Clara D. Eddy, 61 Central Street .
725
1902
8.
Mary E. Soule, 124 Summer Street
700
1901
7.
Harriet A. Hills, 14 Billingham Street
700
1874
7.
Marion P. Crawford, 124 Summer Street
700
1897
6.
Marie T. Smith, 87 Orchard Street
700
1898
6.
Susie L. Luce, 8 Walter Terrace
700
1896
5.
Mary A. Haley, 117 Summer Street
700
1867
5.
Grace T. Merritt, 47 Cherry Street
700
1897
4.
Elizabeth S. Foster, 51 Laurel Street
700
1895
4.
Gladys A. Budgell, 109 Porter Street
525
1907
3.
Florence B. Howland, 6 Highland Avenue
700
1897
3.
L. Isadore Wood, 53 Laurel Street
700
1906
2.
Florence M. Dearborn, 35 Laurel Street
700
1904
2, 1.
Ethel F. Morang, 157 Lowell Street
700
1898
1.
*Gertrude Friend, 16 Park Avenue
700
1893
1. Annie B. Russell, 45 Russell Street
700
1901
Asst.
Pearl F. Dame, 1 Ellsworth Street
350
1906
*Leave of absence.
Elizabeth J. O'Neil, 72 Central Street .
775
1904
Jane Batson, 140 Clifton Street, Malden
700
1900
Martha L. Hale, 157 Highland Avenue
700
1899
.
MARTIN W. CARR SCHOOL. Beech Street.
258
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table 29. - Teachers in Service January, 1908 .- Continued.
Grade.
NAME AND RESIDENCE.
Salary.
Began Service.
(ENOCH R.) MORSE SCHOOL. Summer and Craigie Streets.
9.
MINA J. WENDELL, Master, 211-A Summer Street
$1,900
1882
9.
Alice E. Jones, 23 Greene Street
775
1897
9.
M. Florence Eustis, 35 Laurel Street .
725
1906
8.
Clara A. Ball, 12 State Street, Cambridge
700
1906
7.
Minnie E. Haas, 240 West Newton Street, Boston
700
1905
8, 7.
Lennie W. Bartlett, 35 Norway Street, Boston
700
1893
6.
Blanche E. Thompson, 108 School Street
700
1906
5.
Lizzie E. Hill, 35 Norway Street, Boston
700
1890
4.
Alice B. Hazelton, 25 Monmouth Street
700
1904
3.
Agnes C. Rice, 20 Spring Hill Terrace .
700
1900
2, 3.
Ardelle Abbott, 71 Craigie Street .
700
1896
1, 2.
Mildred M. Moses, 124 Summer Street .
700
1906
1.
Grace S. Russell, 1097 Broadway .
700
1900
GEORGE O. PROCTOR SCHOOL. Hudson Street.
7.
NORA F. BYARD, Principal, 15 Draper Ave., Arlington,
$900
1884
6. 5.
Emma A. Gilman, 130 Huntington Avenue, Boston
700
1903
4,5.
Abbie A. Gurney, 28 Bonner Avenue
700
1SSS
4.
Ella P. McLeod, 32 Charnwood Road
700
1888
3.
Clara L. Hammond, 62 Chandler Street
700
1903
- 2.
Edith L. Hunnewell, 23 Milton Street
700
1894
3, 2.
Mary S. Richardson, 13 Bartlett Street .
600
1906
1.
L. Margaret Potter, 59 Belvidere Street, Boston .
700
1906
GEORGE W. DURELL SCHOOL. Beacon and Kent Streets.
4.
ABIGAIL P. HAZELTON, Principal, 25 Monmouth Street,
$775
1902
3.
Lucie H. Chamberlain, 35 Laurel Street
700
1907
2.
Ethel Worcester, 24 Brastow Avenue .
700
1905
1.
Mary Winslow, 38 Spring Street .
700
1887
MARK F. BURNS SCHOOL. Cherry Street, near Highland Avenue.
7.
LAURA J. BROOKS, Principal, 31 Stevens St., Stoneham,
$900
1SS3
6.
Cara M. Johnson, 130 Park Ave., Arlington Heights .
700
1897
5.
Minnie S. Turner, 153 Lowell Street .
700
1885
4.
Bessie I. Sutton, 117 Falmouth St., Boston, Suite 3
700
1907
3.
Annie L. Brown, 281 Summer Street
700
18S5
2.
Mary E. Lacy, 63 Cherry Street
700
1890
1, 2. 1.
Emma B. Jones, 18 Sargent Avenue
700
1889
.
700
1893
BENJAMIN G. BROWN SCHOOL. Willow Avenue and Josephine Avenue
9.
GEORGE I. BOWDEN, Master, Hingham .
$1,600
1908
9.
Annie G. Smith, 59 Maple Street, Malden
775
1901
8.
Jennie P. Chapman, 2 Kenwood Street
700
1905
7.
Edith G. Watts, 1 Spencer Avenue
700
1904
6.
Phebe E. Mathews, 166 Morrison Avenue
700
1897
5.
Grace J. Alexander, 49 College Avenue
700
1900
4.
Edna M. Proctor, 93 Revere Street, Boston
700
1901
2.
Grace H. Bliss, 7S Summer Street
700
1900
2,1
Rena II. Wiley, 16 Fosket Street
525
1906
1.
Ida M. Record, 77 Walnut Street .
700
1899
.
.
700
1906
Alice G. Hosmer, 42 Boston Street
·
.
Lucy M. Curtis, 77 Walnut Street
700
1900
Alice E. Morang, 157 Lowell Street
.
259
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Table 29 .- Teachers in Service January, 1908 .- Continued.
Grade.
NAME AND RESIDENCE.
Salary.
Began Service.
HIGHLAND SCHOOL. Highland Avenue and Grove Street.
9.
AARON B. PALMER, Master, 18 Bay State Avenue
$1,900
1905
9.
M. Alice Paul, 122 Orchard Street
775
1879
9.
Marguerite Burns, 64 Hall Avenue
725
1907
8.
Grace M. Clark, 10 Vernon Street, West Medford .
700
1893
8.
M. Estella Sprague, 4 Albemarle Chambers, Boston
700
1907
7.
Josephine Marston, 201 Morrison Avenue
700
1907
6.
Sarah E. Pray, 126 Orchard Street
700
1877
6.
Mary L. Bryant, 38 Chandler Street
700
1903
5.
*Mary H. Joyce, 75 Boston Street
700
1891
5.
Marie Clifford, 212 Crest Avenue, Winthrop
700
1907
5.
Lillian F. Richardson, 33 Wallace Street
700
1904
4.
Edda C. Locke, 21 Francesca Avenue
700
1908
4.
Leila L. Rand, 87 Raymond Street, Cambridge
600
1908
WILLIAM H. HODGKINS SCHOOL. Holland Street.
9.
ARTHUR L. DOE, Master, 86 Chandler Street
$1,900
1896
9.
N. Irene Ellis, 15 Kidder Avenue .
725
1903
8.
Edith W. Emerson, 135 Central Street .
700
1896
8.
Alice S. Hall, 135 Central Street .
700
1896
7.
Lilla E. Mann, 75 Wallace Street .
700
1902
7.
Josephine T. Field, 40 Inman Street, Cambridge
700
1903
6.
Gertrude W. Leighton, 85 Central Street
700
1895
6.
Beatrice A. Randall, 96 College Avenue
700
1894
5.
Flora A. Burgess, Arlington Heights
700
1902
5.
Catherine A. Burden, 406 Highland Avenue
700
1905
4.
Genieve R. Barrows, Waban .
700
1896
4.
Katherine M. Fox, Stoneham
700
1903
3.
Jennie M. Patterson, 17 Avon Street
700
1896
1.
Marion I. Noyes, 22 Dover Street
4
2. 3.
Charlotte F. Mott, 98 Pinckney Street, Boston
700
1886
2, 1.
Almena J. Mansir, 77 Albion Street
.
700
1906
1.
MARTHA PERRY LOWE SCHOOL. Morrison Avenue, near Grove Street.
$900
1900
3, 4.
MAY E. SMALL, Principal, 12 Day Street, Cambridge .
700
1903
3.
Alice M. Dorman, 166 Morrison Avenue
700
1901
2.
Stella M. Holland, 46 Chester Street
700
1888
2.
Katherine E. Hourahan, 296 Highland Avenue
700
1897
1.
Clara G. Hegan, 100 School Street
700
1898
EVENING SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.
GEORGE W. EARLE, High
$6.00
CHARLES T. MURRAY, Prescott
3.00
JOHN S. EMERSON, Bell
4.00
CHARLES E. BRAINARD, Highland
3.00
·
700
1899
3.
Maude C. Valentine, 1098 Broadway
700
1903
2.
Jane M. Taaffe, 159 Morrison Avenue
700
1892
1.
Martha A. Jencks, 21 Francesca Avenue
(CHARLES S.) LINCOLN SCHOOL. Broadway, near Teele Square.
ELIZA H. LUNT, Principal, 50 Curtis Street .
$775
1889
Annie H. Hall, 97 College Avenue
700
1905
Alice M. Winslow, 23 Winthrop Street, Malden
775
1896
7.
*Leave of absence.
260
ANNUAL REPORTS.
1
TABLE 29. - Teachers in Service January, 1908. - Concluded.
Grade.
NAME AND RESIDENCE.
Salary.
Began Service.
CADET TEACHERS.
Ellen A. Baker, 12 Windom Street
$200
1907
Lynda V. Merrill, 11 Marion Street
200
1907
Alice L. Reid, 37 Spring Street
.
200
1907
SPECIAL TEACHERS. MUSIC.
7-13. 6-1.
S. Henry Hadley, 46 Pearl Street . .
.
·
$1,700
186S
Charlotte D. Lawton, 11 East Newton Street, Boston
900
1898
DRAWING.
9-1.
Mary L. Patrick, Newtonville
1,000
1895
SEWING.
8-5. 8-5.
Emma J. Ellis, 54 Marshall Street
700
1900
8-5.
Bertha P. Paul, 23 Monmouth Street
700
1900
9-1.
William A. Whitehouse, 70 Central Street MANUAL TRAINING.
1,500
1895
Andrew Bjurman, 9 Fairview Terrace, Maplewood
1,100
1907
Willis E. Higgins, 82 Elm Street .
.
1,100
1907
ASSISTANT IN PROCTOR, BURNS, LOWE.
Annie Sanburn, 20 Ashburton Place, Boston -
700
1906
.
TABLE 30 .- OFFICERS, ETC., IN SERVICE JANUARY, 1908.
NAME AND ADDRESS.
Salary.
Gordon A. Southworth, 40 Greenville Street .
$3,000
CLERKS.
Cora S. Fitch, 15 Pleasant Avenue
750
Mary A. Clark, 42 Highland Avenue
600
TRUANT OFFICERS.
Lemuel H. Snow, 75 Benton Road
1,100
Jairus Mann, SO Porter Street . . .
50
·
Mary L. Boyd, 43 Tennyson Street
700
1888
8. 8.
PENMANSHIP.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
TABLE 31. - SCHOOL JANITORS, JANUARY, 1908.
School.
Name.
Residence.
Latin High, S
·
Joseph Young
51 Oxford St. 25 Aldrich St.
English High, S
Lewis G. Keene
30 Berkeley St.
Hanscom, S, 10
Substitute
Davis, F, 4
Substitute
Bennett, S, 12
Daniel T. Campbell
10 Stone Ave. 2 Bolton St.
Baxter, S, 6
.
Israel Winterbottom
40 School St.
Perry, S, 6
.
Henry C. Bradford
72 Boston St.
Pope, S, 12
Hiram A. Turner
16 Gibbens St.
Bell, S, 12
F. S. Dickinson
1 Putnam St.
Cummings, F, 4
Substitute
Edgerly, S, 12
.
Roy C. Burckes
7 Madison St.
Forster
James L. Whitaker
146-R Sycamore St.
Bingham, S, 16
John F. O'Brien
347 Lowell St.
Carr, S, 16
.
John W. Cremen
69 Oxford St.
Proctor, S, 8
.
George W. Libby
215 Pearl St.
Durell, S, 4
.
John Shea
97 Gilman St. 160 Hudson St.
Brown, S, 10
O. M. Pote
23 Howe St.
Highland, F, 12
.
E. Parker Cook
39S Highland Ave.
Hodgkins, S, 14
John Shea
Lowe, S, 8
John F. Richardson
97 Gilman St. 190 Morrison Ave. 1 Ellsworth St.
Lincoln, S, 4 .
.
.
Thomas C. Dame
Buildings heated by steam are marked "S," by furnace "F." The numbers show the number of rooms.
The high schools are heated bv a single plant in Latin building.
.
William H. Kelley
Prescott, S, 12
·
George A. McGunnigle
50 Pearl St.
Knapp, S, 12
.
.
.
Charles P. Horton
22 Everett Ave. 249 School St.
Glines, S, 14
Forster, S, 18
John H. Kelley
Morse, F, 12
.
James W. Rich
206 Highland Ave.
Charles Gallaway
Burns, S, 8
.
.
John C. Sampson
261
Latin Annex
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
OF THE SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1907.
Trustees.
EDWARD C. BOOTH, M. D. JOHN B. VIALL.
IRVING G. HALL.
FREDERICK W. PARKER.
THOMAS M. DURELL, M. D.
J. FRANK WELLINGTON. HOWARD D. MOORE.
WILLIAM L. BARBER.
REV. CHARLES L. NOYES.
Officers.
.
EDWARD C. BOOTH, M. D.
. President
SAM WALTER FOSS
Secretary
Committees.
Building and Grounds -Viall, Wellington, and Hall.
Administration -Wellington, Parker, and Durell.
Books and Catalogues - Booth, Viall, Moore, Hall, Noyes, and Durell.
Finance - Parker, Moore, and Barber.
Librarian. SAM WALTER FOSS. Assistant Librarian. FLORENCE D. HURTER.
Cataloguer. ESTHER M. MAYHEW.
Assistant Cataloguer.
EDITH B. HAYES.
Children's Librarian.
ANNA L. STONE.
School Librarian.
MARY S. WOODMAN.
Reference and Art Librarian. MABEL E. BUNKER.
BESSIE L. DUDDY. NELLIE M. WHIPPLE. ALICE W. SEARS.
Assistants.
FLORENCE M. BARBER. RAYMAH H. SMITH. A. MYRTLE MERRILL.
F. STUART DEAN. SAXTON C. Foss.
Attendants. CECIL M. BARLOW. WILLIAM E. BAGSTER.
Janitor.
CHARLES A. SOUTHWICK.
PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCOUNT.
Receipts and Expenditures for 1907.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$15,000 00
Dog Tax .
.
4,109 54
G. P. Putnam's Sons
.
50
Fines, etc.
.
968 67
Total
$20,078 71
Books and Periodicals
$5,980 20
Cards
82 50
Printing
494 25
Stationery
71 80
Salaries
9,937 39
Agencies
554 28
Express
351 48
Postage
24 00
Telephone
53 22
Supplies
29 18
Binders
10 45
A. L. A. Membership
00 20
Index
21 00
Repairs
5 35
Keys
. 00
Stereographs
4 35
Mounting
9 10
Disbursements
61 70
Bookcase
40 00
Ice
7 00
Balance unexpended
06
Total
$20,078 71
Isaac Pitman Art Fund.
CREDIT.
Balance from 1906 .
$145 08
Interest July 1, American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
80 00
Interest December 31, American Telephone & Telegraph
Co. :
80 00
Interest accruing on deposits in 1906
13 28
Total
$318 36
DEBIT.
Books and Pictures purchased in 1907
$228 85
Balance carried to 1908
89 51
Total
$318 36
Isaac Pitman Poetry Fund.
CREDIT.
Balance carried to 1907
76 51
Interest July 1, American Telephone & Telegraph Co. .
20 00
Interest December 31, American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
20 00
Interest accruing on deposits in 1906
3 32
Total
$119 83
Books purchased in 1907
$54 91
Balance carried to 1908
64 92
Total
.
$119 83
.
.
DEBIT.
Binding
2,325 40
DEBIT.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-The annual report of the trustees of the public library is herewith respectfully submitted.
We have appended to and made a part of this report the full report of the librarian, to which your honorable body is referred for the details of the year's work; we shall content ourselves with commenting briefly under the various heads.
During the last year the library has been conducted under the same policy as in recent years. Its various activities have been continued with much the same results, and no new features of importance have been introduced.
The library has done a larger amount of business this year than ever before. The total circulation of books, the largest in the history of the library, has been 419,539,-a small increase over the circulation of the previous year. This increase has evi- dently taken place at the central library, as the circulation of the agencies in general has scarcely maintained itself. The agency at Davis square, however, is an exception to this statement, as this agency has slightly increased its work over that of the pre- ceding year. The proportion of the different classes of books circulated has not materially changed from that of former years. The works of fiction, always ranging within a small percentage of seventy per cent. of the gross circulation, have, this year, slightly exceeded the usual proportion, although only one-tenth of the books purchased were works of fiction.
The work of the reference and art department has proceeded in the steady manner of previous years, and has frequently been enlivened by the exceedingly interesting and instructive travel- ing art exhibitions. These pictures range from views of our own New England towns to views of the great historic centres of the world in both hemispheres; and are worthy of wider notice and closer study by our people, whether for pleasure or instruction. The collection of Americana, also housed in the second story, has been added to from time to time as opportunity has offered. This is a respectable collection of histories of towns in Massachu- setts and Northern New England, interspersed with the more important genealogical works and local magazines on historical subjects. This room has been much visited, especially by the many who are now striving to trace their family descent.
The school work of the library has continued on the usual lines, and is extended to all teachers of the public schools who wish it. Consequently some two-thirds of the schoolrooms of the city are supplied by us with small collections of books which may be changed as often as desired, provided the resources of the library will permit it. We believe that a larger sum could advantagously be expended annually on the equipment of this school department, As it now is, the infrequent changes in the
265
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
libraries and the only partial use of them in the schools tax the department to the utmost.
Other collections are sent to other places, as enumerated in the librarian's report.
Vacation cards entitling borrowers to draw more books from the library and for longer periods than usual have been even more popular than before.
On the subject of the loss of books from the library shelves we had hoped by the close of this year to have further informa- tion which might determine our future action on the subject of continuing free access of the public to the shelves ; but various causes have prevented the taking of an inventory of any consid- erable part of our collection. Some books have undoubtedly been taken from the children's room from time to time by mis- take, which is not unnatural, as the library permits the youngest child that walks to wander among the shelves of the children's room; however, that there is still an intentional abstraction of books going on in some degree is highly probable. With a view to lessening the pilfering, as far as injunction would go, the trus- tees, after consultation with the city solicitor, have caused the following notices to be posted conspicuously around the library building: "The taking of books from the library without having the same charged is equivalent to larceny and will be so treated." It is believed that such notices will have a salutary effect except in cases of confirmed thieves. It is gratifying in this connection to note that an inventory taken in the reference and art depart- ment, on and about September 1, showed the loss of not a single volume for the preceding twelve months.
The subject of further library facilities for the section of West Somerville has been touched on in all of the late reports of the trustees, and until last autumn no satisfactory solution had been reached. Fortunately the question has become settled by the tender of Mr. Carnegie of a branch library building for this part of the city, to be located on the old Lincoln schoolhouse lot, and the acceptance of the same by your honorable body on Oc- tober 24.
We congratulate not only the citizens of West Somerville, but those of the whole city, on this generous and useful gift. We believe that while it will redound more particularly to the welfare of the section where the building is placed, it will also enhance the dignity of the central institution. When in 1890 the experiment was tried of establishing branches to the public li- brary of Boston, which were the first branch libraries success- fully put into operation in this country, it was thought by many that the importance of the main collection would be diminished when the branches were fairly under way. This notion was speedily dissipated, for it was found that the borrowers of a library were fewer in proportion to the distance and difficulty of the access of the library building, and that while a new centre created a new class of borrowers, the library circulation of the city as a whole was increased. It was also felt that branches
266
ANNUAL REPORTS.
would detract from the hold which the main library would have upon the people. This fear likewise proved to be unfounded, for it was shown that while the branches "created and supplied a constituency of their own, they served to make known to a larger degree the existence and capabilities of the parent institu- tion." Similar results have uniformly followed the establish- ment of branches in this country and in England, with a few un- important exceptions. Therefore we shall enter on this new phase of library development in our city with full confidence in the benefits to accrue to the city as a whole.
Conspicuous among the gifts to the library during the year is the statue of Damoxenus, presented by Mr. E. D. Jordan, of Boston. This beautiful and costly copy, in Italian statuary marble, of one of the twin figures of Canova's Boxers, represents a Greek boxer in the act of returning a blow just received from an antagonist with whom he has been contending. The beauty of the athletic figure, the expression of the countenance befitting the tragic intent, and the portrayal of symmetrical muscular de- velopment in the height of action show the consummate art of the great sculptor. The statue was placed in its present position in the curved front of the delivery room last October, and has since attracted universal attention.
For the maintenance of the library for the year 1908 the trustees ask for an appropriation of $17,000 and the dog tax.
The request for a somewhat increased appropriation is ne- cessitated by a greatly enlarged expenditure for binding ; our annually decreasing amount of funds available for the purchase of books; and by the increase of $100 per year in the salary of each member of the staff-an increase which the trustees be- lieved was demanded as a matter of simple justice.
As it will be necessary to have a suitable equipment of books ready for the branch library at West Somerville, at the comple- tion of the building, in order that the library may be put in operation without delay; and as these books can be purchased at much better advantage if procured from time to time as op- portunity offers, and as the cataloguing and other preliminary work connected with the installation of these books can be done with much saving if done in moments of leisure extending through the year, the trustees have asked the city government to place at their disposal for this purpose $1,000 of the $2,500 which by terms of gift is to be devoted annually to the maintenance of this branch.
It remains for us again to recognize the intelligence. fidelity, and zeal of our librarian, and his ready helpfulness to the public on all occasions, and the efficient and harmonious working of the corps of assistants.
Respectfully submitted for the board of trustees,
EDWARD C. BOOTH, President.
December 31, 1907.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.
To the Trustees of the Somerville Public Library :-
I herewith submit the librarian's thirty-fifth annual report. In accordance with recent custom, the details of the library's activities for the year are given by departments.
The Cataloguing Department.
The cataloguing department, under the supervision of Miss Esther M. Mayhew, has had an active year. Below are the statistics in detail of the work accomplished :--
Books Added.
Accession number January 1, 1907
1908
92,891
Total number of books added during 1907
5,390
Books new to library
3,274
Duplicates
2,116
Total number withdrawn
13,729
Total number of books in library
79,162
Binding.
Volumes rebound
4,659
Periodicals bound
415
Paper-covered books bound
20
Pamphlets
134
Total
5,228
Books Withdrawn.
Number of books worn out
1,801
66
lost by general readers .
37
burned on account of infectious exposure
60
66
lost in schools
51
Total number withdrawn .
1,949
Total number of books withdrawn to January 1, 1907
11,780
66
during 1907
1,949
Total
13,729
It will be noted that no mention is made above of the num- ber of books reported missing at inventory. This omission is due to the fact that we have been unable, largely on account of illness on the part of the staff, to make any inventory during the past twelve months. A thorough inventory is a monstrous bug- bear; but it is a duty that should be performed and performed thoroughly. I think perhaps unless there are well-founded sus- picions of systematic thievery, the requirements of good business management would be satisfied with a biennial inventory. At any rate, a thorough inventory of all departments of the library should be made during the coming year. Various plans looking
87,501
268
ANNUAL REPORTS.
to this end have been considered; but it becomes increasingly evident that the work cannot be done by the regular staff in ad- dition to their routine duties in a limited period of time. The library might be closed to the public for several weeks while the inventory is going on; but this is an alternative I dislike to con- sider. I think the most feasible method that can be adopted would be to close up the cataloguing department for as long a period as possible during the month of July and put the cata- loguers upon the work of the inventory. The reference depart- ment might also be closed, and the reference librarian devote her time to inventory work. During this period, of course, if there should be any urgent demand upon the reference department, the resources of the reference room could be used to meet this demand temporarily. This help, with some assistance from our substitutes, at a cost probably not much exceeding $50, would supply us with what we have never yet had,-a thorough inven- tory of the library in a limited period of time.
The steady increase in the amount of binding done by the library should impress us that this is an item of expense that will progressively enlarge with each succeeding year. The bulk of our books have now reached an age when the need of re-binding becomes imperative. This, with the accumulative growth of the library and the increased price of binding, due to the eight-hour system that prevails in the binderies, makes a largely increased appropriation for binding necessary each successive year. This will be especially true for next year, as a large number of books requiring binding have not been sent to the binderies the latter part of the present year for lack of necessary funds.
During the latter part of the year the cataloguers have writ- ten the shelf number upon the backs of the books with gilt and various colored inks, instead of writing them upon a gummed tag. These tags become frayed and discolored, are hard to re- move, and are inartistic. It is hoped the new system may give better satisfaction.
School Department.
The school department, under the supervision of Miss Mary S. Woodman, has done an increased amount of work during the past year. Though a considerable number of books is pur- chased for this department every year, we do not yet have a suffi- ciently large collection to furnish the teachers a wide range of choice. It is not sufficient to have just enough books to supply the requisite number to all the schoolrooms; but we ought to have a considerable collection of surplus books on the shelves at all times, so that the teachers may be granted a wide freedom of choice.
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