USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870 > Part 30
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It will be seen that care has been had to procure publications which treat of the various applications of science. The same care will also be observable in the list of additions to be made the first of next year.
1.47
Thus, we have ordered Engineering, from London, and the Artizan of New York. Silliman's Journal will also be found on our tables after the first of January. The anxiety of the Committee to provide read- ing of this kind for our citizens, is grounded in a positive demand for it.
The Reading Room is frequented by many persons for amusement only. Many come to it, the large majority of those who use it, to ob- tain the news of the day. But such of our periodicals as relate to Me- chanical Science and Architecture are eagerly sought for, for purposes of careful perusal and study. Their coming is eagerly looked for, and if for any reason delayed, somewhat impatiently awaited. An interest in applied science is naturally to be suspected in a community made up so largely as ours is of intelligent mechanics. It is gratifying to find that it exists, and that we are able in conjunction with the Worcester County Mechanics' Association to satisfy and increase it. This inter- est it is probable will grow among us in the presence of the new Indus- trial School, which is a centre from which a renewed impulse must spread for cultivation of a scientific interest in the operations of the workshop.
Among the publications which will first appear in our list, next month, are the New York Daily Times, the Overland Monthly, and The Nation of New York. The Monthly is valuable on account of its interesting statements concerning things in California. The Nation needs no introduction to persons of a literary taste who also take an intelligent interest in politics and social questions.
It has been decided to be best to discontinue The Pall Mall Gazette, a London daily, because it has been so little read. We shall take, however, in its place, The Pall Mall Budget, a weekly paper publish- ed at the same office and containing many of the articles of the daily issue and a summary of news. It is a valuable paper, and is " com- posed of at least forty pages, in size and appearance like those of the Pall Mall Gazette."
Der Bazar, Figaro, and Wespen have been discontinued, because none of our patrons desired to read them.
Some eighteen papers and magazines, it will be seen, in the annexed list, are given to us. Many of these are especially acceptable, as they deal with subjects which interest large numbers of persons, but not of general interest enough to make it proper for us to subscribe to them. Such are papers which relate to the developments of spiritualism, and which advocate exclusively the use of prohibitory measures in securing temperance.
1.48
It is to be regretted that our different religious denominations are not better represented by their publications in the Reading Rooms. Some efforts have been made to give us a supply of Unitarian periodi- cal literature, but we are still without the Christian Examiner, one of its most valuable serials. We are tolerably well supplied, also, with the serial productions of Universalists. Why will not interested mem- bers of other denominations see to it that their several publications be placed in the rooms. They are still acceptable, even if retained by subscribers until they have been read in their families and then pre- sented to the Library. It is well known, we presume, that our cus- toms forbid us to use the income of the Reading Room Fund to pur- chase sectarian literaturc.
We would make special mention of the timely gift of The Revolu- tion by Hon. Mr. Hoar, and of the continued generosity of the pub- lishers of the Worcester Daily Spy, the Worcester Evening Gazette, the Palladium, and the Fitchburg Reveille, in sending us their papers without charge. Le Moniteur of Quebec has been contributed by a stranger, and the committee takes this means of thanking their un- known friend. Our gratitude is due to every donor, but for the names of numerous benefactors we must refer to the subjoined list of period- icals.
The new arrangement which the Board of Directors allowed the Committee to make in regard to the purchase of foreign periodicals, has proved thus far to be excellent. Our late President, Mr. Hoar, kindly attended to the matter for us during a recent visit to the old world, and thus added to the great obligations which the Board are under to him for valuable advice and services. The new system has been in operation for six months, and papers are received promptly and with greater certainty than before. The arrangement is also re- garded as even in a narrow sense economical.
By the courtesy of the Committee on the Library, this committee has continued its labors in perfecting our list of Books of Reference, and in completing files and sets of periodicals and papers. Such work requires time, and it is only now, after two years' effort, that we can announce an inexpensive completion of our sets of the Edinburg Re- view, the North American Review, Putnam's Monthly Magazine (old issue), and the Army and Navy Journal. Our set of Blackwood's Magazine is also perfect for twenty years back.
The Committee has still to complain of the occasional mutilation of papers, and to warn the guilty ones that severe punishment will be in- flicted hereafter upon offenders, if discovered.
1.49
We are gratified to see that the Reading Rooms are much used. Subjoined is a table showing how many persons availed themselves of the privileges of the newspaper department in a single month. More persons use the rooms in cold weather than in summer. Unpleasant weather, too, it is noticed, increases the number of readers. In the middle of the forenoon and during the corresponding portion of the afternoon, the lower room seems sometimes entirely deserted. The evening is a favorite time for a visit. Some persons always come early to read the morning papers. Many others drop in just before or after meals. We are confident that much good is being done by the Free Public Library in this department. It may be said, also, that the number of persons who use the rooms, either occasionally or regularly, is gradually increasing.
TABLE
Showing the Attendance in the Newspaper Department of the Reading Rooms during the month of February, 1868.
A. M.
P. M.
Ev'ng.
Total.
No. of Ladies included in Total.
Monday,
23
46
40
109
4
Tuesday,
20
39
32
91
4
Wednesday,
36
49
43
128
6
Thursday,
19
29
38
86
4
Friday,
28
50
27
105
7
Saturday,
37
40
56
133
9
Monday,
33
39
37
109
7
Tuesday,
29
26
32
87
2
Wednesday,
20
39
17
76
6
Thursday,
32
38
31
101
Friday,
30
34
24
88
6
Saturday,
30
37
51
118
6
Monday,
36
32
36
104
4
Tuesday,
23
51
27
101
4
Wednesday,
25
32
27
844
3
Thursday,
21
23
52
96
3
Friday,
20
37
24
81
7
Saturday,
Holiday.
Monday,
34
56
56
146
9
Tuesday,
30
40
52
122
4
Wednesday,
32
40
52
124
4
Thursday,
25
26
23
74
6
Friday,
20
46
40
106
3
Saturday,
21
45
47
113
3
20
150
This table was prepared by Miss Earle. The Committee would close its report by acknowledging its indebtedness to Mrs. Baker and Miss Earle for their intelligent and constant care of the Reading Rooms, and express entire satisfaction with their labors.
SAMUEL S. GREEN,
Chairman of the Committee on the Reading Room.
LIST Of the Newspapers and Magazines, taken at the Read- ing Room of the Free Public Library.
NEWSPAPERS.
Advertiser, Boston, Daily.
American and Commercial Advertiser, Baltimore,
66
Commercial Advertiser, New York,
66
Evening Gazette, Worcester, given by the publishers, 66
Post, New York, 66
66 Transcript, Boston,
66
Gazette, Cincinnati,
66
Globe, Washington, given by Hon. J. D. Baldwin,
66
Herald, New York,
Inquirer, Philadelphia,
66
Journal, Boston,
Le Charivari, Paris,
66
Pall Mall, London,
66
Post, Boston,
66
Republican, Springfield,
Spy, Worcester, 2 copies, 1 copy given by the publishers,
66
Tribune, New York,
66
World, 66
66
National Intelligencer, Washington,
Tri-weekly.
Tribune, Chicago,
Semi-weekly.
Manufacturers' and Farmers' Journal, Providence,
Weekly.
Banner of Light, Boston, given by Mrs. John Davis,
Christian Register, " given by Mrs. M. H. Morse,
Chronicle, Cambridge,
Commercial Bulletin, Boston,
66
Mail, London,
Bell's Life in London,
153
Commonwealth, Boston, Connecticut Courant, Hartford, Freeman's Journal, Dublin, Home Journal, New York, Independent, Independent Democrat, Concord, N. H., Journal, Oxford, Eng.,
Weekly.
66
Le Moniteur, Quebec, given by a stranger,
Liberal Christian, N. Y., given by Rev. Dr. Hill,
66
Maine State Press, Portland,
Massachusetts Ploughman, Boston,
Mercury, Liverpool,
Missouri Democrat, St. Louis,
Anti-Slavery Standard, N. Y., given by Mrs. Edward Earle,
66
South Carolina Republican, from an unknown donor, Montags Zeitung, Berlin,
Nation, Boston, given by the Librarian,
New England Farmer, Boston, "
Palladium, Worcester, given by Hon. J. S. C. Knowlton,
66
Reveille, Fitchburg, given by the Publishers,
Scotsman, Edinburg,
Sun, Pittsfield, Tribune, Detroit,
66
United Service Gazette, London,
Universalist, Boston, given by the publishers,
Voice of the West, Michigan, given by Samuel Ayres, Esq.,
World's Crisis, Boston,
Alta California, San Francisco,
QUARTO PAPERS.
Army and Navy Journal, Scientific American, N. Y., Weekly.
New York, Weekly. Spectator, London,
Athenæum, London,
Tablet,
Bazar, Berlin, 66 Wespen, Berlin, 66
Engineer, London,
Examiner,
Figaro, Wien, Harper's, N. Y., 66
Illustrated News, London,
Kladderadatsch, Berlin,
Morning Journal, London,
Notes and Queries, 66
Wilkes' Spirit of the Times, New York, Dwight's Journal of Music, Boston, Semi-monthly.
American Agriculturist, New York, Monthly.
Architectural Review, Philadelphia,
152
Punch, London, Weekly. Artizan, London, Monthly.
Revolution. N. Y. given by Hon. Geo. F. Hoar,
Builder,
Mechanics' Magazine, "
Round Table, N. Y.,
Workshop, New York, ..
Saturday Review, London,
Art Journal, London, 66
MAGAZINES.
Every Saturday, Boston, Weekly. Lippincott's Mag., Phil., Monthly.
Littell's Liv. Age,
“
Publishers' Circular,
Philadelphia, Semi-monthly.
All the Year Round, London, Monthly. Putnam's Mag., N. Y.,
Amer. Naturalist, Salem,
Atlantic, Boston, 66
Blackwood's Mag., Edin., 66
Book Buyer, N. Y., given by the Publishers,
Bookseller, London,
Chambers' Jour., Edin., 66
Contemporary Rev., Lond.,
Cornhill Mag., 66
Fortnightly Review,
Frazer's Magazine, 66
Galaxy, N. Y.,
Gardener's Monthly, Phil., Gentlemen's Mag., Lond.,
Harper's
" N. Y.,
Historical
66
Hours at Home,
66
Jour. of Frank. Inst., Phil.,
“ Horticulture, Bos., "
" Numismatics, N. Y., "
Radical, Boston, given by the Publishers,
Religious Mag., given by Rev. Dr. Hill,
Philosophical Mag., Lon., University Mag., Dublin, Revue des Deux Mondes, Paris, Semi-monthly.
Edinburg Review,
Quarterly.
Law Mag., London, London Review, 66
N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Register, Boston,
No. Amer. Review, "
No. British Rev., London, Universalist, Boston, given by the Librarian, Westminster Rev., London, “ Anthropological Jour., " " Bibliotheca Sacra, Andover, " Total, 125.
McMillan's Mag., Lond., Mag. of Horticulture,
Boston,
Once a Week, London,
Report of Committee on Library Building.
The Committee have expended in the year 1868 the following sums :
For painting the roof and fence,
$43.19
For flagging yard, 44.90
For repairs of gas fixtures,
4.43
water 66
34.17
Total,
$126.69
The Committee think they have used all proper means to secure the erection of a gas lamp near the entrance to the Reading Room, and trust that one may be seen there at an early day.
The water pipes for the supply of the building are so arranged that below the basement floor where the plumbers supposed they would be safe, the frost reaches them.
We cannot estimate the exact cost of the necessary changes and repairs to make them secure, but it would not be much greater than the annual cost of keeping them in their present unsafe place. The change required should be made at once.
ALBERT TOLMAN,
For the Committee.
Dec. 29, 1868.
Receipts and Expenditures of Finance Committee.
To the Hon. Stephen Salisbury, President of the Board of Directors of the Free Public Library, Worcester :
The Finance Committee submit the following Report of the Receipts and ex- penditures on account of the Free Public Library for the year 1868 :
Balance of former appropriations in the Treasury, City Appropriations for 1868,
$1,925.37
6,000.00
$7,925.37
BILLS APPROVED, and PAYMENTS THEREON, ViZ. : Bills for Books,
$1248.76
66 printing,
208.43
binding,
387.55
work, and alterations of building,
461.49
stoves, furnace, gas and water pipes,
214.11
..
gas,
347.43
water.
15.00
154
Bills for furniture, &c.,
298.21
salarics of Librarians,
2,083.33
incidental expenses,
107.33
336.30
-$5,707.94
Balance in City Treasury, Jan. 1, 1869,
$2,217.43
For the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Free Public Library,
January 1, 1869.
E. B. STODDARD, Chairman.
THE GREEN LIBRARY FUND.
The Finance Committee of the Free Public Library submit the following report of the Green Library Fund, January 1, 1869.
When the Legacy was settled by the Executors of JOHN GREEN, March 1, 1868, with the City of Worcester, the Green Library Fund amounted (includ- ing the sum of $505.84 repaid by the City for Taxes) to the sum viz. :
By received since by the City Treasurer as interest, $588.77 66 as dividends, 666.00
$30.507.58
Total income, $1,254.77
Deducting { of the income according to the pro- visions of the will, viz. : $313.69
Balance, $941.08
To appropriated by the Directors of the Library and expended in 1868, $182.59
Balance for Books in 1869, $758.49
From the above it will appear that the Green Library Fund January 1, 1869, is as follows, viz. :
By amount of Legacy, March 1, 1868,
$30,507.58
By { of the accumulation added,
313.69
Total, $30,821.27
And the same is invested as follows, viz .:
Notes secured by mortgage, $21,261.43
Bank Stocks, (market value,) 6,952.00
Worcester City Note, 1,500.00
Worcester City Note, 1,107.84
$30,821.27
Cash on hand January 1, 1869, uninvested, for the purchase of Books, $758.49
Respectfully submitted by the Finance Committee,
E. B. STODDARD, Chairman.
coal and wood,
TREASURER'S REPORT.
NATHANIEL PAINE, TREASURER, in account with THE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY (READING ROOM FUND,) DR.
To cash on hand Dec. 19, 1867, $373.80
interest on U. S. Bonds to Jan'y, '69, 671.11
:6 City of Worcester Bonds, 300.00
for funds advanced for binding, 101.10
-- $1,446.01
CR.
By subscriptions to newspapers and period- icals,
$1155.38
By cash paid for binding, 66 66 postage, 50
$1,218.23
227.78
Cash balance, Dec. 29, 1868,
$1,446.01
THE FUND IS INVESTED IN
United States Six per cent. Bonds,
$5,650.00
City of Worcester " 66
5,000.00
Total invested,
$10,650
Caslı,
227.78
Aggregate,
$10,877.78
Respectfully submitted,
NATHANIEL PAINE, Treasurer.
I have examined the securities and vouchers in the hands of the Treasurer, and find his accounts and statements correct.
E. B. STODDARD, Chairman of Finance Com. Jan. 8, 1869.
62.35
RULES AND REGULATIONS.
The Board of Directors shall be organized at the first regular meeting, on the second Saturday in January, by the election, by ballot, of a President and Sec- retary.
The Secretary shall keep a record of all the proceedings of the Board, and have the custody of its papers. He shall also be ex-officio the Treasurer of the Directors, and shall, if required by the Directors, give bonds to account for all moneys which may come to his hands, and shall invest the same under the di- rection of the Finance Committee.
Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at the Library, the last Tuesday of every month, at 7} o'clock, P. M.
Special meetings may be called by the President, or by the Secretary, when requested by two members of the Board.
The members shall be notified of all meetings, by notices sent to them through the Post Office.
A majority of the Board shall be a quorum for the transaction of busi- ness.
No books, periodicals, or other articles, shall be purchased and added to the Library without the authority of the Board.
The reference department of the Library shall be called the Green Li- brary.
In the Annual Report, honorable mention shall be made of all who have in any way contributed to the increase of the Library.
COMMITTEES.
The Standing Committees shall be-
A Committee of five on the Library ;
A Committee of three on the Reading Room ;
A Committee of three on the Building ;
A Committee of three on Finance, to be chosen annually in the month of January, by ballot.
Members of the Standing Committees shall be appointed immediately after the organization of the Board.
The Board shall appoint a Committee at or before the regular meeting in December, to prepare the Report required by the City Ordinance to be " laid before the City Council in the month of January."
157
COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY.
The Committee on the Library shall attend to the purchase and preservation of books and other literary property, subject to such votes and appropriations as the Board may make. They shall make an annual examination of the Li- brary, and report its condition to the Board. They shall also make the neces- sary regulations for the use of the Library, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
COMMITTEE ON READING ROOM.
The Committee on the Reading Room shall, subject to the approbation of the Directors, select and procure the newspapers and other periodicals, and shall make all needful regulations for their use.
COMMITTEE ON THE BUILDING.
The Committee on the Building shall have charge of the building, attend to warming, lighting, and ventilating it, to all necessary repairs, and to the general condition of the premises.
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE.
The Committee on Finance shall examine all bills brought against the City for expenditures connected with the Library, and, if correct, shall approve them through their chairman, for presentation to the City Treasurer. But they shall approve no bill incurred by any Standing Committee without pre- vious endorsement from such Committee. They shall keep a record of all bills approved, and, when called upon by the Board, state the condition of the funds at its disposal. They shall see that the property in the care of the Board is at all times well insured.
LIBRARIAN.
Annually, in the month of January, the Directors shall appoint a Librarian, and fix his salary. He shall be removable at the pleasure of the Board, and, if required, give bonds in such sum as is considered reasonable, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office. He shall be accountable to the Directors for the property entrusted to his care, and shall perform the usual duties of his office, subject to such regulations as the Directors may establish. He shall make to the Directors an annual report on the condition of the Library, to be submitted by them to the City Government, should they see fit.
PROVISIONS FOR AMENDMENTS.
These Rules and Regulations may be amended by the affirmative votes of seven members. But no amendment shall be made unless notice of the same has been given at a preceding meeting.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
CIRCULATING DEPARTMENT.
1. All persons fifteen years old and upwards, resident in the City of Worces- ter, shall be entitled to the use of the Library on subscribing the following agreement :
I hereby certify that I am a resident of the City of Worcester, and in con- sideration of the right to use the Free Public Library, agree to comply with the regulations that may be provided for its government.
2. One book may be taken at a time, and kept two weeks, but recent addi- tions may be limited to a circulation of one week, at the discretion of the Library Committee.
3. A fine of two cents a day shall be assessed on every book kept over time, payable on its return. No pen or pencil mark shall be made in books. Per- sons taking books shall be held responsible for their loss or injury ; and when a set is broken by a loss of one, this responsibility extends to the whole set. Should it be necessary to send for a book kept beyond the time allowed, the ex- pense shall be paid by the person keeping it.
4. All books shall be returned two weeks previous to the annual examina- tion, notice of which shall be given at the Library. The fines in this case will be doubled.
5. Books are not to be exchanged the same day that they are taken out; nor more than twice a week, except by special permission.
6. Talking aloud and all unnecessary noise in the room are prohibited.
7. Persons desiring books which do not belong to the Library, are requested to give their titles to the Librarian, that they may be suggested for the consid- eration of the Library Committee.
8. The Library will be open from 9, A. M., to 8, P. M. On Saturday, it will be open until 9, P. M.
GREEN LIBRARY.
1. The Green Library shall be open daily to the public, during the same hours prescribed for the Circulating Department.
2. The public may take downfreely any of the books of reference on the North side of the lower floor. Other books will be promptly delivered by the Librarian, on verbal application, and must be returned to him again before leaving the room,
3. Persons may ask for as many books as they require, for purposes of con- sultation and reading, and are entitled to all proper facilities for their use. Pro- vided, that in case of rare and costly works, the Librarian may adopt such ad- ditional restrictions as prove necessary.
159
4. To prevent injury or disarrangement of books, no person will be admitted behind the tables, or into the galleries, unaccompanied by the Librarian or a Director.
5. No person shall use pen or ink in making notes from books.
6. A copy of the manuscript Catalogue when completed, shall be kept in the Library, and be accessible to all.
7. Catalogues of the Circulating Department and the Medical Library shall also be kept in the Green Library, and books from those collections may also be used by the public, subject to the above rules, and to the discretion of the Librarian.
LIBRARIAN AND ASSISTANTS.
1. The Librarian shall have the general charge of the Institution. He shall see that the rooms are properly warmed and lighted, and kept clean and in good order -and that the books are kept in good order and condition ; he shall keep thie accounts with borrowers, and shall assist the Library Committee in the se- lection and purchase of books.
2. The Assistants shall aid in the care and management of the Green Library, and of the Reading Room and the Circulating Department of the Library, in such manner as the Librarian shall direct, subject to the order of the Board of Directors.
3. A Donation book shall be kept, containing a record of all books present- ed to the Library; and the names of the donors shall be conspicuously inscrib- ed in the books.
4. Neither the Librarian nor Assistants shall ordinarily be required to labor beyond the hours during which the Library is open to the public. During those hours they shall exert themselves to give all reasonable accommodation to visitors, and to increase the usefulness of the Institution.
REPORT
OF THE Commissioners on Shade Trees and Public Grounds,
1868.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the City Council of the City of Worcester :
The Commissioners on Shade Trees and Public Grounds have the honor to submit the following as their sixth annual Report :
Of the several departments of the municipal admin- istration, this alone makes a specialty of decorative im- provements. The powers and duties of this commis- sion, in point of fact, are so restricted to what is of sec- ondary or remote utility only, that none of the appro. priations annually granted to this Board can be strictly regarded as necessary to have been made. Neverthe- less, having received from their first organization, what- ever they have asked from the City Treasury, the Com- missioners alone are responsible, if, from year to year, too little has been expended in the branch of the public service entrusted to their management.
Such being the case, it would be idle to repeat here the various recommendations so often censoriously urg- ed upon members of this Board, as though they had been restrained, if indeed they had not been remiss, in the discharge of some imperative duty in regard to the planting of trees, the laying out of walks, the erection of
162
drinking fountains, the enclosing of the two Commons with costly fences, &c., &c. ; and more especially in ref- erence to the construction, in Elm Park, of an artificial sheet of water, where, in summer, varieties of the web- footed tribe should be kept to amuse people (who never go there ;) and where, though a fine skating rink might attract a few visitors in winter, the strolling mischief- maker, at all seasons of the year, would none the less surely find his way often enough to necessitate the pres- ence of one or more of those blue-coated gentlemen, whose maintenance is a tax imposed upon the whole community by the bad conduct of a small minority. All these and various other schemes of ornamentation, about which a visionary imagination may easily perplex itself, are of no present interest, but belong rather to such years in the future as shall have been preceded, and promise to be succeeded, by a long period of material prosperity. Meanwhile-as the Commissioners do not allow them- selves to forget-the indebtedness of the city steadily increases, and, in view of the heavy outlays deemed ne- cessary by a majority of the citizens, for schools, streets, sewerage, &c., the pressure of taxation is very little like- ly to become lighter for many years. Besides, if the national obligations of a pecuniary character, however represented, are to be honorably discharged, no chica- nery or mystification can relieve this city from bearing, be it ever so indirectly, such a share of a still further burden of debt, as, in any very moderate estimate, would be represented by a sum of not less than two million dollars !
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