USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1896 > Part 5
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10.2
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North Row
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1,046
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Fifteen.
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SCHOOLS.
Average Member-
VISITS.
Pupil.
110
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES OF THE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
OF THE
TOWN OF CHELMSFORD, MASS.,
FOR THE
Year Ending February 29, 1896.
REPORT.
The Board of Trustees of the Free Public Library respectfully submits its third annual report for the year ending Feb. 29, 1896.
We deem it fitting to put on record here the following action of the town at the annual meeting, March 18, 1895, in regard to the new library building. " Resolved, that the town in accepting the gift of Mr. Amos F. Adams of the land and building thereon, known as the Adams Library, for the use of the Free Public Library, and upon the conditions named in his letter to the town, hereby acknowledges with gratitude the considerate generosity of the donor, in this permanent provision for its educational interests. The munificence of the gift, its special adaptedness to its end, and the elegance of its form and furnishings, evince a public spirit and love of native town that will endear his name to the latest generation ; that the town hereby assures him of its appreciation of his good deed, and pledges him its best efforts to preserve intact, and to per- petuate through coming time, this treasure house for the noble object for which it is given."
At the same meeting a committee was appointed to arrange for the dedication of the building. It consisted of Messrs. J. Adams . Bartlett, E. K. Parkhurst, H. S. Perham, Frank C. Byam, Newell E. Parker, S. Ingersoll Briant, E. H. Shaw, George F. Snow and R. Wilson Dix.
The dedication took place May 8, 1895. The citizens with the invited guests assembled at noon and marched in procession under the lead of the marshal, Hon. E. H. Shaw, to the tent in which dinner was served. Music was furnished by the Dunstable Band, and during the exercises by the Corinthian Quartet of Boston. The divine blessing was invoked by Rev. S. I. Briant. The presi- dent of the day, Mr. C. E. A. Bartlett, made the opening address. The donor, Mr. Amos F. Adams, in felicitous words presented the' keys of the Adams Library to the chairman of the selectmen, Mr. J. E. Warren, who accepted the trust in behalf of the town. The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Granville Pierce. The oration by Rev. E. A. Horton of Boston set forth " The significance of the Free Public Library in modern New England." Addresses
4
followed from Hon. John D. Long of Hingham, Thomas P. Proctor, Esq., of Boston, Rev. W. S. Packard of Brown Univer- sity, Judge S. P. Hadley of Lowell, Hon. Henry S. Nourse of Lancaster, Hon. George A. Marden of Lowell, and Prof. C. F. Emerson of Dartmouth College. A large audience bore witness to the general interest of citizens and of friends from abroad.
The building in its commodious appointments has fully met the highest expectations concerning it and justifies the commendable pride in which it is held. With such a setting our Free Public Library will continue to fill its place in our system of public educa- tion, ever supplementing the work of the public school. We trust that the donor will have reason to view with increasing satisfaction the use made of his gift. We suggest that it would be a fitting recognition of its value for the town to take such action that its Free Public Library shall be called " The Adams Library."
The library has been especially fortunate in the donations received during the year. To the gift of Mr. Thomas M. Adams of $500 ; Thomas P. Proctor, Esq., of Boston added $500 ; Mr. E. G. Byam of Charlestown, $100 ; Mr. W. A. Byam of Charlestown, $25 ; and Mr. C. F. Byam of Charlestown, $25 ; in all $1150, which was expended in the purchase of 1116 volumes. Other donations of books were as follows: From Mr. Charles H. Dalton of Boston, 123 volumes ; Mr. John M. Fiske of Boston, 8; Mr. Joseph W. Fiske of New York, 6; Dr. Morrill Wyman of Cambridge, 8 ; Mrs. E A. Ames of Concord, 7; Mr. R. S. Byam of Canton, 7 ; Hon. G. S. Apsley of Hudson, 1 ; Rev. B. A. Dean of Medford, 2 ; Mr. Azro M. Dows of Lowell, 1; Rev. W. Waters of Lowell, 4 ; Mr. Edwin E. Dutton, 13; Mr. C. E. A. Bartlett, 1; Mrs. H. M. Bartlett, 13; Mrs. J. A. Bartlett, 20; Mr. George F. Snow, 3; Mr. Theo. A. Cornell, 5 ; Social Library, 60 ; State of Massachusetts, 12 ; U. S. Department of the Interior, 2 ; The Swedenborg Publishing Asso- ciation, 23 ; Middlesex Bar Association, I ; Smithsonian Institution, 36; in all 359 volumes. Gifts of unbound magazines have been received from Miss H. B. Rogers of Billerica, 36 numbers ; Miss M. E. Russell of Lowell, 63; Mrs. R. D. Fletcher of Lowell, 110; Miss Nellie Ward of Boston, 260; Mrs. E. R. Marshall, 24; Mrs. H. M. Bartlett, 24 ; in all 517 numbers. The American Citizen has been contributed for two years by Mr. C. O. Stevens, the Lowell Weekly Journal by Mr. G. A. Parkhurst, and the Dracut Tribune by the publishers.
The library has, also, received other gifts. of value : an oil por-
5
trait of the donor of the building, Mr. Amos F. Adams of Newton, from himself; a handsome tower clock and two framed documents from Mr. B. M. Fiske of Somerville; three framed documents from Hon. Charles H. Dalton of Boston ; photograph of portrait of Rev. H. Packard, founder of the Social Library, from Rev. W. S. Packard of Brown University ; a bird's eye view of Lowell in 1834, framed, from Miss Sarah L. Putnam of Lowell ; a framed autograph from Mr. O. H. Moulton of Lowell; two documents from Mr. H. S. Perham; framed certificates of Social Library from Mr. J. A. Bartlett.
Each gift has been acknowledged with thanks and marked with the name of the donor. We desire, also, to bear here a tribute of respect to the memory of the three donors, Mr. Thomas M. Adams of South Chelmsford, Thomas P. Proctor, Esq., of Boston, and Mr. E. G. Byam of Charlestown, all of them natives of the town, who, since their gifts were received, have passed to the other life. A grateful people. the recipients of such benefac- tions, can but feel that the good previously done in their lives was accentuated by these noble acts, which will serve through the cir- culation of healthful reading to perpetuate influences that will be beyond estimation
The selectmen have, also, entrusted to the library the law, education, and other reports and books of the town, to the number of 501 volumes. The large additions made have nearly doubled the size of the library. The aid of all interested is sought in the selection of books, that every class of readers may be suited. We invite gifts of the missing numbers or volumes of magazines to complete the sets ; also, books of local interest, maps, plans, and old records. It is worth noting that there are upon the shelves ten volumes which were in the first purchase of the Social Library in 1793, still in good order.
During March and April the library was opened, as last year, in the town house. In May the books were transferred to the Adams Library, and, immediately after its dedication, were ready for circu- lation. Under the new conditions it seemed best to re-classify and re-catalogue the library. All additions were at once arranged and numbered under the new system. The old books have been grad- ually changed over to it. Author, title, and subject cards for the entire library will now be found in the card catalogue under one alphabet, as in a dictionary. This work has been done without
6
the interruption of a day in the use of the library. A classed find- ing list is being prepared and will soon be ready for distribution.
With the enlargement of the library and the new interest awakened in it, increased facilities for its use have been afforded. The reading room has been supplied with the current magazines and weekly papers. Over 200 volumes of magazines and about 100 volumes of valuable works of reference are on its shelves and acces- sible to all. It has been fairly well patronized. The librarian reports that its use is steadily growing and that the order observed has been usually very good. All should bear in mind that it is not a place for conversation. The library has been open sixteen hours each week ; on Monday and Friday evenings from 6.30 to 9 o'clock, and on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and evenings from 3.30 to 9 o'clock.
The citizens at South Chelmsford have been supplied fort- . nightly, as last year, with satisfactory results, and our thanks are again tendered to Mrs. N. B. Lapham for continued favors. While the schools were in session the pupils from East Chelmsford made considerable use of the library. A few readers have come from North Chelmsford. The total number of patrons has been 514. The total circulation for the year was 10,960 volumes. The aver- age monthly circulation, from June I to March I, was 1.019. Of the different classes of books, Fiction had 72, Travel 7, History 7, Literature 5, Biography 3, Useful and Fine Arts 2, Science 2, Religion and Philosophy I, and Sociology I per cent. of the circu- lation.
We gladly bear testimony to the untiring interest of the libra- rian, Rev. H. A. Cornell, in carrying out the re-arrangement of the library. In choosing to prepare the typewritten cards he has done . a service that will be more and more appreciated in their neatness, legibility, and permanent value. The statistics that are embodied in this report will help all to understand somewhat of the labor that has been demanded of him. He has faithfully endeavored to render every possible aid to those using the library. He has exer- cised due care of the building and its appointments.
We append a statement of the volumes in the library and of the classes of expenditures. It was expected to have issued a find- ing list before the close of the year, and the balance on hand was reserved for that purpose. We estimate that $650 will be needed for ordinary expenses the coming year, including the cost of the finding list Any amount above this sum would be available for
·
7
new books. We think that it would facilitate the handling of the funds if the town should see fit to authorize the Board to elect one of its number treasurer.
STATE OF THE LIBRARY.
Number of volumes in library last year .
.
2648
Worn out and discarded I2
2636
Added by donation
· 1475
Public documents of town
.
.
· 501
Magazines, bound, etc.
103
2079
Present number of volumes
4715
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
Town appropriations
$835 08
Received from fines, etc.
IO 28
$845 36
Paid librarian and janitor
$218 80
Paid for fuel and lights
123 20
furnishings
66 10
magazines
63 00
binding and repairing
93 57
catalogue supplies
42 25
preparing catalogue .
96 75
incidental expenses
58 47
transporting books
13 00
775 14
Unexpended balance $70 22
Respectfully submitted,
J. ADAMS BARTLETT, Chairman, MRS. H. M. BARTLETT, Secretary, LUTHER H. SARGENT, S. INGERSOLL BRIANT, MRS. G. H. PIERCE, A. HEADY PARK,
Trustees.
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