Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870, Part 70

Author: Worcester (Mass.)
Publication date: 1867
Publisher: The City
Number of Pages: 1452

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870 > Part 70

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and better for living in a city in which a free public library is a well-sustained, active, and popular establishment.

By order of the Directors, STEPHEN SALISBURY, Free Public Library, Jan. 24, 1871. President.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY.

To the Directors of the Free Public Library :

GENTLEMEN :- The Committee on the Library asks your attention to its eleventh annual report. This will contain a statement of the work supervised by us during the year now closing, and recommendations of changes and improvements which we think it desirable to introduce here. For most of the statistics of the library, including a list of the donations, we refer, as last year, to the report of the librarian.

EXAMINATION OF THE LIBRARY.

No examination was made in 1869, because the librarian thought one unnecessary. The examination for the current year was begun the Monday before Thanksgiving, that is, November 21st, and has been conducted by the Secretary of this Committee and Misses Eddy and Tyler. The only ob- ject in view has been to find out how many books, which have belonged to the library, are now missing. It is proper to state that this is the first time that an examination of the library has been made, without closing it. No difficulty has been ex- perienced in doing the regular work of the library, while the examination has been going on. The young ladies were sent to the shelves, and requestsd to put down, on paper, the num- bers of all books not found there. This work was completed in two days. They were requested, also, not to allow any books to be put upon the shelves after the beginning of the ex- amination, until their numbers had first been compared with those on the prepared list ; in order that such of the numbers as should appear there might be erased. By this simple pro- cess, long enough conducted, and by making deduction from the total number of books apparently missing of the number

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of numbers which have no books corresponding to them (va- cancies having been left for volumes, not yet published, of works already in the library), it was ascertained how many books are really missing.

The examination was not closed until December 23d. It was not finally closed then ; but it was thought that what books were out at that date had been so long overdue, that few of them would be obtained afterwards without considerable effort ; and it was necessary to give the results of the examina- tion, so far as made, in this report.

At the close of the work, December 23d, it was found that 705 volumes were missing. Of this number, it was claimed by the librarian and assistants, from the inspection of records, of late imperfectly kept, and, where these failed, relying on the memory, that 260 were worn out, and had been put out of the library on that account. Thus 445 books were unac- counted for ; that is, 445 volumes, found entered in our cata- logue of accessions, were missing.

It was found upon the inspection of the ledger, by Mr. Baker, that 191 volumes were apparently out over time. Some of these have probably been returned, having been left on the counter without being brought to the desk. The total number of losses will be reduced by the number of books re- covered of those out over time. It is highly probable, also, that many of the books unaccounted for, are really worn out. The fact not having been carefully noted when books have been put out for this reason, the Committee cannot tell just how many volumes have been lost.

Let us suppose the whole number, 445, to be irrecoverably lost. This, it must be remembered, shows the whole loss since the foundation of the library, eleven years ago. It would indicate an average annual loss of about 40 volumes.

The Committee, unable to get an exact account of our losses, have concluded to make an accurate note of the results of this year's examination ; and by having the accounts care- fully kept in future, hope, at the end of next year, to be able to tell exactly how many volumes shall have been lost in that

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year, and so, approximately, the number likely to disappear annually for a few years to come.

It was ascertained, in making the examination, that the number of volumes in circulation on one day, a day shortly before Thanksgiving day, was about 1,300.

PURCHASE OF BOOKS.

Our arrangements for buying books are now, comparatively speaking, quite complete. We have ready communication with London and Paris. Orders have been promptly filled, sent to both of these cities, and books have been procured, in all cases, at very reasonable rates. Gustave Bossange is our agent in Paris. The services of Mr. Frederick May, of Lon- don, which have been so acceptable in the past, have been retained to provide for the wants of the Reading Rooms, and to procure for us missing numbers of periodicals. Little, Brown, & Co., of Boston, have agreed to purchase books for us in London on the same favorable terms on which they fur- nish them to the Boston Public Library, and have, in the transactions which we have already had with them, shown a purpose to act in accordance with their agreement. We have facilities, also, for buying English books through other sources, of which we could avail ourselves at any time, and of which we have made considerable use in the past year.

A large sum of money has been spent in adding books to the Green Library this year. The income of the Green fund had accumulated, and we have thus been enabled to make several additions of costly works to our collection. £ About $2,300 has been expended upon this department during the year. A copy of the " Nouvelle Biographie Générale," a good edition of Béranger's Chansons, another of Molière's Comedies, some valuable government reports on Education, the " Dictionnaire Universel des Contemporains" (Quatrième Edition), and some other French works were imported from Paris early in the year. Lately, of course, we have not had access to that beleaguered city, and have been obliged to pur- chase in London or New York such French works as were imperatively needed, provided they could be found at reason-

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able prices in those places. The first seventy-nine volumes of the Quarterly Review were purchased in New York, for a small sum, at the beginning of the year. We have just pur- chased a complete set of the Second Series of Silliman's Jour- nal of Science and Arts, and the volume containing the In- dex of the First Series. It was thought unadvisable to buy the First Series itself, because a set of it is in the library of the American Antiquarian Society, and so readily accessible to readers.

During the fall several valuable works were bought in New York. The purchases there made included a fine copy of the Musée Français, four volumes folio, elegantly bound ; one of that edition of Jones's Grammar of Ornament, in which the specimens of ornamentation are drawn on a large scale ; Stuart and Revett's Antiquities of Athens, four volumes, folio ; M. Digby Wyatt's Industrial Arts of the Nineteenth Century, two volumes, folio, an elegantly and elaborately illustrated catalogue of the great exhibition, of 1851, in London ; Raci- net's L'Ornement Polychrome (i. e. the four parts of the work now published) ; a set of the London Art Journal, beginning with the year 1847 and coming down to the present time ; five volumes Gewerbehalle (the Workshop,) to complete our set of this periodical ; and Bagster's great Biblia Sacra Poly- glotta, two volumes, folio. A copy of the octavo edition of Audubon's Birds of America, has been placed in the Library, where it stands on the shelves by the side of the same author's Quadrupeds of North America, which was already in our possession.

Through the kindness of Professor C. O. Thompson, Prin- cipal of the Technical School, we have been enabled to pro- cure a copy of Waring's Masterpieces of Industrial Art and Sculpture at the International Exhibition, 1862, three volumes, folio, elegantly bound in full morocco.

We would also call attention to our beautiful copy of "La Sainte Bible, avec les dessins de Gustave Doré," purchased late in the year. This is of the Tours edition, and contains early impressions of the plates, and also the beautiful orna- mentation of Giacomelli.

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Besides the works enumerated, large numbers of choice English books, illustrating many departments of knowledge, have been added to the Green Library. The lover of the Fine Arts will be glad to find among them a fine copy of Ruskin's Stones of Venice and Modern Painters, and a full set of Mrs. Jameson's illustrations of Sacred Art.

It will gratify Biblical scholars to know that we have so much as is published of Tischendorf's Novum Testamentum Graece, Wordsworth's Greek Testament, Alford's Greek Tes- tament, Keil and Delitzsch's Commentaries on the Old Testa- ment, Ellicott's Commentaries on Paul's Epistles, Davidson's Introductions to the Old and New Testaments, Ewald's His- tory of Israel, Higginson's Spirit of the Bible, Kitto's Cyclo- pedia of Biblical Literature, and the American edition of Smith's Bible Dictionary.

Many valuable works on subjects in Natural History, His- tory, Political Economy, Biography, and Polite Literature, have been added to the Library during the year. Other de- partments of knowledge have also received the careful atten- tion of the Committee. Particular care has been had to add to our already excellent collection of Dictionaries and Ency- clopedias. Books of this class are much used, and it is the united conviction of the Committee, as well as of the Board of Directors, that it is well to make of such works a prominent feature in our Library.

Because we allowed the income of the Green fund to accu- mulate until we had made up our minds somewhat definitely in regard to the plan to be followed in selecting books for the Green Library, the expenditures in this department for the present year are disproportionately large. Usually there would be full as large a sum of money expended for books in the circulating department as for the same purpose in the reference department. While we can now calculate upon having about $1600 to spend annually for books in the Green Library (this sum being about three-quarters of the income of the Green Library. Fund as it now stands,) we hope generally that some $2,000 will be available from the City

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appropriation for the purchase of books in the circulating de- partment

This latter department has been zealously looked after by the Committee. It feels that this is its peculiar care. Addi- tions, to the amount, in money value, of about $800, were made early in the year, to the circulating department. Dur- ing the summer months very few purchases were made. This fall we have bought about $500 worth of books, with money taken from the city appropriation, and nearly all of these have been added to the same department. The com- mittee has long lists of works which it is desirable to purchase for this part of the library, but has refrained from buying largely, in order to see, after the accounts of the year are made up, how much money remains, of the city appropriation available for procuring books.

The repairs on the building have been expensive, a new printed catalogue for the circulating department has been paid for out of the appropriation for the present fiscal year, and our plans for reorganization, the coming library year, involve a considerable increase of expenditure. Such a course was therefore deemed important.

The board will notice with pleasure that large numbers of English books, popular and standard, have been added to the circulating department. Many others, now held in reserve, will be added, if the board should adopt the recommendation made in another part of this report, and institute a new de- livery for valuable books.

For a more exact statement of expenditures for books. the board is referred to the reports of the Financial Committee.

PRINTED CATALOGUE FOR CIRCULATING DEPARTMENT.

The catalogue just issued was prepared by Mr. Baker. The printing was done by Chas. Hamilton, whose bill for $673 76 has been approved by the Secretary of this Committee. It cost us ten cents a copy to bind the cata- logue. The cost to us, therefore, of a single copy in thin pasteboard covers, is about fifty-five cents. In accordance

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with a vote of the board we are selling the catalogues for twenty-five cents a copy. Catalogues were offered for sale November 30th.

The Secretary prepared an introduction for the catalogue, in which the privileges which persons may enjoy here, were set forth.

The substance of this introduction was copied into our daily papers. The Committee was pleased to have this so, and would recommend that pains be taken to have anything we do here, of public interest, reported in the newspapers, that our people may become better informed, than they now are, of the facilities afforded by this institution for their enjoyment and improvement. *

But, to return to the late issue of the catalogue, it only re- mains to be said that suggestions will be found further along in this report, looking to improvement in future issues.

LIBRARY SERVICE.

The library, during the past year, as in the year previous, has been under the care of Mr. Zephaniah Baker, Librarian, and Misses Emma S. Eddy, Sarah F. Earle, and Jessie E. Tyler, Assistants.

The Assistants have proved themselves efficient officers, and service has been rendered by them cheerfully and faithfully.

Mr. Zephaniah Baker, after having been our librarian for eleven years, that is, since the foundation of this library, has now signified his intention of declining to be again a candidate for election to his present position.

The Secretary remembers with pleasure the confidence felt in Mr. Baker by the founder of one department of this library. It was often expressed, and made much impression upon him. Mr. Baker has always been regarded as a faithful and able officer by many of the older friends of this library. The li- brary, we think, is near to his heart. We congratulate him in his withdrawal from scenes too confining for him in the

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present state of his health, and hope that in a more active oc- cupation he will find renewed strength and energy.

EXCHANGE ACCOUNT.

We have had an active account with the American Anti- quarian Society during the present year. It has supplied us with a set of the Worcester Palladium, which is nearly complete from the year 1834 to 1860. The set lacks in the years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1841, 1842, and 1843 some 61 numbers. We have the volumes of this paper since 1860. Our set, there- fore is one of the most nearly perfect to be found. There is a perfect set, Mr. E. M. Barton informs us, at the office of the paper, and one lacking only about 10 numbers in the rooms of the Antiquarian Society. There is a set of the paper in the Boston Public Library which, says Mr. Barton, lacks about 250 numbers of being perfect. This set of the Palladium will do to place by the side of the valuable set of the Massachusetts Spy procured by us last year. The Antiquarian Society has also furnished us some ten volumes of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. With these volumes, and a single number contributed by Mr. Baker, we have been enabled to complete our set of this valuable periodical.

Through the kind offices of Mr. Samuel F. Haven, the ac- complished and courteous librarian of the Antiquarian Society, we secured, a short time since, a complete set of The Natural History of New York. We have used such portions of this as we already possessed, in exchange with the Antiquarian Society, which has also now a complete set of this valuable work.

We have received from that Society, among other things, 72 numbers of " The Nation" of New York. We are also in- debted to Mr. C. B. Metcalf, one of our own number, for 39 num- bers of this paper, and to Rev. E. H. Hall also, for many numbers. We still need the first three volumes to make our file complete.

We have been able to furnish the Antiquarian Society, be- sides 19 volumes of The Natural History of New York, the

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works of Benjamin Franklin in 10 volumes, and other books and pamphlets which it desired. Our accounts are now being adjusted by Mr. Nathaniel Paine, one of our directors, and also a valued member of the Antiquarian Society. That So- ciety and our Committee have agreed to abide by his decision in regard to the prices at which the different works which have passed between us, shall be reckoned.

Our thanks are due to Mr. Barton for the kindness and energy shown by him in trying to supply our wants.

DONATIONS.

Although this Committee has referred the Board to the Re- port of the librarian for a list of donations, it wishes heartily to thank the persons who have given us these proofs of re- membrance and to assure them that their gifts are prized, and will be of great service in the community.

One donation is deserving of especial mention. Our pres- ident, Mr. Salisbury, has presented to us, during the year, a set of the Latin Classics of a valuable edition. This set is in 142 volumes, bound in half calf. It was published in Paris, under royal patronage, and the collection was made by Pro- fessor L. E. Lemaire.

This edition of the Latin Classics abounds in annotations, and is supplied with very copious Indices. The gift it will be noticed, was made to the Circulating Library.

Another donation of great value must be noticed, viz : that of Richard D. Webb, Esq., who will be remembered as a dis- tinguished English philanthropist, resident at Dublin, Ireland, and the author of the best life of John Brown. Mr. Webb wrote to Rev. Samuel May, of Leicester, as follows : " If you think my file of the Liberator, from volume 12th to the end, and nearly complete for so much, and of the National Anti-Slavery Standard from the beginning, but with some gaps, would be valued by any of your public libraries, and could be imported free of charge by some American ship, I would be glad to send them." Mr. May kindly offered us the opportunity of procuring these valuable files of papers, and the board, gratefully acknowledging his kindness, accepted the

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gift gladly, and passed a special vote of thanks to be trans- mitted to Mr. Webb.

A letter, dated Dec. 6th, has been received from Mr. May, embodying the following extract from a letter of Mr. Webb ; " I am glad to send the Liberator and Standard to the Library at Worcester, and .hope to forward them soon, addressed as you direct."

SPECIALTY.

Intelligent foreigners have observed a defect in our system of founding libraries which we ought to try to remove. All the more should we do this, as the defect is acknowl- edged by the most cultivated of our own citizens. Foreigners remark, and we lament, that in our efforts to multiply libraries we have very few good ones ; our purpose is good; we wish to extend to all our citizens, the poor as well as the rich, opportunities to become acquainted with books. So every town wishes to have a Library. In some towns there are several libraries. Now if all the money that is spent in these libraries, were to be devoted to the improvement of one large library in some natural centre of population, what a magni- ficent institution would be built up in this way. It is very evident that these different small libraries buy duplicates in great numbers. In such a library as the one pictured in imagination, and perhaps realized to a great extent in the library of the British Museum, the student could pursue thoroughly any kind of investigations.

But we cannot have one large library, or a few large libraries. Nor do we wish to confine to a few, privileges which it is desirable that all should enjoy. We do wish, however, to do whatever we can to make the aggregate of the books in this vicinity as valuable as possible. The different libraries must buy many duplicates, but they need not do this, except in the case of books of general interest. Our libraries cannot hope to make themselves rich in the special works of all or many departments of knowledge. There are too many books belonging to almost every department which are desirable in a complete collection, to make such a course

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feasible. But there is one thing that can be done. Different libraries near together can, while they provide carefully for the wants of the general reader, make themselves rich each in some one department.

The library committee has long thought it important for this library to spend a portion of its income every year in enrich- ing some one department. The student in American History would wish to visit the Harvard College library, or come to this city to inspect the valuable collection of books in this depart- ment of knowledge to be found in the rooms of the American Antiquarian Society. An investigator particularly interested to find out all he could about Franklin, would go to Philadelphia into the libraries there, and to the Boston Public Library. A Shakspearian student, in England, would wish among other libraries to visit that in Birmingham.

It has been our desire to begin, here, to do something for students, if we could do it without prejudice to the interests of the average reader. If we were to do our duty in this respect, and other libraries were to do theirs, and the different libraries were careful not to select the same specialties, it is evident that much would be done towards solving the problem of providing at once for the wants of persons generally, and for students.

So quickly can we travel from one town to another, and so rapidly do letters come and go, that several libraries each rich in some one department of literature, approach in convenience to the student the facilities afforded by one largely endowed and full library.

It has been with peculiar pleasure, therefore, that the Library Committee has noticed a natural growth here, in a particular department. A call for such books has led to the purchase of many, (and some elaborate and expensive) works treating of the applications of science and the fine arts to the arts of life, or the so called useful arts. It was to have been expected that a demand for such a class of books would arise in a community devoted so largely as ours to the practice of the useful arts, and one in which a flourishing Technical school exists.

The Committee thinks it within our means, and by all means desirable for us to continue every year to make to the library

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considerable additions of books in this department of know- ledge.

There are several classes of books that we do not buy at all. Thus the books of the Antiquarian Society are very accessible, and we do not buy those which they have and make a specialty of, without they are of very general interest. For works on Horticulture we can refer inquirers to the society which has the interests of horticulture specially in charge. There is an ex- cellent law library in the city, open to those who are likely to wish to use it. There is a fine medical library in our own build- ing, which may be used by citizens as freely as the books in our own reference library.

But where shall we refer persons who wish works on the use- ful arts as affected by science and the fine arts ? The Worces- ter County Mechanics' Association partially supplies wants of this kind. The field here, however, is large enough for that library and ours also. The Technical school has no library. It needs, but cannot afford to purchase one. It must depend upon us for help. We think it wise, therefore, as stated in sub- stance before, to continue to make a specialty of the purchase of books which relate to the applications of science and the fine arts to the useful arts.

BUILDING, &c.

It is the business of the Committee on the Building to report upon the changes which are being made to secure a front en- trance at once more sightly and more convenient than the present one. Still it is with pleasure that this Committee notes any improvements in the building which tend to promote the comfort of users of the library, or give them a lesson in taste.

The Committee rejoices, particularly, in the possession of the new heating apparatus which, it seems likely, will amply heat the building, thus ensuring the comfort both of officers and of users of the library. One change in the building has been supervised by the library committee at the suggestion of the committee on the Building. A room not hitherto used for library purposes, has been fitted with cases, shelves, and bins, for the accommodation of bound volumes of newspapers, our

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large collection of public documents, and some other classes of books. Cases have also been made, and placed above the railing which protects persons from the opening in the floor of the Green Library room. The Secretary has approved a bill for carpenter's work of the amount of $112.77, and some other bills for new book-cases.

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Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870, Part 70

Author: Worcester (Mass.) Publication date: 1867 Publisher: The City Number of Pages: 1452

Author: Worcester (Mass.)
Publication date: 1867
Publisher: The City
Number of Pages: 1452