Report of the city of Somerville 1929, Part 24

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1929
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 438


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1929 > Part 24


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


The Commissioner recommends the installation of a new heating and ventilating system at the Cummings School to replace old furnaces now in use.


Every summer an internal inspection is made by the State Inspectors on every boiler, and recommendations for repairs made. Repairs are made during the summer vacation, the boilers reinspected and a certificate for operation granted. These certificates are hung in every boiler room. Besides this inspection there are three external inspections made while boiler is in use.


Painting, Etc.


Is is the policy of the Commissioner to paint the exterior and interior of a number of school buildings each year so that all may be kept in fairly good repair. During the past year walls, ceilings and woodwork of the following buildings were thoroughly renovated : Edgerly, Southworth and Forster.


Exterior painting was done on the Northeastern Junior High, Bingham and Glines Schools.


High School Buildings


The new east wing of the High School plant has been com- pleted during the past year and is now in use. It contains a complete household arts department and 30 school rooms. All rooms are equipped with latest type of modern furniture.


381


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS .


The new cafeteria has been completed with a kitchen con- taining all the most approved appliances and a seating capa- city of about 1,000.


General Repairs


During the summer vacation all school toilets were paint- ed, all kindergartens painted, 6,000 desk tops refinished, 3,000 chairs refinished.


Plaster repairs have been made in eighteen different schools.


Window cords replaced in 285 windows.


Plumbing repairs made in twelve school buildings.


Steam repairs were made in several school buildings.


One of the biggest items that this department has to con- tend with in school buildings is broken glass. During the past year this department spent $2,500 replacing broken glass.


Roof repairs were made in several buildings. The Com- missioner hopes to be able to renew the roofs on other buildings during the present year as these roofs are in such condition that leaks may be expected at any time.


The Commissioner hopes to be able to replace the plumb- ing fixtures in at least five of the older buildings during the coming year with more modern and sanitary fixtures.


During the summer vacation carpenters were busy in all school buildings repairing buildings and furniture.


The curtain contract was given to Fred D. Bigelow of Somerville, for the replacement of about 425 curtains for the sum of $635.


Forty-five chairs were recaned by a blind citizen of Som- erville.


Blackboards


Several of the buildings are equipped with paper black- boards, and the surfaces of same have to be renewed every


382


ANNUAL REPORTS


year at a cost of several hundred dollars. I would recommend that slate blackboards be installed in place of paper black- boards, as the slate boards last indefinitely and the saving on repairs would more than repay the cost of purchasing same.


Sprinklers


During the past year sprinkler systems have been install- ed in the basement of the High school.


It has been the experience of engineers checking up on fires that 90 per cent of fires start in basements, and we feel now that nineteen of our school buildings are adequately pro- tected there being a sprinkler head to every 36 square feet.


The Commissioner hopes to do more of the school build- ings the coming year.


The Buidings which now have the sprinkler systems in the basements are as follows :


Cutler School Prescott School


Forster School


Highland School


Bennett School


Edgerly School


Bingham School


High School Pope School


Morse School


Lincoln School


Knapp School


Cummings School


Burns School


Hodgkins School


Glines School


Brown School


Folsom Building


Carr School


Fire Department Buildings


Hose 5 house has been renovated with new dormitories for men and a new kitchen installed. The entire interior has been painted. New electric lighting throughout.


Libraries


The elevator at the Central Library must be thoroughly overhauled during the coming year, and modern equipment installed.


A new roof must be put on the West Branch Library and the interior of the building refinished.


Sanitary Buildings


The incinerator building has been repaired throughout and incinerator rebuilt.


383


COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS


The Sanitary Stables have had new floors and all new stall bottoms put in. Garbage shed and office have been re- paired.


Contagious Hospital


The hospital has been painted and varnished throughout, the beds and tables enameled. The Preventorium Camp at- tached to Contagious Hospital has been repaired, painted, and fixtures replaced so that the camp was ready for use June 1st.


City Home


Many repairs have been made to this building during the past year. The roof of house and barn have been reshingled. These buildings must be painted outside during the coming year.


Police Buildings


Cells have been renovated and painted, and several minor repairs made.


As this building is of antiquated design and wholly in- adequate for the needs of the present force the Commissioner recommends that an early consideration of a modern station be contemplated.


Park Buildings


Numerous repairs have been made to these buildings dur- ing the past year, new toilets have been installed and repairs to shower baths, heating apparatus, electric light fixtures, and repairs in general.


Dilboy Field House must be enlarged and the Commis- sioner hopes that plans for same will be drawn during the coming year.


Excessive damage has been done to the Park Buildings owing to the rough element which collect about these build- ings after they are closed at night. Doors and windows have been broke and forced, toilet fixtures ripped from the walls and broken, electric light fixtures destroyed and tile roofs badly damaged.


384


ANNUAL REPORTS


Bathhouse


The public bathhouse on the Mystic River on Shore Drive was opened and maintained as usual this year.


Building was repaired and exterior painted.


About 200 tons of sand were purchased for resanding the beach.


This particular recreation has been a great help to many mothers and children during the hot weather of the past sea- son. It is a common sight to see mothers and children arriv- ing at the beach as early as nine o'clock with lunches to spend the entire day. The attendance at the beach during the warm weather has sometimes exceeded 1,000 a day.


In General


The Building Commissioner has had the co-operation of all branches of the City Government, including His Honor, the Mayor, the honorable members of the Board of Aldermen and all the city officials, and desires to thank them for their kindly consideration.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN H. KELLEY, Commissioner of Public Buildings.


385


PUBLIC LIBRARY


PUBLIC LIBRARY


BOARD OF TRUSTEES


THOMAS M. DURELL, M.D., President, 1931 J. FRANK WELLINGTON, Vice-President, 1932


WILLIAM L. BARBER, 1931 ALBERT L. HASKELL, 1931


FRANK R. NICKERSON, 1932 WILLIAM J. ENNIS, 1930


WILLIAM H. DOLBEN, 1930 GEORGE E. WHITAKER, 1930. FRANK M. BARNARD, 1932


COMMITTEES


On Administration The President, Messrs. Wellington, Haskell, Dolben and Nickerson


On Books and Cataloging The President, Messrs, Barber, Barnard, Whitaker, and Ennis


On Buildings and Property The President and the Vice-President


Secretary of the Board GEORGE H. EVANS


386


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES


To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :


Gentlemen: The fifty-seventh annual report of the Trustees of the Public Library is herewith respectfully sub- mitted ; being the report of the Librarian and tables of statis- tics of operation.


Very respectfully, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,


By THOS. M. DURELL, President.


387


PUBLIC LIBRARY


ORGANIZATION OF LIBRARY AND STAFF PERSONNEL December 31, 1929 GEORGE H. EVANS, Librarian NELLIE M. WHIPPLE, Assistant Librarian VIVIAN J. MORSE, Executive Assistant Central Library and Librarian's Office Highland Avenue and Walnut Street


GRADED SERVICE (Department Heads and Special Positions) CORA B. EAMES, Reference Librarian and Second Assistant MABEL E. BUNKER, Chief Cataloger


MARY S. WOODMAN, Reviewer and Classifier


DOROTHY EMERSON KENNEDY, Supervisor of Periodicals and Binding


MADELEINE R. BURRILL, School Librarian MYRTLE NICHOLSON, Desk Chief


RUTH M. WOODMAN, Assistant Cataloger


......


Supervisor of Children's Work


MILDRED A. BOWLEY, Reference Assistant ALICE HAMILTON BOYD, Children's Librarian


Senior Assistants ESTELLE M. JONES, Circulation RUTH H. EATON, Circulation WINIFRED J. PEMBER, Circulation


ELEANORE FLYNN, Circulation


MARION H. HANFORD, Catalog Department HELEN T. BLISH, Junior Library


Special Assistants


MARGARET M. COLLINS, Administration UNETTA R. QUINN, Administration EDYTHE T. REYNOLDS, Catalog


Ungraded Service (Attendants on Part Time)


JAMES J. CARNEY SUMNER C. NOYES ROBERT CLARK


388


ANNUAL REPORTS


WEST SOMERVILLE BRANCH Established 1909 40 College Avenue


GRADED SERVICE


ESTHER M. MAYHEW, Branch Librarian DOROTHY H. TERRY, First Assistant


BEATRICE M. KENNY, Children's Librarian


Senior Assistants


GERTRUDE REYNOLDS, Circulation RUTH NOURBOURN, Circulation KATHLEEN O'BRIEN, Circulation


Ungraded Service (Attendants on Part Time)


DOLPHIE E. BERG NORMAN KNOX


LESLIE LOCKMAN DORIS F. GRAVES DOROTHY VALENTINE


EAST SOMERVILLE BRANCH Established 1912 Broadway and Illinois Ave.


GRADED SERVICE


ELSIE K. WELLS, Branch Librarian


ALICE J. UNDERWOOD, First Assistant


MARY B. BARTLETT, Children's Librarian


Senior Assistants


KATHRYN KENNY, Circulation


Ungraded Service (Attendants on Part Time)


ANNIE D. FORBES RUTH E. LARSON


KATHLEEN MARTIN NATHALIE BLAIR


AUDREY LANGILL


389


PUBLIC LIBRARY


UNION SQUARE BRANCH


Established 1912 Washington St. and Bonner Ave.


GRADED SERVICE


ALICE G. WORTHEN, Branch Librarian ELSIE L. KNOX, First Assistant MIRIAM L. ROWE, Children's Librarian


Senior Assistants ALICE L. DELANEY, Circulation EVELYN R. ROBINSON, Circulation


Ungraded Service (Attendants on Part Time)


FRANK COYLE


WILLIAM J. PIGOTT


ELEANOR M. MARTIN


KATHLEEN SHEA


WINTER HILL STATION


Established 1929 424 Broadway


RUTH H. EATON, Assistant in Charge Note: For changes in staff personnel during year see Librarian's Report.


390


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN


Gentlemen of the Board of Trustees :


The fifty-seventh annual report of the Somerville Public Library, being that for the year 1929, is herewith submitted.


A detailed statement of the work of the year will be found in Appendix A setting forth in statistical form the use and growth of the library. It is gratifying to report that our cir- culation, or recorded home loans, reached a new high total of 570,558. The increase over last year, 32, 089, is well distributed throughout the entire area of the city, with the East Somerville Branch making the best showing. The gain of the latter branch may to some extent be attributed to the registration of new borrowers from the newly occupied Ten Hills Farm district. 10,895 books have been added during the year, and 10,660 with- drawn, the total number in the library on December 31, 1929, being 129,210. The number withdrawn represents the normal wear and tear of one year's use plus some percentage of super- annuation. The subject of book wear opens up almost endless possibilities for investigation. The aggregate wear of over a million trips to and from the library and the handling at home is of course large. To this must be added at least an equal amount within the library walls. The loss resulting from this enormous amount of handling is not excessive.


The long-known and frequently-expressed opinion of the residents of the Winter Hill section that they were entitled to a library service center that did not oblige them to walk down one long hill and up another to reach a library building, and then to repeat the process to get back home has at last pre- vailed. The Winter Hill Library Station has been experiment- ally established at 424 Broadway. It was opened March 18, 1929, with 643 attractive books upon its shelves. In the forty- one weeks of its operation with a very limited schedule it has registered 328 new borrowers and has lent for home use 11,667 volumes. The hours of opening at first were from 2:00 to 6:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This was later in- creased by the addition of evening hours from 7:00 to 9:00 on Monday nights. The limited space available permits only loan service, and some reference work. The latter is greatly aided by our daily express interchange service which places the re- sources of the Central Library at the command of the inquirer. There is not sufficient space for periodical and general read- ing room service. There is no doubt that some of its patronage


391


1


PUBLIC LIBRARY


is diverted from the Central Library, but on the other hand it affords great satisfaction to many parents who were reluctant to permit their children to go across traffic arteries to the Central Library.


During the experimental months of 1929 the housing costs were, by special arrangement with the Department of Public Buildings, met from the Central Library appropriation. These costs for 1930 and succeeding years will of course be included in the budget of the Public Buildings Department.


Readers may register a mental inquiry as to why we speak of the Winter Hill unit as a "Station", instead of a "Branch". The answer is that it does not satisfy the standards of a "Branch" with regard to equipment and service. A re- statement of these standards may not be amiss at this point.


The Eight Points of Branch Standard


1. Independent, separate budget and appropriation making the branch self-supporting.


2. Permanent, separate building entirely controlled by the Trustees for library purposes only.


3. Permanent collection of books with separate reference and children's collections.


4. Separate children's room.


5. Staff and work rooms.


6. Separate and permanent staff, the standard minimum force consisting of Branch Librarian, First Assistant, Children's Librarian, one or more Senior or Junior As- sistants, and part time attendants as needed.


7. Open every week day and evening at least seven hours.


8. Daily express interchange service.


Inquiry will show that the foregoing are standards for cities of the first class. Even in the event of such an unfortun- ate calamity as the destruction of the Central Library by fire the branches could carry on uninterrupted service.


Station service similar to that at Winter Hill might well be established in the Spring Street section in the vicinity of St. Catherine's Church, and in the north end of the city in the neighborhood of the Cutler School.


Twenty years ago the West Somerville Branch moved into its new building on College Avenue. In the annual report for 1909 Dr. Edward C. Booth, President of the Board of Trustees, made a careful analysis of the population served accompanied by a street map showing the home location of every registered


392


ANNUAL REPORTS


user. As a visual exhibit of the distribution of branch service it was most interesting and informing. With due acknowledg- ments for the idea your present Librarian at the beginning of the year undertook to do the same thing for the entire city. A reproduction of the map is presented herewith.


Our citizens are enabled by this map to see exactly to what extent the library service covers the city. Each dot rep- resents a borrower of books registered within two years. Each one is shown upon the map at approximately the actual loca- tion of his house number.


As may be inferred the compilation of the map was an exacting task requiring both patience and accuracy. At each of the four buildings a person was assigned to dot upon an engineer's map of the city the location of every borrower of books registered at that building within two years. The local maps having been completed they were each successively taken off upon the same sheet of transparent draughtman's linen, superimposed upon them, making finally a composite of the entire city. From this sheet as a negative it was possible to print an indefinite number of photographic reproductions.


The map shows a surprisingly even distribution of the 18,000 active, registered users. The scantier registration in the Ten Hills Farm section is due to its recent development. and during the year just finished new registration has already brought the density up to a fair normal.


The foregoing comments relating to expansion of service and to the map of distribution of registration lead logically to a brief survey of the branch service with respect to cost, distribution, and productiveness.


The total number of volumes added to the branches dur- ing the last ten years, 1920 to 1929, inclusive, has been : Union Square Branch, 15,515 volumes; West Somerville Branch, 13,167 volumes ; East Somerville Branch. 10.399 volumes.


393


PUBLIC LIBRARY


The following tabulations afford interesting data from which pertinent conclusions may be drawn.


Table 1.


Cost of Operating Branches, 1929


A .- On the Basis of Budget Items


For each registered user of the branches the library has spent the following sums for the purposes named.


Budget Items


Amounts spent by each branch


Largest Expenditure


Second


Salaries


Union


$2.18


East


$2.05


Third West $1.42


Books, Periodicals, Music


East


.73


Union


.71


West


.62


Binding


Union


.19


East


.13


West


.10


Postage


Union


.04


East


.03


West


.02


Supplies


Union


.04


East


.04


West


.03


Printing


Union


.01


East


.01


West


.004


Express


East


.07


Union


.07


West


.04


Telephone


Union


.02


East


.02


West


.01


Other


East


.004


West


.001


Union


.00


B .- On the Basis of Registered Users


Total cost of ser-


vice for each


registered user Union $3.26


East


$3.11


West


$2.25


C .- On the Basis of Books Lent


Total cost of ser-


vice for each


book lent ......


Union $ .10


West $ .10


East $ .09


It will be seen that in Table I costs of maintenance are shown as related to three factors: namely, expenditure per registered user for each budget item, total expenditure for each user served and expenditure for each book lent.


Table I. A. shows that Union has had the most money per registered user to spend for budget items, East next, and West the least. Table I. B. shows that Union has had the most money to spend for the benefit of each registered user, East next, and West least. There is a significant margin between the extremes of this table, for Union has been able to expend 30% more for each registered user than West, and East 26% more than West. Table I. C. shows little difference between the branches in expenditure per book lent.


394


ANNUAL REPORTS


Table Il. Distribution of Employment Service Through Branches


Showing how the different sections of the city have fared in the division of library working hours.


Largest share of time Second Third


Employees' time


allotted to


branches gives


to each regis-


tered user


Union, 4.2 hrs. East, 3.8 hrs. West, 2.7 hrs.


This table shows that the Union Square neighborhood has had devoted to its service considerably the largest number of paid hours of work for each library user, East the second larg- est, and West the smallest.


Table III Returns In Circulation In Proportion To Expenditure


Best return


Second


Third


Number of books


lent in each


working hour East 9.3 West 8.3 Union 7.5


This table shows that for each working hour devoted to the branch patrons East produces the best return in books lent, West second best, and Union last.


Table IV.


Supply of Books In Proportion To Users


Best book supply


Second


Third


Number of users


for each new


book


East 1.8


Union


.2


West


2.6


Number of books


in branch for


each registered


user


Union 3.5


East


3.4


West


3.3


This table shows that East and Union stand very closely together in their supply of new books per registered user, and that both have a slight advantage over West. It would probably be impossible to reach a fairer division of the purchases of a year.


395


PUBLIC LIBRARY


Table V.


Per Capita Use of Books At Branches


Most frequent borrowers


Second Third


Number of loans to each regis-


tered user East 35.9 Union 31.6 West 23


This table shows that the registered users of East come to the library most often to borrow books, Union's users next. and West's users least often.


The foregoing analysis shows clearly that in liberality of support Union stands an easy first, with East second, and West third. This is not an accidental condition. The administration recognizes that there are certain intangible social and economic factors that weigh heavily in the allotment of support to the two smaller branches. These factors can not be tabulated, vet they have an enormous influence upon the production of a rep- utable and intelligent citizenry which it is the mission of the library to promote.


The name of Dr. Edward C. Booth has already appeared in this report. Before the passing of the years shall have effec- tively obscured the eminence of his services to the library as a founder, a trustee and a benefactor, the Trustees have deter- mined to insure the preservation of his memory. In pursuance of this resolve they have voted to name the first floor of the West Somerville Branch Library the Edward C. Booth Hall. They have further directed the Librarian to procure a life size portrait with a suitable inscription plate, and to hang it in the Edward C. Booth Hall so that the people of Somerville who benefit in no inconsiderable degree from his services and bene- factions may be reminded of their indebtedness.


Dr. Booth was a lifelong resident of this city, and there are still many who remember him as a gentleman of the finest breeding and instincts. His dignified bearing joined to a kindly consideration for all with whom he came in contact, his courte- ous address, his innate modesty, his scholarly attainments, his love of his city all united to make him an outstanding figure in the community. Dr. Booth was a member of the original committee of three appointed by the High School Association in 1869 to confer with a similar committee appointed by the Selectmen to consider the establishment of a public library. When the library actually came into being in 1872 with the incorporation of the city Dr. Booth was elected to the first Board of Trustees, and became its Secretary. He was elected


396


ANNUAL REPORTS


President in 1906. In his will he made the library a legatee in a generous sum of money. Thus from 1869 until his death in 1925, a period of 54 years, he was in one capacity or another an active supporter and benefactor of the library. The West Somerville Branch was built during his administration as President of the Board of Trustees. He was deeply interested in its success. The permanent association of his name with a room in that building will be a peculiarly fitting memorial of his services.


The strikingly lifelike portrait of Dr. Booth that has been hung at the West Branch bears a plate with the following inscription.


DR. EDWARD C. BOOTH


A Founder, Trustee and Benefactor of the Somerville Public Library In Appreciation of whose Services this Floor is Named EDWARD C. BOOTH HALL December 18, 1929


When the Central Library was built no provision was made for a public toilet. It is understood that unfortunate and offensive experiences in the former building influenced the building committee to omit the provision. To have, or not to have. such a convenience is a dilemma, and however such a question is decided the situation is always a fertile source of complaint. Fortunately there now appears an unusual oppor- tunity for a solution of this ancient and unhappy problem.


The new central heating plant was designed to include the library in its service. When the connection is made the present library boiler room will be released for other uses. It is ideally adapted for conversion into a public toilet at rela- tively slight expense. There is ample room, it has a separate entrance, it is sufficiently isolated from the public rooms and is adjacent to the sewer connection. An additional advantage of this plan will be the elimination of soft coal smoke which has badly discolored our mural decorations.


I recommend that the Trustees communicate with the Department of Public Buildings calling attention to the need and to the opportunity that is now offered to meet it.


When the Central Library was opened in 1914 it was hailed as a model of administrative efficiency. It is quite re- markable how well it has stood the test of time. Of course a few weaknesses have developed. An outstanding lack is the


397


PUBLIC LIBRARY


unexplainable omission of equipment for the Reference or In- formation Department. The very important work of this de- partment has been carried on all these years with a makeshift combination of unmatched tables to supplement a cheap and inadequate desk. With the steady increase of the work of this department it is no longer possible to give proper service with the equipment handicap now existing. I therefore recommend that the Department of Public Buildings be asked to furnish a new desk adapted to the needs. Specifications of the type desired will be furnished the Public Buildings Department.




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.