USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1912 > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
Third, the building is the body, the books are the mind, but there must be a heart and spirit informing and giving life
258
ANNUAL REPORTS.
and purpose to the whole. This is the function of the library staff, sympathetic, well educated, and professionally competent persons devoted to the great work of giving to and making appreciated by all people the comfort, the learning, and the inspiration to be had from books.
The special attention given to these three requirements has made this year one of unusual activity, even beyond that naturally due to the opening of two new branches.
New Central Building.
A movement begun in June, 1911, to obtain a new central building for the city came to fruition early in this year. And it appears not a moment too soon for the good and convenience of other city departments, since the land and building now occu- pied by the Library have in the course of time come to be in- valuable for City Hall and high school expansion.
Mayor Burns and the city government, after thorough in- vestigation of the present building, and of the possibilities of increased usefulness promised by a new one, accepted an offer of $80,000 from Mr. Andrew Carnegie and to it, by unanimous action, added $45,000 as the value of the present building. Though this sum of $125,000 is not large for a central building in a city the size of Somerville, it will provide a beautiful and convenient structure to house 200,000 volumes and afford seats for 225 readers. Action was taken immediately, and Mayor Burns, acting on the advice of an advisory committee, shortly appointed as architect Mr. Edward L. Tilton, of New York City, who has an enviable reputation as an architect of library. build- ings, founded upon his successful structures in Springfield, Cleveland, New York, New Jersey, and in more remote cities of the West and South. In consultation with the librarian and committee Mr. Tilton drew up plans, which were accepted in June, and in accordance with which the general contract was let on July 15 to the Kennedy & Peterson Construction Company of Boston for $98,000. Orders for material were immediately placed, and ground broken in September. The masonry walls are practically completed, and two weeks of good weather will see the roof in place. It is expected that the structure may be occupied in the fall of 1913. In con- nection with this work the librarian has had a great mass of correspondence ; has spent a considerable part of his time on the administrative details of the plans, and has made four trips of from one to three days each to New York, three trips to consider the Springfield building, besides numerous shorter ones in the vicinity of Boston. And as the builder's work has progressed he has gone over it considering how various parts would work together for smooth and efficient administration,
+
259
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
suggesting during this process of erection certain of those minor changes which do not affect the builder's progress or architectural features, but which do make all the difference between comfortable and uncomfortable use of the structure during all the years of its usefulness.
The Second Requirement, Book Selection.
The selection for the open shelves of the more useful, up-to-date books, the extension of the classification and re- vision of the catalogue desirable for many years was begun in October. To select these 45,000 volumes for the open shelves of the main Book Room of the new building, determin- ing carefully those of the most value, to subdivide them into classes just inclusive enough to be most useful, and to adjust the library's official records and public catalogues to the ex- tension, is a task which would ordinarily occupy three expert cataloguers upwards of three years. But the attempt is being made to accomplish the work in one year with two such cataloguers and such piecemeal help as may be available from the regular staff. As the seniors of the staff are more than busy with the greatly increased regular work, practically all of this assistance must be rendered by the younger members and apprentices, who are unskilled and whose technical edu- cation has taken, therefore, a very considerable portion of the time of Mrs. Coe, who has charge of the work.
Careful figures show the cost of the copy to be six cents per title, and of the preparation (from this copy) of the catalogue cards by typewriting to be less than two cents each. Making the copy includes establishing the proper form of the author's name, extending the classification, giving Cutter numbers, and assigning subject-headings, and cross-references ; making the cards includes filing in the official and public catalogues. The books figured on, covering collected biog- raphy, religion, philosophy, and sociology, are "particular" in nature, and called for many analyticals and subject headings.
The Third Requirement, the Staff,
The remaining matter of unusual interest has been the reorganizing and re-adjusting of the library workers to meet the needs created by the two new branches, and the desire of the trustees steadily to improve the service, especially in personal attention given inquirers. Certain new positions have been created, a few vacancies filled, and certain re-assignments of work made which seem to be toward the desired end. The "Scheme of Service" adopted a year ago promises to aid in this awakening and strengthening process. The whole matter must be one of education, the development of new ideas and
260
ANNUAL REPORTS.
of new ideals of service. It is, therefore, one which does not show immediate or strikingly visible results such as the handling of 45,000 volumes and the re-building of a catalogue, or, even more strikingly, the erection of a beautiful and con- venient building, but it has, nevertheless, taken more thought and time and strength than the two requirements concerned with material things, for it concerns the mental equipment and the spiritual attitude of a considerable number of human beings.
New Branches.
The best work a library does is through personal attention at points where readers may ask assistance from well-informed, tactful, and helpful members of the library staff. The life and habits of to-day limit people pretty closely to a radius of less than a mile. Branch libraries at convenient distances apart are. therefore, being demanded and greatly patronized.
On February 1 a rented store of about twenty-five by fifty feet floor area was opened as the East Somerville Branch; it has shelving for about 2,200 volumes and seats for twenty- three persons. Its success was immediate, its chairs usually filled, and its issue of books exceeding 300 a day at times, and approaching a yearly output of 60,000 volumes.
On March 4 a room about forty feet square in an abandoned schoolhouse was opened as the Union Square Branch; it accommodates about 2,500 volumes and sixty readers. Its patronage is noteworthy for the great proportion of readers in the building; a much smaller per cent. drawing. books for home use than at West or East Somerville. Still its circulation for ten months promises a yearly use exceeding 45,000 volumes.
Both these branches are giving most excellent service: as excellent for their opportunities and communities as the older institution at West Somerville, though it issues 130,000 volumes annually. Each is in charge of a competent branch-librarian ; each is doing work of high and continually improving quality, and each is multiplying by twenty-five fold every dollar of appropriation.
Some member of each branch staff is every morning at Central to look up questions asked at her branch the day before and not answerable from its books or by telephone. This "interchange" system keeps Central and branches in close touch and gives "Central" service to the branch communities. During the summer and fall over 2,500 such "interchange requests" were made and answered, (See Appendix G, No, 10.)
261
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Accessions of Books.
Nine thousand seven hundred and seventy-five volumes were added during the year and 5,939 worn out and withdrawn, leaving a net addition of 3,836, which brings the total to 107,702. Of these additions about 4,500 volumes were fiction, 600 volumes literature, 600 volumes history, 475 volumes fine arts, 275 music, 325 volumes science, 550 practical arts, 350 volumes of biography, 400 volumes of travel, 175 volumes religion, 300 bound periodicals, 125 volumes philosophy, and 1,200 added to the school library to replace 900 discarded. The catalogue department has worked under unusually difficult conditions by reason both of the great number of new books and of the disturbance inevitably accompanying a revision. The demand of the two new branches for catalogues could not be met, so that, although circulating 100,000 volumes, they are getting along as best they may with only one record, the shelf-list. As all the cataloguing and other processes of record are carried on at Central it is evident that the cataloguing staff must be larger than a few years ago when half the present number of volumes were handled by it, and no branches required duplicate records.
Registration of Borrowers.
The number of persons on our register having reached 33,000, and a considerable number of errors and inconsistencies developing, it has seemed best to re-register on a system which will call automatically for a checking up and verifying of the record every two years hereafter. This registration has now been in operation for some weeks, and is giving us an accurate and carefully verified list of names of borrowers, containing among other data the proper title by which to address a person through the mails. Citizens confined to their homes by illness or old age will be visited by an assistant and regis- tered there. To keep this record in this manner requires the entire time of one person, and in the busy season will take more. During this year 4,770 new borrowers applied for cards, 1,785 at Central, 1,253 at West, 898 at East, 834 at Union Square.
Special Cards.
Special vacation cards were not issued this year, but every card holder was allowed to take the ten books on his regular card which have previously been allowed on the special card. Thus this convenience heretofore granted only 400 persons was made available to all the library's card holders. And it was generally appreciated.
Two other sets of special borrowers' cards were abolished
262
ANNUAL REPORTS.
in December to the convenience of both the public and the . staff. These were the so-called Teachers' cards and Special Students' cards, which granted their holders ten volumes of non-fiction for a month instead of the old regular allowance of two volumes of non-fiction for two weeks. A year ago the number of volumes for any borrower was extended to "any reasonable number," and now the time limit is extended from a fortnight to a calendar month. So that now all of the library's thousands of borrowers may use its contents as freely as a limited number of "Specials" heretofore. The librarian believes, and his observation and experience strengthen his belief, that what is good for one may come to be appreciated by all, and that the fewer unusual and special rulings an institution makes the better.
Use of Books.
After books have been selected, and what is judged to be the proper number of copies ordered, received, checked up, put through the various processes of recording on the shelf- list and the public catalogue, of stamping, of book-plating, and of preparation for circulation, and have been placed before the citizens of the city, and after these citizens have registered their names and become possessors of borrowers' cards, after all this preparation comes the use of books. This use falls into two divisions, home use and use within the building, which is chiefly reference work and the reading of periodical literature.
The keeping of accurate record of this use within the building, requiring as it would the time of a special assistant, is not usually deemed feasible, but there is no doubt that during 1912 there has been a gratifying increase, especially since the middle of the year, when the reference collection was moved downstairs and two additional tables were provided in the space formerly occupied by the "return" desk. Especially has this change facilitated the strictly reference or studious use of books by bringing the reference librarian within easy reach of the people, and also of the books of a studious character in the north stack. Among these books are the thousands of volumes of bound periodicals indexed in Poole's index. The dozen volumes comprising the Poole set were kept as a part of the Reference collection in the room upstairs, and so were entirely dissociated from the periodicals to which they form the key. Together with this increase in reference work there has been a very considerable increase in advice or counsel rendered borrowers in the choice of books of general reading for home use. Accompanying these two lines of activity there has been, during the last half of the year at least, an increase of eight per cent. in the number of non-fiction borrowed.
263
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Home Use.
In the home use of books the most marked event has been the expected development of a large new business at the new branches at East Somerville and Union Square; although they have been open but about ten months their combined circula- tion has been 87,000, or at the rate of 100,000 a year. And this besides all the great amount of service they have rendered the citizens of these neighborhoods as centres for the reading of papers, periodicals, and books, and for advice and reference work. At West Somerville there has been an increase of several thousand volumes, carrying its circulation well over 130,000. But here as elsewhere a noteworthy fact is the tendency toward what is commonly known as "better" read- ing; a tendency stimulated and nurtured by the improved per- sonal attention to borrowers made possible by another assistant, and by further training of the whole staff.
At Central the recorded circulation decreased somewhat, but less than the opening of East and Union had led us to expect ; the falling off was 4,800, but against this loss to Central was the above-mentioned gain of 87,000. Despite the great work of two new branches the adult department at Central made a gain of 9,000, which was, however, offset by a loss of 15,000 in the children's department. This is a loss of twenty-five per cent., but doubtless it is in this department that the effect of the branches would first be felt. The total of actually counted circulation is 432,476; if to this is added an estimate of the use of the books on deposit at the "old" rate, amounting to over 160,000, the grand total on the "old" basis is little short of 600,000, an increase of thirteen per cent. (See Appendixes B and C.)
Publicity.
There have been printed in the local press sixty-three notices concerning the library of from three lines to two columns each, not including weekly lists of new books of from a quarter of a column to a column in extent issued in the Som- erville Journal; a total of over 100 great and small advertise- ments of the system. Since the issue of these weekly book lists the old monthly bulletin has been changed to a quarterly, which is less expensive for the library and gives a larger display of new books on any subject than the monthly plan, while the weekly lists give more timely notice of new purchases. Be- side these local press notices there have appeared in the pro- fessional library journals notes from time to time concerning the staff and the library and one reprinting in toto the "Scheme of Service." (See Appendix E.)
264
ANNUAL REPORTS.
General Administration.
The administrative side of the institution has made prog- ress toward increased efficiency, I think.
The object of the "Scheme of Service" is, of course, to ob- tain for the citizens of Somerville who support the library, the services of the most competent persons to be had. Under it, in effect, applicants and members of the staff appoint and promote themselves; the Administration Committee really watches over and guides this competitive self-appointing. It requires that everyone who desires to serve the citizens in a library position shall show in writing and in experience her suitability. Their local knowledge is greatly to the advantage of Somerville girls, and more have been added to the staff than in any previous year ; to the annoyance of the Administration Committee and of the Librarian, no experienced library-work- ers (not already employed by the library) have applied from the city, or have been discovered by notices and inquiries ad- dressed to educators and public men. To encourage applica- tions from those who have gone beyond the high school, college-trained young women, who complete the usual ap- prentice course, are on appointment to the staff given advanced standing and salary as of the third year. The Committee and Librarian feel that library work has now grown to be a pro- fession worthy the serious attention and educational prepara- tion of young women who are interested in people and learn- ing, and in making books useful and inspiring.
They shall be chief that prove themselves most forceful and helpful, that are self-giving, not self-seeking, that bring the deepest knowledge and broadest sympathy.
The staff of a public library must be prepared without a moment's notice to point out the answer to a question concern- ing anything under the sun, or to produce or to give informa- tion about any one of the two or three hundred thousand books in print ; it must serve young and old, learned and unlearned, pupils and teachers. Such service requires staff members as naturally able, as tactful and helpful, and as carefully educated as those other servants of the city who minister in the schools to the juvenile citizens alone.
A Schedule of Operations has been drawn up and a be- ginning made toward more complete accounting methods of the time spent on various operations and their cost. (See Ap- pendix F, No. 3.)
Professional Advancement.
The library was represented at the Chelsea meeting of the Massachusetts Library Club on January 25 by a dozen members of the staff in attendance at one or more of the three sessions ; at its annual meeting in Springfield on June 6 and : by the assistant librarian and three branch librarians; and at
1
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
265
the fall meeting in Haverhill on October 24 by seven assistants as delegates, as well as by Principal Emerson of the Knapp school and Mrs. Emerson, the librarian, assistant librarian, and the branch librarians.
The international conference of the American Library Association in Ottawa, Ont., June 26-July 2, at which 700 library workers from Canada and the United States were pres- ent, was attended by the librarian. The addresses and discus- sions and section-meetings were animated and valuable; the whole considering this "point of departure for the programme: Should not the library, neglecting no other service, make very . certain that it fulfills its own unique task, that is, to provide and to make known the sources of joy? As each man's rain- bow is his own, and he starts on the quest led by a gleam, never driven by a command. To awake, to stimulate, to de- velop the power of taste is to develop the individual. When we dio what we choose to do, because to choose gives joy, the process becomes one of the most potent causes, if not the most potent in that unfolding of personality which is education."
There have been weekly conferences between the librarian and the executive heads in direct charge of Central and the branches ; regular weekly appointments for quarter hour peri- ods with the librarian for each of the several heads of depart- ments ; and general meetings of the entire staff. These meet- ings are developing into a regular monthly series in which vari- ous members of the staff will take an increasing part and in which the subjects for discussion will be increasingly literary and studious.
Beside these professional meetings there have been dur- ing the Fall three delightful social gatherings. The first, on Hallow'en eve, was tendered by the staff at West Somerville. The second was arranged by Mr. George Whiting as an in- auguration of the use of the upper room at West Somerville; the Trustees, his Honor the Mayor and Commissioner of Buildings Littlefield were all in attendance as well as the mem- bers of the staff. And at the very end of the year the regular interchange of modest Christmas remembrances among mem- bers of the staff took place very happily at the home of a re- tiring member, Miss Spear.
Under the incentives offered by the Scheme of Service, several assistants have pursued courses of study. The Sim- mons College Library School summer course was taken by Misses Curtis, Donovan, and Nute ; and Miss Parker a partial course. Miss Cobb has enrolled in the same school for its Sophomore course in reference work running to next June. Miss Crain and Mrs. Spofford are engaged with special courses in German, and in the Appreciation of Music, at Boston Uni- versity. And Mrs. Coe has given, on invitation, special lec-
266
ANNUAL REPORTS.
tures to the library school classes of Simmons College, of the New York City public library and of Pratt Institute, Brooklyn.
To the members of the staff, and their co-operation and earnest endeavor, are due the accomplishment of the year, and to them are indebted the Librarian, the Trustees, and the citi- zens.
For years you gentlemen as Trustees have watched over its interests and guided the institution. The past twelve months have seen no diminution in your care or in your freely rendered service. It is this sort of faithful service, cheerfully given, unrewarded, and for the most part unappreciated, which keeps such an institution of "light and leading" steadily on its mission. And I should like to suggest that emphasis be placed upon the unity of all persons, trustees, staff, and others en- gaged in this common effort to make the learning, inspiration and comfort that is to be found in good books available to the 80,000 citizens of Somerville.
Very respectfully, DREW B. HALL, Librarian.
December 31, 1912.
APPENDIX A. Volumes and Accessions.
Central.
West.
East.
Union.
Total. 103,866
January 1, 1912 .
93,300
10,566
B
B
New titles added
3,056
768
426
812
5,062
Duplicates added .
3,342
549
389
433
4,713
Volumes gained . ·
6,398
1,317
815
1,245
9,775
'Active entries on Shelf-
list .
99,698
11,883
815
1,245
113,641
Worn out
4,077
1,809
4
49
5,939
'Actual contents Decem-
ber 31
.
95,621
10,074
811
1,196
107,702
B Volumes loaned from the Central collection largely stocked the shelves of these branches at their opening; as the shelves fill with new additions this stock will be retired to Central.
APPENDIX B. Deposits.
Volumes on Deposit from Three Months to a Year. In 162 Schoolrooms · ·
6,497
In Sunday Schools, Clubs, etc.
1,471
East ·
51,863
Union
.
.
35,067
Total out on deposit . 7,968
Circulation, estimated on "old" basis that each volume is used once during each fortnight it is on deposit
164,681
APPENDIX C. Circulation.
Fiction 68 per cent.
Central
.
.
214,847
West
.
·
·
Actual count
432,476
Deposit estimate
164,681
Home use on "old" basis .
597,157
.
.
·
.
PUBLIC
LIBRARY.
269
·
.
·
.
.
130,672
.
APPENDIX D (Financial Statement, 1912). CENTRAL INCLUDES AGENCIES, DEPOSITS, AND CATALOGUING, ETC., FOR BRANCHES. CITY APPROPRIATION (RECEIVED AND EXPENDED BY THE TRUSTEES). RECEIPTS.
City Appropriations
Central. $21,900 00
West. $5,500 00
East. $1,750 00 250 00
Union. $1,750 00 500 00 150 00
. .
. . ..
.
Totals .
$21,929 74
$5,500 00
$2,000 00
$2,400 00
$31,829 74
. EXPENDITURES.
Central.
West.
Books .
$4,948 31
$2,030 09
East. $542 42
Union.
Music
379 22
113 24
492 46
Periodicals
722 99
141 83
17 55
128 77
Periodicals for West
223 95
Periodicals for East .
97 95
Periodicals for Union
99 35
·
.
*Total
.
$6,471 77
$2,285 16
$559 97
$1,007 46
$10,324 36
Binding
1,448 42
539 02
1,987 44
Printing and Stationery
660 69
13 00
13 02
9 95
696 66
Services
11,187 58
2,567 33
1,376 73
1,309 27
16,440 91
Express, Postage, and Telephone .
332 92
26 51
24 44
23 74
407 61
Sundries
1,828 34
68 97
25 83
47 96
1,971 10
Totals
$21,929 72
$5,499 99
$1,999 99
$2,398 38
$31,828 08
City's Appropriations to Commissioner of Public Buildings for buildings maintenance
3,532 98
1,705 95
785 60
610 07
6,634 60
Total Expenditures of Public Moneys,
$25,462 70
$7,205 94
$2,785 59
$3,008 45
$38,462 68
TRUST FUNDS: ADDITIONAL BOOK EXPENDITURES. $1,038 49 $65 02
$145 05 $97 00
$1,346 52
*Additional expenditures of $1,346.52 for books from Trust Funds Income makes the total for printed matter $11,670.88, and for all accounts $39,809.20.
.
.
29 74
.
. ...
..
· ..... .
Total.
268
ANNUAL
REPORTS.
·
.
.
.
... .
.
1,432 39
$878 69
Total. $8,399 51
.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.