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G-IN/E N B Y
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With the Compliments of
THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
OF THE CITY OF BOSTON.
FIFTY- SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES
OF THE
PUBLIC LIBRARY
OF THE
CITY OF BOSTON
1 908 - 1 909
BOSTON
PUBLISHED BY THE TRUSTEES
1909
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\ V
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ON FEBRUARY 1. 1909.
. JOSIAH H. BENTON, President.
Term expires May 1, 1909.
THOMAS F. BOYLE. WILLIAM F. KENNEY.
Term expires May 1, 1912. Term expires May 1, 1911.
SAMUEL CARR. ALEXANDER MANN.
Term expires May 1, 1913. Term expires May I, 1910.
LIBRARIAN.
HORACE G. WADLIN.
CONTENTS.
Report of the Trustees
Balance Sheet ....
Report of the Examining Committee
Report of the Librarian
Index to the Annual Report, 1908-1909
1
40
44
53
85
5ketcb Map
BOSTON
Public bbrary System
Branch Libraries, February J, 1909.
Brighton Branch, Holton Library Building, Academy Hill Road.
Cbarlestown Branch, City Square.
Dorchester Branch. Arcadia, cor. Adams St,
East Boston Branch, 37 Meridian St.
Jamaica Plain Branch, Jackson Hall. Centre St,
A. Lower Mills I^eading Room, Washington, cor. Rii
U. Roslindale Reading Room, Washington, cor. AshI
D. Mattapan Reading Room, 727 Walk Hill St.
E. Neponset Reading Room, 361 Neponset Ave.
F. Mount Bowdoin Reading Room. Washington, cor.
G. Allston Reading Room, 6 Harvard Ave.
J. Codman Square Reading Room, Washington, cor.
N- Mt. Pleasant Reading Room. Dudley, cor. Magazi
37a I
South End Branch, 397 Shawmu
Uphara's Corner Branch, Columbia Road. cor. Bird St.
West End Branch. Cambridge, cor. Lynde St.
West Roxbury Branch. Centre, near Mt. Vernon St.
s, February i, 1909.
1 Readinj? Room, 13 Broadway Ex
P. BroadM
R. Warrei
S. Roxbury Cr(
1 Stn
; Reading Room. _,
Reading Room,
> Wa
I St.
Boylston Station Reading Room, The Lamartine, Depot Squ
W. Industrial School Reading Room, 39 North Bennet St.
Z Orient Heights Reading Room, 1030 Bennington St.
aa North Street Reading Room, ao/ North St.
33 City Point Reading Room, 615 Broadway.
Parker Hill Reading Roon
3 Treraont St.
LIBRARY SYSTEM, FEBRUARY 1, 1909.
Departments. Opened.
Central Library, Copley Sq. Established May 2, 1854 Mar. 1 1, 1895
JEast Boston Branch, 37 Meridian St Jan. 28, 1871
§South Boston Branch, 372 Broadway •. May 1, 1872
ilRoxbury Branch, 46 Millmont St July, 1873
JCharleslown Branch, City Sq . *Jan., 1874
fBrighton Branch, Academy Hill Rd *Jan., 1874
^Dorchester Branch, Arcadia, cor. Adams St Jan. 25, 1875
§South End Branch, 397 Shawmul Ave Aug., 1877
§ Jamaica Plain Branch, Jackson Hall, (temporarily) Centre St. . . . Sept., 1877
tWesl Roxbury Branch, Centre, near Mt. Vernon St *Jan. 6, 1880
fWest End Branch, Cambridge, cor. Lynde St Feb. 1, 1896
^Upham's Corner Branch, Columbia Rd., cor. Bird St Mar. 16, 1896
Station A. Lower Mills Reading Room, Washington St June 7, 1 875
B. Roslindale Reading Room, Washington St., cor. Ash-
land St Dec. 3,1878
" D. Mattapan Reading Room, 727 Walk Hill St Dec. 27. 1881
E., Neponset Reading Room, 362 Neponset Ave Jan. 1, 1883
F. Mt. Bowdoin Reading Room, Washington, cor. Eldon
St Nov. 1,1886
" G. Allston Reading Room, 354 Cambridge St Mar. 11, 1889
" J. Codman Square Reading Room, Washington, cor Nor-
folk St Nov. 12,1890
" N. Mt. Pleasant Reading Room, Dudley, cor. Magazine St. Apr. 29,1892
" P. Broadway Extension Reading Room, 13 Broadway
Extension Jan. 1 6, 1 896
" R. Warren Street Reading Room, 390 Warren St May 1,1896
" S. Roxbury Crossing Reading Room, 1154 Tremont St. . . Jan. 18, 1897
" T. Boylston Station Reading Room, The Lamartine, De-
pot Sq Nov. I, 1897
" W. Industrial School Reading Room, 39 North Bennet St. Nov. 3, 1899
" Z. Orient Heights Reading Room, 1030 Bennington St. . . June 25,1901
" 22. North Street Reading Room, 207 North St June 9, 1903
" 23. City Point Reading Room, 615 Broadway July 18,1906
" 24. Parker Hill Reading Room, 1518 Tremont St July 15, 1907
*A8 a branch, tin building owned by City, and exclusively devoted to library uses. *In City building.
in part devoted to other municipal uses. §Occupies rented rooms. itThe lessee of the Fellowes Athe-
naeum, a private library association.
THE TRUSTEES OF THE LIBRARY.
The Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston, organized in 1852, are
now incorporated under the provisions of Chapter 114, of the Acts of 1878, as
amended. The Board for 1852 was a preliminary organization; that for 1853 made
the first annual report. At first the Board consisted of one alderman and one common
councilman and five citizens at large, until 1867, when a revised ordinance made it to
consist of one alderman, two common councilmen and six citizens at large, two of whom
retired, unless re-elected, each year, while the members from the City Council were
elected yearly. In 1878 the organization of the Board was changed to include one
alderman, one councilman and five citizens at large, as before 1867; and in 1885, by
the provisions of the amended city charter, the representation of the City Government
upon the Board by an alderman and a councilman was abolished, leaving the Board as
at present, consisting of five citizens at large, appointed by the Mayor, for five-year
terms, the term of one member expiring each year. The following citizens at large have
been members of the Board since its organization in 1852:
Abbott, Samuel A. B., 1879-95.
Appleton, Thomas G., 1852^57.
Benton, Josiah H., LL.D., 1894".
Bigelow. Hon. John P., 1852-68.
Bowditch, Henry I., M.D., 1865-68.
Bowditch, Henry P., M.D., 1894-1902.
Boyle, Thomas F., 1902-
Braman, Jarvis D., 1869-72.
Carr, Samuel, 1895-96, 1908-.
Chase, George B., 1876-85.
Clarke, James Freeman, D.D., 1878-88.
Curtis, Daniel S., 1873-75.
DeNormandie, James, D.D., 1895-1907.
Dwight, Thomas, M.D., 1899-1907.
Everett, Hon. Edward, 1852-64.
Frofhingham, Richard, LL.D., 1875-79.
Green, Samuel A., M.D., 1868-78.
Greenough, William W., 1856-88.
Haynes, Prof. Henry \V., 1880-95.
Hillard, Hon. Geo. S., 1872-75; 76-77.
Kenney, William F., 1907-.
Lincoln, Hon. Solomon, 1897-1907.
Mann, Alexander, D.D., 1908-
Morton, Hon. Ellis W., 1870-73.
Pierce, Phineas. 1888-94.
Prince, Hon. Frederick O., 1888-99.
Putnam, George, D.D., 1868-77.
Richards, William R., 1889-95.
Shurtleff, Hon. Nathaniel B., 1852-68.
1 liomas, Benjamin F., LL.D., 1877-78.
Ticknor, George, LL.D., 1852-66.
Walker, Francis A., LL.D., 1896.
Whipple, Edwin P., 1868-70.
Whilmore, William H., 1885-88.
Winsor, Justin, LL.D., 1867.
The Hon. Edward Everett was President of the Board from 1852 to 1864; George
Ticknor, in 1865; William W. Greenough, from 1866 to April, 1888; Prof. Henry
W. Haynes, from May 7, 1888, to May 12, 1888; Samuel A. B. Abbott, May 12.
1888, to April 30, 1895; Hon. F. O. Prince, October 8. 1895, to May 8, 1899; Hon.
Solomon Lincoln, May 12, 1899, to October 15, 1907; Rev. James DeNormandie, D.D.,
January 31, 1908, to May 8, 1908; Josiah H. Benton, since May 3, 1908.
LIBRARIANS.
(From 1858 to 1877, the chief executive officer was enlitled Superintendent.)
Capen, Edward, Librarian, May 13, 1 852-December 16, 1874.
Jewett, Charles C, Superintendent, 1858-January 9, 1868.
Winsor, Justin, ll.d.. Superintendent, February 25, 1 868-Seplember 30, 1877.
Green, Samuel A., m.d., Trustee, Acting Librarian, October 1, 1 877-September 30,
1878.
Chamberlain, Mellen, ll.d.. Librarian, October 1, 1878-September 30, 1890.
DwicHT, Theodore F., Librarian, April 13, 1892-April 30, 1894.
Putnam, Herbert, ll.d., Librarian, February 11, 1895-April 30, 1899.
Whitney, James L., Acting Librarian, March 31, 1 899-December 21, 1899;
Librarian, December 22, 1899-January 31, 1903.
Wadlin, Horace G., litt. d., Librarian, since February 1, 1903.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES.
To His Honor George A. Hibbard,
Ma^or of the G'fp of Boston:
Sir, — The Board of Trustees of the Public Library of the
City of Boston present the following report of its condition and
affairs for the year ending January 31,1 909, being their fifty-
seventh annual report.
The general ordinance as to department reports requires that
they contain "a statement of the acts and doings, and receipts
and expenditures of the department for the financial year, to-
gether with such other matter as may be required by law, or as
the Mayor or officer may deem to be of public interest."
The special ordinance as to the Library Department also re-
quires the Board of Trustees to "include in its annual report a
statement of the condition of said Library, the number of books
that have been added thereto during the year, the report of the
committee appointed to examine said Library, and the total
amount of money received from fines and sales."
This report is intended to conform to these requirements, and
though it is more full than the reports of the department have
usually been, contains only that which the Trustees "deem to be
of public interest" at the present time.
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD.
The Board organized on May 8, 1908, by the election of
Mr. Josiah H. Benton as President, Mr. Thomas F. Boyle, Vice
President, and Miss Delia Jean Deery, Clerk.
The term of Thomas Dwight expired on April 30, 1 908, and
Samuel Carr was appointed a member of the Board for five
years from that date.
Rev. James DeNormandie resigned, and Rev. Alexander
[2]
Mann was on May 25, 1908, appointed for the unexpired term,
ending April 30, 1910.
Dr. Dwight was a Trustee for nine years and Rev. Dr. De-
Normandie for thirteen years. Resolutions in appreciation of
their long and valuable services and extending to each of them the
freedom of the library alcoves have been placed upon the per-
manent records of the Trustees.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
The receipts of the Library are of two classes: First, those
which are to be expended by the Trustees in the maintenance of
the Library. These consist of the annual appropriation by the
City Council; and the income from Trust funds given to the
Trustees but invested by the City Treasurer under the direction
of the Finance Committee of the City. During the past year
these receipts were as follows :
Annual appropriation ......... $310,000.00
Income from Trust funds, including unexpended balance of previous
year 36,992.95
Total $346,992.95
Second, receipts which are accounted for and paid into the
City treasury. These consist of receipts from fines for the deten-
tion of books, from sales of finding lists, bulletins and catalogues ;
from commissions paid for the use of telephone facilities, from
sales of waste, and from payments for lost books. These receipts,
including money found in the Library, during the year have been
as follows :
From fines . $5,548.05
From sales of finding lists, etc. ........ 125.02
From telephone commissions ........ 99.88
From sales of waste .......... 53.22
From payments for lost books 258.00
From money found .......... 7.14
Total $6,091.31
The $258.00 received for lost books, being only received to
replace lost library property is, when paid into the City treasury.
[3]
added to the appropriation for library maintenance. A detailed
statement of receipts and expenditures is hereto annexed.
REDUCTION IN APPROPRIATION.
The original estimates for library maintenance during the
current year, submitted by the Trustees in December, 1907,
amounted to $332,800. The amount appropriated was
$310,000, a reduction of $22,800 from the estimate, and of
$15,000 from the appropriation of $325,000 for the preceding
year, all of which had been required for maintenance.
Under these circumstances the Trustees have been forced to
restrict their expenditures below the amount needed to maintain
the Library at its usual point of efficiency. Purchases of sup-
plies have been confined to immediate necessities; fuel, espe-
cially, has not been bought in advance of the requirements of the
calendar year; repairs which under other conditions would have
been made, but which could be deferred for a few months, have
been postponed ; books, which are needed to meet the legitimate
demands of the public, if the Library is to be effectively operated,
have not been purchased ; and the expenditures for service have
been brought within the lowest practicable limits.
The usual working hours of the Library during the day time
have been maintained, except that in the branches the usual Sun-
day opening following the summer vacation was deferred some
weeks; but the evening service at the Central Library during the
fall months was diminished one hour, the Library closing at nine
instead of ten o'clock. Some diminution of service being required
in order to keep within the amount of appropriation this mani-
festly interfered least with the general use of the Library.
CENTER FUND REAL ESTATE.
Real estate given to the Trustees by the will of the late Joseph
H. Center, consists of estate 1 1 99 Washington street, occupied
by the South End National Bank under lease existing when the
property was received by the Trustees, and not yet expired ; and
estate 1 5 Arnold street. The assessed value of both these pieces
[4]
of real estate is $ 1 9,800. It has not been practicable to make
an advantageous sale of this property, and the rents therefrom
after deducting necessary expenses for collections and repairs,
are paid over to the City Treasurer from time to time to be in-
vested by him under the direction of the Finance Committee of
the City. The accumulated amount of such rents not so invested
January 31, 1909, was $2,546.18.
RE-INVESTMENT OF THE TREADWELL FUND.
Under the will of the late Daniel Treadwell of Cambridge,
who died February 27, 1 872, one fifth of the residue of his estate
was given to "the Trustees of the Public Library in the City of
Boston." The City Council accepted the bequest and author-
ized the Trustees of the Public Library to receive the same and
invest it in City of Boston bonds. All of the bequest except 1 6
shares of Boston & Albany Railroad stock, 6 shares of Boston
& Providence Railroad stock, 12 shares of Fitchburg Railroad
preferred stock, and 1 share of Vermont & Massachusetts Rail-
road stock was invested in City bonds before this year. During
this year the Trustees have sold the shares of stock above enu-
merated for the gross sum of $7,364.78, which has been invested
in one 4 per cent City bond, payable in 1 947, registered in the
name of the Trustees and now in the custody of the City
Treasurer.
TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT WITH AUGUSTUS SAINT-
GAUDENS.
The contract between Augustus Saint-Gaudens and the City
of Boston, acting through the Trustees of the Public Library,
made November 30, 1892, under which groups of statuary by
Mr. Saint-Gaudens were to be placed on pedestals upon the
platform in front of the Copley Square entrance to the central
library building, was terminated by the death of Mr. Saint-
Gaudens during the summer of 1 907, and the $6,000 which h?id
been paid on account, returned to the City Treasury by the
[5]
estate of Mr. Saint-Gaudens, as provided by the contract in the
event of such a contingency.
ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY.
During the year 22,931 volumes have been added to the
Hbrary collection. Of these 12,492 w^ere purchased, 6,163
were given to the Library, and the remainder were received by
exchange, binding of periodicals into volumes, etc.; 7,346 vol-
umes were purchased for the Central Library, and 5,146 for
the branch libraries and reading rooms.
The total amount expended for books, including $3,642.81
for periodicals and $2,168.34 for newspapers, was $37,091.13,
or 1 1 .3 per cent of the entire expenses of the Library for all pur-
poses.
The average cost of all books purchased was $1.98 per vol-
ume. Of these 7,020 were bought from money appropriated
by the City at an average cost of $1.18 a volume, and 5,472
were bought with the income of Trust funds at an average cost
of $2.87 a volume.
TTie most expensive books increase in value with the lapse of
time, and most of the less expensive rapidly wear out with use or
become of less value from the issue of other books on the same
subjects. It is estimated that about 1 50,000 of the books in the
Library are not worth commercially more than ten cents apiece.
Books are purchased only by vote of the Trustees, and at
prices fixed by the vote. The titles of the books recommended
for purchase by the Librarian are put upon cards and submitted
to a Committee of two of the Trustees weekly. A list of the
titles and prices of books which that Committee recommends for
purchase is then made, and copies of it sent to each of the Trus-
tees at least two days before their weekly meeting. This list as
revised and voted by the Trustees is sent to the Ordering De-
partment as authority for the purchase of the books. Duplicate
bills of the books are required to be sent to that department. One
bill is filed at the City Hall, as required by law, and the other
entered alphabetically by the Ordering Department in its bill
book, with the entry date and alphabetical designation recorded
[6]
on the bill. These data are also entered on the reverse of the
title-page of each book charged in the bill, so that the book can
always be traced from the bill and the bill from the book. This
bill is certified by the Ordering Department as correct and sent
to the Library Auditor, by whom it is compared with the list and
price voted by the Trustees, entered and audited for payment,
and finally returned to the Ordering Department, where it re-
ceives a file number and remains on file. The book is then
examined, page by page and plate by plate, to see if it is perfect,
the book-plate of the Library pasted in and the original card
upon which its title was written placed in the book, and it is sent
to the Catalogue Department.
BOOK CIRCULATION AND USE OF THE LIBRARY.
There were issued for direct home use last year 308, 1 78
volumes at the Central Library, and from the Central Library
through the branches 83,957 more, while the branches and
reading rooms also issued 1,162,892 volumes for home use,
making the entire issue for home use 1 ,555,027 volumes.
The use of the Library for general reference and study is so
unrestricted that no accurate statistics of it can be given. Its
extent, however, is shown by the fact that about half a million
call slips for the table use of books in Bates Hall alone were
necessary last year. The daily use of books and other library
material in the Central Library and in the branches is doubtless
many times greater than the home use of books drawn out upon
cards, and requires constant and accurate service by a large force
of employees.
The mere obtaining and delivering of a book to a reader in
the Bates Hall reading room of the Central Library requires
the intelligent and accurate service of six different persons, if the
book is in its proper place in the stacks. The return of the book
to its place requires the service of four persons.
The obtaining and delivering to a card holder of a book for
home use requires the services of four persons and the return of
the book to its place requires also the services of four persons,
[7]
none of whom should make any mistakes, and all of these ser-
vices require the accurate and efficient working of the mechanical
book carrier system.
Books are issued for home use either for seven or fourteen
days. In order to secure their return within that time a fine of
two cents a day is imposed after the expiration of the time, to be
paid by the card holder before any more books are issued upon
the card. The approximate number of persons paying such fines
during the year 1907 was 63,060, who paid an average per
person of 8.8 cents, amounting in the aggregate to $5,584.02.
This was all paid into the City treasury, as required by law,
although the work of collecting and accounting for it in such
small amounts was not inconsiderable.
RE-BINDING AND REPAIR OF BOOKS.
The Trustees regret to say that they have not been able with
the means at their command to keep the books and other library
material in proper condition of repair. They have spent in bind-
ing and repair of books and other library material as much as
could be spent without impairing the general library service, but
this has not been sufficient. Many books must be at once re-
bound or withdrawn from circulation. Twenty-five hundred
dollars has been included in the estimates for the next year to
provide in part for additional binding and much more must be
spent for that purpose to keep the books in suitable condition for
use.
CONDITION OF THE LIBRARY.
To properly state "the condition of the Library" requires a
statement of what the Library is as real and personal property,
and of how it is maintained and worked.
The Library was opened on May 2, 1 854, in two small rooms
on Mason street, also used for other municipal purposes, with
less than ten thousand volumes, mostly acquired by gift. It has
developed into a library system which is not only a collection of
books, maps, manuscripts, and other literary matter unequalled,
in some respects at least, by any of the great libraries of the
[81
world, but is also a large, complicated, and delicate business
machine. The conduct of its business involves the disbursement
for books, supplies, transportation, salaries and other expenses,
many very small in amount, of over $30,000 every thirty days.
As real estate the Library consists of twenty-nine pieces of
land and buildings or parts of buildings in different parts of the
City, of an estimated aggregate value of about four and a half
million dollars. The central library building has cost up to
the present time, exclusive of the land upon which it stands,
$2,743,284.56.
The City also owns nine other pieces of real estate occupied
for public library purposes, and other buildings or parts of build-
ings occupied for public library purposes are leased at an annual
rental of $16,933. In addition to rental paid for these leased
premises, sums which in the aggregate are large have been paid
for the necessary and proper adaptation of the premises to library
uses.
The floor area in daily use in these premises amounts to
260,000 square feet, or nearly six acres. All these different
buildings and premises must be kept in repair, cleaned, policed,
heated, lighted and maintained in proper condition for library
use. The care of the central library building alone comprises
the protection, repair, cleaning, lighting, heating and maintenance
of a building which covers 65,000 square feet of land, and has a
floor area in daily use of 150,000 square feet.
As personal property the Library is primarily a collection
of nearly one million volumes of books, accurately speaking
963,090, of which 746,514 are in the Central Library and
216,576 are in the various branches and reading rooms. The
principal branches are considerable libraries in themselves, the
nine largest branches having an average of over 20,000 volumes
each.
The shelves required for the books in the Central Library and
branches would extend in a single line for a distance of between
nineteen and twenty miles.
There are also in the Central Library about 35,000 separate
manuscripts, and about 1 50 volumes of manuscript books, over
[9]
200 atlases, about 10,000 maps, and nearly 30,000 photographs,
prints, engravings and other pictures.
Each branch has also its own collection of photographs and
pictures varying in number from 1 ,000 to 2,000, in all about
13,000.
The catalogues of this collection comprise 3,436,490 separate
cards, and the cases containing them would extend about five-
sixths of a mile.
Nineteen different card catalogues, containing 2,977,790
cards, are necessary for the working of the material of the Cen-
tral, and fifteen separate card catalogues, containing 458,700
cards, are employed in working the collections in the different
branches and reading rooms.
Tlie Library also has a printing office, employing seven per-
sons, where an average of over 200,000 catalogue cards, half a
million forms, nearly two million call slips for the use of books,
and the various weekly lists of new books, quarterly bulletins,
finding lists, and other publications, amounting annually to about
70,000 copies, are printed for distribution among the people;
and a bindery employing twenty-nine persons, where photo-
graphs and engravings are mounted, volumes repaired, periodi-
cals stitched, library publications prepared for use, and about
30,000 volumes annually bound.
About 375 different newspapers and nearly 1,700 different
periodicals are in daily use in the Central Library and the
branches. There are also many valuable paintings, photographs,
busts of distinguished persons, and statuary, mainly, but not
entirely, contained in the central building.
The commercial value of this personal property is probably
not less than three million dollars, and some of it is unique, so
that if destroyed or sold it could not possibly be replaced.
The aggregate commercial value of the real and personal
property devoted to free public library purposes in the City of
Boston is not less than seven and a half million dollars, and in
addition to this, gifts have been made by thirty-three different
persons or societies, in sums varying from $100 to $100,000, for
the benefit of the Library and its branches to the amount of
[10]
$447,024.42, making an aggregate amount of property of about
$8,000,000 employed in the library work of the City.
COMPARATIVE VALUE OF LIBRARY PROPERTY.
Boston, with less than one half the population of all the other
32 cities in the Commonwealth combined, has approximately
twice as much money invested in public library property as all
the other cities combined. It has 29 3/1 0 per cent of the popu-
laton of the 33 cities, and the other 32 cities have 70 7/10 per
cent, that is, there are about seven persons in the other 32 cities
combined as against about three persons in Boston. But Boston
has about $60.43 invested in its public library property as against
about $39.57 invested in similar property in all the other 32
cities combined.
Stated in another form, the comparison is this: Boston has
41 5/10 per cent of the entire population in all the other 32
cities, while the amount invested in public library property in
these 32 cities is only 65 5/10 per cent of the amount invested in
public library property in Boston alone. That is, with a popula-
tion only four-tenths as large as the combined population of the
other 32 cities, Boston puts to the use of its public library system
property nearly four-tenths greater in value than all property put
to similar uses in the other 32 cities combined.
If we compare the value of the public library property of
Boston with the value of such property in all the other cities and
towns in the Commonwealth, we find that with a population of
19 8/10 per cent of the entire population of all the other cities
and towns, Boston has public library property of 71 1/10 per
cent of the value of all such property in all the other cities and
towns in the Commonwealth.
THE OPERATION OF THE LIBRARY.
The property and plant of the library system is of value only
as it is worked. The books, manuscripts, and other material are
useless except when they are being read and examined. And the
public library plant, like every other, should be worked, if it is
[11]
worth working at all, to the limit of its capacity. It would be as
absurd to work the public library plant to half its capacity for
profitable use as to work only half the spindles in a mill, or half
the locomotives upon a railroad. The problem of working the
Public Library, therefore, is the problem of bringing its books
and other material into the most general and extensive public use
within the limit of the amount of money which the taxpayers are
willing to pay for that use. The organization and method by
which the Trustees endeavor to thus work the Library is sub-
stantially as follows:
CATALOGUES.
The Library cannot be worked at all without proper cata-
logues, and the making of catalogues for such a large library is
a most complex, delicate, and difficult task. The catalogues of
the Library are the eyes through which people who use it can
see what there is in it, and find what they want.
The simplest form of cataloguing requires at least two cards
for each book, — one with the name of the book, the date of
printing, number of pages, edition, size, etc., the other with the
name of the author and the other information which is noted
upon the first card. This applies to the ordinary book of fiction,
but if the book of fiction be historical, its scene laid in some par-
ticular country, a third card is desirable containing the name of
the country and the other information upon the other two cards.
If the book, however, relates to some department of human
knowledge, — as for instance, botany, — there must be a card
with the name of the book, its subject matter, — botany — date
of publication, size, pages, etc., and a similar card with the name
of the author, and a third card with the title. Botany, at the
head, and if the book relate to the botany of a particular part of
the world, — for instance, Massachusetts, — a fourth card is
required under the title Massachusetts.
And if a book is upon a general subject which embraces sev-
eral subordinate subjects in the book, further cards are desirable
with the title of each of the several subjects. The cataloguing
of a book may be simple, or it may be very complex, according
[12]
to the character of the information which should be given to one
consulting the catalogue to find information as to any particular
subject or person.
The cards are of no use until there is put upon them numbers
indicating where in the library the book is to be found. To en-
able this to be done the departments of human knowledge are
arbitrarily designated by numbers, differing somewhat in different
systems of cataloguing. For instance. Botany might be repre-
sented by the number 1 6, indicating that under the number 1 6 in
the library stacks books on botany are to be found. To this class
number are added other numbers indicating the shelf in that
portion of the stacks where the book is to be placed, and the
position of the book on that shelf. These three numbers enable
the person knowmg their significance to go to the place in the
Library where the book is to be found.
After the book has been assigned to a position by the Shelf
Department, that is, by the department having charge of the
shelves where the books are placed, these numbers are put upon
all the cards representmg the book, the cards printed in the Print-
ing Department, and the proof read in the Catalogue Depart-
ment. All this must be done with absolute accuracy, because if
a book is improperly catalogued, or improperly numbered, it may
as well be lost, smce nobody can find it to use it.
But after this is done the book is not ready for use. The
plates, if there be any in the book, must all be stamped with m-
delible ink to show that they belong to the Public Library, the
title-page must be stamped, — "Boston Public Library," with
a perforating stamp, and then a slip must be pasted into the book
upon which when it is issued for use the date and the fact of issue
can be noted.
All these things must be done in a more or less simple or com-
plex form before any book can be placed in the Library in a con-
dition and position to be used. Each of the three million cata-
logue cards in the library system has required these various
processes of work. In addition to this, there are notes as to dif-
ferent editions, as to the real name of the author, where the book
is written under a fictitious name, cross-references to other books
[13]
relating to the same subject, and an amount of information more
or less extensive, according to the importance ot the book and of
the subject to which it relates, which it is desirable and often
necessary to place upon the cards to enable them to be con-
veniently and efficiently used.
Of course, catalogues of engravings, pictures, photographs,
newspapers, and other material, do not require the same elabo-
rate treatment as cards for books, but they do require equal
accuracy, and in many cases details quite as extensive as those
required upon the cards for books.
All books purchased are catalogued as soon as possible.
Books acquired other than by purchase are catalogued only upon
recommendation of the Librarian and vote of the Trustees after
such recommendation has been laid over one week.
SHELVING AND TRACING OF BOOKS.
To keep track of the contents of the Library after they are
catalogued, it is necessary to keep a list called a shelf list, show-
ing the number of books that belong on each shelf, and by this
list the shelves are read each year, so that if a book is not on the
shelf and is not properlj'' charged out, as being in use, its absence
is detected. This process requires the service of six competent
persons working each forenoon of each working day throughout
the year in the Central Library alone. The same process of
reading is applied also to the shelves in the branch libraries.
About 200,000 volumes in the central building are on shelves
where they can be taken down and consulted, without the service
of an attendant, as in Bates Hall, or with the service of an at-
tendant, as in the special collections and in the Fine Arts, Patent
and Music Departments.
ANNUAL INVENTORY.
An annual inventory is made at the end of the year of all the
personal property of the Library, except works of art, books and
other library material shown on the shelf list and included in the
catalogue.
[14]
PERSONS WHO WORK THE LIBRARY.
The persons employed in the Library are organized under the
following heads : Executive Department, including the librarian,
assistant librarian, auditor, clerk, custodian of the stock room,
etc. ; Catalogue Department, including the chief cataloguer and
assistants; Ordering Department; Shelf Department; Bates
Hall, including the custodian and assistants; the Special Libra-
ries, including also all persons employed in the Department of
Music and Fine Arts; Statistical Department, including docu-
ments and manuscripts; Periodical and Newspaper Rooms;
Patent Department; Issue Department; Children's Department;
and the Registration Department, which registers card holders
entitled to take out books for home use, and the Branch Depart-
ment, in charge of the supervisor of branches and reading rooms,
who has supervision of the operation of the branches and reading
rooms individually and in connection with the Central Library.
All these Departments are located in the central library building.
The library has 1 1 branches and 1 7 reading rooms located
in different parts of the City, each of which has a custodian in
charge of its work, with necessary assistants, and in most cases a
janitor to care for the premises.
Printing and Binding Departments, employing thirty-six per-
sons, are maintained in separate premises at 42 Stanhope street.
For the Sunday and evening service forty-four places must
now be filled in the Central Library, and thirty-eight places in
the branches, requiring the employment of one hundred seventy-
one persons. Much of this service is performed by persons em-
ployed from outside the regular library force, and paid by the
hour for actual service according to a schedule of the positions
and rate per hour to be paid authorized by the Trustees.
Throughout the S3'^stem a time register is kept, in which em-
ployees are required to enter the exact time that they arrive on
duty each day, and their absence from duty during regular hours
is also noted thereon.
The regular library staff, so-called, that is, the persons em-
[15]
ployed in working the books, maps, manuscripts, and other mate-
rial in the Library for the use of the public, consists of two hun-
dred and nineteen persons, of whom forty-six are employed in
the Ordering, Cataloguing, and Shelf Departments, thirty-one
in the Issue Department of the Central Library, nine in Bates
Hall, twelve in the Department of Special Libraries, Fine Arts,
Music, etc., twelve in the Branch Department aj: the central
building, and seventy-seven in the branches and reading rooms.
The remaining twenty-one are employed in the Children's, the
Registration, Statistical, and Executive Departments, and in the
Patent, Newspaper, and Periodical Rooms.
SALARIES AND WAGES.
The employees in the Binding and Printing Department are
paid union wages and work union hours. All other employees
who are classed either as "laborers, workmen or mechanics" are
employed at wages prevailing in those employments and at hours
fixed by the State law applicable to cities which have accepted its
provisions, as Boston has, at "not more than eight hours in any
one calendar day, or more than forty-eight hours in any one
week."
The other employees of the Library, constituting the regular
library staff, two hundred and nineteen in number, are paid sala-
ries fixed by vote of the Trustees. Eighty-five of these em-
ployees are males and one hundred and thirty-four are females.
The average compensation of all these persons, including the
librarian, assistant librarian and heads of departments, is $670.45
a year, the average of all the males being $853.90 and of the
females $584.28 a year.
Excluding the librarian, assistant librarian, and ten other per-
sons employed as heads of departments, the average salary paid
to the remaining two hundred and seven persons is $585.34 a
year. Of these persons seventy-five are males who receive the
average salary of $610. 12 a year, and one hundred and thirty-
two are females v/ho receive the average salary of $575.22 a
year.
[16]
The custodians of branches, which are really libraries in them-
selves are all women, and the highest salary paid to any one of
them is $910 a year.
A vacation without loss of pay is allowed to each employee
in the regular force of two days in each month, or twenty-four
days for each full year's service. One half of this vacation is
allowed to all other employees. Beyond this no person is paid
while not actually on duty, except by special vote of the Trustees
in an occasional case of extreme hardship from sickness.
No person is added to the regular pay-roll, nor is the salary of
any employee on the pay-roll increased, without a specific vote
of the Trustees in the form of an order in each case, an attested
copy of which is filed with the City Auditor.
The weekly pay-rolls are made in duplicate, showing the name
of each person employed, the character of the service performed,
the rate of salary or wage, and the amount payable to every such
person for the week. These are prepared and signed by the
Library Auditor, and after the approval attested by signature of
the Librarian, signed and sworn to by the President of the Trus-
tees. They are then sent to the State Civil Service Commission,
and its certification of approval affixed, after which one set is sent
to the City Auditor as the warrant for the weekly payment of the
employees, and the duplicate set is filed in the office of the State
Civil Service Commission.
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.
Three grades of educational qualifications are required of
persons employed, and determined by competitive examinations.
The lowest grade, which includes a comparatively small number
of pages, sub-assistants, etc., requires a training equivalent to a
grammar school course. The middle grade requires qualifica-
tions equivalent to a high school training and familiarity with
one foreign language. The third grade, including seventy-seven
of these persons, requires qualifications equivalent to those ob-
tained by a college course, and familiarity with two foreign
languages.
117]
The proper cataloguing and classifying of books and the
reference work necessary to aid those using the Library, also re-
quires in many positions much higher qualifications than those
which could be obtained by the ordinary college course.
SUPPLIES, REPAIRS AND CONTRACTS.
No supplies are purchased or repairs made without vote of the
Trustees. At each weekly meeting the Librarian submits a list
of these which, upon examination and revision, is voted by the
Trustees, and then transmitted to the Library Auditor as author-
ity for the purchase and repairs. All orders for such supplies or
repairs are in writing, signed by the Librarian, and numbered to
correspond with the stub record, upon which is minuted the date
of the list authorized by the Trustees on which the item appears,
and the number of the item on that list. Bills rendered are
checked up from the stub record, and the receipt of the goods or
the completion of the repairs is certified by the head of the de-
partment to which the goods are delivered, or in which the work
is done, or if the receipt is for supplies to be kept in stock their
receipt is certified by the custodian of the stock room. The bill
then goes to the Library Auditor, who certifies it as correctly
figured. It is then endorsed by the Librarian, presented to the
Trustees, and its payment voted by them. A requisition is then
drawn by the Library Auditor upon the City Auditor for the
payment, which is signed by the President of the Trustees, and
attested by the Clerk of the Corporation.
Supplies are disbursed from the stock room only upon requisi-
tion by the head of each department for which any supply is
needed, which must be approved by the Librarian, and is then
honored by the custodian of the stock room, who keeps a record
showing all purchases, from whom purchased, amount paid, dis-
tribution by day, month and year to the several departments of
the Library, and at the end of each year makes a summary ac-
count showing under each department the amount and cost of
the supplies furnished to it, itemized under the several articles.
The originals of all contracts made are filed with the City
Auditor, and a duplicate copy with the Library Auditor, and
[18]
under the State law requiring it a copy of each contract is also
deposited in the office of the City Clerk.
HOURS OF SERVICE.
The Central Library and the branches open and their work
begins at nine o'clock in the morning. The reading rooms
open in the afternoon at varying hours, principally at two o'clock.
The service continues until ten o'clock at night at the Central
Library building and at the West End Branch, and until nine
at the other branches and reading rooms except during the
summer months. During June, July, August and September the
Central Library and West End Branch are closed at nine
o'clock. The other branches and reading rooms during a
shorter period close earlier than in winter, principally at six
o'clock. The Central Library is in operation 1 02 week days of
twelve hours each, 203 week days of thirteen hours each, 1 7
Sundays of seven hours each, and 35 Sundays and two holidays
of eight hours each, making an aggregate of 359 days, and 4,572
hours during each twelve months.
The Sunday service as now arranged includes the Central
Library and the West End Branch throughout the year. All
the other branches (except the West Roxbury Branch, which
has no Sunday service) and the eight largest reading rooms
provide Sunday service from November 1 to May 1 only. The
hours are as follows:
At the Central Library and West End Branch, from two
o'clock to ten o'clock, except that the closing hour is nine o'clock
during June, July, August and September. At the other
branches (except West Roxbury), and at the eight largest
reading rooms (namely, Allston, Codman Square, Broadway
Extension, Warren Street, Roxbury Crossing, Boylston Station,
City Point, Parker Hill), two o'clock to nine o'clock. At all
of these reading rooms except Codman Square the room is closed
from six to seven o'clock.
The total number of hours of Sunday service provided an-
nually at the Central Library and at the West End Branch is
[19]
399 each; at the other branches (except West Roxbury) and
at the Codman Square Reading Room, 1 82 hours each ; and at
the following reading rooms: Allston, Broadway Extension,
Warren Street, Roxbury Crossing, Boylston Station, City Point,
Parker Hill, 156 hours each.
EXTENSION OF THE SUNDAY SERVICE.
In November last the Trustees received from the City Council
the following resolutions:
Whereas, The Revised Ordinances of the City of Boston, chapter
24, section 1 , provide that as a part of the duties of the Trustees of the
Boston Public Library they 'shall adopt such measures as shall extend the
benefits of the institution as widely as possible;' and
Whereas, The Public Library is now closed Sunday mornings, at a
time when, were it accessible to men and women who are obliged to labor
through the week, they would enjoy its benefits; now, therefore be it
Resolved, That the City Council of Boston expresses the opinion that
the Trustees would be conferring a benefit which would be widely appre-
ciated if the main public library were open as early as nine o'clock, Sunday
mornings, and they are respectfully requested to take steps as early as pos-
sible to make such a change ; and be it further
Resolved, That the City Clerk be directed to send a copy of these
resolutions, together with the vote upon their adoption in each branch of
the City Council, to each of the Trustees of the Public Library.
They therefore deem it proper to present here estimates of the
additional expense required if the Sunday service is extended.
If the Central Library only is opened throughout the year at
nine o'clock instead of two o'clock, and closed as at present, the
additional expense would be $6,634.
If the Central Library and West End Branch are opened
throughout the year at nine o'clock and closed as at present, the
additional expense would be increased to $7,1 15.
If besides Sunday service at the Central Library and West
End Branch throughout the year as aboVe, the other branches
and reading rooms nov/ provided with Sunday service from
November 1 to May 1 , are opened during those months at nine
o'clock instead of two o'clock, and closed as at present, the addi-
tional expense will be increased to $9,585.
[20]
If the hours of Sunday service are made uniform at the Cen-
tral Library and such branches and reading rooms as now have
Sunday service, that is, if it is provided throughout the ^ear^
instead of continuing from November to May only at certain
branches and reading rooms previously mentioned, the opening
hour being nine o'clock and the closing hours as at present, the
additional expense will be increased to $14,255.
Inasmuch as Sunday service is now provided at the branches
and larger reading rooms, it is probable that it would not be
considered equitable to confine an extension of the service to the
Central Library, but that an increase in the number of hours
would be required at the branches and at some at least of the
reading rooms.
At the time the resolution of the Aldermen and Council, above
referred to, was received by the Trustees, they had not the means
at their command, without impairing the service of the Library in
other directions, to extend the hours of Sunday opening, even if
upon consideration of the matter they came to the conclusion that
it was their duty to do so. The matter is being carefully consid-
ered by the Trustees. They furnished to Your Honor, with the
usual estimates for the general expenses of the Library, as it is
now maintained and administered, for the ensuing year, estimates
of the expense of extending the hours of opening on the Lord's
Day, which are above given. They also suggested to you in
answer to inquiries as to what legislation, if any, was desirable
with regard to the Library, the advisability of asking the General
Court for legislation to remove any doubt which now exists as to
whether it would be a violation of the law of the Commonwealth
to extend the library service on the Lord's Day to the same hours
that it is maintained on week days.
TTiey were especially moved to do this by the fact that the
District Attorney instituted a criminal prosecution against an
employee of the Library for receiving and issuing books and
doing other work incident thereto on the Lord's Day some time
ago, and that although the employee was after a trial discharged,
they are informed that one suggestion made by the Court was,
that the work was done in the afternoon at a time in the day not
[21]
generally appropriated for religious worship. It seems to the
Trustees that the consideration of the question of opening the Li-
brary for more hours on the Lord's Day ought not to be embar-
rassed by the suggestion which is made to them that it would be
unlawful. The Trustees desire to administer the Library service
upon the Lord's Day, as upon all other days, within the means
at their command, so that it may be of the best service to all the
people of the City; and they trust that the question of further
opening the Library on the Lord's Day will be so fully discussed
by the public that there may be no ultimate doubt as to what
well-informed public opinion upon that matter is.
HOW THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS WORKED AS A UNIT.
The great problem in working the library system is to handle
and work its collections as a whole. If each branch was operated
as an independent library, its work, though important, would be
of very much less public benefit than it is when combined with
the Central Library, as is done to a large and increasing extent.
If a person using any one of the branches desires a book which is
not in the branch collection but is in the central collection, appli-
cation is made by the branch library to the Central and the
book is sent to the branch. The same is true of applications at
reading rooms. This requires an accurate method of registra-
tion of applications, and of entries of transfers and return of
books, and the constant supervision of the work by a trained and
competent supervisor.
It also requires transportation, and the Trustees hire two auto-
mobile wagons at an expense of $5,200 a year, and also use local
expresses somewhat in addition, to transport books between the
branches and reading rooms and the Central Library, and to
engine houses, public institutions and public and parochial
schools. In the month of March last, nearly 1 1 ,000 books were
sent to the branches from the Central Library upon such indi-
vidual applications, and over 3,000 volumes were sent on deposit
to the various reading rooms. During the same month over
18,000 books were carried by these wagons from the branches
[22]
and reading rooms to the Central Library. The State law
which is construed as limiting the hours the drivers of these
wagons can work to eight hours a day and not to exceed forty-
eight hours a week, limits this method of transportation and makes
the service somewhat more expensive than formerly.
LIBRARY COOPERATION WITH SCHOOLS, ETC.
The Trustees endeavor to cooperate with the educational work
of the schools as far as possible without impairing the Library
service in other directions.
During the past year the Library has been daily supplying
with books 28 branches and reading rooms, 1 1 5 public and
parochial schools, 48 engine houses and 29 institutions, and send-
ing out an average of about 400 volumes every day by its
delivery wagons. In addition to this the branches themselves
and two of the largest reading rooms are sending out books on
deposit distributed among 124 places and amounting to over
16,000 volumes annually, of which over 12,000 are sent to
schools. That is to say, not only is the collection of the Central
Library used as a reservoir from which books may be drawn
for use in the branches and reading rooms, but each of the
branches and reading rooms is in itself a reservoir from which
books are drawn for use by teachers in schools in its immediate
vicinity.
This applies not only to books, but to photographs and pic-
tures of different kinds mainly for use in schools in connection
with the work of the teachers. These are sent out from the
Central Library to the branches, and also from the branches to
the teachers in their vicinity in portfolios each containing about
25 pictures, which when used by the teachers are returned.
These collections consist of illustrations of fine arts, physical
and commercial geography, colored views of all countries, types
of peoples, industries, transportation, etc. In November last
one branch issued 200 pictures in this way, another 350, and
another 822. About 10,000 pictures from the branch collec-
tions are annually lent to reading rooms, schools and study
[23]
clubs, and the Fine Arts Department of the Central Library
also sends out nearly 700 portfolios of pictures to 85 schools.
From the branches and reading rooms about 360 teachers are
supplied with books for use in their work, and the school cir-
culation from the branches and reading rooms is over 80,000
volumes a year.
In addition to this, the Library also provides selected collec-
tions of books asked for by teachers to aid them in their work.
In October last, 30 requests by teachers for books were received
at the Central Library, accompanied by lists of books desired,
varying in number from four volumes to 239 volumes, and 29
similar requests were received where the teacher gave only the
subject upon which books were desired. Some of these requests
were as follows : "Moths, butterflies and insects. — King Arthur
and his Knights. — Fifty books pertaining to geography and
American history. — A set of books on Mohammed, the Koran,
Ottoman Empire and Sultans. — Works of American poets —
as many as possible ; Works of English poets — a few. — A set
of books on Africa or United States history. — Books on In-
dians, transportation, days of the 'Forty-niners,' Great Lakes,
Mississippi River, homes of people of different nationalities,
Hudson Bay Co. — A set of books on the colonization and de-
velopment of the country. — Two hundred books, if possible,
on Greek history, Greek literature, Greek plays, travel and social
life in Greece, Greek art, and English and American fiction,
myths of all lands, American literature, nature books. — Ameri-
can history from the close of the Revolution to the end of the
Civil War."
The work of the Library in connection with the schools has
rapidly increased during the past few years, and to the extent
that it can be done without undue interference with the use of
the Library by the public, may be properly continued.
The Library cannot, however, be made a mere adjunct to the
schools vv'ithout impairing its efficiency for the main purpose for
which it is designed and should be maintained for public use. It
must also be borne in mind that to the extent that the Library
aids the schools by doing that which the schools would otherwise
[241
be required to do, it adds to its own expenses and correspondingly
reduces the expenses of the schools.
The question of how far the Library ought, with due regard
to its other work, or can within the appropriations made for it by
the City Council, increase this work with the schools is important,
and requires constant and careful consideration.
ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS USING THE LIBRARY.
Constant assistance is also given to children and others who
come to the Library to find books upon subjects upon which they
wish information. On a single day in Decem.ber last, 1 58 chil-
dren by actual count came into the rooms of a single branch
library between three and five o'clock in the afternoon, and this
was not regarded as an unusual number.
Hie following are some of the inquiries recently made for
information at one branch during three days :
"Please tell me the author of Kenil- The dragon fly?
worth?" In connection rvith the stud}) of his-
"Please tell me the author of Tom torp:
Brown at Rugby?" Something on Draco.
"Please tell me the author of The " on the Persian Wars.
Birds' Christmas Carol?" " on the "Holy Crusades."
"Please tell me the author of Tom " on Sir Walter Raleigh.
Sawyer?" " on George Washington.
In connection rvith literature: " on General Custer.
Something on the life of Socrates. " on any American leaders or
" on the life of Coleridge. heroes.
" about William Tell. [[ on the Pequot War.
" about Robin Hood. " on the English settlers in
on Burns's love of nature. America.
In connectiomvith geography: " on the Salem witchcraft.
Something on Asia. " about the Lewis and Clark
on Africa, rivers, etc. expedition.
" about the boys of different " about Barbara Frietchie.
countries. "A book about the Civil War,
In connection tvith science: for a man.
"Can you give me a book ex- General requests:
plaining the causes of moisture Christmas stories, poems, the story
in the atmosphere?" of the first Christmas. (Many
The origin of the tides? times.)
[25]
Life of Christ.
New Year's poems.
Lives of the Saints. (Many.)
St. Nicholas.
Life and work of Jean Francois
^^ Millet.
"Who was the best author of the
life of Napoleon? What a
pity Carlyle did not write his
"Please find": My hunt after
"the Captain."
Breathes there the man, etc.
The discontented pendulum.
"Have you the Speeches of
Henry Grattan?"
"Can you give me a Polish
book?"
"Have you something on Phon-
"V"
ICS?
"Have you something on Whit-
ney's cotton-gin?"
"Have you the Directory for
1907?"
"Do you have the daily papers?"
John Law. His method of fi-
nance.
Nationality of Cooper's mother.
Enough about the Star Spangled
banner for a composition.
How does the number of words
in Greek compare with the
number in English?
What does Good-bye really
mean?
All about the Lion of St. Mark's.
Story of Daniel Boone, for 4th
Grade.
Book on initial letters.
Story of Thor.
What books besides stories for a
mother to read? Anything on
the training of children.
Book on the Desolation Islands.
Some of the subjects upon which information was asked by
readers at Bates Hall during a few weeks were ;
Treatment of the Indians by the
United States government.
Theocratic government of New Eng-
land.
Emulsions in three color photogra-
phy.
A dream book to tell the meaning of
dreams.
Picture of a pallium.
The habitat of the razor fish.
Illustrations of flying machines.
Effects of the District Option law.
Rate of insurance on a building con-
taining a paint shop.
Christmas in Spain.
Identification of a religious order
from the dress on a doll.
The canon of Ptolemy.
"Some nice book."
Shakespeare's Taming
of the
L-rew.
"Casero's Essays on senility and
friendship" for Cicero's Essays
on old age and friendship.
Mark Antony's Meditations, i.e.,
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus's
Meditations.
Picture of an apricot for a grocer's
label.
The Grub Street Journal.
Coloring of medals.
Silvering of mirrors.
An automobile road book for Eng-
land.
[26]
A medical book for a young man
studying to be an undertaker.
The mail-order business.
An occupation adapted to a ner-
vously prostrated man.
King Leopold and the Congo.
Sanctification.
Veal.
Tara and its harp.
Etiquette of mourning.
Effect of colors on human conduct.
The saloon.
Wall street terms.
Astrology.
Chiromancy.
History of pantomime.
Education of the nervous system.
On one day in December last readers in Bates Hall asked
information on the following subjects :
Polish books.
Who predicted the greatness of New^
York City?
History of the United States.
Martin's History of Franklin
County, O.
Shakespeare's songs.
Vocational schools in Boston.
Commercial law.
Walt Whitman's vs^orks.
Dead Sea.
Lassalle, the socialist.
Notable Americanos.
Use of egg albumen.
Home gymnastics.
Lowell Institute lectures.
United States fisheries.
Poem of Singing Leaves.
Glaucoma of the eye.
Shakespeare's Henry VIII.
Emma Marshall's novels.
French and German indexes of
magazines.
Russian books.
German socialism.
Electric meters.
Heads of famiHes in First Census of
United States.
Morse's telegraphic code.
Bunyan bibliography.
Lieutenant Totten's works.
Livery companies of London.
Scarf's history of Texas.
Wool waste.
Water gas.
Class mottoes.
Stories for Junior Christian En-
deavor work.
Poetry of the American Revolution.
A portrait of Sir Francis Bernard.
Milton books.
List of public schools in Boston.
City of Seattle, Washington.
Philippine Islands.
Life of Nero and newest fiction.
Foreign menus for Christmas din-
ners.
Boys' clubs.
CHmate of Para, Brazil.
Statistics of deaths in Boston, Lon-
don, Dresden, and Munich.
Boston city government.
Bigelow genealogy.
Pictures of wood nymphs.
Biographies of prominent men of
to-day.
Who was Gassendi?
Open shelf system in libraries.
Electrical apparatus.
Bible stories.
Bible characters.
"New Thought" books.
[27]
Forestry bill in last session of Con- English heraldry.
gress. Greek drama.
Parks. Municipal elections in Boston.
Greek architecture. United States consular service.
Psychic treatment of nervous dis- Signs of the Zodiac.
eases. Predestination.
Agriculture. English composition.
American Book prices current. Text-book on Zoology.
Telegraphy. Hypnotic therapeutics.
East India Company. United States War Department re-
Laundries, ports.
Coffee-houses.
NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS.
The newspaper room at the Central Library, the papers for
which are mainly purchased from the income of a bequest of the
late William C. Todd for that purpose, has 355 different papers
filed for current reading, of which 267 are in the English lan-
guage, 1 6 French, 1 6 German, 7 Italian, 7 Spanish, 7 Swedish,
and the rest in 1 4 other languages, including one in Old Hebrew,
published in Jerusalem, and one in Tagalese and English, pub-
lished in the Philippines ; also Greek, Russian, Armenian, Polish,
Welsh, Hungarian, etc.
One paper at least, from every civilized nation, when obtain-
able, and at least two papers from every State in the Union, are
taken. Among them are papers from Buenos Ayres, Rio de
Janeiro, Valparaiso, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Cape
Town, Alexandria, Yokohama, Shanghai, Bombay, Calcutta,
Hawaii, the Philippines, Cuba, and Porto Rico. Fourteen
papers are taken from Canada and sixty from Massachusetts.
The papers from Boston comprise one in Lettish, three in Ger-
man, one in Italian, one in Swedish, and all the English dailies
and weeklies.
The mere opening, filing, and caring for the use of these pa-
pers and selecting from them those which are to be bound into
files, is no inconsiderable task. The Boston papers and also the
leading papers from other places are bound and preserved In
newspaper files which now include 6,5 1 4 bound volumes which
[28]
are much used. During the last year about 32,000 newspaper
volumes were consulted by readers.
One thousand four hundred seventy-seven different periodicals
are regularly filed and used in the Periodical Room at the Cen-
tral Library, 1 1 0 in the Statistical, Music, and Fine Arts De-
partments and in the Children's Room, making with the 89 taken
at the branches, 1,676 in all. These include all the leading
periodicals of the world in every department of literature and
science and in almost every language, all of which find ready
readers in the Periodical Room.
French, Germans, Russians, Italians, Spaniards, Poles, Greeks
and Scandinavians are among the constant readers who come to
the Periodical Room as the current numbers of those periodicals
are received, and the workmen of various trades come regularly
to read their trade journals which are not accessible to them else-
where.
The Periodical Room is generally filled with readers, and the
bound files of periodicals are also extensively used, the largest
use being by students from colleges and other schools in the vicin-
ity. Four hundred and seventy-seven different volumes were
recently consulted in one day by students from a single college,
and requests for information from bound volumes of periodicals
made to the attendant in charge of the room cover a very wide
range of subjects. The following recently made illustrate it :
Ancient Babylon, its social and political condition; Modern
Turkey and the social revolution there ; Articles relating to mem-
bers of the Cabinet; Poems and pictures on special subjects;
Secret Societies in China ; Designs for and descriptions of Floral
pageants; Psycho-therapy; What Jews have done to promote
civilization in England; The Course of noted Irishmen in the
world; Technical information on various subjects; Recipes for
condiments ; Material for use in school and college debates.
Periodicals are also taken and on file in the different branches,
the largest number being 66 at the West End Branch, and the
smallest, 12, at Orient Heights Reading Room.
[29]
INTER-LIBRARY LOANS.
There is another work performed by the Library, which
although not extensive, is still important, and that is its partici-
pation in what is called the inter-library loans. It frequently
happens that a person in another city or town desires a book
which his local library does not have, but which the Boston Li-
brary has. In that case, if the local library makes application
to the Boston Library the book will be lent to it upon its responsi-
bility for its care and return, and thus the person who desires it
in his own town or city can have the use of it.
In this way there were lent to libraries in the State, during the
year 1908, 636 volumes, and to libraries outside Massachusetts
1 76 volumes. On the other hand, a person in Boston can by this
arrangement obtain in the same way from other libraries books
which the Boston Library does not have.
children's department.
One of the most useful departments in the Library is required
primarily because children are unable to use a catalogue under-
standingly. Books for children must either be selected for them
by some older person, or the children must see the books so that
they can select for themselves.
The Central Library and each branch and reading room
now have special accommodation for children, and special books
and pictures for their use. At the Central Library the care of
the Children's Room, issuing the books, answering questions for
information, etc., requires the constant service of a competent
and well-trained person. At the branches and reading rooms
this work for children is done by the Custodian and assistants.
The following requests for help were made of the Custodian
of the Children's Room at the Central Library in three days of
December last, and the proper books to meet their needs were
recommended to the applicants:
[30]
Story of the Wooden Horse. Story of Bayard.
Coral. Story of the golden touch.
A Poem about a boy pardoned by Charlemagne.
Lincoln. A story to read aloud to a group of
Five requests for material on both children.
sides of a debate on Chinese im- Story of Massachusetts.
migration. Life of Lincoln.
Rules of order for presiding at a Number of deaths from tuberculosis
debate. each month for two years.
Music as sound for a composition. Christmas plays.
Battle of Lexington. A piece to speak in school.
Information about the buildings and Pantomimes.
streets of Paris. A good book to give an elevator
Name of the present Secretary of boy.
State. A present to a little girl of six.
Material on Zinc. Description of Christmas.
Sir William Wallace. Description of Murillo's paintings.
A request for "Geology" in which The Poem, Night after Christmas.
to look up ancestors. Many other requests for poems and
Story of Roland. stories about Christmas.
It is not always possible to furnish the best book on any
required subject, as it may be out of the Library, and the books
suggested are from those available at the time.
EXHIBITIONS OF BOOKS, PICTURES, ETC.
When the Central Library was opened in its new building in
1895 the rare books, engravings and other treasures of the Li-
brary, which had been before inaccessible to the pubHc, were
placed upon exhibition in the Fine Arts Room from time to time.
This was found to be of so much public interest that exhibitions
of this character are now systematized and programmes of them
published at the beginning of the winter season in connection with
the programmes of lectures.
The exhibitions of pictures are mainly arranged to illustrate
the library lectures, but outside lectures, such as those of the
Lowell Institute, are also illustrated here when practicable, and
events either of artistic, historical, or national importance are
noticed. Many of the exhibits have been lent by friends of the
Library, as — Issues of the Kelmscott Press, Portraits of George
[31]
Washington, Bookplates by Boston artists, Prayer Books, A col-
lection of Valentines, Fine Book Bindings, etc.
Among the historical exhibits may be mentioned those in cele-
bration of the anniversaries of Sebastian Cabot, Americus Ves-
pucius, Hans Holbein, W. L. Garrison, H. W. Longfellow,
John Milton, Transfer of the Bradford Manuscript, and among
important events illustrated, the death of Pope Leo XIII., coro-
nation of Edward VII., the War with Spain, visits to Boston by
Admiral Dewey, by Prince Henry of Prussia, and by General
Kuroki of Japan, also the Old Home Week of last year, the
Grand Army Convention, and the Convention of the American
Medical Association.
Exhibitions of pictures are also regularly held in the branches
and reading rooms, the programme of them being published in
the quarterly bulletin. The pictures are mainly furnished from
the Central Library and hung upon rods in the branches and
reading rooms. They are designed to illustrate matters which
are of immediate general interest to the public, like the cruise of
the United States Fleet, which was illustrated each month by a
different set of pictures of scenes in the different countries visited
by the fleet; or subjects which are being studied at the time by
persons using the Library. The following list of recent exhibi-
tions at one branch and one reading room may be taken as
illustrative :
Branch Exhibition. Reading Room Exhibit.
Mansions of England in the Olden Historic Ornament.
time. England's Historv as Pictured fei?
Northern Mythology. Famous Artists:
Cruise of the United States Fleet: B.C. 150-A.D. 11 54.
The Atlantic Coast of the U. S. 1154-1 485. The Plantagenets ;
South America. . Lancaster and York.
California. 1485-1603. The Tudors.
Islands of the Pacific. 1 603-1 7 1 4. The Stuarts.
New Zealand. 1714-1900. The House of
Australia. Hanover.
Alaska and the Esquimaux.
Northern Mythology.
[32]
LECTURES.
From twenty to twenty-five lectures are annually given in the
Lecture Hall of the Library, admission to which is free to all,
and for which no compensation is paid to the persons who lec-
ture. These lectures are mostly on subjects connected with the
fine arts, and with special regard to the aesthetic development of
cities.
The course of lectures being delivered this season includes
among others, "A Trip to Brazil," "Art in Photography, with
special reference to Natural Color," "Modem City Planning,"
"Civic Centres and the Grouping of Public Buildings," "The
Hill Towns of Italy," "The Building Up of Boston," "Constan-
tinople," "A Tour through Greece," "Along the Dalmatian
Coast," "On the Study of Art," and "John Milton."
MONEY FOR MAINTAINING AND WORKING THE LIBRARY.
Substantially all the money which the Trustees can use for the
maintenance and working of the library system comes from the
annual appropriation by the City Council. The Trust funds,
that is property given to the Trustees in trust for the uses of the
Library, are by law required to be invested by the City Treasurer
under the direction of the Finance Committee of the City.
A detailed statement of these funds is annuall)^ contained in
the report of the City Treasurer and in the report of the City
Auditor, and therefore is not presented here. The income re-
ceived from them in 1908 was $15,963. This income can only
be used for the specific purposes of the several trusts under which
it is held, which vary widely. Some are for the purchase of books
for separate branches ; some for the addition of books to special
collections, such as books on government and political economy,
books in the Spanish and Portuguese languages, valuable rare
editions of books, books of a military and patriotic character,
books in memory of specific persons, and in one case only for
books published before 1 850.
During the past eight years the estimates of the Trustees, the
[33]
recommendations by the Mayor, and the amounts appropriated
by the City Council have been as follows:
ESTIMATES
OF TRUSTEES.
AMOUNTS AMOUNTS
RECOMMENDED APPROPRIATED
BY MAYOR. BY CITY COUNCIL.
1901 $291,713.65 $300,000.00 $302,000.00
1902 310.144.67 305,000.00 300.000.00
1903 318,383.10 305,500.00 305.500.00
1904 320,414.00 300,000.00 305,000.00
1905 325,465.00 310,000.00 310,000.00
1906 324.550.00 320.000.00 324.550.00
1907 326.100.00 325.000.00 325,000.00
1908 332.800.00 325,000.00 310.000.00
CHARACTER OF LIBRARY EXPENSE.
TTie Library is the only great free library for all the people of
Massachusetts. The Commonwealth gave the City of Boston a
considerable portion of the land upon which the Central Library
building stands, upon condition that the building erected thereon,
and its contents, should at all times be free to the use of all citi-
zens of the Commonwealth. The result, therefore, is to throw
upon the tax-payers of Boston not only the expense of working
all the books and material of its library system for the benefit of
its own citizens, but also the expense of working much of its
books and library material for the benefit of all the citizens of
the Commonwealth who desire to use it. Every municipality
within fifty miles of Boston naturally governs its own library
expenditures for buildings, books and maintenance by this fact.
It knows that, as its people who require the most expensive books,
the most valuable library material for their use, will find them
in the Boston Public Library, therefore it does not need to pro-
vide them itself.
The Library is also the only free scholars' library in Massa-
chusetts, that is to say, it is the only free library where scholars
can efficiently conduct scholarly research. It is situated at the
center of a district containing at least a million and a half people
who can by modem means of communication go to the Library
[34]
and use it and return to their homes each day, and many of them
do so. The citizen of Lowell or of Taunton, or of any other
place within no greater distance from Boston, who wishes to use
a library in the preparation of a book, or in some matter of schol-
arly research, knows that while he may find in the local library
there some of the material required, he will not be likely to find
sufficient for his purpose, and therefore, he goes to the Boston
Public Library, where he finds a larger amount of material than
can possibly be given by any other free library in the Common-
wealth.
The expense of working so large a library system over the
forty-three square miles of the city area is also proportionately
greater than the expense of working a small library.
One peculiarity of the working of the library system is that the
expense and waste of the working increase disproportionately to
the additions v/hich are made to the collection. A. library system
is like a telephone system, where each additional subscriber dis-
proportionately increases the cost of working the whole system.
The expense and waste of efficiently working a collection of a
million books is more than ten times as great as the expense and
waste of working one hundred thousand books, because each
book is worked in connection with every other.
Again, as it is true that the public library system is of value
only as it is used, and that to produce the utmost value from its
use it should be used to the limit of its capacity, so it is equally
true that the increasing use of it produces a disproportionately
greater increase in the expense and waste of working. Books
that are transported frequently and over a large area of use wear
out proportionately faster than they would if they were trans-
ported less frequently and over a smaller area.
Books which are put to general public use wear out very
rapidly. Volumes that are purchased at the average price paid
for books bought with appropriations by the City Council, are
not only books which wear out because they are in constant use,
but they are necessarily of such paper, typography, and binding
as to wear out rapidly by use. The cost of replacing such books,
either with new books of the same kind or with new editions or
[35]
other books upon the same subject is very great and causes a great
and constantly increasing expense.
PURPOSE OF THE LIBRARY.
The primary purpose of a public library is to educate the
people by giving the use of good books and other educational
library material to persons who might not otherAvise enjoj' such
use. But it is also of great public importance that the library
should within the means at its command afford opportunity for
study and research by scholars and students. In doing this our
Library supplements the work of our public schools and of the
university. To most of the graduates of our grammar schools
who pass at once into active life the Library stands in place of
the high school, the academy and the college, and it is to them
a university. In the aggregate of all its services, the Boston Pub-
lic Library is in itself a system of education for all and free to all.
The distinguishing characteristc of the education given by a
public library is that it is not imposed upon the person who has it.
The education of the schools is to a greater or less extent imposed
upon those who receive it, and it is necessarily general in its char-
acter, without regard, to any great extent, to the individual needs
of the persons who receive it. The schools must educate persons
in classes and upon general lines of knowledge. The Library,
however, educates only in response to individual wants and de-
mands. Everything that is done by it is done in response to
requests from individuals who ask for that which they each want
most. Every one of the million and a half volumes issued by the
Boston Public Library in a year for direct home use is issued
because some particular person wants that book. Every book
consulted in the Central Library or its branches or reading
rooms, every newspaper consulted, every manuscript, every pic-
ture furnished for use is furnished because some particular person
asks for it, presumably because he needs it. It is obvious that
education of this kind is likely to be more effective in the develop-
ment of individuals along the lines in which they are each capable
of development than any system of education which deals with
[36]
individuals in classes, and imposes upon them certain required
courses of study.
It was the original design of the wise, sagacious, and public-
spirited citizens who promoted the foundation of the Public Li-
brary that it should be a means of education for all. Such has
been the course of its development up to this time, and such
should be its future development. This means constantly in-
creasing appropriations for its support and improvement. The
proper maintenance, work, and development of the library sys-
tem requires an annual appropriation of not less than $350,000.
Without this, the Library will fail to be efficiently worked and
improved to its full capacity for the education of our people, and
its usefulness will surely decrease. The Library cannot simply
mark time. It must either march forward, or fall behind in its
work.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE AND GIFTS.
One of the most interesting things about the Boston Public
Library is the extent to which it has been created, developed,
and worked by voluntary and unpaid service. It has always
been in charge of an unpaid board of citizens as Trustees, who
have given constant personal attention to all its affairs. Among
the many able and public spirited citizens, former Trustees, who
have done so much for the Library, it is not invidious to mention
William W. Greenough, who was a Trustee for thirty years, dur-
ing twenty-two of which he was President of the Board. Upon
his retirement, his fellow Trustees said of him: "He daily de-
voted to the work of the Library as much time and labor as most
men devote to their private affairs." Such services by him and
by other former Trustees now living, as well as those who have
passed away, have been more valuable to the Library than gifts
of silver and gold, and should always be remembered by the
people of our City.
The gifts which have been received, during the year as in for-
mer years, of books and other library material, have been ac-
knowledged to the givers, and are too numerous to be detailed
[37]
here. The only pecuniary gift received during the year has been
a bequest of $5,000 for the purchase of standard Catholic books,
under the will of Patrick F. Sullivan, late of Boston.
A large part of the collections of the Library have been given
to it, while nearly five hundred citizens have served from time to
time upon its important Examining Committee, many of whom
have given much time and performed excellent service in that
capacity. There is no similar institution anywhere which has
been promoted and developed by more unselfish, constant, and
effective civic effort. The City Government representing the tax-
payers has also been liberal in its appropriations for the support
of the Library. In its appropriation for the erection of the cen-
tral library building Boston has been munificent beyond any
other American city.
LIBRARY SERVICE.
Modern library service is a profession which requires not only
accurate technical knowledge and excellent ability, but also
constant patience and uniform courtesy on the part of those en-
gaged in it. The Trustees believe that tested by this standard
the service of the Library is not excelled by that of any other;
and they have much pleasure in repeating the testimony borne in
their last annual report, to the fidelity, industry and zeal with
which the Librarian and other persons employed in the various
departments of the Library have discharged their respective
duties.
EXAMINING COMMITTEE.
The Trustees appointed an Examining Committee of persons
not members of the Board, and joined with them the President of
the Board as Chairman, to examine the Library and make to the
Board a report of its condition, as required by the ordinance.
That Committee consisted of the following persons:
Rev. Joseph G. Anderson. Mr. J. Allen Crosby.
Miss Frances E. Cawley. Mr. Pio DeLuca.
[38]
Mr. Nathan Haskell Dole. Mr. Oliver W. Mink.
Mrs, Thomas F. Harrington. Mrs. Stephen O'Meara.
Miss Bertha Hazard. Mr. Augustine L. Rafter.
Mrs. George A. Hibbard. Miss Julia G. Robins.
Rev. Reuben Kidner. Rev. A. B. Shields.
Mr. Henry Lefavour. Mr. William G. Shillaber.
Mrs. Alice M. Macdonald. Mr. Alexander Steinert.
Mr. Francis P. Malgeri. Mr. Raymond Titus.
Mrs. T. E. Masterson. Mr. Charles H. Tyler.
Mr. John P. Woodbury.
The report of the Committee is hereto annexed and included
as a part of this report. The Trustees and the people of the
City are under obligations to the persons who as members of this
important Committee have kindly consented to give their time
and attention to the performance of its duties.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, the Trustees beg leave to state that their per-
sonal attention has been regularly given to the Library during
the year, stated meetings of the Board have been held each week
throughout the year except during the summer months, when a
committee of the Trustees has attended to all matters which re-
quired attention. Some one of the Trustees, and often more
than one has also visited the Library or some of its Branches
every day to observe its working and aid so far as necessary in
the conduct of its affairs.
These duties have been pleasant because the Trustees feel
that the Library enjoys the confidence of the people, and they
have found a rich reward for their services in being the honored
instruments of conducting an institution which is an ornament
and a blessing to the City of Boston.
JosiAH H. Benton.
Thomas F. Boyle.
William F. Kenney.
Samuel Carr.
Alexander Mann.
[40]
BALANCE SHEET, RECEIPTS AND
Dr.
Central Libr.\ry and Branches:
To expenditures for salaries —
General administration . . . , . . $1 77,695.93
Sunday and evening force ..... 21,475.05
$199,170.98
To expenditures for books —
From City appropriation 14,823.73
Trust funds income ...... 16,444.68
Carnegie gift, Galatea collection . . . . 1 1 .57
31,279.98
To general expenditures —
Newspapers, from Todd fund income . . . $2,168.34
Periodicals 3.642.81
Furniture and fixtures ...... 3,436.33
Gas 2,299.92
Electric lighting 1.501.01
Cleaning 8,625.39
Small supplies 2,691.08
Ice 216.26
Stationery 1,120.71
Rents 12.733.61
Fuel 10.342.60
Repairs 3.341.70
Freights and cartage 1 ,439.48
Transportation between Central and Branches . . 4,184.87
Delivery Station, rent and service .... 916.63
Telephone 423.32
Postage and telegrams 1,197.57
Typewriting ........ 10.93
Travelling expenses (mainly street car fares on library
service) 217.14
Grounds 69.08
Lecture account (lantern slides and operator) . . 310.85
Miscellaneous expense ...... 16.45
60,906.08
Printing Department:
To expenditures for salaries ..... $7,309.50
To general expenditures —
Stock 1,442.45
Electric light and power 264.10
Contract work 267.17
Rent 470.68
Freights and cartage 257.17
Insurance ........ 220.53
Gas 220.17
Cleaning . . . ... . . . 32.50
Small supplies, stationery, ice, repairs, furniture and
fixtures ........ 37.26
10,521.53
Carried foriDard $301,878.57
[41]
EXPENDITURES. JANUARY 31, 1909.
By City Appropriation, 1908-09 .
Income from Trust funds
Interest credited on bank deposits .
Payment received for books lost .
Income from Center fund real estate
Carnegie gift for Galatea collection
By Balances brought forward February 1, 1908
Trust fund income on deposit in London
On deposit, Baring Bros. Ltd.
Accrued interest on bank deposits .
Accrued income. Center fund real estate
Trust fund income balance, City Treasury
$310,000.00
15.963.00
132.75
258.00
1.291.34
100.00
$2,861.92
72.75
2.103.47
1,254.84
1 5,859.06
Cr.
$327,745.09
22.152.04
Carried fortaard
$349,897.13
[42]
BALANCE SHEET. RECEIPTS AND
Dr.
Brought fonvard
Binding Department:
To expenditures for salaries ...... $22,976.00
To general expenditures —
Stock 1,502.67
Electric light and power ...... 55.30
Contract work 59.45
Rent 837.28
Freights and cartage ....... 255.00
Insurance ........ 195.75
Gas 51.19
Cleaning ......... 32.50
Small supplies, stationery, ice, repairs . . . 27.31
To AMOUNT PAID INTO CiTY TREASURY:
From fines $5,548.05
Sales of catalogues, bulletins, and lists .... 125.02
Commissions for use of telephone ..... 99.88
Sales of waste paper and other waste material . , 53.22
Money found in the Library ..... 7.14
To Balances, January 31, 1909:
Trust funds income on deposit in London . . . $2,774.64
On deposit, Baring Bros. Ltd. ..... 72.75
Accrued interest on bank deposits .... 2,186.17
Accrued income. Center fund real estate . . . 2,546.18
Trust fund income balance, City Treasury . . . 14,346.37
Carnegie gift for Galatea collection .... 100.00
$301,878.57
25,992.45
5,833.31
22,026.1 1
$355,730.44
[43]
EXPENDITURES. JANUARY 31. 1909.
Brought forvard ....
By Receipts:
From fines .......
Sales of catalogues, bulletins and lists .
Commissions for use of telephone .
Sales of waste paper and other waste material
Money found in the Library
Cr.
$349,897.13
$5,548.05
125.02
99.88
53.22
7.14
5.833.31
$355,730.44
REPORT OF THE EXAMINING COMMITTEE.
To the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston:
The Examining Committee report to you as follows:
The Committee was called together by the President of the
Board of Trustees, Josiah H. Benton, who read the ordinance
prescribing the duties of the Committee, and suggested that to
insure entire independence of action the Committee should or-
ganize with its own special chairman, and such sub-committees
as its officers might see fit to appoint.
The Committee then organized by the choice of Rev. Reuben
Kidner as Chairman, and Mrs. Stephen O'Meara as Secretary,
and the appointment of the following sub-committees :
ADMINISTRATION.
Mr. John p. Woodbury, Chairman.
Mr. Pio DeLuca. Mr, Alexander Steinerl.
Mr. Raymond Titus.
BOOKS.
Mr. Nathan Haskell Dole, Chairman.
Mrs. George A. Hibbard. Mr. Francis P. Malgeri.
Mr. Henry Lefavour. Mr. Oliver W. Mink.
BRANCHES.
Mr. Henry Lefavour, Chairman.
Mr. J. Allen Crosby. Mrs. Alice M. Macdonald.
Miss Frances E. Cawley. Mr. Augustine L. Rafter.
[45]
CATALOGUES.
Rev. Joseph G. Anderson, Chairman.
Mr. Raymond Titus. Mrs. Stephen O'Meara.
Mrs. Thomas F. Harrington. Mr. Pio DeLuca.
Mrs. T. E. Masterson. Mr. J. Allen Crosby.
FINANCE.
Mr. Charles H. Tyler, Chairman.
Mr. Oliver W. Mink. Mr. Alexander Steinert.
PRINTING AND BINDING.
Mr. J. Allen Crosby, Chairman.
Mrs. T. E. Masterson. Mr. William G. Shillaber.
Mrs. George A. Hibbard. Mr. Oliver W. Mink.
Rev. Joseph G. Anderson. Mr. Alexander Steinert.
FINE ARTS.
Mr. Nathan Haskell Dole, Chairman.
Mrs. Thomas F. Harrington. Miss Julia G. Robins.
Miss Frances E. Cawley. Rev. A. B. Shields.
Mr. Pio DeLuca.
The Examining Committee, through these sub-committees and
at general meetings of the whole Committee, has examined the
Library. It finds its condition, except in respect to the matters
hereinafter noted, to be satisfactory, and the organization of its
employees to be well adapted to the proper conduct of its affairs.
TTie Committee has examined specially into the financial needs
of the Library by the sub-committee on finance, whose report,
adopted by the whole Committee, is as follows:
The Sub-committee on Finance has investigated certain fea-
tures connected with the financial needs of the Library to which
it deems it wise to direct attention.
It is difficult to compare the Library as it exists to-day with
the conditions existing prior to 1 890, in great part because of the
fact that a few years after the Copley Square building was first
occupied in 1895, the library system, as a whole, was reor-
[46]
ganized, new departments were provided and the collections, of
books in particular, were enlarged in a marked degree. Accord-
ingly, the comparisons which your Committee has made are based
upon the conditions existing in 1900, when, generally speaking,
the system now being maintained had been perfected. Starting
with 1900, therefore, the Committee finds that, with the popu-
lation in that year of 560,892, the appropriations for the uses
and purposes of the Library were $290,766, or 52 cents per
capita of our population. There were in that year 63,163 li-
brary cards outstanding, which entitled the holders to the use
of books at their homes and on which there was a circulation of
1,1 76,837 volumes. Accordingly, 1 1 .26 per cent of the popu-
lation were then provided with cards and the circulation was
equal to 18.6 volumes for each individual holder.
As indicating, in some degree, the extent to which the de-
mands upon the Library have been increased, your Committee
finds that in 1908, with a population of 628,483, as near as
can now be estimated, the appropriations for library purposes
were $3 1 0,000, or 49 cents per capita of our population. The
"home use" library cards now number 85,085, on which the cir-
culation has aggregated 1,555,027 volumes.
We have, therefore, for this period, extending over eight years,
these interesting comparisons to consider, namely: — that the
population has increased by 67,591, or by 12 per cent; that the
library appropriations have increased by $19,234, or by 6.6 per
cent; that the number of "home use" librar)'^ cards outstanding
has increased by 21 ,922, or by 34.7 per cent, and that the circu-
lation on such cards has increased by 378,190 volumes, or by
32. 1 per cent.
It has not been possible for the Committee to ascertain the
extent to which our population has been increased by the non-
English speaking immigration during these years, but those who
are in any degree familiar with the processes by which a given
section or sub-division of our City is changed or altered, will
realize and reflect upon the educational needs of those who have
come amongst us and upon the obligations which rest upon those
who are charged with the duty of considering, and, following the
[47]
traditions of our City, of providing for them. What may be true
of the non-English speaking classes may be true also, though
possibly in a somewhat less conspicuous degree, of those who
come from those sections abroad where our own tongue is spoken.
But, whatever may be the reasons, it must be evident from the
comparisons which we have adduced that certain elements in our
population, — whether because of the changes in its constituents,
or because of the limitations of their individual possessions, or
because of other factors, — are making demands upon our Li-
brary and its facilities which the increase in our population does
not explain.
A review of the conditions affecting our school attendance
and some consideration of the City's efforts to meet the obli-
gations which are made upon it in that direction will serve to
emphasize the features to which we wish to direct attention, for,
while in 1 900 there was a school population of 90, 1 44, requir-
ing appropriations for school purposes, — including the compen-
sation for supervisors, teachers and janitors, the cost of fuel,
text-books and school supplies, but excluding the expenditures
for the construction and repairs of buildings, — of $2,616,102,
or $29.02 for each scholar, or $4.66 for each individual of our
population, such appropriations had been increased in 1908 so
that for that year, with a school population of 1 1 1 ,450, they
amounted to $3,514,133, or $31.53 for each scholar, or $5.59
for each individual of our population. There was, accordingly,
with an increase in the number of our scholars of 21,306, or
23.6 per cent, an increase in the appropriations of $898,031, or
34.3 per cent, an increase in the average expenditures for or on
account of each scholar of $2.51, or 8.6 per cent, and an in-
creased charge of 93 cents for each individual of our popula-
tion, or 20 per cent.
The conclusions to be derived from a study of these figures
tend to establish, it would seem, the fact, which we wish to make
impressive, that there is a demand upon our Library for educa-
tional purposes not unlike that which is being made upon our
public school system and which, we believe, is deserving of the
most careful and painstaking consideration.
[48]
How, for instance, can an increase in our population during
this period of 12 per cent, an increase in our school census of
23 per cent, an increase in our school appropriation of 34 per
cent be reconciled with an increase of 34.7 per cent in the number
of "home use" library cards and an increase of 32. 1 per cent in
the circulation of volumes upon them, when the increase in the
appropriations for the library system is equal to but 6.6 per cent?
Bearing in mind then, the increased demands upon its facili-
ties which the changes in the character of our population have
brought about and bearing in mind also, and as equally impor-
tant, the closer relation which such facilities are sustaining to the
educational institutions of our City, whether publicly or privately
maintained, it must be evident that these facilities are being sub-
jected to a strain which needs now to be carefully considered
from the view points, first, of what may be presently necessary
to meet any deficiencies in their value; second, of what should
be done to continue with uninterrupted efficiency the work which
has thus far been undertaken, and third, of the extent to which
the expectations of our community may and should be met, for
we are of the opinion and are agreed that our citizens generally
desire its representatives to so apportion their resources that the
Library shall not only be maintained but so that it shall be
extended and enlarged and made to correspond, as the years
advance, with their reasonable wants and needs in these direc-
tions.
The Committee desires to add that in making these sugges-
tions it is not unmindful of the demands, as a whole, which are
made upon the City's purse and of the efforts which are being
made, and in which as individuals they are glad to cooperate,
to retrench and to limit the sum of its annual budget. The sug-
gestions which it makes, therefore, are made with due regard to
the obligations which, naturally, suggest themselves, and they are
urged only in the hope that with the exercise of discriminating
judgment the appropriations for the Library may be made suffi-
cient to maintain it on a proper and dignified level, since, as our
investigations lead us to believe, it is now more than ever a co-
ordinate feature of our educational system and less than ever.
[49]
relatively at least, a bureau given over to the circulation of that
which is frivolous in literature.
We invite attention to the table which follows:
1900
1908
INCREASE
Population
560,892
628,483
67.591
12 p. c.
School Attendants
90.144
111,450
21.306
23.6 p. c.
Appropriations
$2,616,102.
$3,514,133.
$898,031.
34.3 p. c.
Dollars Per Scholar
29.02
31.53
2.51
8.6 p. c.
Capita
4.66
5.59
.93
20 p.c.
Library Appropriations
$290,766.
$310,000.
$19,234.
6.6 p. c.
"Home Use" Library Cards
63,163
85.085
21.922
34.7 p. c.
"Home Use" Circulation
1.176.837
1.555.027
378.190
32.1 p.c.
Library appropriations for )
each individual of our >
Population ;
52c
49c
*3c
*6 p.c.
Percentage of Cards to |
Population f
;il.26p.
c. 13.54 p. c.
2.28 p. c.
20.2 p.c.
"Home Use" Circulation for )
each| individual of our Popu- [
lation, in volumes »
2.09
2.47
.38
18.2 p.c.
"Home Use" Circulation for )
each "Home Use" Card in >■
Volumes )
18.6
18.3
*3
*1.6p.c.
*Decreaii
Your Committee is advised that the average sum received in
the way of annual compensation by the employees actively con-
nected with the Library, excluding the so-called "ranking offi-
cials," is but $585.34, and that including such officials it is
$670,45. It is manifestly impossible for persons receiving such
rates of compensation to create and maintain any adequate fund
to which resort can be had in the emergencies of life which con-
front, or are likely to confront them.
Taking into consideration, therefore, the relatively small sums
thus paid, and bearing in mind the fact that the service offers
little of material promise, we are led to ask, as a result of our
reflections, whether it would not be well to direct attention to
this matter to the end that some plan may be agreed upon which
[50]
shall have for its object the creation of a fund for the purpose of
providing something in the w^ay of a pension for those who be-
come aged or incapacitated and, possibly, in the way of relief,
to some extent at least, for those who are called upon to bear
the burdens which fall so heavily when sickness or death invade
the household. We have in our conferences considered the wis-
dom of suggesting that some part of the sums now being received
for fines, imposed where books are kept beyond the prescribed
limits, — such sums for the last year amounting to upwards of
$5,000, — be set apart for such purposes, but whether such a
suggestion is or is not advisable, the subject in its general aspects
is one which, in our judgment is deserving of consideration.
The Sub-commiitee on Books finds, and the general Com-
mittee reports, that a very large number of books require binding
at once. Many of these are books of value containing plates
and maps, which if not secured by binding the books may be
lost and the value of them practically destroyed. The Commit-
tee is of the opinion that the interests of the Library imperatively
require that a very considerable sum of money should be applied
to the repair and rebinding of books, as soon as it can be made
available for that purpose without reducing the necessary work
of the Library in its general public service.
The Suh-committee on the Catalogue Department reported
to the general Committee that it was much impressed by the
amount of work done by that department, but was surprised to
find how quickly catalogue cards become soiled and unfit for
use, and expressed a regret that the economy practised required
that cards should be patched and repaired instead of being re-
placed by new ones.
The Suh-committee on Branches and Reading Rooms visited
by one or more of its members the branches and reading rooms.
It reports that the work of the branches is well planned and
administered with economy and efficiency. TTie branches and
reading rooms, represent the larger popular use of the Library.
Through them its resources are brought near to the homes of the
people, and the use of the Library for public education is widely
extended. About three fourths of the circulation of the Library
151]
is through the branches and reading rooms. They have nearly
half the employees of the Library, and are maintained with less
than one third of the annual expense for the entire library system.
Too much cannot be said in commendation of this part of the
library service to the people of the City.
The Committee finds, however, that in the material equipment
of the branches and reading rooms there are many and urgent
defects and needs, which ought to be cared for at once, and
which we are convinced the Trustees are anxious to remedy, but
with the present limited appropriation no progress whatever can
be made in this direction. More ample accommodations at some
points and entirely new quarters at others are desirable, and in
fact in some cases absolutely needed. Hie situation cannot be
regarded as satisfactory until each district of the City has a well-
equipped library building for a branch library, with separate
rooms for children, and has, so far as necessary, comfortable and
attractive reading rooms at the various centers of population.
Nevertheless, the most pressing need in all the branches to-
day, and one which ought first to be met, is a larger number of
new books. The usefulness of the Library is not strictly propor-
tional to the number of books on its shelves, but to the number of
books which the people wish and are willing to read. It is not
simply a question of fiction, though there is much to be said with
regard to the desirability of furnishing the people with good
books of this character. It would be well if more books of fresh
and timely interest could be placed in each of the branches, but
this would entail increased expense not at present possible with-
out impairing the general library service.
Reuben Kidner,
Chairman.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.
To the Board of Trustees:
I respectfully submit my report for the year ending January
31, 1909.
REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The diminished appropriation for the administration of the
Department has made it necessary to restrict closely the expendi-
tures for general repairs. Only those things have been done
which could not be deferred without serious detriment. At the
Central Library all the exterior window and door frames were
repainted ; at the West End Branch the interior of the building
has been painted and renovated throughout, and the reading
tables and chairs refinished; extensive repairs have been made
upon the roof at the Brighton Branch; and at the South End
Branch the old furnaces, comprising part of the heating appara-
tus of the building, were renewed by the replacement of parts
that had become defective, and the basement put in good order.
At the Dorchester Branch an extension to the building, built
by the Public Buildings Department without expense to the Li-
brary, provides about 525 square feet of additional floor space
for our use, an improvement that was much needed, and it was
found possible, in connection with this extension, to provide an
emergency exit from the Children's Room in the third story.
Minor repairs and improvements have been carried out at the
Roslindale Reading Room, and our landlords have repainted
the reading rooms at Mt. Bowdoin, Broadway Extension,
Warren Street and North Street. The purchase of new furni-
ture and other equipment needed at some of the branches and
reading rooms has been deferred on account of the restricted
appropriations.
[54]
The Allston Reading Room was removed to a new location
on the first of May. The room now occupied at 6 Harvard
Avenue is not only larger than the old one, but is more centrally
located, advantages which were immediately reflected in an in-
creased circulation and a larger use of the reading tables.
Curtis Hall, occupied for many years by the Jamaica Plain
Branch, was destroyed by fire December 15. Temporary
quarters for the Branch, restricted in size but nevertheless fairly
serviceable in the emergency, were immediately secured in the
Masonic Hall building not far from the old location, and the
Branch was reopened there December 28. Fortunately the
books and furniture were preserved from fire, although about
3,000 volumes were somewhat damaged by water, requiring
rebinding in part.
THE USE OF BOOKS.
The table on page 55 shows the circulation for home use and
through schools and institutions for the year, in detail, for the
Central Library and the various branches and reading rooms
throughout the library system.
It should be borne in mind that these figures do not include the
extensive and constantly increasing use of books throughout the
librar'^ system within the buildings. This reading and reference
use is not recorded statistically, and the tables of circulation do
not include the reading-room use of periodicals and newspapers,
nor the departmental use of the volumes relating to patents, nor
the material circulated from the Fine Arts Department.
The use of books and other library material within the build-
ings has always been an important feature of this Library. It
increases from year to year as the relation of the Library to the
schools and higher educational institutions becomes more close.
As it increases, it in some degree reduces the number of volumes
taken out for home use, especially books required in educational
reference work. Since this use is not measured by figures, we
lose the weight of its statistical importance in comparison with the
returns of some other libraries where a different plan is followed
in presenting data as to circulation.
[55]
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[56]
The variations in circulation by months, so far as relates to
the Central Library, are shown in the following table, compiled
by Mr. Frank C. Blaisdell, Chief of the Issue Department:
CIRCULATION FROM CENTRAL BY MONTHS.
SCHOOLS AND
February. 1908
March,
April,
May,
June,
July.
August.
September,
October.
November.
December,
January. 1909
Totals
HOME USE
HOME USE
THROUGH
INSTITUTIONS
TOTALS.
DIRECT.
THROUGH
BRANCH DEPT.
BRANCH DEPT.
31.788
9,827
6.493
48.108
34.055
10,459
6,518
51,032
27.371
7,826
6.284
41,481
24.716
6.257
6,254
37,227
12.297
4.978
4,116
28,391
16.888
4.169
2.206
23,263
18.250
4.059
2,128
24,437
19.897
4.573
3,804
28,274
26.583
6.958
5,720
39,261
30.456
7.961
5,572
43,989
27.395
8,269
6,421
42,085
31.482
8.621
6,849
46,952
308,178
83,957
62,365
454.500
To bring the full effect of these figures clearly before the
reader a condensation is necessary, as in the following summary :
Boo](s lent for Home Use, including Circulation through Schools and Institutions.
From Central Library (including Central Library books issued through the
branches and reading rooms) 454.500
From branches and reading rooms (other than books received from Cen-
tral) 1.224.942
Total number of volumes lent for home use and through schools and
institutions 1.679,442
The usual comparative statements follow, showing the circu-
lation in each of two successive years :
1907-08.
1908-09.
Central Library circulation
(excluding schools and institutions) :
Direct home use 287.165
Through branches and reading rooms for
home use 84.644
Carried forward
308,178
371.809
83,957
392,135
371.809
392.135
[57]
Brought for^GTd .... 371,809 392,135
Branch Department circulation
(excluding schools and institutions) :
Direct home use —
From branch collections . . . 742,565 774,058
From reading room collections . . 303,458 388,834
1,046,023 1,162,892
Schools and institutions, circulation:
(including books from Central through
the branch system) .... 111,279 124,415
Totals 1,529,111 1,679,442
To record statistically the use of books within the buildings
would require methods which would often delay readers or re-
strict the freedom of circulation from the open shelves, and the
results would not offset these disadvantages.
The issue of books from the Central Library on individual
applications sent forward through the branches and reading
rooms outside the Central aggregates 83,957 volumes, a decline
of 687 for the year. The number of volumes supplied in this
way has been declining for some months. This decline is due
to our inability to furnish the books asked for, under our present
financial limitations. Circulation in general is directly affected
by the supply of new books, not only current publications which
are always in urgent demand, but also books bought to replace
others which are worn out, and additional copies of books al-
ready in the library. Therefore, since the purchase of books
has necessarily been much restricted during the last six months
of the year, a decline in the number of volumes lent for home
reading is to be expected. The effect of the reduced appropria-
tion upon the supply of books acquired for the branches, and
therefore upon circulation, may be inferred from the following
statement contained in the annual report of Mr. Ward, the
Supervisor of Branches:
The branches have had 3,653 volumes of new books this year, as against
4,408 in 1 907—08. They have had replacements to the number of 2, 1 48
volumes, as against 2,448 the year before. During the last half of the year
only Charlestown, Roxbury, and South Boston Branches, where special
funds were available, have had any replacements, and the other eight
branches have had few new books. The reading rooms have been better
[58]
supplied than the branches, and the additions to their permanent collections
amount to 5,259 volumes, as against 3,1 60 in 1907—08. Almost no new
books, however, have been bought for the reading rooms during the last
eight months.
A considerable number of duplicates were bought last May for the
branches and reading rooms and for the deposit collection, and were of the
greatest use.
The reading rooms have suffered because it has not been possible in a
long time to make additions to the deposit collection, on which they depend
to a large extent. The number of volumes on deposit at eight of the read-
ing rooms has been increased a little, chiefly by utilizing very old fiction
and other books not in active demand. But the additions to the permanent
collections, in the early part of the year, have been a compensation for the
deficiencies of the deposit collection.
The problem of an adequate supply of books for the reading rooms is a
serious one. To take an example, — there is one reading room which has
a direct home use of 1 9,000 volumes a year. For books to meet this de-
mand it has 600 volumes in its permanent collection, chiefly, though not
entirely, books of reference. A part of these are not issued for home use.
It has also a deposit of 500 volumes from the Central Library and one of
300 volumes from a neighboring branch. There are, consequently, about
1 400 volumes in the collection. In winter so many books are out at cer-
tain times that the shelves seem almost empty, and demands for special
books have little chance of being satisfied. Here the daily issue from the
Central Library, and in this case from a neighboring branch, comes in as a
help. This reading room draws 6,000 volumes a year from these two
sources, on individual applications, in addition to its direct issue of 19,000
volumes. But the requests which could not be met with the books desired
amounted to about 60 per cent of the number received. It is doubtless true
that popular demands for books can never be satisfied, and that a collection
of a few hundred volumes for general reading, in connection with the daily
issue from the Central Library, is perhaps enough. But a considerable
further duplication of the classic books, both those for adults and for chil-
dren, would be most desirable for the reading rooms, if the appropriation
of money for the Library permitted it. The collection of an active reading
room might very well be 2,000 volumes as a minimum.
The percentage of adult fiction in the books issued for direct
home use from the Central Library through the branches was
30.9, and from the eleven branches direct, 34.9. Books bor-
rowed by juvenile readers for home use, classed as fiction, con-
stituted 35.7 per cent of the total issue from the Central Library
through the branches, and 35.9 per cent of the issue from the
[59]
eleven branches direct. The percentages of the adult and juve-
nile fiction respectively, in the direct circulation for home use
from the Central Library, although not recorded, probably
vary little from these figures.
The statistics of circulation are presented in continuation of a
series of tables which have, from year to year, appeared in our
reports. They are comparable with similar figures relating to our
own library, computed on the same basis in successive years,
but they are not comparable with statistics from other libraries,
unless possible differences in recording circulation, or in local
conditions, are borne in mind; a discrimination which is often
practically impossible.
Such statistics are frequently given an unwarranted impor-
tance. The character of the books circulated is far more signifi-
cant than the mere number. A single book used by a few persons
only may result in promoting the social benefits for which a public
library primarily exists to a greater extent than fifty or one hun-
dred books of a different kind which may have a wide circula-
tion.
Nor can the statistics of circulation of one library be compared
with those of another for the purpose of drawing conclusions as
to the relative efficiency of the two institutions, or as to the rela-
tive economy shown in their operation. Several such comparisons
have recently appeared, in which circulation is computed per
capita of population, while in other instances the cost per volume
circulated is computed by dividing the entire cost of library main-
tenance by the number of volumes lent for outside use, disregard-
ing all the other work performed by the librarJ^ Every large
reference library renders a great deal of service not chargeable
to "circulation," as that term is generally used. The cost of
"circulation" cannot well be separated so as to be figured per
volume. The amount of general service performed, the aggre-
gate number of hours of service per week, the extent and char-
acter of the area over which the library operates, — these and
other items affect the aggregate expense and, as a matter of
course, affect the cost per volume "circulated," if, as is usually
[60]
the case, this entire cost is charged against outside circulation
only. As for circulation per capita, much depends upon the
proportion of non-English speaking persons in the population, the
number of books in other languages than English provided for
their use, the number of recent additions to the population of per-
sons who have not yet acquired the habit of reading, the number
of persons in the community able to buy the books they need, the
number of other libraries open to the same population, and upon
the number of the popular books of the day, especially fiction,
provided for borrowers.
Statistical comparisons between libraries are usually futile.
There are hardly two operating under similar conditions, and
since the figures are always affected by the personal equation,
differences which vitiate the comparison are certain to be ignored.
Such parallels are sometimes instituted as a sort of special
pleading, for the purpose of putting one Institution in a more
favorable light as compared with another than would otherwise
appear; and even if the figures contain an element of truth they
are often so distorted in the manner of presentation that the net
result is misleading.
Without entering into a discussion of whether or not a large
proportion of fiction ought to be bought, every one knows that
the demand for current fiction is Insistent, and that it would be
perfectly easy, by catering to this demand, to increase the cir-
culation to any desired extent, thereby increasing the circulation
per capita and somewhat diminishing the expense per volume cir-
culated, without materially increasing the real efficiency of the
library.
It Is equally well known that circulation can be promoted by
various other expedients, more or less legitimate, if the object is
merely to get a large number of books into the hands of borrow-
ers. The expression "hands of borrowers" Is used advisedly.
Not all books circulated are read, and of those read still fewer
are digested.
A public library is a social institution, and its value to the city
or town which maintains it depends upon the success with which
[61]
it fills its peculiar place in its own community ; promoting through
the use of books a better citizenship. To stimulate circulation to
this end rather than to promote a large circulation should be its
first object, since, unfortunately, the two things are not synony-
mous.
BOOKS RECEIVED.
The effect of the restricted general appropriation for the Li-
brary is clearly seen in the following statistical statement of
purchases, covering two successive years :
Boo^s acquired b^ purchase.
1907-08. 1908-09.
For the Central Library:
From City appropriation . . . .11 ,255 3,478
From Trust funds income 2,162 3,868
13,417 7,346
For branches and reading rooms:
From City appropriation .... 12,953 3,542
From Trust funds income . . . 268 1,604
By Fellowes Athenaeum . . . 819 640
14,040 5,786
27,457 13.132
As will be noted, the accessions by purchase show a reduction
in number of volumes from 27,457 in 1907-08 to 13,132 in the
year just closed. The purchases by the Fellowes Athenaeum
were added to the collection at the Roxbury Branch, under the
terms of the agreement between the Trustees of the Athenaeum
and the Library.
The accessions in detail, whether by purchase, gift or ex-
change, are shown in the following statement :
CENTRAL, BRANCHES, TOTAL,
VOLUMES. VOLUMES. VOLUMES.
Accessions by purchase 7,346 5,146 12,492
Accessions by gift 5,847 316 6,163
Accessions by exchange ..... 588 588
Accessions by Statistical Department . . . 666 666
Accessions of periodicals (bound) .... 1,632 393 2,025
Accessions of newspapers (bound) .... 341 341
Accessions by Fellowes Athenaeum . . 656 656
16.420 6.511 22.931
[62]
The total number of accessions, as shown in this statement,
is 22,931 , as compared with 40,742 in the preceding year.
PROSE FICTION.
Of current fiction, 887 volumes have been carefully examined,
and 93 titles selected for purchase. Of these 93 titles, 1 ,074
volumes have been bought for the central and branch collec-
tions, costing $1,015.06, the smallest amount that has been
expended for current fiction since 1 897, when the present method
of recording such purchases was instituted. Under the limita-
tions affecting all purchases, the expenditure for fiction could not
have been materially increased. Urgent replacements of worn
out books in the fiction class, required the purchase of 3,393
volumes, at a cost of $2,544.75, bringing the total expenditure
for fiction to $3,559.81 , or 1 1.38 per cent of the aggregate ex-
penditure for books.
NOTEWORTHY ACCESSIONS.
From the report of Miss Theodosia E. Macurdy, Chief of
the Ordering Department, the following details are taken, re-
lating to the more important accessions during the year:
PURCHASES.
With the exception of a few volumes obtained by exchange,
the following titles represent expenditures entirely from trust
funds income.
Budge, E. A. T. W., editor and translator. The lives of Maba Seyon
and Gabra Krestos. (The Ethiopia texts edited with an English trans-
lation and a chapter on the illustrations of Ethiopia MSS.) London.
Griggs. 1898. (Lady Meux manuscripts. No. \ .)
— The miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary ; and the life of Hanna
(Saint Anne), and the magical prayers of 'Aheta Mikael. (The Ethi-
opia texts edited with English translations, etc.) London. Griggs.
1900. (Lady Meux manuscripts. Nos. 2-5.)
Collectanea de rebus Hibernicis. Edited by Charles Vallency. Dublin.
White. 1786-1804. 6v. Portraits. Plans.
[63]
Curwen, Alice. A relation of the labour, travail and suffering of that
faithful servant of the Lord, Alice Curwen. Who departed this Hfe
. . . 1679 . . . (London.) 1680. (A testimony to the memory
of the wife of Thomas Curwen, a Quaker minister, who with his wife
was imprisoned in Boston v/hile visiting America.)
Darcel, Alfred, and Henri Delange. Recueil de faiences italiennes des
XVe, XVIe, et XVIIe siecles, dessine par Carle Delange et C. Borne-
man. Paris. 1 869. 1 0 1 colored plates.
Essling, Victor Massena. fitudes sur I'art de la gravure sur bois a Venise.
Les livres a figures venitiens de la fin du XVe siecle et du commence-
ment du XVL Florence. Olschki. 1907,08. 2 v. Folio.
Faden, William. (A collection of plans [71 of operations of the British
troops against the rebels in America.) 1 771— I 781 .
Levaillant, Francois. Histoire naturelle des oiseaux d'Afrique. Paris.
Delachaussee. 1805-1808. 6 v. Plates. Folio.
Massachusetts Spy (The) , or Thomas' Boston Journal. 63 numbers dis-
tributed among Vols. 1-4, 1770-75.
New England Primer Improved. For the more easy attaining the true
reading of English. Boston. Printed by D. and J. Kneeland, for
Samuel Webb, in Cornhill. I 764.
Nuntiaturberichte aus Deutschland, nebst erganzenden Aktenstiicken.
Herausgegeben durch das K. preussische historische Institut in Rom und
die K. preussische Archiv-Verwaltung. 1533—1630. Berlin. Bath.
1892—1907. 8 V. (Documentary history of the Roman Catholic
Church in Germany in the 16th century.)
Scottow, Joshua. Old men's tears for their own declensions, mixed with
fears of their and posterities further falling ofF from New England's
primitive constitution. (Anon. ) Boston. Printed in the year 1 69 1 .
Reprinted for B. Gray. 1 733.
Seeker, William. A wedding ring fit for the finger; or, the salve of divin-
ity on the sore of humanity . . . Boston, printed by S. G. for B.
Harris . . . 1690.
Seebohm, Henry. A monograph of the Turdidae, or family of thrushes.
Edited and completed (after the author's death) by R. Bowdler
Sharpe. London. Sotheran & Co. 1902. 2 v. Colored plates.
Wartburg (Die). Ein Denkmal deutscher Geschichte und Kunst dam
deutschen Volke gewidmet von Grossherzog Carl Alexander von Sach-
sen. Dargestellt in Monographieen von Carl Alexander Grossherzog
von Sachsen- Weimar-Eisenach . . . und in 706 authentische Abbil-
dungen im Text und auf 54 Tafeln bearbeitet vom Herausgeber Max
Baumgartel. Berlin. 1907.
There was also purchased a collection of books for the blind
in New York point, consisting of 71 volumes of fiction, history.
[64]
and biography; a collection of music scores by modern com-
posers; and the concluding volume (5) of the Crown collection
of photographs of American maps (from originals in the British
Museum).
GIFTS.
Of the gifts received in 1 908-09, the following list comprises
the notable books and collections of books:
Anonymous. (In memory of Arthur Mason Knapp.) Briquet's Les fili-
granes. Dictionnaire historique des marques du papier. Four volumes,
handsomely bound in half morocco. Paris. 1907.
Bixby, William K., St. Louis. Letters of Zachary Taylor from the battle-
fields of the Mexican War. (Reprinted from the originals in the col-
lections of W. K. Bixby.) Privately printed. 1908.
Boston Browning Society. Fifteen volumes, including the first edition of
Brow^ning's Gold Hair, 1 864 ; also a manuscript letter from F. J. Fur-
nivall, for the Browning Collection.
Brown, Allen A. Two hundred and nineteen volumes for the Brown Col-
lection of Music.
Fitz, Mrs. W. Scott-. One hundred and seventy-five volumes, a miscel-
laneous collection.
Freeman, James G. One hundred and eighteen volumes, a miscellaneous
collection, and 206 periodicals.
Gay, Estate of Mrs. Elizabeth G., through Mr. Ernest L. Gay. One
thousand and fifty-seven volumes of standard English literature.
Gay, H. Nelson, Rome. Four hundred volumes of Italian literature,
chiefly political history, from the library of Francesco Crispi.
Grew, Mrs. Henry S. One hundred and twenty-one volumes, a miscel-
laneous collection.
Hopkins, Mrs. J. C. Two hundred and ninety-one volumes, text-books
and classics.
Kuhn, Estate of Mrs. Hartmann Kuhn. Two hundred and seventy-four
volumes, history, travels, memoirs, dictionaries, etc.
Morgan, J. Pierpont. Eleven volumes. Catalogue of manuscripts and
early printed books from the libraries of William Morris, Richard Ben-
nett . . . and other sources, now forming a portion of the library of
J.P.Morgan. London. Privately printed. 1906-07. 4 v. Folio.
— Catalogue of the collection of miniatures, the property of J. P. Mor-
gan. London. Privately printed. 1907. 4 v. FoHo. ^
— Pictures in the collection of J. P. Morgan. London. 1907. 3 v.
Folio,
[65]
Phillips, Mrs. John C. Ninety-seven volumes, a miscellaneous collection.
Richards, Dr. George E. Seventy-seven volumes, including 70 volumes
of rare editions of the classics.
Moulton, Mrs. Louise Chandler. (Bequest.) Eight hundred and eighty-
seven volumes from the library of the late Louise Chandler Moulton.
The collection consists, with few exceptions, of autograph copies of the
works in prose and verse of contemporary American and English authors,
which are especially suited to the Artz and Galatea collections. Some
of the books contain, besides the autographs, letters and inscriptions of
interest by the authors.
Shaw, Samuel S. One hundred and thirteen volumes, a miscellaneous
collection.
Thomas, George C, Philadelphia, through Mr. J. H. Benton. (1 ) Au-
tograph letters and autographs of the Signers of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence in the possession of George C. Thomas. Philadelphia. 1 908.
— (2) Catalogue of the more important books, autographs, and manu-
scripts in the library of George C. Thomas. Philadelphia. 1 908.
THE CATALOGUE DEPARTMENT.
Mr. S. A. Chevalier, Chief of the Catalogue Department has
compiled a summary of the work of the year, so far as it can be
shown by figures, as follows :
Number of volumes and parts catalogued
Titles covered by the foregoing .
56.426
33,289
Subdivided as follows, in comparison with preceding year :
1907-08. 1908-09.
VOLS. AND ^,^, ^ VOLS. AND
PARTS. ^'^'-^^- PARTS. ^'^^^^^
Catalogued (newr) :
Central Library Catalogue . . 21,100 15,525 15,784 11,332
Serials 8.773 6,928
Branches 10,620 9.367 11,822 10,534
Re-catalogued 10,226 5,138 21,892 11.423
Totals 50,719 30,030 56,426 33,289
The number of cards added to the catalogues during the year
aggregates 171,262, including 140,826 added to the Central
Library catalogue, and 30,436 to the Branches.
[66]
The catalogue cards representing music have been separated
from the main catalogue in Bates Hall, 106,000 cards having
thus been removed. The cards representing medical books trans-
ferred on deposit to the Boston Medical Library in the Fenway,
about 1 0,000 in number, have also been removed.
MISCELLANEOUS WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.
TTie cataloguing of new books forms only a part of the work
of the Catalogue Department. Much re-cataloguing of old ma-
terial is done every year, and during the past year the library of
President John Adams, held in our custody, containing 3,019
volumes, has been catalogued. Copy for a printed author cata-
logue of this collection is in preparation.
An author list on cards has been made of works recently
received from the bequest of Abram E. Cutter, and the final
cataloguing is in process.
Three parts of the important catalogue of the Allen A. Brown
collection have been issued during the year, bringing it nearly
through the letter F.
Other work incidental to the examination of titles, the replace-
ment of soiled and worn-out cards, which need not be detailed
here, has been performed by members of the staff.
SHELF DEPARTMENT.
Mr. W. G. T. Roffe, in charge, has prepared the usual statis-
tical tables from which the following condensation is made:
Placed on the central library shelves during the year: VOLS.
General collection, new books (including continuations) .... 15,318
Special collections, new books . . . . . . . . 2,139
Books reported lost, or missing in previous years but now found, transfers
from branches, etc. .......... 524
17,981
Removed from the central library shelves during the year:
Books reported lost or missing, condemned copies not yet replaced, trans-
fers, etc.: 4,898
Net gain at Central Library 1 3,083
Net gain at branches and reading rooms ....... 5,593
Net gain, entire library system 18,676
[671
The total number of volumes available for public use in the
Library at the end of each year since the formation of the Library
is shown in the following statement:
1852-53
9.688
1881-82
404.221
1853-54
16,221
1882-83
422.116
1854-55
22,61 7
1883-84
438,594
1855-56
28,080
1884-85
453,947
1856-57
34,896
1885 .
460,993
1857-58
70,851
1886
479.421
1858-59
78,043
1887
492.956
1859-60
85,031
1888
505,872
1860-61
97,386
1889
520,508
1861-62
105,034
1890
536,027
1862-63
110,563
1891
556,283
1863-64
116,934
1892
576,237
1864-65
123,016
1893
597.152
1865-66
130,678
1894
610,375
1866-67
136,080
1895
628,297
1867-68
144,092
1896-97
663,763
1868-69
152,796
1897-98
698,888
1869-70
160,573
1898-99
716,050
1870-71
179,250
1899-00
746.383
1871-72
192,958
1900-01
781.377
1872-73
209,456
1901-02
812.264
1873-74
260,550
1902-03
835.904
1874-75
276,918
1903-04
848.884
1875-76
1876-77
297,873
312,010
1904-05
871.050
1877-78
345,734
1905-06
878,933
1878-79
360,963
1906-07
903.349
1879-80
377,225
1907-08
922,348
1880-81
390.982
1908-09
941.024
These volumes are located as
follows :
Central Library . . . 736,158
Roslindale (Station B) .
4.910
Brighton .... 17,268
Mattapan (Station D) .
580
Charlestovvn .... 21,683
Neponset (Station E)
504
Dorchester .... 18,771
Mt. Bowdoin (Station F)
2.585
East Boston .... 15,241
AUston (Station G)
623
Jamaica Plain ... 1 5,468
Codman Square (Station J)
3,228
Roxbury Branch:
Mt. Pleasant (Station N)
613
Fellowes Athenaeum 26,200
Broadway Ext. (Station P)
2,705
Owned by City 9,398
Warren Street (Station R)
639
Total, Roxbury Branch . 35,598
Roxbury Crossing (Station
S) 798
South Boston .... 16,632
Boylston Station (Station T'
672
South End ... . 15.470
Orient Heights (Station Z)
1.094
Upham's Corner . . . 4,219
North Bennet St. (Station \
V) 510
West End ... . 14.607
North Street (Station 22)
576
West Roxbury . 7.163
City Point (Station 23) .
1.418
Lower Mills
(Sta
lion i
^)
584
Parker
Hill
(Sta
tion 2
4)
707
[68]
PUBLICATIONS.
Under the editorial supervision of Mr. Lindsay Swift the fol-
lowing serial publications have been issued from the library press :
1. Monthly Bulletin, containing 124 pages, edition 5,000 each month,
the final issue being that for the month of May.
2. Quarterly Bulletin, three issues; aggregate pages, 200; edition, 2,000—
3,000.
3. Weekly Book List, each week since April 25 ; aggregate pages, 228;
edition, 2.500.
Besides the foregoing there have been printed and published :
1 . A List of Fairy Tales and Folk Stories contained in the branches. 52
pages; edition, 4,000.
2. A Brief List of Books for Boys and Girls. 12 pages; edition, 9,000.
3. A Short List of Books relating to Abraham Lincoln, for School Use.
6 pages; edition, 9,000.
The list of fairy tales referred to was prepared by Miss Louise
Prouty, custodian of the Brighton Branch; the Brief List for
Boys and Girls, by a committee of the Boston Home and School
Association, of which committee Miss Alice M. Jordan, cus-
todian of the Children's Room at the Central Library is a mem-
ber. The list relating to Lincoln was compiled by Miss Jordan.
Special lists in connection with the Lowell Lectures, for the
accuracy and character of which the lecturers assume responsi-
bility, have appeared in the Bulletins as follows:
L The Real South. By Professor Albert Bushnell Hart. (In Monthly
Bulletin, March, 1908, pp. 84, 85.)
2. Moliere. By Professor Brander Matthews. (In Quarterly Bulletin,
September, 1908, p. 124.)
3. Teachers and Precursors of Columbus. By C. Raymond Beazley.
(In Quarterly Bulletin, September, 1908, p. 125.)
4. The Ethical Problem of Freedom and Determinism. By Professor
George Herbert Palmer. (In Quarterly Bulletin, December, 1908,
pp. 195-196.)
[69]
THE PRINTING DEPARTMENT.
The publications previously enumerated have been printed in
this Department, also the Allen A. Brown Catalogue, as far as
completed, and the following miscellaneous work performed, as
drawn from the report of Mr. Francis Watts Lee, Chief :
1907-08. 1908-09.
Requisitions on hand, February 1 21 13
Requisitions received during year ...... 233 207
Requisitions withdrawn . . . . . . . . 1
Requisitions on hand, January 31 ..... . 13 3
Requisitions filled during year ...... 240 217
Card Catalogue (Central) :
Titles (Printing Dept. count) 18,678 17.190
Cards finished (excluding extras) 182,039 137,686
Titles in type, but not printed ...... 60 240
Guide cards printed . . . . . . . 3,600
Card Catalogue (Branches) :
Titles (Printing Dept. count) 360 424
Cards (approximately) 18,000 33,920
Call slips , 2,271,078 1,334,000
Stationery and blank forms ....... 871,982 555,828
Signs 1.286 651
Blank books 61 56
THE BINDERY.
Mr. Frank Ryder, Chief of the Bindery, reports the follow-
ing for the year :
Number of volumes bound, various styles ....... 32,999
Volumes repaired ........... 1.943
Volumes guarded ........... 946
Maps mounted 695
Photographs and engravings mounted ........ 5,094
Magazines stitched . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Library publications, folded, stitched and trimmed 171.568
Besides the foregoing a large amount of miscellaneous work
has been done, as usual, occupying perhaps one-sixth of the time
of the force.
DOCUMENTS AND SUPPLIES.
From the Stock Department at the Central Library, in charge
of Mr. George V. Mooney, 134,581 copies of the different li-
[70]
brary publications have been distributed to the pubHc and to the
departments of the Library for official and public use. There
have also been issued 1,956,000 call slips, and 373,500 miscel-
laneous forms.
REGISTRATION.
Cards entitling the holder to borrow books from the Library
for home use are issued from the Registration Department at the
Central Library, in charge of Mr. John J. Keenan, either directly
or through the branches and other agencies of the Library, the
privilege attaching to each card continuing during a period of
two years from the date of issue, unless suspended for the non-
payment of a fine, failure to comply with the rules of the Library
or other valid reason. At the end of two years from the date of
issue, any card may be renewed, provided its holder is still en-
titled, under the rules, to receive a card. A borrower's card
which has not been suspended for non-payment of a fine or for
other reason, and is still held within the two years' term for which
it was issued, is termed a "live" card; that is to say, all cards out-
standing which are available for use by their holders for the pur-
pose of borrowing books for home reading, are "live" cards. No
other cards are included in our published statistics of registration.
Since all cards expire by limitation at the end of two years from
the date of issue, re-registration of borrowers proceeds auto-
matically without other formality than the exchange of an expired
card for a new one. Cards are, of course, continually issued,
within the two-year period, to replace others lost, soiled, or filled
with charging dates on books borrowed.
At the close of the year covered by this report there were out-
standing 85,085 "live" cards, as compared with 79,662 on
January 31, 1 908. The gain is in part accounted for by the
remission after six months, of fines incurred by borrowers under
sixteen years of age. The experience of another year confirms
the opinion previously expressed as to the wisdom of the change
in the rules permitting this remission of fines. On the one hand
[71]
there has been little if any reduction in the amount of fines col-
lected, and on the other young readers are not, as formerly, per-
manently debarred from the home use of our books.
The distribution by wards of the holders of "live" cards is
shown in the following table, in comparison with the population :
Classification of Holders of "Live" Cards, fcp Wards.
no. of population percentage
Ward No. card in of card
holders. 1905. holders.
1 1.920 25.405 7.55
2 1,680 25.929 6.47
3 1.523 14,831 10.26
4 1,281 12,499 10.24
5 1,396 12,633 11.05
6 2.604 29,987 8.68
7 2.384 15,579 15.30
8 6,309 30,810 20.47
9 3.283 22.120 14.84
10 6,660 23,841 27.93
n 7,616 22,353 34.07
12 5.594 21,738 25.73
13 1,738 21,654 8.02
14 2,689 22,127 12.15
15 2.302 20,310 11.33
16 2,870 21.924 13.18
17 2,406 24,313 9.89
18 2,211 22.121 9.99
19 2.608 29.213 8.92
20 4.914 41,805 11.77
21 4.716 26.533 17.77
22 3.009 27.769 10.83
23 3.471 26.410 13.14
24 6.390 31.650 20.18
25 3.898 21.806 17.87
Totals 85,472 595.380 14.35
The number of "live" cards held by persons over sixteen years
of age is 54,129, as compared with 31,343 held by those under
sixteen. Cards held by teachers number 4,120; by pupils of
elementary schools (public and parochial), 28,625; and by
students of higher institutions of learning, 14,016; male card
holders number 36,816, and females, 48,656.
All our cards are interchangeable as regards the place wherein
the holder may exercise the right conveyed by them. That is, a
[72]
book may be borrowed on any card at the Central Library or at
any branch or reading room in the entire Hbrary system, and
may be returned, on presentation of the card, at the place where
it was borrowed or at any other station of the Library^ at the
convenience of the borrowers. This flexibility in the use of the
card is of great advantage to the patrons of the Library.
The requirement that a borrower's card shall be used in order
to obtain a book for home reading, this card carrying a state-
ment of the date of issue and return of the volume, has sometimes
been criticised, and its abandonment urged, in favor of other
forms of recording the transaction. But where interchangeable
privileges are given over a wide area, equally valid at any one of
28 branches and reading rooms, and the borrowing and the re-
turn are not confined to the same station, a card is necessary as a
means of identification of the borrower. It also serves as a record
in the hands of the borrower showing conclusively that the books
charged upon it have been returned, if that fact is questioned,
and as a receipt in case of the payment of fines. These advan-
tages outweigh the slight inconvenience attaching to the safe-
guarding of the card by its holder, and the formality of present-
ing it to the attendants whenever a book is taken out or returned.
children's department, central library.
Statistics of circulation, inadequate as they are to represent the
best work of a library, are especially so with reference to the
operation of the Children's Department. The use of the depart-
ment constantly increases, and its efficiency, as a distinct and
important part of the activities of the Library is unquestioned.
Only the home use of books issued through this department can
be indicated by figures, the circulation (included in the total Cen-
tral circulation previously presented), rising from 55,379 vol-
umes in 1 907-08 to 57,55 1 during the year just closed. Besides
these volumes issued directly, 1 7,797 have been sent to borrow-
ers through the Branch Department.
But the rooms are in constant use, both during the day and
evening, by youthful readers who are reading for recreation, and
[73]
by pupils of the schools who are consulting books in connection
with their studies. Upon this point. Miss Alice M. Jordan, Cus-
todian of the Department, pertinently remarks:
An increasing number of children find the rooms a desirable place in
which to study, not only because of the reference books, but because their
homes do not afford sufficient quiet and space for school work. In giving
assistance to such children, as we are often called upon to do, we aim to
help them to help themselves and in no case to become dependent upon
others. So far as time permits, we try to train them to an intelligent use of
catalogue and indexes and to some grasp of note-taking.
The instruction of pupils from the schools in the use of the
Library, through brief talks by the Custodian, intended to aid
in the development of what may be termed "the library habit,"
and to promote the use of books, has continued during the year,
by the regular visitation of classes, in charge of their teachers.
This opportunity to become familiar with the resources of the
Library, with the use of the catalogue, and the methods of book
classification, etc., is freely offered to any school which cares to
accept it. The Custodian remarks :
A more general readiness on the part of teachers is desired each year in
order that there may be some uniformity in library training given to the
High School pupils. In this department about 750 children have received
such instruction besides that given to more advanced pupils from one of the
Kindergarten Training Schools. One of the Supervisors advised the giving
of similar lessons at two of the reading rooms. Visits to schools have been
possible to a limited extent, and the mutual good-will thus created has
made such visits well worth while. Two talks on children's reading were
also give to Parents' Associations at the school buildings.
In the Reference Room of the Children's Department, books
related to the Old South Historical Courses were reserved upon
designated shelves, for special use, in connection with these lec-
tures; various reading lists have been prepared as requested by
teachers and others, and the usefulness of the Department pro-
moted in every possible way.
In January, Miss Mabel Cummings gave in the Lecture Hall
an illustrated lecture on Japan, especially for children, and in the
[74]
same month Fraulein Mitzlaff conducted a story hour. These
ladies gave their services gratuitously, and the tickets vs^ere dis-
tributed through the Children's Department to pupils of the
schools.
BATES HALL.
In the course of the year readers in Bates Hall have used
515,000 hall use slips, and the number of readers at times taxes
the capacity of the hall. The maximum attendance of 399 was
attained February 22, 1908. Mr. Oscar A. Bierstadt, in charge
of the Reference Department, reports a large increase in the
number of volumes issued through this reading room for home
use. On this point he remarks :
The large increase in the number of volumes issued for home use is in
part owing to the assistance afforded readers in Bates Hall. Expertness
in the consultation of a great catalogue and a wide acquaintance with bibli-
ography from years of library experience discover the desired information
or books, when the unpracticed reader might find his search fruitless. Vol-
umes called for hall use frequently prove so interesting that the student
decides to transfer them to his home use card, and borrowers asking vainly
for the newest novel are not seldom attracted to solid study in Bates Hall.
Thus the Issue and the Bates Hall Departments help one another.
As indicating the magnitude of the unrecorded use of this prin-
cipal reading room of the Library, to w^hich allusion has been
made in connection with the statistics of circulation, the following
from the report of Mr. Pierce E. Buckley, in charge of the Cen-
tre Desk, is pertinent and suggestive :
On January 7th a record was kept of all Hall Use slips presented on
that day for books to be used in Bates Hall. There were 1 ,379 slips pre-
sented at the Centre Desk and Catalogue Desk and 1 ,574 books were sent
on these slips to the Hall. Two hundred and ninety-seven of this number
were drawn for Home Use. The Reference books were also counted ; that
is, those left by the readers on the tables, and there were 497, therefore,
more than 2,071 books were used in Bates Hall on that day.
[75]
THE SPECIAL LIBRARIES.
From a report of Mr. Garrick M. Borden, in direct super-
vision of the special departmental libraries at the central building,
are condensed the following details of the work of the year :
THE FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT.
Photographs and Lantern Slides.
The number of photographs that have been added to the col-
lection is 437, besides 241 half-tones or process pictures. The
total number now available for use in the department is: photo-
graphs, 1 9,302 ; process pictures, 8, 1 84 ; colored photochromes,
1,857. Besides these, there are 330 pictures, in portfolios on
regular shelf numbers, illustrating American history, portraits,
and literary and artistic subjects. The collection of lantern
slides, gradually acquired through the demands of our own lec-
ture courses, has been enlarged by slides relating to Constanti-
nople, Dalmatia, Greece and Sicily. The entire collection now
numbers 2,900.
Circulation of Books and Pictures.
The volumes issued for home use from the Fine Arts collec-
tion (included in the total circulation, page 56) number 18,580,
an increase of 1 ,298 as compared with the preceding year.
Pictures in portfolios have been issued for use in the public
schools, the number of portfolios aggregating 832. The number
issued to private schools and study clubs was 70. The total
shows an increase of 1 79 as compared with the preceding year.
The total number of schools requesting and receiving pictures was
larger by six than in 1907-08, but although 91 schools received
portfolios, about one-half the number circulated were sent to 12
schools.
[76]
Visits of Classes.
Reservations of tables and the provision of library material
have been made for 54 visits of study clubs, attended by 925
persons. There were also 70 visits by previous appointment of
classes from schools or colleges, including 681 persons. In each
group an increase in attendance is shown over the number re-
corded in the preceding year. These figures do not include the
constant use of the facilities of the Department by individual
students, designers, architects, draughtsmen, artists, and persons
seeking books upon technical and industrial subjects, nor the
books reserved from day to day for the pupils of the art schools.
Since October, conferences of students taking the Harvard-
Lowell Courses have been held in the West Gallery, with a
maximum attendance of more than 300 for each month, or at
least 1 ,200 in the aggregate, for the four months October to
January inclusive.
BARTON-TIC KNOR ROOM.
The following statistics relate to the use of this room for the
year:
Barton-Ticknor books issued ......... 12,564
Maps issued ............ 831
Books from other departments, issued for readers applying in this room 9,805
In each case an increased use is recorded as compared with
the preceding year. Upon an average, 246 books from the
Barton-Ticknor collections, including maps, have been issued
daily; and 192 volumes drawn from other departments for use
in the Barton-Ticknor Room. Upon an average also, 3 1 8 books
have been reserved daily for research use in the Barton-Ticknor
Gallery. The large increase in "reserves" indicates an enlarged
appreciation of this quiet reading room for scholarly purposes.
ALLEN A. BROWN MUSIC ROOM.
The additions to this collection comprise 256 volumes, of
which 2 1 6 were presented by Mr. Brown. These additions are
[771
principally orchestral works, chamber music and operas. Among
the more important are :
Orchestral scores of Paine's Symphony, No. 1 ; Noren's Kaleidoskop;
MacDowell's Lamia ; Sibelius's Symphony No. 3 ; Auber's La fiancee du
roi de Garbe, and Le premier jour de bonheur ; Thomas's Gille et Gillotin ;
Paine's Azara ; Vocal scores of Converse's Pipe of Desire and Job ; Wolf-
Ferrari's La vita nuova; and S. Wagner's Sternengebot.
The total number of volumes in the collection is now 1 1,061.
For the use of readers 9,808 volumes were issued during the year.
LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS.
The free public lectures given in the Lecture Hall, generally
co-ordinated with exhibitions in the Fine Arts Exhibition Room,
include the following:
Lectures.
1 908. February 6. Civic Festival Decorations. By C. Howard Walker.
February 1 3. Civic Development in South America. By Sylvester Baxter.
February 20. Greek Vases as Illustrated by the Collection of the Museum
of Fine Arts, Boston. By Arthur Fairbanks.
February 27. Distinctive Types of American Illustration. By Charles H.
Caffin. Under the auspices of the Society of Printers.
March 5. Architecture of Japan. By Ralph Adams Cram.
March 12. Design and Color in Printing. By Henry Turner Bailey.
Under the auspices of the Society of Printers.
March 19. Aesthetic Improvement of Waterfronts. By John Woodbury.
March 24. French Art, including the School of 1 830. By Miss Anna
Seton-Schmidt,
March 26. The Garden City Movement and Housing Reform. By Ed-
ward T. Hartman. Under the auspices of the Massachusetts Civic
League.
October 9, at 4.30 P.M. On the Study of Art. By Arthur Fairbanks.
Introductory lecture to the Museum of Fine Arts Collegiate Courses.
October 15. A Trip to Brazil. By Miss CaroHne H. Kingman.
October 1 7. The Artistic and Sanitary Planning of Cities. By M.
Augustin Rey, in French and English.
October 22. Art in Photography, with Special Reference to Natural
Color. By Morris Burke Parkinson. Illustrated by slides produced by
the autochrome process.
[78]
October 29. Modern City Planning and Its Bearing on the Crooked
Streets of Boston. By Arthur A. Shurtleff.
November 5. Civic Centers and the Grouping of Public Buildings; with
a suggestion for Boston. By Stephen Child.
November 1 2. The Hill Towns of Italy. By George B. Dexter.
November 1 9. The Building Up of Boston. The commercial side. By
Henry C. Long.
December 3. Constantinople. By Arthur S. Cooley.
December 4, at 4 P.M. Longfellow's Hiawatha. A reading by Marian
Longfellow. Illustrated with slides by John H. Thurston from living
Indian subjects.
December 9. John Milton. By Edwin D. Mead. In commemoration
of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Milton.
December 1 0. A Tour through Greece. By Arthur S. Cooley.
December 1 7. Along the Dalmatian Coast. By Arthur S. Cooley.
1909. January 2. Sicily. By Garrick M. Borden.
January 7. Art Treasures of Ghent and Bruges. By Miss Martha A. S.
Shannon.
January 1 4. Recent Development in Civic Art. By Sylvester Baxter.
January 15, at 4 P.M. Japan. By Miss Mabel Cummings. (For chil-
dren only.)
January 16. Esperanto: its advantages and its progress. By D. O. S.
Lowell.
January 2 1 . Colonial and Revolutionary Churches. By Marian Long-
fellow.
January 28. The Architectural Development of the American University.
By Ralph Adams Cram.
Exhibitions, Central Library.
1 908. February 3. South America.
February 8— March 2. Wood engravings by Timothy Cole. Loaned by
the Century Company.
February 1 7. Greek Vases in the Museum of Fine Arts.
February 25. Japan.
March 1 1 . Improvement of Waterfronts.
March 1 5. French School of 1 830.
April 6. Modern Dutch Paintings. Photographs given by B. T. Blom-
mers.
May 1 . New photographs. The United States.
June 1 . Pageants. In connection with the Normal School pageant.
June 15. Portraits of Women. In connection with the convention of the
Federation of Women's Clubs.
July 1 . Quebec. Tercentenary of Quebec.
[79]
August 22. Spanish War. In connection with the convention of Spanish
War Veterans.
September 1 0. American Scenery.
October 5. Civic Improvements in America.
November 9. Italy.
November 23. Constantinople.
December 2. John MiUon. Books and portraits.
December 29. Sicily.
1909. Januarys. Books, portraits and letters of Edgar Allen Poe.
January I 8. Colonial Architecture.
Besides these exhibitions at the Central Library a regular se-
ries of monthly exhibitions hase been arranged at the branches
and reading rooms, from material supplied by the Fine Arts
Department.
DEPARTMENT OF DOCUMENTS AND STATISTICS.
Mr. James L. Whitney, Chief, reports as follows as to this
Department, and also as to the manuscript collection, of which he
has charge :
The number of volumes placed upon the shelves of this Department
during the year has been 785; the entire collection now numbers 15,486
volumes, exclusive of the Congressional documents of the United States and
the Parhamentary documents of Great Britain.
The gifts through the American Statistical Association, whose library
is in our custody, comprised 676 volumes and 2,017 numbers or parts.
These have been received from various governments and societies and insti-
tutions.
MANUSCRIPTS.
During the past year about twenty-five hundred of the Chamberlain
manuscripts, besides many autograph signatures, have been catalogued.
The collection has thus been made more accessible and useful.
Whenever there have been exhibitions at the Library, the letters, portraits
and engravings in the manuscript department have excited great interest.
[80]
BRANCHES AND STATIONS.
EXPENSE OF OPERATION.
The entire expense of operation of the branches and reading
rooms, for the year, was $92,734.96. No new agencies of this
kind have been estabHshed during the year.
THE SCHOOLS AND THE BRANCHES.
The number of schools supplied has increased, and also the
number of individual teachers who have used the facilities of the
branches in connection with their class work. The number of
volumes sent on deposit to the schools through the Branch De-
partment was 19,638, comparing with 19,555 sent in 1907—08.
Mr. Langdon L. Ward, Supervisor, thus reports upon cer-
tain phases of the work with the schools :
The influence of the talks given in the Children's Department at the
Central Library has been felt at the branches. One custodian says: "A
great deal of reference work has been accomplished by the children and
for them at the branch. It has been observed that the children do this
work more intelligently than formerly and from careful questioning I have
come to the conclusion that it is, in great measure, the result of the talks
given at the Central Library to the school classes."
Some custodians are very successful in dealing with the schools assigned
ot them. With the approval of the master, they visit the school occasion-
ally to take requests for pictures and books, and to learn in advance what
the school work is to be, so that they may be prepared with books. The
master and teachers of one school have commented on the improved work
of the classes, due to the help of the neighboring reading room.
The following extracts from the annual reports of the custodians of two
branches describe very well the work of sending books to schools from a
large branch:
"In spite of the additional copies received, the deposit collection here
numbers even now less than I 600 volumes. Except in rare cases, only
twenty-five volumes are sent to a teacher although fifty would be a better
number. Naturally it is still impossible to reach out and extend the deposit
use. The present circulation shows a gradual, normal growth since 1 900—
190L"
The requests from schools may be roughly grouped under four heads:
[81]
I. Definite lists by titles. II. Subject lists with a few suggestive titles, the
rest being left to the judgment of the Custodian. III. Subject Hsts with
the choice of books entirely left to the Custodian. IV. Lists without
definite specification of subject or title, the choice resting entirely with the
Custodian.
From Mr. Ward's report I also quote the following :
DEPOSIT WORK OF THE BRANCH DEPARTMENT.
The total number of volumes sent on deposit this year through the
branches and the two largest reading rooms is 1 6,629, distributed among
1 33 places, as against 1 6,352 volumes, distributed among 1 24 places, last
year. Seventy-three per cent of the books sent this year went to schools.
REFERENCE WORK AT BRANCHES.
The reference work at the branches increases in amount and improves
in quality. Some factors promoting this are the following: The increase
of the reference collections, the closer relations with the schools, the grow-
ing experience of the custodians and assistants, and the persistent emphasis
placed upon reference work by those in charge. No function of the
branches and reading rooms is more important, and after an adequate col-
lection of reference books has been once secured, there is no immediate
expense involved in its extension, though eventually a large growth in the
volume of the reference work means more service.
Naturally most of the reference help is given to pupils of the schools.
But adults are not neglected, and at many places books are chosen for
them by the custodians, either on a given subject, in the case of men often
some form of science, or for more general reading. The reports of many
of the custodians mention the presence of Normal, High School, and
Grammar School pupils, who live in all parts of the city. A few branches
are used by students from Boston University, Boston College, Harvard,
and Radcliffe.
THE CIRCULATION OF PICTURES THROUGH THE BRANCHES.
Pictures from the branch collections have been lent to reading rooms,
schools, and study clubs to the number of 1 1 ,097 as against 9,626 in the
year preceding. The collections are still growing. Several branches have
a thousand or more pictures, and one, at least, nearly two thousand. Some
of the subjects are: animals, birds, plants, minerals, industries, countries,
places, historical events, Indians, authors, artists, statesmen. Recently
[82]
lists of the collections of ten of the branches were printed for distribution
among teachers of the neighboring schools. The lending of these pictures
is not only of definite value to the schools, but it advertises the branch, and
leads to greater cooperation between teachers and Library in the use of the
books.
The portfolios of pictures from the Central Library have been in greater
demand than ever. The number sent through the branches and reading
rooms is 793, as against 565 the year before.
The monthly exhibitions of pictures from the Central Library have been
of unusual interest.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PATENTS.
The number of volumes in this Department is now 10,577,
an increase of 407 during the year. The number of persons re-
corded as using the collection was 6,794 as compared with 5,954
for the previous year, but as the shelves are open these figures are
below the true aggregate. These persons consulted 66,454
volumes, an increase of 8,140 over the number consulted in
1907-08.
The English and German files have been perfected by ob-
taining missing numbers, and they are now complete to the year
1907. Our financial limitations have prevented the acquisition
of missing numbers to complete the French series.
THE PERIODICAL ROOM, CENTRAL LIBRARY.
The record of readers present at certain specified hours in each
of two successive years, permitting a comparison, is as follows :
Hours. 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
a.m. m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.
1908-09 . . . 8,844 13,239 15,421 22,861 17,585 21,135 4,164
1907-08 . . . 8.115 12,142 15,300 22,912 18,117 20,623 4,780
From the files, 23,141 bound volumes were consulted during
the week in the day time, and 7,236 volumes in the evening or
on Sundays. The corresponding figures for 1 907-08 are 24,394
and 7,060. Besides these, during evenings or on Sundays,
15,608 unbound back numbers of periodicals were supplied to
[83]
readers, and 23>,951 in the day time during the week, as against
13,990 and 22,787, respectively, in the year preceding. There
are now currently received and filed at the Central Library,
exclusive of Government and State publications and library bul-
letins, 1,462 different periodicals.
THE NEWSPAPER ROOM, CENTRAL LIBRARY.
The maximum attendance in this reading room, recorded
during the year, was 209 on November 1 .
The provision of current newspapers filed for daily reading is
a department of our work which evidently meets a large public
demand. The seating capacity of the room is frequently ex-
ceeded, especially on Sundays. There is also an increasing use
of the files of back numbers of newspapers. During the year,
the duplicates held in reserve have been carefully sifted, gaps in
the circulating files filled as far as possible, and surplus copies
disposed of on exchange account.
The changes for the year in the newspaper file collection are
thus reported by Mr. Pierce E. Buckley, in charge :
Numbers of various issues of the following 1 8th century papers have
been added : The Salem Gazette ; Connecticut Courant ; Boston Post Boy ;
Continental Journal; Boston Evening Post; Massachusetts Spy; and The
Independent Gazetteer.
Nineteen numbers of the Boston Evening Post from 1 743—1 775 w^ere
given to the Essex Institute in exchange for 29 unbound volumes of the Bos-
ton Evening Record sent to us in 1906. Only four of these 27 volumes
were available for binding, but the remaining volumes are tied in covers and
kept in our file.
During the year 327 volumes of papers were added to the files; the total
number of bound volumes now being 6,978. The files of papers are prac-
tically all collated, and at present a rough catalogue of the volumes is in
preparation.
OMISSION OF APPENDICES.
The Appendices containing statistical matter, heretofore pre-
sented with this report, are this year omitted. Condensed state-
[84]
ments covering the subjects usually given in such appendices will
be found in the body of the report. The roster of employees is
also omitted. A city document published annually in May, in
accordance with a city ordinance, contains the names of all city
employees.
EXAMINATIONS.
Examinations for the library service were given as follows :
February 29, 1908; Grade E. (55 applicants; 36 passed.)
July 2; Grade E. (74 applicants; 51 passed.) December 29;
Grade E. (62 applicants; 44 passed.) December 31 ; Grade
C. (32 applicants; 21 passed.) December 31 ; Grade B. (17
applicants; 7 passed.)
ACK NOWLEDGMENTS.
My acknowledgments are due to Mr. Otto Fleischner,
Assistant Librarian, for his constant assistance in the work of
administration ; and to the Heads of Departments and employees
generally, for faithful service. Without loyal cooperation on
the part of all, the usefulness of the Library would be much di-
minished, and the service which the public rightfully expects to
receive would fall below the standard of efficiency that such an
institution as ours should establish and maintain.
Respectfully submitted,
Horace G. Wadlin,
Librarian.
INDEX.
Accessions. {See Books.)
John Adams Library, catalogued, 66.
Additions. (See Books.)
American Statistical Association, 79.
Appropriation. (See Finance.)
Assistance to persons using the Li-
brary, 24, 25, 26, 73, 74, 80.
Atlases, 9.
Auditor, 6.
Autographs, 79.
Average cost of books, 5; wear and
cost of replacing, 34.
Balance Sheet, 40-43.
Barton-Ticknor Room, 76.
Bates Hall, use of, 6, 74; assistance to
readers, 25, 26, 74; questions asked,
26.
Benton, Josiah H., elected President, L
Bills, how paid, 5, 1 7.
Bindery, 9, 14, 15, 69.
Binding, a considerable sum should be
applied to, 50; additional appropria-
tion necessary for, 7.
Board of Trustees, organization, 1 .
Books, acquired other than by purchase,
how catalogued, 13; accessions, 5, 13,
61, 62, 67, 76, 83; average cost of, 5;
binding necessary, 7, 50; cataloguing,
11, 13, 65; circulation, 6. 44, 48, 54"
61; deposit work, 21, 22, 80, 81;
drawn from Central for use at
branches, 21, 80; Examining Commit-
tee report, 50; exhibitions of, 30, 31 ;
expenditures for, 5, 62; fines on, 7;
hall use, 6, 74, 77; home use, 6, 7, 46,
48, 49, 55-61 ; how catalogued, 1 1 -
13, 65; how delivered to card holders,
6; how purchased, 5, 62; for blind
readers, 63; music collection, 76, 77;
Patent, Periodical and Newspaper
Rooms, 82, 83; more needed for
branches, 51 ; Statistical Department,
79; number and location, 8, 67; on
open shelves, 1 3 ; reduction in purchase
of, on account of reduced appropria-
tion, 3; repair and rebinding, 7, 50;
return to shelves, 6 ; selected collections
asked for by teachers, 23 ; sent to insti-
tutions, engine houses, schools, etc., 21,
22, 80-81 ; shelving, 12, 66; wear and
expense of replacing, 34; use of, 6, 7,
46, 48, 49, 54-61, 74.
Borrowers. (See Card holders.)
Boston Medical Library, cards repre-
senting medical books, transferred to,
66.
Boyle, Thomas F., elected Vice Presi-
dent, I.
Branch Department, 57, 72, 80.
Branches and reading rooms, 14; All-
ston reading room, new location, 53 ;
Jamaica Plain, fire at, 54; assistance
given to children, 24, 81 ; books added,
5, 57; catalogues, 9; children's rooms,
29, 81; circulation through, 50; circu-
lation of pictures, 9, 22, 81 ; deposit
work, 21, 22, 80, 81 ; estimate of addi-
tional cost of extension of Sunday ser-
vice, 19; Examining Committee report
on, 50; exhibitions, 30, 31, 79; ex-
pense of operation, 80; hours of ser-
vice, 18; more ample accommodations
necessary in some places, 51 ; more
books needed, 51 ; newspapers, 9;
number of books in, 8, 67; number of
children who visit, 24; periodicals, 9,
28; photographs and pictures, 9, 22,
81 ; questions asked at, 24; reference
work, 24, 29, 81 ; repairs and improve-
ments, 53; Report of Examining Com-
mittee on, 50.
Brown, Allen A., Music collection, ad-
ditions, 64; cards removed from B. H.
catalogue, 66; use of, 76; total vol-
umes, 77.
Card holders, 46, 48, 49, 70, 71 ; fines.
7; may use cards at any branch, 71 ~
72; classification by wards, 71.
Carr, Samuel, appointed Trustee, 1 .
Catalogue cards, number of 12; re-
moved from B. H. Catalogue, medical
books, music, 66; soiled, — should be
replaced by new, 50.
[86]
Catalogue Department, 11, 65 ; report
of Examining Committee on, 50.
Catalogues, extent of, 9, 65; how
made, 11-13.
Cataloguing of books acquired other
than by purchase, 13.
Center fund, real estate, 3; value and
income, 4.
Central Library. (5ee Library.)
Character of library expense, 33~35,
80.
Children's Department, 29, 58, 72, 73;
questions asked of assistants, 30; lec-
tures, 73.
Circulation, 6, 7, 46, 48, 49, 54-61,
72, 75, 82; through branches and
reading rooms, 50, 80; Children's De-
partment, 58, 72; patents, periodicals,
82; pictures, etc., 75; comparison with
other libraries, 59-61 .
City appropriation, average cost of books
bought from, 5.
City Council, requests extension of Sun-
day service, 19.
Classes, provision made for, 76.
Commonwealth's gift of land, 33.
Comparative value of property, 10.
Comparison of circulation with other
libraries, 59-61 .
Condition of the Library, 7.
Contracts, how made, 1 7.
Cost of maintenance, 8, 80.
Cutter, Abram E., books catalogued,
66.
De Normandie, Rev. James, resigna-
tion as Trustee, 1,2.
Departments of the Library, 14.
Deposit work, 21, 22, 80, 81.
Development, appropriation necessary
for, 36.
Documents, 79.
Dwight, Thomas, expiration of term as
Trustee, 1, 2.
Educational advantages, 35.
Educational demands, 47; needs
among foreign population, 46.
Educational qualifications required for
library service, 16, 37.
Educational work with schools, 21, 22,
75, 76, 80.
Employees, educational qualifications,
16, 37; how added to pay-rolls, 16;
number of, 14-15; salaries and wages,
14, 15, 50; services rendered are of
the highest standard, 37, 84.
Engine houses, books sent on deposit to,
21, 22.
Examinations, 16, 84.
Examining Committee, 37; report of,
44-51.
Exhibitions, 30, 31, 77.
Expenditures. (5ee Finance.)
Expense. (See Finance.)
Extension of the Sunday service, 19.
Fiction, 58-61, 62.
Finance, receipts, 2; reduction in ap-
propriation, 3, 55; Center fund, real
estate, 3, 4; Treadwell fund, re-invest-
ment, 4; expenditures for books, 5, 62;
average cost per volume, 5 ; sum neces-
sary for additional binding, 7 ; monthly
expenditures, 8; value of real estate,
8; branches and stations, expense, 80;
gifts, 9; total value of property, 10;
comparative value of property, 10;
salaries and wages, 1 5 ; estimated cost
of extending Sunday service, 19; trans-
portation, 21 ; maintenance, 32, 80;
appropriations for 8 years, 33 ; char-
acter of expense, 33-35; appropriation
necessary for development, 36; bequest
of P. A. Sullivan, 37; receipts and
expenditures, balance sheet (tables),
40"43 ; Examining Committee's report
on finance, 45-49; pension and sick
funds, 49-50.
Fine Arts Department, 75.
Fine money to be set apart for sick fund,
50.
Fines, amount of, 2 ; turned over to City
Treasurer, 7.
Fleischner, Otto, assistance of, 84.
Floor area, 8.
Foreign population, educational needs,
46.
Gifts, 9, 36, 64.
Grades of service, 16.
Greenough, "William W., service to
the Library, 36.
Hall use of books, 6, 7, 74, 77, 82.
Harvard-Lowell Courses, conferences
of students, 76.
Home use of books, 6, 46, 48, 49, 55-61 .
Hours of service, 18; diminished on ac-
count of reduced appropriation, 3.
[87]
Institutions, deposits of books sent to,
21. 22, 81.
Inter-library loans, 29.
Inventory, 13.
Juvenile. (See Children.)
Land given by Commonwealth, 33.
Lantern slides, 73.
Lectures, 32, 72, 73; special lists for
Lowell lectures, 68.
Librarian's report, 53..
Library, condition of, 7; co-operation
with schools, 22, 23, 75, 76, 80; cost
of maintaining, 8, 80; for all the peo-
ple of Massachusetts, 33; should be
extended and enlarged, 47.
Library property. (See Property.)
Library service, 14, 84; as a profession,
37; educational qualification for, 16,
37; examination for, 16, 84; hours, 3,
18; of high standard, 37, 84; number
of employees, 14, 15, 84; pension
fund, 50 ; salaries and wages, 15, 50 ;
sick fund, 50; Sunday and evening
service, 14.
Library system, how worked as a unit,
21.
Lowell Lectures, special lists in con-
nection with, 68.
Maintenance and working of the Li-
brary, money needed for, 32^35, 80.
Mann, Rev. Alexander, appointed Trus-
tee, 1.
Manuscripts, 8, 79.
Maps, 9, 76.
Massachusetts, all the people of may
use the Library, 33.
Medical Library. (See Boston Medi-
cal Library.
Music collection. (See Brown, Allen
A.)
Newspapers, 9, 27, 28, 83.
Old South Historical courses, books
reserved, 73.
Open shelves, 13.
Operation, 9.
Ordering Department, 5, 62.
Organization of the Board, 1.
Patent Department, 82.
Pay-rolls, how made, 16.
Pension fund, 50.
Periodicals, 9, 27, 28, 82.
Periodical Room, questions asked in,
28; use of, 28, 82.
Photographs and other pictures, 9, 75;
exhibitions, 30, 31, 78 ; sent to schools
and branches, 22, 81 .
Pictures. (See Photographs.)
Printing Department, 9, 14, 15, 69.
Property, commercial value, 9; com-
parative value, 10; real and personal,
8. _
Publications, 68.
Purchases restricted on account of re-
duced appropriation, 3. (See also
Books and supplies.)
Purpose of the Library, 35.
Questions asked, in Bates Hall, 26,
74; at branches, 24, 81 ; in Children's
Department, 24, 73; in Periodical
Room, 28.
Reading rooms. (See Branches and
reading rooms.)
Receipts and expenditures. (See Fi-
nance.)
Reduction in appropriation, 3, 53 ; in
hours of service, 3.
Reference shelves, 13.
Reference work, in Bates Hall, 25, 26,
74; at branches, 24, 81 ; in Periodical
Room, 28, 82; with children, 24, 73.
Registration Department, 70.
Repairs, how authorized, 17; restricted,
53.
Repairs and improvements at branches,
53.
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, termination
of contract with, 4.
Salaries and wages, 15, 49, 50.
Schools, deposits of books at schools,
21, 22, 80; expenses, 47; work with,
22, 23, 80; pictures lent to, 75; pro-
vision made for classes from, 76.
Service. (See Library service.)
Shelf Department, 12, 66.
Shelf reading, 13.
Shelf room, amount of, 8.
Shelving and tracing of books, 12, 13.
Shelves, open, 13.
Sick fund, 50.
Special libraries, 75.
Statistical Department, 79.
Stock Department, 69.
Sullivan, Patrick F., bequest, 37.
[88]
Sunday and evening service, 14.
Sunday service, extension of, 19; esti-
mate of additional cost of, 1 9 ; whether
a violation of the lav^f, 20.
Supplies, how purchased, 17; how dis-
bursed, 17, 69 ; purchases restricted
on account of reduced appropriation, 3.
Teachers, requests by, 23, 73, 80.
Todd fund income, newpapers bought
from, 27.
Transportation, 21.
Treadwell fund, re-investmenl, 4.
Trust funds, income, 2, 32-35, 40-43;
average cost of books bought from, 5;
Joseph H. Center, real estate, 4;
Patrick F. Sullivan, 37; William C.
Todd fund, newspapers purchased
from, 27; Treadwell fund re-invested,
4.
Trustees, organization of Board, 1 ;
services of, 36, 38.
Value of library property, 8, 10.
Vacations, 16.
Voluntary service and gifts, 36.
Working hours, 3, 18.
Works of art, 9.
The Public Library of the City of Boston: Printing Department.
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