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8
SIXTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES
OF THE
PUBLIC LIBRARY
OF THE
CITY OF BOSTON
1914-1915
BOSTON
PUBLISHED BY THE TRUSTEES
1915
1^1
oJ'
^0
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ON FEBRUARY 1. 1915.
JOSIAH H. BENTON, President.
Term expires April 30, 1919.
ALEXANDER MANN. JOHN A. BRETT.
Term expires April 30, 1915. Term expires April 30, 1917.
WILLIAM F. KENNEY. SAMUEL CARR.
Term expires April 30, 1916. Term expures April 30, 1918.
LIBRARIAN.
HORACE G. WADLIN.
ORGANIZATION OF THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT.
The Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston,
organized in 1 852, are now incorporated under the provisions of
Chapter 1 1 4, of the Acts of 1 878, 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 1 867,
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 organi-
zation 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 repre-
sentation of the City Government upon the Board by an alder-
man 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 1 852 :
Abbott, Samuel Appleton Browne, a.m., 1879-95.
Appleton, Thomas Gold, a.m., 1852-56.
Benton, Josiah Henry, ll.d., 1894-
BiGELow, John Prescott, a.m., 1852-68.
BowDiTCH, Henry Ingersoll, m.d., 1865-67.
BowDiTCH, Henry Pickering, m.d., 1894-1902.
Boyle, Thomas Francis, 1902-1912.
Braman, Jarvis Dwight, 1869-72.
Brett, John Andrew, 1912-
Carr, Samuel, 1895-96, 1908-
Chase, George Bigelow, a.m., 1876-85. ,
Clarke, James Freeman, d.d., 1878-88.
Curtis, Daniel Sargent, a.m., 1873-75.
DeNormandie, James, d.d., 1895-1908.
Dwight, Thomas, m.d., 1899-1908.
Everett, Edward, ll.d., 1852-64,
Frothingham, Richard, ll.d., 1875-79.
Green, Samuel Abbott, m.d., 1868-78.
Greenough, William Whitwell, 1856-88.
Haynes, Henry Williamson, a.m., 1880-94.
HiLLARD, George Stillman, ll.d., 1872-75; 76-77.
Kenney, William Francis, a.m., 1908-
Lewis, Weston, 1868-79.
Lewis, Winslow, m.d., 1867.
Lincoln, Solomon, a.m., 1897-1907.
Mann, Alexander, d.d., 1908-
MoRTON, Ellis Wesley, 1870-73.
Pierce, Phineas, 1888-94.
Prince, Frederick Octavius, a.m., 1888-99.
Putnam, George, d.d., 1868-77.
Richards, William Reuben, a.m., 1889-95.
Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet, 1852-68.
Thomas, Benjamin Franklin, ll.d., 1877-78.
Ticknor, George, ll.d., 1852-66.
Walker, Francis Amasa, ll.d., 1 896.
Whipple, Edwin Percy., a.m., 1867-70.
Whitmore, William Henry, a.m., 1885-88.
WiNsoR, Justin, ll.d., 1867-68.
The Hon. Edward Everett was President of the Board
from 1 852 to 1 864 ; George Ticknor, in 1 865 ; 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; Solomon Lin-
coln, May 12, 1899. to October 15. 1907; Rev. James De
NORMANDIE, January 31, 1908. to May 8. 1908; JosiAH H.
Benton, since May 8, 1 908.
LIBRARIANS.
(From 1 838 to 1 877, the chief executive officer was entitled Superintendent.)
m
Capen, Edward, Librarian, May 13, 1852 -December 16, 1874.
Jewett, Charles C, Superintendent, 1858 -January 9, 1868.
WiNSOR, Justin, ll.d.. Superintendent, February 25, 1868 -Septem-
ber 30, 1877.
Green, Samuel A., m.d.. Trustee, Acting Librarian, October 1,
1877 -September 30, 1878.
Chamberlain, Mellen, ll.d.. Librarian, October 1, 1878 -Septem-
ber 30, 1890.
DwiGHT, Theodore F., Librarian, April 13. 1892 -April 30, 1894.
Putnam, Herbert, ll.d.. Librarian, February 1 1, 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.
LIBRARY SYSTEM, FEBRUARY 1, 1915.
Departments.
Central Library, Copley Sq. Established May 2, 1854
East Boston Branch, 276-282 Meridian St. .
§South Boston Branch, 372 Broadway
IIRoxbury Branch, 46 Miilmont St. . . .
tCharlestown Branch, Monument Sq.
■fCodman Square Branch, Washington, cor. Norfolk St.
tBrighton Branch, Academy Hill Rd. .
JDorchester Branch, Arcadia, cor. Adeims St.
§South End Branch, 397 Shawmut Ave.
tJamaica Plain Branch, Sedgwick, cor. South St.
$We$t Roxbury Branch, Centre, near Mt. Vernon St.
■fWest End Branch, Cambridge, cor. Lynde St.
$Upham's Corner Branch, Columbia Rd., cor. Bird St.
■fHyde Park Branch, Harvard Ave., cor. Winthrop St.
tNorth End Branch, 3a North Bennet St.
Station A. Lower Mills Reading Room, Washington St.
B. Roslindale Reading Room, Weishington St., cor. Ash
land St.
D.
E.
F.
G.
N.
Mattapan Reading Room, 727 Walk Hill St. .
Neponset Reading Room, 362 Neponset Ave.
Mt. Bowdoin Reading Room, Washington, cor. Eldon
St
Allston Reading Room, 6 Harvard Ave.
Mt. Pleasant Reading Room, Dudley, cor. Magazine St
P. Broadway Extension Reading Room, 13 Broadway
Extension
R.
S.
T.
Warren Street Reading Room, 392 Warren St. .
Roxbury Crossing Reading Room, 1 1 54 Tremont St
Boylston Station Reading Room, The Lamartine, De
pot Sq. ........
Y. Andrew Square Reading Room, 396 Dorchester St.
Z. Orient Heights Reading Room, 1030 Bennington St
23. City Point Reading Room, Municipal Building, Broad-
way ........
24. Parker Hill Reading Room, 1518 Tremont St. .
25. Faneuil Reading Room, 100 Brooks St.
Opened.
Mar. II. 1895
Jan. 28, 1871
May I. 1872
July. 1873
♦Jan.. 1874
Nov. 12. 1890
*Jan.. 1874
Jan. 25. 1874
Aug.. 1877
Sept.. 1877
»Jan. 6. 1880
Feb. 1. 1896
Mar. 16. 1896
*Jan. 1. 1912
Feb. 27. 1913
June 7. 1875
Dec. 3. 1878
Dec. 27. 1881
Jan. I. 1883
Nov. 1. 1886
Mar. II. 1889
Apr. 29. 1892
Jan. 16. 1896
May 1. 1896
Jan. 18. 1897
Nov. I. 1897
Mar. 5. 1914
June 25. 1901
July 18. 1906
July 15. 1907
Mar. 4. 1914
*A« a branch. tin building owned by City, and exclusively devoted to library usei. tin City building,
in part devoted to other municipal uaet. lOccupies rented rooms. UTlie lessee of the Fellowe* Athe-
Qseum, a private library association.
CONTENTS.
Report of the Trustees: .
Balance Sheet
Report of the Examining Committee
Report of the Librarian .
Index to the Annual Report 1914-15 .
1
24
28
38
88
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Central Library Building ....
Map of the Library System
East Boston Branch Library
East Boston Branch: Children's Reading Room
East Boston Branch: Room for Adults
Faneuil Reading Room ....
Faneuil Reading Room: Interior
Andrew Square Reading Room: Interior
Frontispiece
At the end
Facing page 6
22
38
54
70
74
To His Honor James M. Curley,
Ma^or of the Cit^ of Boston:
Sir, — The Board of Trustees of the PubHc Library of the
City of Boston present the following report of its condition and
affairs for the year ending January 31, 1915, being their sixty-
third annual report.
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD.
The Board organized on May 5, 1914, by the election of
Josiah H. Benton as President, William F. Kenney, Vice Presi-
dent, and Delia Jean Deery, Clerk.
Josiah H. Benton, a member of the Board, was reappointed,
and qualified for the term ending April 30, 1919.
RECEIPTS OF THE LIBRARY.
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 ■ . . . $400,000.00
Income from Trust funds ......... 18,974.86
Unexpended balance of Trust fund income of previous years . . 12,455.13
Total $431,430.01
Second, receipts which are accounted for and paid into the
City treasury for general municipal purposes. These consist of
receipts from fines for the detention of books, from sales of find-
ing lists, bulletins, and catalogues; from commissions paid for
[2]
the use of telephone facilities; from sales of waste; from pay-
ments for lost books; and from money found in the Library.
These receipts, during the year, have been as follows:
From fines $6,502.44
From sales of catalogues, etc. ........ 70.23
From telephone commissions ......... 252.64
From sales of waste .......... 113.46
From sale of paper towels ......... 58.58
From interest on bank deposits ........ 16.94
From payments for lost books ........ 426.36
From money found in the Library . . . . . . . 15.12
Total $7,455.77
The $426.36 received for lost books, being received only to
replace lost library property is, when paid into the City treasury,
added to the appropriation for library maintenance. A balance
sheet showing all the receipts and expenditures of the Library
Department in detail is hereinafter contained.
CITY APPROPRIATION.
Nearly 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.
During the past ten years the estimates of the Trustees, the
recommendations by the Mayor, and the amounts appropriated
by the City Council have been as follows:
ESTIMATES
AMOUNTS
AMOUNTS
RECOMMENDED
APPROPRIATED
BY MAYOR.
BY CITY COUNCIL
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
1909
335,200.00
335,200.00
349,455.00
1910
351,978.00
351,978.00
351,978.00
1911
359.497.00
355,200.00
355.200.00
1912
374,665.00
367.165.00
367,165.00
1913
391,996.00
380,000.00
380,000.00
1914
r
430.619.00
-1
400.000.00
400.000,00
The appropriations for these ten years have averaged $4,922
less than the estimates of the Board. In 1906 and 1910 the
appropriations equalled the estimates, but in 1914 the appro-
priation was $30,619 less than the estimate. This is not said
[3]
by way of complaint, because we are aware of the limitations
which necessarily govern the Council in making appropriations
for maintenance. It is only stated to dispel the illusion which
the Examining Committee and many others seem to have that
the Trustees have only to ask for money to get it.
HOURS OF SERVICE.
The hours of service at the Central Library and branches
remain unchanged except that by making the Codman Square
Reading Room into a branch, service in the forenoon is now pro-
vided at that station.
ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY.
During the year 46,963 volumes have been added to the
Library collection, as compared with 37,606 added in 1913.
Of these, 37,295 were purchased, 7,327 were given to the
Library, and the remainder were received by exchange, binding
of periodicals into volumes, etc. There were purchased for
the Central Library 15,150 volumes and 22,145 for the branch
libraries and reading-room stations.
The total amount expended for books, including $7,470.49
for periodicals, $1,919.34 for newspapers, and $602.78 for
photographs, was $59,563.18, or about 14.3 per cent of the
entire expense of the Library for all purposes.
The corresponding expenditure for the year 1913 was
$49,094.70, including $7,452.72 for periodicals, $2,000.00 for
newspapers, and $823,36 for photographs, or, about 12.3 per
cent of the entire expense of the Library.
The average cost of all books purchased was $1 .31 per vol-
ume, as against $1 .42 in 1 91 3. Of the books purchased, 34,608
were bought from money appropriated by the City, at an average
cost of $1 . 1 4 a volume, and 2,687 were bought with the income
of Trust funds, at an average cost of $3.65 a volume. The
corresponding figures for 1913 were: bought from City appro-
priation, 22,445; average cost $1.02. From Trust funds in-
come, 4,871 ; average cost $3.23.
[4]
BOOK CIRCULATION AND USE OF THE LIBRARY.
There were issued during the year for direct home use
274,669 volumes at the Central Library, compared with 260,965
issued in 1913, smd from the Central Library through the
branches and reading-room stations 76,816 others, while the
branches and reading-room stations also issued 1 ,45 1 ,5 1 4 vol-
umes for direct home use. Hie corresponding figures in 1913
were 82,782 and 1 ,300,348. There were also issued from the
Central Library, branches and reading-room stations, for use
at schools and institutions, 209,590 volumes, as against 204,878
issued in 191 3,. making the entire issue for use outside the Library
buildings 2,012,589 volumes, as compared with 1,848,973 in
1913.
The use of the Library for general reference and study is un-
restricted. It is therefore impracticable to record this use statis-
tically. Its extent, however, is shown by the fact that about half
a million call slips for the table use of books in Bates Hall in the
Central Library alone are required during the 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.
BINDING AND REPAIR OF BOOKS.
During the year 40,633 volumes have been bound in the
Bindery, as against 38,530 in 1913. Beside this, a large amount
of miscellaneous work has been completed, such as the folding,
stitching and trimming of 192,064 library publications, compared
with 183,423 in 1913, and the mounting of maps and photo-
graphs, the repairing of books, and making of periodical covers,
etc. The expense of performing this necessary miscellaneous
work is equivalent to about 1 7 per cent of the total expense of
the Department. The ability to do it promptly in our own
Bindery, greatly promotes the convenience, economy and effi-
ciency of the library work.
[5]
PRINTING AND BINDING DEPARTMENTS.
In 1894 there was no regular printing department, to which
salaries were charged. The services of Mr. Lee of the Cata-
logue Department were employed in getting the Printing De-
partment into* shape. His salary in the Catalogue Department
in 1894 was $611.
Mr. A. A. Kingman did the printing of the catalogue cards
in the building and was paid for it, while the other printing of
bulletins, forms, reports, etc., was done by Rockwell & Churchill
who were paid for it. The total expense in 1894 was
$11,938.38 which includes $3,250 for a linotype machine,
leaving $8,688.38 for expense. In 1895 the expenses were
$6,312.92. Then, beginning with 1896 the salaries in the
Printing Department were $3,761.99 and the total expenses
$12,355.62. The expense for salaries and the total expenses
of the Department have increased from that time until they are
now $6,776.50 for salaries and $12,375.73 for total expenses,
which, of course, includes salaries. The average expense for
salaries from 1896 to 1913 has been $6,085.01 , and the average
total expense for the same period has been $1 1,647.08 varying
in different years as we purchased linotypes or other equipment.
In 1894 the salaries in the Bindery were $10,561.07 and the
total expenses $14,213.58. The binding was then done in
the building, and from 1895 to 1902 this continued to be the
case. The Printing Department and Bindery were located
in what is now the Patent Room and the patents were in the
Elliott Room, now one of the children's rooms. In 1902
the Printing Department and Bindery were removed to rooms
in Stanhope Street, and in 1912 they were again removed
to their present quarters on Columbus Avenue. In 1895
the expense of the Bindery for salaries was $10,626.87
and the total expenses $14,974.56. The number of books
bound in that year was 1 7,096. Since then the expenses have
steadily increased until the total expense now is $35,574.67
of which $28,612.88 is for salaries. The average annual
expense for salaries from 1895 has been $20,970.44. The
[6]
«
average total expense has been $25,794.68, and the average
number of books bound in a year has been 3 1 ,398. The vol-
umes are of all styles and kinds of binding, and in addition there
have been re-binding of volumes, mounting of maps and photo-
graphs, &c., stitching and folding library publications.
The total expense of both Printing and Binding Departments
is now about 1 2 per cent of the entire expense of the Library.
LIBRARY COOPERATION WITH SCHOOLS, ETC.
The Trustees continue to cooperate with the educational work
of the schools, and, during the past year, the Library has sup-
plied with books 30 branches and reading rooms, 155 public and
parochial schools, 62 engine houses and 38 other institutions, and
sends out upon the average from the Central Library, about
400 volumes every day by its delivery wagons. The number of
volumes sent on deposit from the Central Library through the
branch system was 42,039, of which 1 0,278 were sent to schools.
There were also sent from the branches themselves and from two
of the largest reading rooms 29,678 volumes on deposit, distrib-
uted among 184 places. Of these, 23,850 were 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.
EAST BOSTON BRANCH.
The new building built for this Branch was opened to public
use, April 21, 1914.
This building is in every respect conveniently arranged for
the operation of this Branch. It is built of brick, with stone
dressings, and is finished throughout in oak, with floors of cork
tile in the principal rooms. The public entrances are from
Meridian Street, with service entrances on the rear, from Border
Street. There is also a side entrance, with an approach from
[7]
Meridian Street. A sub-basement contains the' heating appa-
ratus, the first floor is devoted to the children's reading room, and
the second floor is devoted to the reading room for aduhs.
The usual service rooms, toilet rooms, and offices are provided.
All the books are on open access cases, immediately available to
readers without formality. The rooms are excellently lighted in
the day time while the evening lighting, by the indirect electric
system, is entirely successful.
The original appropriation for this building, including land
and fittings, was $100,000. It has been possible to complete it
for the sum of $93,800.00, as shown by the following statement:
Site, including building thereon and brokerage
Payments on building contract
Architect's commission ....
Furniture and fittings, expended and provided for
Advertising and minor expenses .
$20,500.00
64,139.00
3,886.00
4,546.10
728.90
Tola! $93,800.00
The architect of the building was James E. McLaughlin, and
the contractors were the John F. Griffin Company.
BROADWAY EXTENSION AND MT. PLEASANT READING ROOMS.
The Municipal Buildings on Tyler and Vine Streets, which,
respectively, contain rooms for the Broadway Extension and Mt.
Pleasant Reading Rooms, are nearly completed, and will be
ready for occupancy by the Library when the furniture and
fittings are provided by the Public Buildings Department which
is constructing the buildings. This work has been long delayed
for reasons beyond our control.
FANEUIL READING ROOM.
The property, 100 Brooks Street, Faneuil, Brighton, has,
during the year, been held under lease for the occupancy of the
Faneuil Reading Room. The building, excellently adapted to
the purposes of the Reading Room, was formerly the Chapel of
the Faneuil Congregational Church, and is located in the centre
of the district. Funds for its purchase have been provided by a
[8]
transfer of unexpended balances of the appropriations for the
new branch buildings in Charlestown and East Boston.
BEQUESTS OF FRANCIS SKINNER AND MEHITABLE
C. C. WILSON.
The Trustees have received a final payment of $133.87, com-
pleting the sum of $1000 bequeathed to the Library under the
will of Mehitable C. C. Wilson of Cambridge, all of which
has been funded as the "Mehitable C. C. Wilson Fund," the
income to be used for the purchase of books.
The sum of $35,000 has also been received as payment in
part of a bequest to the Library under the will of Francis Skinner,
of Boston. Of this sum $34,450 has been funded under the
name of the "Francis Skinner Fund," and the balance of $550,
now held in cash, together with subsequent payments to be re-
ceived from this bequest, will be added to the Fund, and the
income used for the purchase of books.
The Library has also received under Mr. Skinner's will, his
private library, comprising about 3,250 volumes of miscellaneous
works.
ESTIMATES FOR 1915.
The estimates of the amount required for the maintenance of
the Library during the coming year, sent in as required by City
ordinance, amounted to $4 1 7,688. This is an increase of a
little more than 4 per cent over the estimated expenditures of
the present year. But the amount that was appropriated by the
Council last year was $400,000, about 7 per cent less than the
Trustees asked for, and was not sufficient to enable the Library
to be operated to the point of highest efficiency. Even in the
upkeep of the plant we were obliged to defer certain repairs
which would have been carried out if the funds at our command
had permitted.
An allowance of $10,000, about 3|/2 per cent of the present
authorized salary schedule, is added to the estimates to pro-
vide for equitable salary increases during the year. No other
allowance is made for individual salary increases above the
schedule now fixed as shown in the detailed estimate sheets.
[9]
The expense of the whole Library system last year was only
about 26 cents of the 1 7.50 rate of the tax levy. The increase
asked for this year is only about 2 cents of a tax levy of this
amount, which would make the total expense of running the
Library about 28 cents of such a tax rate.
THE NEED OF ADDITIONAL BOOKS FOR BRANCH USE.
Last year we called attention to the immediate and imperative
necessity for additional copies of standard books for the branches
and for the deposit collection of the branches and stated that it
was impossible to satisfy the reasonable demands of the public
with the present supply of such books. During the year 9,073
volumes have been bought to meet this need, requiring an expendi-
ture of $10,000. A similar amount should be spent for the
Scime purpose during the coming year. The volumes purchased
related to the following subjects:
Accounting
Animals
Biography
Book-keeping
Boys' books
Building (including
technical books re-
lating thereto)
Chemistry
Civil service
Costume
Debating
Drawling
Economics
Electricity
Engineering
Etiquette
Fairy tales
Fiction (recent and
standard, in Eng-
lish)
Folk-dancing
Games
General literature (in-
cluding Ess'ays)
Geography (including
Atlases)
Girls' books
Government
History
Hygiene
Immigration
Letter-writing (includ-
ing business corres-
pondence)
Literature (fiction and
non-fiction) In:
French
German
Italian
Polish
Russian
Spanish
Swedish
Yiddish
Mathematics:
Algebra
Arithmetic
Geometry, etc.
Motor vehicles
Moving pictures
Mythology
Pedagogy
Phonography
Physiology
Poetry (including poems
and plays for special
occasions)
Psychology
Reference books (in-
cluding Cyclopaedias,
Indexes)
Salesmanship
Social service
Steam boilers
Story telling
Text-books (Grammar,
Spelling, English for
foreigners, etc.)
Textiles
Vocational (books re-
lating to vocations
and occupations)
Wireless telegraphy
[10]
TRUST FUNDS.
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, and the income therefrom,
is contained in the report of the City Auditor, but a condensed
statement of the funds is as follows :
Artz Fund $ 10.000.00
Bates Fund 50,000.00
Blgelow Fund 1,000.00
Robert Charles Billings Fund 100,000.00
Bowditch Fund 10,000.00
Bradlee Fund 1,000.00
Joseph H. Center Fund 39,543.14
Henry Sargent Codman Memorial Fund 2,854.41
Cutter Fund 4,000.00
"Elizabeth Fund" under Matchett will 25,000.00
Daniel Sharp Ford Fund 6,000.00
Franklin Club Fund 1,000.00
Green Fund 2,000.00
Charlotte Harris Fund 10,000.00
Thomas B. Harris Fund 1,000.00
Abbott Lawrence Fund 10,000.00
Edward Lawrence Fund ......... 500.00
Mrs. John A. Lewis Fund 5,000.00
Charles Greely Loring Memorial Fund ...... 500.00
Charles Mead Fund 2,500.00
John Boyle O'Reilly Fund 1,000.00
Phillips Fund 30,000.00
Pierce Fund 5,000.00
Scholfield Fund 61,800.00
South Boston Branch Library Trust Fund 100.00
TicknorFund 4,000.00
William C. Todd Newspaper Fund 50,000.00
Townsend Fund 4,000.00
Treadwell Fund 13.987.69
Nathan A. Tufts Fund 10,131.77
Twentieth Regiment Memorial Fund 5,000.00
Alice Lincoln Whitney Fund 2,500.00
Mehitable C. C. Wilson Fund 1,000.00
Francis Skinner Fund 34,450.00
Total $504,867.01
The income of these Trust Funds is used only for the purchase
of books, and the income of $1 54,533 can be used only for books
in special classes of literature or to be placed in certain designated
nn
branches or departments of the Library. The income of
$121,750 must be spent for books designated as of "permanent
value" only. The income of only $228,584.01 is unrestricted.
Besides the amounts enumerated, the Trustees have received
and paid to the City Treasurer the sum of $878.34 on the Alice
Lincoln Whitney Fund, and $550 on the Francis Skinner Fund,
which sums for the time being are held in uninvested cash on
deposit at interest. And they have also paid to the Treasurer
the sum of $3,014.79 under a bequest of James L. Whitney,
formerly librarian, to be held and used for bibliographical pur-
poses; and, from the same, about $1 ,124.38 has been expended
for the purpose contemplated by the bequest.
The expenditures under the Patrick F. Sullivan bequest of
$5,000, to be used for the purchase of standard Catholic books
under the terms of Mr. Sullivan's will, have been completed.
RETROSPECT.
On March 1 1,1895 the Central Library was moved to the
present building, and on March 11, 1915 it will have been in
its present quarters twenty years. This seems to make it proper
to review the history of the Library for the past twenty years,
and show how much it has grown and in what direction.
In 1894 the Library consisted of 457,740 volumes in the
Central Library and 152,635 volumes in the Branches. The
Central Library was housed in the old Library building at 100
Boylston Street, now occupied by the Colonial Building. Only
300 books were on open shelves in the Central Library, and none
in the Br cinches.
The East Boston Branch occupied rooms in the Police
Court building, where it was opened in 1871. The South End
Branch was in the basement of a school building on Montgomery
Street. The Jamaica Plain Branch had bad quarters in the
old Curtis Hall. The South Boston Branch had then, as now,
rented rooms on the second floor of a bank building. The
Charlestown Branch occupied restricted quarters on the second
floor of the old Charlestown City Hall building, reached by
a long and inconvenient stairway. The Roxbury and Brighton
[12]
branches occupied convenient buildings, but the Dorchester
Branch occupied then, as now, quarters in a building partly oc-
cupied for other purposes.
There were twelve delivery or shop stations. These stations
were mainly in shops and operated by other than Library em-
ployees. The total direct circulation for home use of the ten
branches was 523,253 volumes, and the circulation through the
twelve delivery stations of books received from the Central Li-
brary and branches was 39,102. The total expense of
the nine branches was $35,504.67, and of the twelve delivery
stations $6,850.84, which was only $4, 88 J .90 more than the ex-
pense of the nine branches and five deliver;^ stations in 1884, or
ten ^ears before.
There were no newspapers taken in the branches, except the
local papers, and only twelve in the Central Library. The Li-
brary was without a librarian from April, 1894 to February,
1895, and was necessarily in an unorganized condition. There
was only one telephone in the Central Library, and no telephonic
communication between the Central Library and the branches.
The definite method of selecting books now in operation had
not then been adopted, and no lists of books were regularly sub-
mitted to the Trustees to be acted upon. The bills for books
and other expenses were audited and paid without being brought
before the Trustees in detail. There was an Inspector who
visited the branches, and the custodians of branches came in to
the Central building as they pleased and for what they pleased.
There were no lectures and no children's rooms ; such things were
never thought of at that time, and there was no story hour for
children. There was no inter-library loan system. Special
privilege cards were issued in a limited way, namely, 23 in 1 893
and 28 in 1894.
The new Central Library was incomplete when it was oc-
cupied in 1895. There was no freight elevator; all the books
from the stacks for the branches were carried up and dovm a
narrow stairway on men's backs. There was no communication
between the stacks. A person who wanted to get from one
stack to another came out to the hall and went up or down into
another stack. The room for the Librarian was practically a
[13]
corridor beside a very inadequate delivery room, where the tubes
were in a long straight row, so that a person had to walk back
and forth to serve them.
There was a janitor's office in the front on the first floor, and
the toilet rooms were immediately in the rear, opening out of
the entrance hall. The room now occupied for newspapers was
used for periodicals. There was no connection between the
periodical room and the rooms in the rear, the space being
occupied by a driveway. The space between the Trustees'
room and the present Librarian's room was open, for artistic
effect. It required an expenditure of $100,000, which was
appropriated outside the city debt limit, to remedy these and other
deficiencies in the Central building.
There was no deposit collection for the branches in 1 894,
and no provision was made for it in the Central building.
The work of issuing books to the branches was all conducted
through the Issue Department. It was not possible to take out
a book on a card in the Central Library, and return it to any
branch, or to take out a book at a branch, and return it at the
Central Library.
There was no regular time for the custodians to meet at the
Central Library for consultation with the Supervisor and each
other with reference to branch work, as is now done.
There was no work with the schools, and no deposits of books
and pictures, and no consultation by teachers with the assistants
at the branches and at the Central Library.
Sunday service in the Library was confined to the issuing of
books at the Central building until seven o'clock in the evening,
and the opening of Bates Hall to readers from two to nine. The
evening week day service for readers was confined to opening a
small reading room for periodicals until nine in summer and until
ten in winter, and the opening of Bates Hall until nine.
There were no exhibitions of any kind.
The Library has grown from this incomplete and unorganized
condition in 1 894 to a large, compact, unified, highly organized
system of a Central Library and thirty branches, with a collection
of 828,342 volumes in the Central and 270,360 volumes in
114]
the branches. These are now united by a system of daily com-
munication which makes any book in the system available at any
point in the system. Three trunk lines of telephone connect all
the departments in the Central Library, and there is direct tele-
phone communication with thirteen of the branches. It is not a
mere collection of isolated libraries, but is a system where every
part is in direct relation and connected with every other part, and
through which its library material is available to any citizen in any
part of the city. Through this system more than 2,000,00 vol-
umes are annually issued for home use. In addition to this all the
leading and local newspapers, together with newspapers from the
most important points in the world can be used either in the
branches or at the Central Library.
The branches are still further united by a Supervisor whose
business it is to visit and observe them constantly, and to require
the custodians to meet at the Central Library for conferences,
at stated periods. There is also now a deposit collection kept
at the Central building of about 40,000 books for deposit at
branches and at schools and institutions. Besides the books
issued from this collection a large number of volumes are issued
each year through the Branch Department from the Central Li-
brary general collection to borrowers who apply at the branches.
There are also lectures upon subjects of educational and muni-
cipal interest given at the Central Library and occasionally at
the branches, weekly or more often, from October to April, and
there are monthly exhibitions of photographs at the Central Li-
brary and at the branches. There are deposits of pictures and
books at the schools sent through every branch.
The Central Library is opened at twelve o'clock on Sundays,
and issues books for home use until nine o'clock. At the large
branches and reading rooms there is the same issue from the
time they open until the closing hour.
We now have on open shelves, free to the direct access of the
public, more than 30,000 volumes in the Central Library; and
about 250,000 in the branches; as against about 300 in 1894.
Special cards are now held by about 380 persons engaged
in scholarly work, besides 1 007 special cards held by teachers.
[15]
In 1894 the Library required 131 persons in the week-day
service and 18 in the Sunday and evening service. Now it re-
quires 238 persons in the week-day service and 1 71 in the Sun-
day and evening service. In other words, in 1894 the Library
employed 149 persons, while in 1914 it employed 409. This
increase has been due to the fact not only that the Library has
grown, but that it has grown in its service, in Tvhat it does for the
public. For instance, in the Executive Department there has
only been an increase from 7 to 1 1 employees, in the Catalogue
Department from 1 3 to 2 1 , in the Shelf Department from 1 1 to
1 3 and in the Ordering Department from 8 to 11.
This is a comparatively small increase, but when we come to
those departments where the public is directly served — where
things are done for the people — we find where the increase
arises. For instance, in Bates Hall in 1894 there were only 5
employees definitely assigned, although others assisted in con-
junction with work in other parts of the Library. Now there
are 10 employees permanently assigned to this Hall. In the
Newspaper, Patent and Periodical Rooms there were two em-
ployees definitely assigned in 1894; now there are 8. There
was no Department of Special Libraries, so-called, and no
Statistical Department; now, there are 15 employees perma-
nently assigned to such departments. While there were only
47 employees in the branches or in the Branch Department
service ; now, there are 1 08.
The buildings occupied by the Library System have much
increased. The Jamaica Plain Branch occupies an independent,
newly constructed building. The North End is a new branch
with £m admirable building. The Charlestown and East Boston
branches occupy newly constructed buildings, admirably adapted
for library purposes. Hyde Park, which has become a part
of Boston, has an independent modern building. The West
End and South End branches occupy quarters in old churches
which are not well adapted for library purposes, and which,
owing to their construction, require large expenditures for main-
tenance and repair. Besides these breuiches there have been
[16]
established since 1 894, the Upham's Corper, Broadway Exten-
sion, Warren Street, Roxbury Crossing, Boylston Station, Orient
Heights, City Point, Parker Hill, Andrew Square and Faneuil
Reading Rooms, and the Codman Square and Upham's Comer
Reading Rooms have been made branches with enlarged service.
The mere maintenance and working of this system require a
constantly increasing amount of money. This year the estimates
of the Trustees for the necessary maintenance of the Library are
$4 1 7,688 and in addition we have stated that we require a sum
of $ 1 0,000 for increase in wages. The rooms occupied by the
branch deposit station at the Central Library, and for the shipping
of books from the Central building to the branches, are very in-
adequate, not to say unsanitary. Every increase in the branch
circulation and in the circulation through the branches brings
more work upon the Branch Department at the Central Library.
More room and better room must be provided if the department
is to continue to perform its needed service.
We need more duplicates of books for the branches. During
the past year we spent $10,000 for such books, as heretofore
stated, and we should spend an equal amount each year for books
of a similar character to meet the legitimate demand through the
branches. The maintenance and repair of our buildings con-
stantly increases. The West End Branch, for instance, should
have several thousand dollars spent upon it now to put it in such
condition as its importance and the credit of the City demands.
The South Boston Branch needs a new independent library
building and the Roslindale Reading Room should be made a
branch with suitable quarters.
The work of every branch in a new building necessarily and
properly increases. For instance, the Broadway Extension
Reading Room will doubtless necessarily double its work within a
short time after it is housed in the new Municipal Building. We
also need money for an increase in salaries, especially in some
grades in the Library where better work is demanded than can
be afforded within the means now at our disposal, and we much
need the means to establish a retirement fund for employees in
[17]
our service. The boilers in the Central Library and in some of
the branches are approaching the limit of their life, and those in
the Central Library should be removed from their present location
for other reasons.
We should still further extend our work in connection with
the schools. We have done much in this direction. Ten years
ago sixty-two schools only were regularly supplied with books,
and to these only 14,713 volumes were sent in the year, while
now v/e send about 35,000 volumes to 155 public and parochial
schools each year. Again, we should do more than we have
been able to do with the means at our command to furnish books
for reading by immigrants who are coming in large numbers to
our city. This is an important educational agency underlying
citizenship and its power and resources should be increased.
The use of books for the purpose of study by scholars and students
is very important. During twelve months more than 1 50 classes
and study clubs are cared for at the Central Library alone, with
an attendance of at least 1 500 persons. The University Exten-
sion Conferences for the instruction of earnest students whose
means do not permit them to take a college course, bring together
in the Library more than 1 000 persons annually. All this work,
much of which has recently developed and all of which is most
valuable, requires reservations of books and multiplication of
copies of books. Then, there are other special demands upon
the Library, all the effect of various popular educational move-
ments, such as the numerous study classes in connection with
women's clubs, evening school work, the constant effort to pro-
mote vocational efficiency, and the opportunities freely offered
for instruction in this centre of educational activity which increase
the legitimate demands upon the Public Library. In fact all
these popular agencies may be said to turn upon the Library
as an educational centre. They properly rely to an increasing
extent upon the Library for literary material, and the effect of
the direct work of the Library itself as a promoter of the use of
books is cumulative year by year. This must be if the Library is
to fill its proper place in the life of Boston. It is, primarily, for
this that the Library is maintained.
[18]
This brings to the Trustees and to the City Government a
very important question which is, whether the Library shall
extend its plant by the establishment of new reading rooms,
or shall for the present at least improve the plant we have,
and so serve the public better with the facilities they now
enjoy. Shall we plough the library field of the city wider, or
deeper? This question cannot be approached from the point
of any merely local interest. We must consider the whole field,
and what we do must be for the benefit of the Library as a
s])siem. This is necessarily so, for the amount of money which
may be appropriated for the Library out of the tax levy is not only
limited by the tax rate of the city and by the valuation of the
property of the city, but also by the increasing demands of other
much larger departments, — Streets, Hospital, Police, Schools,
Water and Sewage, Lighting, and their wants must be first
met. They are necessary departments, and must be kept
efficient for the good order and health of the city. When they
are supplied, the remainder of the amount that can be divided
out of the tax levy must be apportioned among the other depart-
ments, including the Library, and there is very little left which
will allow an increase in the Library appropriation of more than
is required properly to maintain the present plant and work it
efficiently.
The branch library system now costs $140,000 as against
$42,355.51 in 1894, and there is no municipal library system
which is more highly developed or more completely equipped to
reach all the people, than is the Boston Public Library. All the
residents of the city except in a very few instances, are brought
within at least a mile of a Library distribution point, and in
some parts of the city this distance is much reduced. Within
a few years four additional reading rooms have been established,
and yet there are constant requests to the City Government and
the Trustees for the establishment of new reading rooms. Three
additional requests have reached the Trustees during the present
year, by orders from the City Council, supported by petitions and
communications sent directly to the Trustees. Informal requests
have come from two other sections of the city. Every such
[19]
request, if granted, leads to agitation for similar action in other
districts.
Reading rooms must be opened by special appropriation from
the City Government, but when once opened they must be main-
tained out of the regular annual appropriation, and the expense
for service, books, transportation, rent, light, heat and care is
thus constantly enlarged. To increase the number of reading
rooms without at the same time enlarging our financial resources,
is simply to place burdens upon the existing system. If only a
given amount of money is available for books or service, and
the number of places where books must be kept or service ren-
dered is increased, then every pre-existing place must bear its
share of the diminished expenditure in order that the new reading
room may be supplied. AX'Tiat the Library needs for the present,
and from the point of economy and efficient administration, is
enlarged equipment to make more effective the operation of its
present agencies of public service, rather than the establishment
of new agencies.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES.
The total expenses of the Library out of the tax levy in 1 894
were $167,000, and in 1914, $400,000, and the Library has
received no transfers as additions to its annual appropriations.
The Library appropriation constituted about 1 .25 per cent of the
entire approriations made by the City in 1 894, and about 1 .87
per cent in 1914. Thus the proportion of city appropriations
devoted to the Library increased only about sixty-two hundredths
of one per cent during the twenty years.
TRUST FUNDS AND COST OF BUILDINGS.
The Trust funds in 1894 amounted to $197,850, which
produced an income of $8,692. Now, the Trust funds, all
invested in City bonds, amount to $504,867, and produce an
income of about $18,250.
The Central Library building cost $2,756,384
The North End Branch cost 86,000
The Jeimaica Plain Branch cost 33,000
The Charleslown Branch cost ........ 71,400
and
The East Boston Branch cost .... ... 93,600
[20]
The Library building on Boylston Street was sold in 1 899 by
the Trustees for $850,000 and the net proceeds paid into the sink-
ing fund at that time. Hie land on which that building stood
cost the City in 1857, $116,582.76, and the building cost
$247,051.07, making the total cost $363,633.83. The build-
ing was worn out and not worth the cost of removal, so that the
$1 16,582.76 had increased to $850,000 at the time the property
was sold by the Trustees. The sinking fund to which the
money received for the site of the old building was paid is
now $430,336.37, and by its annual increase will be sufficient
to retire the bonds v/hich were issued for the cost of the Central
Library building. The amount of such bonds now outstanding
is $532,500. The payment to the sinking fund, or serially, for
the retirement of the bonds issued for the branch buildings above
named, is $9,803 per year, and in a comparatively short space
of time these properties will also be thus paid for.
ANNUAL INVENTORY.
An annual inventory is made, at the end of each year, of the
personal property of the Library, except books and other material
shown on the catalogue or included in the catalogue shelf list.
EXAMINING COMMITTEE.
As required by the City Ordinance, we appointed an Examin-
ing Committee for this year, and joined the President of the Li-
brary Board with it, as Chairman. Those who were appointed
and who have served as members of the Committee are as
follows :
Mr. Horace G. Allen. Mr. M. A. DeWolfe Howe.
Dr. J. Bapst Blake. Dr. George A. McEvoy.
Mrs. Elisha S. Roland. Mr. William L. McKee.
Mrs. Augustine J. Bulger. Rev. Timothy J. Mahoney.
Mrs. George S. Burgess. Rev. Lemuel H. Murlin.
Rev. Edwin H. Byington. Hon. Michael J. Murray.
Mr. Arthur B. Chapin. Mr. Hugh Nawn.
Mr. John S. Flanagan. Miss Annie Endicott Nourse.
Mrs. James A. Gallivan. Miss Anne M. Paul.
[21]
Dr. Melville F. Rogers. Rev. Philo W. Sprague.
Mr. John J. Sheehan. Rev. Joseph V. Tracy.
Miss Zilpha D. Smith. Mr. Otto A. Wehrle.
To enable this Committee to perform its duties with con-
venience and efficiency the following sub-committees were ap-
pointed :
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE.
This Committee considered the administration of the Library, its work-
ing as an entire system, including the Central Library and all branches
and reading-room stations, and, in connection with this, its financial
management, including the sources from which its revenue is derived, and
the manner in which it is expended. Its members were:
Mr. Allen, Chairman.
Mr. Nawn, Mr. Chapin.
Mr. Murray.
BOOKS.
This Committee gave attention to all matters connected with the acqui-
sition and use of books and other library material, in the Central Library
and branches. Its members were:
Mr. Howe, Chairman.
Mrs. Burgess. Rev. L. H. Murlin.
fine arts and music.
This Committee gave attention to these Departments, including the
circulation of pictures from the Central Library and branches. Its
members were:
Dr. Blake, Chairman.
Miss Nourse. Miss Paul.
printing and binding.
This Committee examined and considered all matters connected with
the Departments of Printing and Binding, with special attention to the
expenses of the Departments and the products of each of them. Its
members were:
Mr. McKee, Chairman. Mr. Wehrle.
[22]
BRANCHES AND READING-ROOM STATIONS.
It was thought best to divide the branches and reading-room stations
into groups in different parts of the City, and appoint a Committee to
examine and report with regard to each group. These groups and the
several Committees thus appointed were as follows:
SOUTH BOSTON AND SOUTH END BRANCHES, ANDREW SQUARE, CITY POINT AND
BROADWAY EXTENSION READING ROOMS.
Rev. T. J. Mahoney, Chairman.
Dr. McEvoy. Mrs. Boland.
CHARLESTOWN AND EAST BOSTON BRANCHES, ORIENT HEIGHTS READING ROOM.
Mr. Flanagan, Chairman.
Rev. p. W. Sprague. Mrs. Bulger.
BRIGHTON, JAMAICA PLAIN, WEST ROXBURY AND HYDE PARK BRANCHES, ROSLINDALE,
BOYLSTON STATION, WARREN STREET, ROXBURY CROSSING, PARKER HILL,
ALLSTON AND FANEUIL READING ROOMS.
Rev. J. V. Tracy, Chairman.
Rev. E. H. Byington. Mr. Murray.
DORCHESTER, ROXBURY, UPHAM's CORNER, AND CODMAN SQUARE BRANCHES,
MT. PLEASANT, MT. BOWDOIN, LOWER MILLS, MATTAPAN AND
NEPONSET READING ROOMS.
Mr. Sheehan, Chairman.
Miss Smith. Dr. Rogers.
WEST END AND NORTH END BRANCHES.
Mr. Allen, Chairman.
Mr. Wehrle. Miss Smith.
children's department and work with schools.
This Committee gave special attention to the work which the Library
is doing for children, and also to what it is doing in connection with the
schools, with regard not only to the way in which the work is done, but
also as to its extension and its limitation. Its members were:
Dr. Blake, Chairman.
Mrs. Burgess. Mrs. Gallivan.
general committee.
For the purpose of receiving the reports of the work of the various other
sub -committees, and preparing a draft report of the Examining Committee
[23]
to be considered by it in a meeting of all its members, and for any other
general purpose connected with the examination of the Library system, a
sub-committee, called the General Committee was appointed. Its members
were:
Rev. L. H. Murlin, Chairman.
Mr. Howe. Mr. McKee.
The report of the Committee is hereto annexed and included as
part of this report.
CONCLUSION.
The Trustees have held regular weekly meetings at the Central
Library, at which all expenses have been authorized and the other
affairs of the Library considered and dealt with. One or more
of them have also visited the different branches and reading
rooms, and given attention to the repair and construction of the
buildings. The business of the Library has been done without
friction, and, as we think, very well, during the year. This
has been in a large degree due to the efficient and loyal service
of the Librarian and heads of departments, and other persons in
our employ. Without this the library work could not have
proceeded as efficiently as it has. We are glad to commend all
persons in our employ for the substantially uniform excellence of
their work.
JosiAH H. Benton,
William F. Kenney,
Samuel Carr,
Alexander Mann,
John A. Brett.
[24]
BALANCE SHEET, RECEIPTS AND
Dr.
Central Library and Branches:
To expenditures for salaries —
General administration $204,748.05
Sunday and evening force 27,642.19
James L. Whitney bibliographic account
To expenditures for books —
From City appropriation .
Trust funds income . . . ,
Carnegie gift, Galatea collection
Sullivan bequest . . . ,
To general expenditures —
Newspapers from Todd fund income
Periodicals ....
Furniture and fixtures .
Gas . .....
Electric lighting
Cleaning .....
Small supplies ....
Ice ......
Stationery ....
Rents .....
Fuel
Repairs . . • .
Freights and cartage .
Transportation between Central and Brand
Telephone service
Postage and telegrams
Typewriting ....
Travelling expenses (including street
library service)
Grounds .....
Lecture account (including lantern
operator) ....
Miscellaneous expense
Printing Department:
To expenditures for salaries
To general expenditures —
Stock
Equipment .......
Electric light and power .....
Contract work
Rent
Freights and cartage
Insurance ........
Gas .........
Cleaning
Small supplies, ice, repairs, furniture and fixtures
>lid(
carfares on
and
39,673.67
9,981.02
58.86
459.80
1,919.34
7,470.49
4,252.45
2,376.38
4.699.59
11.509.91
4,127.34
216.79
2,299.74
15,495.67
14.225.61
2,981.29
1.961.17
6.089.60
950.38
1.648.12
23.70
313.51
165.06
544.85
992.81
6,776.50
2,007.08
1,864.01
102.73
169.93
450.00
137.84
254.25
34126
163.15
108.98
$232,390.24
1.124.38
50,173.35
84.263.80
Carried forward .
12,375.73
$380,327.50
[25]
EXPENSES, JANUARY 31. 1915.
By City Appropriation. 1914-15 .... $400,000.00
Income from Trust funds ..... 18,974.86
Income from Jeimes L. Whitney bibliographic account 700.00
Interest on deposit (London) ..... 155.46
Payments received for lost books .... 426.36
Sullivan bequest 459.80
By Balances brought forward, February 1, 1914:
Trust funds income on deposit in London . . . 6,950.24
City appropriation on deposit in London . . . 2,005.16
Trust funds income, City Treasury .... 12,455.15
Carnegie gift for Galatea collection .... 279.79
James L. Whitney bibliographic account . . 2,314.79
Cr.
$420,716.48
24.005.13
Curried forward
$444,721.61
[26]
BALANCE SHEET, RECEIPTS AND
Dr.
Brought forii>ard $380,327.50
Binding Department:
To expenditures for salaries . , . . . $28,612.88
To general expenditures —
Stock 4,223.06
Electric light and power ..... 125.95
Contract work 107.87
Reiit 1.350.00
Freight and cartage ...... 696.66
Insurance ......•• 170.08
Gas 56.01
Cleaning . . 163.15
Small supplies, ice, furniture and fixtures . . 69.01
35,574.67
To Amount Paid into City Treasury:
From fines .....
Sales of catalogues, bulletins and lists
Commission on telephone stations
Sale of waste paper
Money found in Library
Sale of paper towels (slot machine)
Interest on bank deposit .
6,502.44
70.23
252.64
113.46
15.12
58.58
16.94
7,029.41
To Balance, January 31, 1915:
Trust funds income on deposit in London
City appropriation on deposit in London .
Trust funds income balance. City Treasury
Carnegie gift for Galatea collection .
James L. Whitney bibliographic account .
Interest on deposit in London .
2,729.14
72.75
23,750.75
220.93
1,890.41
155.46
28,819.44
$451,751.02
1271
EXPENSES, JANUARY 31, 1915.
Brought forward .
By Receipts:
From fines .....
Sales of catalogues, bulletins and lists
Commission on telephone stations
Sale of waste paper
Money found in Library
Sale of paper towels (slot machine)
Interest on bank deposit .
Cr.
$444,721.61
$6,502.44
70.23
252.64
113.46
15.12
58.58
16.94
7.029.41
$451,751.02
REPORT OF THE EXAMINING COMMITTEE.
1914-1915.
To THE Trustees of the Public Library of the
City of Boston :
Gentlemen^
We beg to transmit through you to the City Government the
Report of the Examining Committee appointed by you according
to ordinance.
The Committee on Administration and Finance went through
every department of the Central Library, visited the various
branches, many of the reading rooms, the printing office and
bindery.
TTie capacity of the Central Library must necessarily be
increased in order that proper space may be given to the constant
accumulation of books intended for circulation, reference or
storage, and for files of newspapers. Moreover the space de-
voted to the Branch Department Headquarters is very inad-
equate, poorly lighted and illy-ventilated. It is in the basement
which was intended, and should be used, for other purposes.
Here are kept the books — more than 40,000 — that are sent out
for deposit at schools and institutions. Here also is received and
distributed the large number of books sent out daily from the
Central Library to the various branches. It is the very heart
of all the work done by the Library System for service outside
of the Central building in Copley Square. This work has
greatly increased in recent years and severely taxes the space
now used ; it will unavoidably continue to grow, and the present
crowded and inadequate condition will become still more serious
every day. Something should be done and that speedily, to
acquire suitably located property for the erection of a building
[29]
to contain the boiler plant of the main library, the branch deposit
station, the bindery, printing office, paint shop, carpenter shop,
and suitable quarters for the storing of books and files of old
newspapers and periodicals, so that the same could be speedily
examined upon request at the Central Library.
A beginning also should be made upon the substitution of
steel stacks for wooden ones with which the main building is
equipped. This substitution could be made from time to time
without interference with the work of the Library and would
greatly increase the shelf capacity and reduce the fire risk; and
if a portion were done each year the annual requirement would
be small.
The branch libraries are, in the main, well fitted to accomplish
the results intended. Some of them are modem buildings. The
branches in Dorchester and West Roxbury, however, seem in-
adequate for the proper performance of their work. We recom-
mend that a new and modern building be provided for South
Boston. The present building, poorly located, poorly arranged,
poorly equipped and wholly unadapted to the needs of the
community, was occupied by the Branch forty-three years ago
and is totally inadequate for the accommodation of this large and
growing section. This need has long been recognized.
The attendants are courteous, intelligent and interested in their
work. They have to deal with persons unfamiliar with the
resources and use of libraries, with the young and the illiterate;
but so far as observed they have been found able and willing to
furnish all reasonable assistance. The reports of the various
sub-committees invariably makes appreciative reference to the
work of the custodians of these libraries, and their assistants:
here is one sample: —
It is pleasant to report the excellent working spirit of the several cus-
todians and assistants, all of whom seem eager to do all in their power to
render these libraries as serviceable as possible to those for whom they
are established.
As the expenses are mainly met by annual appropriation of
the City of Boston, and the expenditures are audited by the
auditing department of the City, this Committee did not deem
[30]
it necessary to make any separate examination of the financial
side. From our observation of the working of the Library the
Committee believes the expenditures to be wisely made and there
seem to be suitable checks to prevent improper expenditures.
The Trustees administer the finances with such care that they
have never asked for appropriations to meet deficiencies; when
we consider the quality of the service rendered, as well as the
enormous amount of it, the Trustees are extremely modest in
their requests for appropriations.
For the present population of Boston, the Library must neces-
sarily enlarge its work since there are urgent calls for better
housing, equipment, and wider service. This is inevitable as the
Library accomplishes its purpose and the public becomes better
acquainted with the resources of the Library and how to use
them. Then the population is ever growing larger, thus making
increasing demands upon the Library. We must also remember
that we have, not one library, but thirty libraries, with a vast
amount of other work done through our circulating libraries and
deposit stations in 155 public and parochial schools, 62 engine
houses, and 38 other institutions. Our very success creates new
demands and justifies appropriations even more generous than
have been granted in the past.
Moreover, for many years attention has been called by the
Excimining Committees to the fact that salaries here are lower
than in any other department of the City; certainly no depart-
ment is more vital to the welfare of the City ; and no department
requires a more intelligent, better-trained, or more effiicient corps ;
and as the service of the Library enlarges the number of workers
must be enlarged. The increased cost of living also must be
taken into consideration. We note that the Trustees have given
and are now giving careful attention to these important matters;
but they can do nothing until their appropriations are much larger.
We therefore earnestly recommend to the City Government
that the grant for the coming year should be made larger than
the budget asked by the Trustees, by a sum sufficient to permit a
reasonable increase in salaries.
[31]
The Committee on Books appointed to "give attention to all
matters connected with the acquisition and use of books and
other library material, in the Central Library and branches,"
has looked especially into the systems of ordering and catalogu-
ing and the public uses of the catalogue, books and periodicals,
and says:
Last year your committee touched upon the method of selecting fiction
with the aid of a Reading Committee of representative citizens. This
year special inquiry was made into the means for ensuring the adequate
acquisition of books other than fiction. In all the fields of learning
certain new books present themselves obviously to the consideration of all
librarians. But besides these there are many publications necessary to
such a collection as that of the Boston Public Library, yet likely to be
overlooked except for constant vigilance. It is found that this danger is
minimized by the scrutiny of reviews, publishers* and sales catalogues
by members of the staff equipped with personal knowledge and interest
in various departments of literature and science. It was asked whether
a Reading Committee of scholars, perhaps connected with neighboring
institutions of learning, might not perform a service wnth regard to scientific
and scholarly books corresponding to that of the Reading Committee in
the field of fiction. The possibilities in this regard, it was found, are
constantly tested through the requests for new books made by readers
among the general public. It is rarely the case that a book thus asked
for has escaped consideration. But every request is carefully heeded,
and, at least in one instance, it has been proved that a single scholar who
makes constant use of the Library and is alert with suggestions may render
great service to the Ordering Department.
One of the most important pieces of work that has gone through the
hands of this department during the past year has been the purchase of
duplicate copies of standard books for the branch libraries, at the cost
of $10,000. While such commendable improvements are going forward,
however, it is not to be forgotten that the Boston Public Library is the
resort of scholars who turn to its collections as the students of a university
to any portion of its equipment. The number of those who use it through-
out the year is appreciably increased during the vacation seasons by scholars
from a distance who come to Boston for the pursuit of their many special
studies.
The needs of scholars must be met by the continuous purchase of purely
scholarly books. If they are not bought at the time of their publication,
it is often difficult to acquire them later, and damaging gaps in the material
for research occur. Valuable, therefore, as the enrichment of branch
libraries with standard books unquestionably is, it is equally important
that the appropriations should permit the purchase of the widest possible
[32]
variety of scholarly works, whether in serial or other form. The price
of becoming a library of the first importance both to the many and to
the few is that this position must be maintained.
The work of the Cataloguing Department, highly technical and minute
in its nature, was carefully explained to your committee, and seemed
admirably adapted to its object — which is that of a key, serviceable
alike to the skilled and unskilled user of the Library, for opening the
doors to its treasures. New books acquired in a steady flow must be
rendered quickly and intelligibly accessible by the preparation and printing
of new cards. Not only that: the old cards must be kept in cleanliness
and order. It was interesting to learn that the cards referring to Shake-
speare, Browning, Dumas, Arithmetic, Polish and Russian literature
are among those most frequently requiring renewal because they are soiled
and damaged by constant use. Still another requisition for new cards
is found in the recataloguing of the books Hsted in the old printed Index
and Supplement, which is going forward at the rate of about 1 0,000 titles
a year. With regard to the cataloguing and shelving of new books, it
is to be noted that difficulties arise with the unpredictable demand for
books on a given subject. The present European War is a case in point.
When such a subject comes forward, new provisions for space are required,
and new dispositions of shelving room must be made. Through the rer
arrangement of books in the stacks during the past year much space has
been gained.
In the Periodical and Newspaper Rooms, used to the point of frequent
over-crowding, some of the most puzzling problems of administration arise.
For the reason that the users of these rooms have direct access to all the
current numbers of perioicals, and need apply to attendants only for the
bound volumes, there can be little supervision of the use of public property.
There is frequent carelessness in returning periodicals to the places from
which they are taken, and — what is worse — in putting them in the
wrong places. This can be, and is, corrected by constant work on the
part of the attendants. What they cannot make good is the mutilation
of periodicals by readers who take a fancy to certain illustrations or articles,
and cut them out. This selfish vandalism appears often to be the work
of students in schools and colleges to whom certain subjects for investi-
gation have been assigned. The labor of copying is saved by knife or
scissors, furtively employed without regard to the rights of the public and
the Library. The attendants do their best to prevent these outrages, but
the periodicals and the readers are so numerous that many offenses escape
detection until the results are irreparable. Unfortunately, such practices
are not confined to the Periodical and Newspaper Rooms. In Bates
Hall where a reference library of great value is accessible to all comers,
abuses of public privilege are sometimes committed.
[33]
Your committee presents these discouraging facts not in criticism
of the Library attendants, who are fully alive to the wrongs that are done
and are making every effort to guard against them; but because it is felt
that the public in whose interest our examiriation is made should know
what a few of its members are doing. The evil can be corrected only
by a strengthening of public sentiment that shall extend into the darkest
corners. If the newspapers and teachers in public schools and colleges
can exert an effective influence in this regard, they vsrill benefit the entire
community. It is the public, and not the Library, that needs to be en-
lightened and reformed.
We have no suggestions to offer towards improving the system under
which "the acquisition and use" of the materials of the Library are
managed. It represents the development of many decades, the fruit of
much experience, and seems excellently suited to its purpose.
The Committee on Fine Arts and Music says:
The Department of Fine and Applied Arts has sufficient room for
some years to come, provided the deposits from other departments now
stored here are removed to appropriate storage rooms.
The use of this department has increased greatly in the last ten years,
while the number of its employees remains practically the same ; the present
European War has enormously stimulated the public interest in art; the
demands upon the Library for the valuable material that this department
has will certainly continue to increase; there is a large number of photo-
graphs now on hand not yet catalogued, and waiting to be put into circu-
lation; in view of these considerations, the committee commends most
heartily the plans now under way to increase the number of the personnel
of the department.
The department needs greater facilities for storing and handHng lantern
slides. A large number, now on hand, need cataloguing. This is a
growing and valuable source of education, and more adequate means of
supplying the demands of the public in this regard will make the Library
more useful.
We are pleased to note the large circulation of art material, among
the public schools through requisitions made therefor by the branch li-
braries. We wish to inquire whether it would be advisable to increase
the collections of art material in the various branches. They are in close
touch with the schools. The needs of the various locaHties differ widely.
Some branches can use to advantage art material that it would not be
worth while for the Central Library to handle ; often the value to a teacher
of certain material is largely dependent upon its instant use for illustration,
a value which is lost if the material is not found at the branch and whose
use must be delayed until brought from the Central Library.
1341
The Committee on Printing and Binding made an examination
of the premises, and of the mode in which this portion of the
Library work is conducted, and says:
We found both departments to be in charge of men who appeared to
be well fitted for their work; the premises and machinery were in good
condition; the workmen were busy, and the work was being prosecuted
with despatch.
We found also that the system of transferring books from and to the
Central Library, the method of keeping a record of such transfers, and
the manner in which stock is purchased for both departments, were all
such as would be approved by the managers of a modern business house
doing business in a similar line.
We congratulate the Trustees of the Library on the efficiency with
which this portion of the business of the Library is conducted.
Branch Libraries: The committees appointed to visit the
branch libraries have evidently done their work with great care.
Many valuable suggestions are made as to the details of manage-
ment. Their reports indicate, in the main, a conscientious and
efficient management of these branches. Many suggestions are
made as to better housing and care of some of these branches and
reading rooms. These original reports are referred to the Trus-
tees with a request that they give careful attention to the important
details there discussed; but we believe they need not be matters
of record here. We submit extracts from several reports illus-
trative of the work of these sub-committees:
The Library Trustees are to be congratulated upon the successful
administration of the East Boston and Charlestown Branches, both of
which are now adequately housed in modern library buildings. The
attendants report a satisfying and gratifying increase of users of the library
facilities both in the number of books circulated and in the use of the
reading rooms, largely due to the central and accessible locations of the
buildings. These facilities are fully equal to the growing demand, and
there is a general feeling of contentment among the attendants that augurs
well for the future.
No criticism can be made of the North End Branch. It is a modem
building admirably equipped and administered for the purpose. The West
End Branch is entirely different. It is located in an old church and not
conveniently arranged for use by adults and children. It needs to be
repaired and its walls and ceilings refreshened by painting and whitening.
This Branch is used very largely by Jewish people and the present supply
of books for their use is inadequate, although with its present equipment
[35]
its circulation last month exceeded 1 2,000 volumes. The custodian and
her immediate assistants seem to be competent and obliging and make every
effort to properly perform their duties under adverse circumstances.
The City Point Reading Room was removed last Spring to the new
Municipal Building where its work is now carried on under almost ideal
conditions. The lighting fixtures, however, could be improved by shades
which would concentrate and throw down the light instead of diffusing
it. More books and illustrated papers are called for there. It is interest-
ing to note that many pupils from the South Boston High School go to
this Reading Room to prepare their lessons and consult reference books.
The Broadway Extension Reading Room has not been moved to its
new quarters in the Tyler Street Municipal Building owing to the failure
of the City to provide the furniture. It is expected that ah appropriation
will be forthcoming early in the new year and the removal be made. The
custodian asks for more books in Arabic, Russian, modern Greek and
Italian.
The South End Branch is in a very satisfactory condition as a whole,
but we again urge the need of lowering and shading the lights over the
tables in the upper reading room. The walls and ceilings are sadly in
need of whitening or re-frescoing. It is suggested that the Trustees con-
sider the feasibility of providing stereopticon or lantern slide pictures for
this Branch.
Attention should be given too, to the needs of the Allston— Brighton
Branch where a little paint, furniture and equipment will greatly augment
the efficiency of the service.
The recently opened reading room at Andrew Square fills a very
great need and is a boon to the people of that district. In order to inform
them of this new provision for their enjoyment it was suggested that the
custodian ask various clergymen, who might drop in, to speak to their
parishioners and advise them to avail themselves of the privileges of the
Reading Room which the City had freely provided. This proved to be a
practical and effective way of spreading the desired information. There
is a call for books in the Polish language at this station and the custodian
is taking steps to secure an approved list. Here, as elsewhere, there
should be more illustrated papers for casual readers whose Hterary tastes
are in making, and who are not yet ready for more substantial fare.
A glance at the map shows that the West Roxbury Branch covers a
larger territory than almost any of the other Branches; that it is being
developed by building movements in many sections. Adequate head-
quarters in a separate library building should be supplied, the present
accomodations utterly failing to meet the heeds of this situation. A
similar situation presents itself in Dorchester. Very evidently these two
Centers will require new buildings in the very near future.
[36]
While most of the branches and reading rooms are a real credit to the
City of Boston and its intellectual standards, the member of the Examining
Committee who visited the Roslindale Reading Room felt that it had been
neglected. The circulation is larger than at some of the branches, although
the force is smaller and overworked. It should be made into a branch,
which is open more hours in the day, the present custodian should be given
double her present number of assistants, and adequate payment should
be made for janitor service. Immediate attention and reinforcement are
deserved here.
Several valuable suggestions are made in detail with reference
to other branches and reading rooms, all of which are referred to
the Trustees for their careful consideration. Another report sub-
mitted to the Trustees for special consideration, but not incor-
porated in this general survey of the field, is that of one member
of the Committee on Breinch Libraries who pointed out in detail
the difficulty of securing and retaining, on the salaries paid, at-
tendants of the general equipment required for their important
work. The matters therein touched upon have an economic and
human bearing which calls for thoughtful investigation and sym-
pathetic action by the Trustees.
The Committee on the Children's Department and Tvork Ti>ith
Schools found little to criticise and very much to praise. The
following forms of service greatly impressed them: the room at
the Central Library, with corresponding accomodations at each
branch; books and pictures sent to the schools; the story-telling
hour; the talks and lectures to teachers and to parents. The
Report continues:
This is, indeed, a broad department of great importance — one which
comes into contact with an enormous number of individuals, most of them
at the most receptive period of their lives. Its organization is compact
and surprisingly small, and its work is accomplished by the familiar method
of intensive coordinated effort..
It is obvious that the relation of this department to the schools, and
the scope of this work, its iticrease and its limits, are entirely beyond
adequate consideration by this committee. It would seem fair to say,
however, that the Library should not enter the definite field of direct school
education, by actually supplying libraries or text books to schools or scholars,
but should limit its efforts to collateral reading and to illustrations which
amplify and illuminate the prescribed work in the class room. This may
seem self-evident. A little examination, however, will show that this
[37]
general statement fails to define just what the Library should, or should
not, do in all cases in its work with the schools. But in principle we are
convinced that this statement of the respective functions of the Library and
the schools is correct.
At present the balance is fairly well maintained, but the tendency is
that the Library is asked to undertake more and more, work which should
in the last analysis, be part of the functions of the Boston schools.
The Committee is conscious of the fact that this report, con-
structed from the separate statements of many sub-committees,
must convey an impression of details rather than of that largeness
which should characterize a total view of the Library of the
City of Boston. The Library, viewed as something broader and
deeper than the portions of which it is made, the minutiae of
administration, the daily problems of one or another of its many
departments, is a great educational, recreative and stimulating
force without which our City of Boston would not be what it is.
What it contributes to the life of the city — the true life measured
in terms of mind and spirit — cannot be stated in formal words.
In the recognition of this force, in the strengthening of its energy
by all possible means, lies much of the hope of that still better
and richer city which the present may bequeath to future genera-
tions.
Adopted, by unanimous vote, at a meeting of the entire
Committee, Monday, January 4, 1915.
Della Jean Deery,
Clerk.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.
To the Board of Trustees:
I respectfully submit my report for the year ending January
31. 1915.
REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The Steam Plant, at the Central Library, is in excellent con-
dition, and no repairs of importance have been required on the
engines. One of the dynamos, after many years in operation,
developed defects in the commutator, which, after painstaking
search, were located and remedied. The fire boxes connected
with the three boilers have been re-lined, and on two boilers the
side walls of the setting have been rebuilt up to the lugs. Minor
repairs, as usual, have been required on the steam pipe system,
on the pumps, and on the elevators.
As far as possible, within the limit of money available for the
purpose, various branch buildings have been repainted, the new
shelving and other new furniture needed on account of the con-
stantly expanding requirements of the service have been provided,
and more than fifty framed pictures have been hung in the
branches and reading-rooms during the year. Many of the
pictures were large photographs of Alpine subjects presented to
the Library by Mr. Benton.
Hie Warren Street Reading Room has been enlarged by
taking an additional room and removing the partition between
it and the room previously occupied. The improvements were
made by the landlord, and the re-construction has virtually
doubled the floor area, enabling us to provide tables for addi-
[39]
tional readers, as well as enlarged shelf capacity for books. En-
tirely new equipment has been installed in the new reading-rooms
at Andrew Square, South Boston; and at 100 Brooks Street,
Faneuil; and both of these rooms were opened to public use
early in March.
In the Allen A. Brown Music Room at the Central Library
two large cases have been added to the fittings, placed so as to be
supplemented by others as required, until the limit of the shelf
capacity of the room is reached.
THE USE OF BOOKS.
The circulation of books during the year, for use outside
the buildings, usually termed "home use" circulation, numbers
2,012,589 volumes. For the preceding year the total number
was 1 ,848,973. This circulation not only shows a considerable
increase for the year, but it is the largest ever recorded.
The statistical tables, which follow, present the details of
circulation. They are based on the annual report of Mr. Frank
C. Blaisdell, Chief of the Issue Department at the Central Li-
brary, and so far as they relate to the branches, upon the reports
of the custodians, made every month :
CIRCULATION FROM CENTRAL BY MONTHS.
HOME USE
SCHOOLS AND
HOME USE
THROUGH
INSTITUTIONS
TOTALS.
DIRECT.
BRANCH DEPT.
THROUGH
BRANCH DEPT.
February, 1914 .
27,887
8,263
10,231
46,381
March,
28,336
7,345
10,256
45,937
.April. " .
25,430
7.668
9,062
42,160
May, ;• .
21,613
6.497
9,304
37,414
, une.
17.899
4,997
8.716
31,614
. "ly»
16.264
4,000
1,958
22,222
August,
17,022
4,042
1,837
22,901
September,
16,131
3,622
1,925
21,678
October, " .
20,316
4,822
5,810
30,948
November,
27,443
7,465
7,928
42,836
December,
29.034
9,089
9,385
47,508
January. 1915 .
27.294
8,247
8,953:
44.494
Totals .
274.669
76.057
85.367
436.093
[40]
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[41]
The figures are condensed into the following:
Boolis lent for Home Use, including Circulation through Schools and Institutions.
From Central Library (including Central Library books issued through the
branches and reading-room stations) ....... 436,093
From branches and reading-room stations (other than books received from
Central) 1,576.496
Total number of volumes lent for home use and through schools and
institurions 2,012.589
Comparative. 1913-14. 1914-15.
Central Library circulation (excluding
^ schools and institutions) :
Direct home use . . . . 260.965 274.669
Through branches and reading-room
stations for home use . . . 80.120 76.057
341,085 350.726
Branch Department circulation (exclud-
ing schools and institutions):
Direct home use
From branch collection; . 852.124 947,870
From reading-room stations . . 448,224 503,644
1.300,348 1.451.514
Schools and institutions circulation: (in-
cluding books from Central through
the Branch system) . . 207,540 210.349
1.848,973 2,012,589
As noted in previous years, the actual use of the books con-
tained in the Library is very inadequately shown by these tables.
The so-called "reference" use, meaning by that term the use of
books in the numerous reading-rooms, continually increases and
no doubt much exceeds the recorded use. It is the aim of this
Library to reduce, as far as possible, the restrictions placed upon
free access to our collections. Nearly all the books in the 30
branches are upon open shelves, and a considerable number in
the Central Library are equally available without formality.
No record of the number of volumes consulted or read at the
tables can be conveniently kept. This should be borne in mind
whenever any attempt is made to estimate the efficiency of the
Library by statistics of circulation. The detailed statement of
the various activities of the Special libraries at the Central build-
ing, and of the use of books in Bates Hall, hereinafter presented
will give a broader view of the actual work done by the Library
in behalf of students, scholars engaged in important investiga-
[42]
tions, as well as by general readers. Figures are cold, the human
element alone is really significant, and the best evidence of the
value of such a library as ours, is not the mere number of books
charged against borrowers, but the presence of hundreds of read-
ers of all ages who may be found constantly in the different rooms
throughout the system engaged either in serious study or in recrea-
tive reading.
The use of books at the branches, large and small, increases.
Besides the use of the collections kept at the branches, 76,816
volumes were sent out from the Central Library to fill applications
made at the branches. This number is not quite so large as in
the year preceding, chiefly because there is now a larger perma-
nent collection at one of the branches, and possibly because the
ready access to the shelves at some of the new branch buildings
tends, temporarily, to diminish applications for books from the
Central. During the last months of the year, however, all of the
branches show increased applications for Central books. Of
the books sent from the Central through the branches 63 per
cent was classed as fiction, but this includes imaginative litera-
ture for young readers, of generally high quality, and much classic
English fiction for adult readers. Many requests from the
branches, as well as those made at the Central Library directly,
are for technical books, in the various industrial fields, for
scientific treatises, and for other titles which show that they
are intended for study. The deposit collection of books at the
Central Library has been drawn upon for 42,039 volumes sent
to various institutions, study clubs, etc. The number of places
supplied upon request in this way was 1 58, as compared with 1 48
supplied in 1913. We have sent 30,100 unbound periodicals
(taken out of circulation in various parts of the system) to City
institutions, and other authorized places, supplying such literature
for the first time to the Charles Street Jail, and to the Boston
Seamen's Friend Society.
[43]
Under the Inter-Library loan system with other Hbraries the
following use of books is shown:
1913-14. 1914-15.
Lent to libraries in Massachusetts . . . . . . 1,179 1,163
Lent to libraries outside of Massachusetts 230 282
Totals : . . 1,409 1,447
Applications refused :
From libraries in Massachusetts 270 184
From libraries outside of Massachusetts 84 76
Totals 354 260
Borrowed from other libraries 22 38
The classified "home use" circulation of the branches (reading-
room stations not included) is as follows, for two successive
years :
1913-14 1914-15
Percentages, percentages.
Fiction for adults ........ 32.1 31.6
Fiction for juvenile readers ...... 38.0 39.2
Non-fiction for adults 13.4 12.5
Non-fiction for juvenile readers 16.5 16.7
100.0 100.0
At the Central Library the "home use" circulation shows
the following percentages:
Fiction 4523
Non-fiction 54.77
100.00
BOOKS RECEIVED.
To the Library System as it existed at the close of the year
1913-14 there have been added 46,963 volumes, besides 923
received by purchases on account of Fellowes Athenaeum and
deposited in the Roxbury Branch under the contract between
that institution (the owner of the building) whereby the amount
paid as rent is expended by the landlord for books. The total
number of volumes thus becomes 47,886. The details as to
the manner in which they were acquired, arranged so as to permit
[44]
comparison with the preceding year, are shown in the following
tables:
Bool(3 acquired by purchase.
For the central Library: 1913-14. 1914-15.
From City appropriation . . . 8,493 13,504
From Trust Funds income . . 3,367 1,646
11.860 15.150
For branches and reading-room stations:
From City appropriations . . 13,952 21,104
From Trust Funds income . . . 1,504 1,041
15.456 22.145
27,316 37.295
By Fellowes Athenaeum (for the Roxbury
Branch) 1.017 923
Totals 28,333 38.218
The following statement includes the accessions by purchase
combined with books Received by gift or otherwise.
CENTRAL BRANCHES TOTAL
VOLUMES. VOLUMES VOLUMES.
Accessions by purchase (including 923 volumes by
Fellowes Athenaeum, for Roxbury Branch) . 15,150 23.068 38,218
Accessions by gift (including 14 volumes through
Fellowes Athenaeum, for Roxbury Branch)
Accessions by Statistical Department
Accessions by exchange ....
Accessions of periodicals (boimd) .
Accessions of newspapers (bound) .
6,312 577 6,889
438 438
136 136
1,734 322 2.056
149 149
23.919 23.967 47.886
Besides the books added to the Library System as it existed
in the year 1913-14, two new reading-room stations have been
established under special appropriations, namely at Andrew
Square (South Boston), and at Faneuil (Brighton). For
these two stations there have been bought 3,629 volumes. If
these are combined with the figures in the foregoing tables the
additions to the system, as now existing, will stand: Central
Library, 23,919 volumes; branches, 27,596 volumes; total,
51,515.
An exceptional purchase of about 10,000 volumes has been
made of additional copies of books already in the Library, especi-
ally for circulation through the branches. These additional
[45]
copies have been carefully selected to meet the demand for books
on various subjects, for which our supply was inadequate.
PURCHASES OF FICTION.
TThe volumes of current fiction purchased, including 84
bought by Fellowes Athenaeum, number 2,223 ; and the replace-
men of fiction worn out in circulation required the purchase of
14,066 volumes.
Besides these, 1 ,92 1 additional copies of recent and standard
fiction have been bought to meet demand. In all, therefore, of
current and replaced fiction, 1 8, 1 26 volumes have been bought.
The volumes of current fiction have cost $2,423.08, and the
remainder, $13,498.95; in all, $15,922.03; or nearly 27 per
cent of the expenditures for literary material of every kind, and
about 32 per cent of the expenditures for books alone (i.e. exclud-
ing periodicals).
Of current fiction, 743 different books have been carefully
considered. This consideration includes reading by different
members of a volunteer reading committee, personal inspection
of every book by the Librarian and members of the staff, and
constant comparison of review notices in the literary periodicals.
The total number of different books accepted for purchase was
113, which included, however, 1 7 titles examined in previous
years but not previously accepted. Of the titl«6 accepted there
were bought, as previously stated, 2,223 copies.
The relation to the Library of the volunteer committee which
reads current fiction has been frequently pointed out. The
committee is entirely unofficial, and the verdict of its members
upon a book aims to reflect no more than such an opinion as
readers of intelligence would form from a careful reading. The
reports of these readers, since they include a brief synopsis of
plot, and state briefly how the book impresses them, is of great
assistance in determining whether or not a book is desirable for
our purposes. But what these volunteer readers say about a
book is never conclusive in determining whether or not the book
shall be bought. Other factors, as mentioned above, are always
[46]
influential and particularly, the amount of money available.
The selection rests with the Library. During the last year,
besides the books bought, 261 volumes which we were unable to
buy were approved by the readers on the committee.
The members of the Committee include representatives of
various professions. There are men as well as women among
them, and persons of literary training are included, although the
point of view of the average reader is sought, rather than that of
the trained literary critic. The Committee is not narrow in its
membership and its composition is not fixed. On the contrary,
the members are frequently changed.
FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS ON BOOK PURCHASES.
The most noteworthy point in connection with the acquisition
and use of books is the entire inadequacy of the financial re-
sources of the Library as compared with the wide range of the
field to be covered.
It will perhaps surprise even those who use its collections most
frequently to learn that the amount of money available yearly
for the purchase of books, from the City appropriation, has
averaged during the last five years only $26,429. Out of this
sum have been bought books to replace those worn out or lost
during use, costing, on the average, $9,089 annually. We must
also provide for continuations of serial publications (such, for
example, as the publications of various learned societies) at an
expense of about $5,500 annually. This has left only $1 1 ,840,
on the average annually, for the purchase of other new books
of everij kind. Except for the unusual expenditure this year
of about $1 0,000 for duplicate copies of books in largest demand
at the branches, the amount available for books has not increased
during recent years. But the demand for books on the popular
side of the Library continually increases. I use the phrase
"the popular side" meaning thereby the wide use of the Library
by the people, distinguished from its limited use by specialists.
This use requires not only books for recreational reading, neces-
sary in every large library, but it includes the extensive use of the
[47]
Library in popular education, the provision of books in large
demand through the schools, the large number required by
students of the various higher institutions of learning of which
Boston is the centre, various books used by private students
who wish to enlarge their knowledge but who have never had
opportunities of school instruction, publications for popular read-
ing relating to men and affairs, — biography, political economy,
travel, etc. — and books required in larger and larger num-
bers by women's clubs, and by study classes of various kinds.
Many books must be purchased for the Teachers' Reference
Collection and additional copies are required for the University
Extension Courses. The use of books on the fine arts, including
music, needed by students of these subjects, is unlimited and
constantly enlarging, so that the demand for material of this kind
alone might well exhaust a larger sum than the entire amount we
have to spend for books of all kinds. And there are also cer-
tain special departments of the Library that have always been
important here, and which require constant additions. Fortun-
ately, the income from Trust Funds, although part of it is re-
stricted to books of a certain kind only, is of assistance in respect
to these departments. The City appropriation is seldom drawn
upon for buying books which are not in immediate popular
demand. For example, the purchases of rare examples of
Americana, or of books of unusual expense generally, are met
out of Trust Fund income.
It will be seen at once, that little money remains to establish
and maintain in completeness special collections which other-
wise might be perfected, especially in belles lettres, collections
which a rich public library ought to possess, but which, if used
at all, are used only by specialists or by small groups of scholars.
It is inevitable that all branches of literature cannot be com-
pletely covered on the limited amount which we have at our
disposal, and that choice must be made within rather narrow
limits. Not all the rising English poets, for example, can be
represented, and, frequently, of those whose books appear at
all, only representative volumes can be bought. Of books
in the higher ranges of pure literature in French, German, Rus-
[48]
sian and other foreign languages only a limited selection can
be made. Duplications as a rule must be avoided. If the books
of a given writer are bought as they appear from time to time,
the purchase of collected editions must often be deferred on
account of lack of funds. Obviously, gaps will be found in the
collections, which under other circumstances would not exist, and
which to one unacquainted with our limitations seem unexplain-
able.
A library, limited in this way, although it may deplore the
necessity, must leave to other and more richly endowed institu-
tions, — more richly endowed, at least, in proportion to the
demand, the establishment of exhaustive collections in fields alien
to its larger constituency. It must leave to libraries which have
specialized in certain departments of literature and which aim
to make such departments complete, the responsibility and the
satisfaction of continuing these distinctive collections; and con-
fine its own purchases to the representative volumes in largest
demand in its own territory, so far as that demand can be gauged.
This can be done with less heart burning now than ever before,
since the inter-library method of lending often enables a library
to obtain for the use of its borrowers a book which it has not been
able to buy, or which it has refrained from buying because some
other accessible library has it. Every library thus limited must
also conserve its resources in co-operation with other libraries in
its vicinity, and thus avoid extensive duplications of purchases
by institutions only a short distance removed from one another.
Notwithstanding the limitations under which we have made our
purchases, as much as possible has been done to make selections
that would meet the widest demand. If any one fails to find here
volumes, which he thinks should have been purchased, he may
bear in mind that to purchase them, other books that someone else
is, no doubt, using with satisfaction (perhaps some that even he
himself wants and fortunately is able to find here), could not
have been bought.
Having said this, I ought also to add that a library like ours
should not neglect the real needs of the scholar. It never has
done so, and our limitations, serious as they are, have not pre-
[49]
vented our retaining a distinctive position, in this respect, among
the Hbraries in this country. The richness of our collections,
notwithstanding gaps, is recognized, and may perhaps be indicated
by the statistics of books borrowed and lent here on the inter-
library loan plan. These are chiefly books required by students
or for special research. For example, we lent last year, as shown
on page 43, 1 ,447 such books on requests from other libraries,
but found it necessary to borrow only 38. Every summer brings
to us students (actively engaged in literary and educational
work), who spend here the vacation period in special literary
research, because they find here books not otherwise available
in the United States.
That the Library might do more, far more, if it had more money
at its disposal, is true. That it ought to have more money is also
true, but, after all, a library which cannot buy everything is to be
judged broadly by what it contains, rather than by the things
it does not contain. And as to the use of a library by scholars,
the scholar should be distinguished from the dilettante.
NOTEWORTHY ACCESSIONS.
The report of Miss Theodosia E. Macurdy, Chief of the
Ordering Department, furnishes the following details as to
important accessions, virtually all of which have been bought
from the income of trust funds:
Prominent among the purchases have been a collection of books chiefly
in the Spanish language, from the library of the late Edward Strobel,
consisting of South American literature, political history and international
law; a collection of books in modern Greek; a collection of English
Hymnals; a series of large wall maps of France, Germany, Eurasia,
Europe and the Pacific Ocean ; 242 photostat copies of the Boston News
Letter from 1 704—1 708 and 1 1 original numbers for the year 1 743; 15
volumes of the Athenian Gazette, or Casuistical Mercury (London),
from 1 690 to 1 694, completing the Library file ; Maryland Archives,
volumes 1 7—34 ; the Annual reports of the New York Zoological Society,
1-19. 1898-1914; a lithograph of the Old South Church, entitled
Recruiting in Boston, 1 862 ; the full orchestral scores in manuscript of
Ponchielli's La Gioconda and Delibes* Lakme; and the following publi-
cations in 21 volumes of the Bibliophile Society: —
The Bibliomania, or Book-Madness, 4 v. ; Charles Dickens and Maria
Beadnall, 1 v. ; Etchings by W, W. Bicknell, after paintings by
[50]
Howard Pyle, 1 v. ; The idylls and epigrams of Theocritus, 3 v. ;
Henry, the leper, 2 v. ; The odes and epodes of Horace, 9 v. ; Polish
letters of Jean Paul Marat, I v.
Among the early American almanacs obtained the following are noted:
An Almanack of the ccelestial motions, aspects and eclipses, &c, for
the Year of Christian /Era, 1713.... By Edward Holyoke.
M.A. . . . Boston: Printed by B. Green, for the Booksellers and
Sold at their Shops, 1713.
An Almanack of ccelestial motions and aspects, for the (Dionysian)
Year of the Christian /Era, 1 7 1 7. . . . By Daniel Travis. Boston:
Printed by B. Green, for the Booksellers, and sold at their Shops.
1717. The accession of this almanac gives the Library a consecutive
file from 1716 to 1723. (The file from 1707 to 1712, with the
exception of 1708, is also consecutive.)
An Almanack of the ccelestial motions, aspects and eclipses, &c. For
the Year, Christian /Era 1718. . . . By Thomas Paine, B.A. Im-
primatur Samuel Shute. Boston : Printed by T. Crump, for the Book-
sellers, and Sold at their Shops. 1718.
The New-England Diary: or. Almanack for the year of our Lord
Christ 1 736. ... By a Native of New England. . . . Boston,
in New England, Printed by T. Fleet, for the Booksellers, and sold
at their Shops. 1 736. . . . This makes the file of Bowen almanacs
consecutive from 1 723—1 737. Bowen almanacs were published from
1722-1738.
An Astronomical Diary ; or. Almanack for the Year of our Lord, 1757;
... By George Wheten, Philom. . . . Boston: Printed and sold
by Edes and Gill, at their Office, next to the Prison in Queen-Street,
Other accessions of individual importance include:
Alcalde del Rio, Hermilio, and others. Les cavernes de la region canta-
brique (Espagne). Monaco. 1911. Illus. Plates. Map. Plans.
(Peintures et gravures murales des cavernes paleolithiques.)
Bannister, Henry Marriott, editor. Monumenti Vaticani di paleografia
musicale latina. Lipsia. 1913. Facsimiles. Music. Atlas, 1 30
plates. (Codices e Vaticanis selecti phototypice expressi. Vol. 12.)
A history of the development of mediaeval musical notation.
Barratt, Thomas J. The annals of Hampstead. London. 1912. 3 v.
Illus. Portraits. Facsimiles. Maps.
Begni, E., and others, editors. The Vatican: its history — its treasures.
New York. (1914.) Illus. Portraits. Maps. Plan. Facsimiles.
Bell, Gertrude Lowthian. Palace and mosque at Ukhaidir. A study
in early Mohammadan architecture. Oxford. 1914. Illus. Plates.
Plans. Maps. Facsimiles.
[51]
Capitan, Louis, and others. La caverne de Font-de-Gaume aux Eyzies
(Dordogne). Planches et figures par H. Breuil. Monaco. 1910.
Illus. Plates. Plan. (Peintures et gravures murales des cavernes
paleoHthiques.)
Bullock, Albert E. Grinling Gibbons and his compeers. Illustrated
by the principal carvings in the churches of Saint James's, Piccadilly,
and Saint Paul's Cathedral. London. 1914. Illus. 61 plates.
Catholic Church, The, in the United States of America. Undertaken
to celebrate the golden jubilee of His Holiness Pope Pius X. Vols.
1-3. (to be continued). New York. (1912-14.) 3 v. Illus.
Portraits. Plates.
Caxton Club Publications. Joutel's Journal of La Salle's last voyage.
A reprint (page for page and line for line) of the first English trans-
lation, London, 1714; with the map of the original French edition,
Paris, 1713, in facsimile; and notes by Melville B. Anderson. Chi-
cago. 1 896.
Dreger, Moriz. Josef Fuhrich. Wien. 1912. Text: Portraits.
Plates, some colored. Facsimiles. Atlas: 60 plates.
Eyton, Thomas Campbell. Osteologia avium; or, a sketch of the oste-
ology of birds. (And, Supplement 1 , 2.) London. 1867—75. 3 v.
in 1. Plates.
Ffoulkes, Charles John. Decorative ironwork from the Xlth to the
XVIIIth century. London. (1913.) Illus. Plates.
Focard, Jacques. Paraphrase de I'astrolabe, contenant: Les principes
de geometric. La sphere. L'astrolabe, ou, declaration des choses
celestes. Le rairoir du monde, ou, exposition des parties de la terre.
A Lyon, par lean de Tovrnes. M.D.XLVI. Illus. Plates. Dia-
grams. Vignettes.
Grohman, William Alfred Baillie-. Sport in art. An iconography of
sport during four hundred years. London. (1913.) Illus., some
colored. Facsimiles,
Hunter, Frederick William. Stiegel glass. Illustrated ... by J. B.
Kerfoot. . . . Boston. 1914. Illus. Plates, some colored. Maps.
Facsimiles. One of an edition of 420 copies.
Keats, John. The Keats letters, papers and other relics forming the
Dilke bequest in the Hampstead Public Library, reproduced in collo-
type facsimiles, edited by G. C. Williamson. London. 1914. Plates.
Kingman, Ralph Clarke. New England Georgian architecture: measur-
ed drawings with full size details. New York. 1913. 55 plates.
Lauer, Philippe. Le palais de Latran: etude historique et archeologique.
These pour le doctorat presentee a la Faculte des lettres de Paris.
Paris. 1911. Illus. Plates. Map. Plans. Facsimiles.
Le Lieur, Jacques. "Le livre enchaine," ou livre des fontaines de Rouen,
manuscrit de la Bibliotheque de Rouen, 1524—1525, public integrale-
[52]
ment par Victor Sanson. Rouen. 1911. 2 v. Text: G)at of arms.
Illuminated initials and borders. Facsimiles. Atlas: 83 plates, 79
colored.
Lydekker, Richard. Animal portraiture, being fifty studies by Wilhelm
Kuhnert, accompanied by a series of original articles by R. Lydekker.
London. (1912.) Colored plates.
Livingston, Luther S. Franklin and his press at Passy. An account of
the books, pamphlets, and leaflets printed there, including the long-lost
•Bagatelles.' New York. The Grolier Club. 1914. Illus. Por-
trait. Facsimiles.
McKay, William, and W. Roberts. John Hoppner, R. A. New edition,
with supplement and index. London. 1914. Portraits. Plates.
Malaguzzi Valeri, Francesco. La corte di Lodovico il Moro. La vita
privata e I'arte a Milano nella seconda meta del quattrocento. Milano.
1913. Illus., some colored. Portraits. Facsimiles.
Melonyav, Dezso. A Magyar nep Muveszete. Budapest. Franklin-
Tarsulat. 1907-1912. 4 vols. Illus. Plates. Quarto. (Fine
arts, industrial arts, costume and architecture of Hungary.)
Mucha, Alphonse. Documents decoratifs. Paris. (1914.) 72
plates.
New England Primer. 1 787. The New-England primer improved, for
the more easy attaining the true reading of English. To which is
added, the Assembly of Divine's catechism. Boston: Printed and
sold by the book-sellers. 1 787. Illus. Portrait.
New England Primer, enlarged and improved: or, an easy and pleasant
guide to the art of reading. Adorned with cuts. Also, with the
catechism. Newburyport. Printed by John Mycall, for John Boyle,
Marlborough St. , Boston. (1790?)
Nicholson, Edward Williams Byron. Early Bodleian music. Intro-
duction to the study of some of the oldest Latin musical manuscripts
in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. London. 1913. 71 facsimiles.
(This work forms a complement to Sir John Stainer's Early Bodleian
music. )
Richardson, A. E. Monumental classic architecture in Great Britain
and Ireland during the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries. London.
(1914.) Illus. Plates. Plans.
Rodin, Frangois Auguste. Les cathedrales de France. Introduction par
Charles Morice. Paris. 1914. 100 plates.
Smith, Harry Bache. A sentimental library. Comprising books formerly
owned by famous writers, presentation copies, manuscripts, and drawings.
Collected and described by Harry B. Smith. Privately printed.
(New York.) 1914. Portraits. Plates, some colored. Facsimiles.
[53]
Sprengel, Matthias Christian. Ueber den jetzigen nordamerikanischen
Krieg und dessen Folgen fiir England und Frankreich. Leipzig.
1782.
Steinmann, Ernst. Die Porlraitdarstellungen des Michelangelo. Leipzig.
1913. Illus. Portraits. 107 plates. (Roemische Forschungen der
Bibliotheca Hertziana. 3.) No. 9 of an edition of 300 copies.
Verneuil, P. Encyclopedie artistique et documentaire de la plante.
Aquarelles de A. Bailly, Colmet d'Age, de Schryver, Habert Dys,
Vedy, etc. Dessins de Mucha, Meheut, Barberis, etc. . . . Paris.
(1914.) 4 V. Plates, some colored.
Willmott, Ellen. The genus Rosa. Drawings by Alfred Parsons.
London. 1910—14. 2 v. Illus., many colored.
Zimmermann,. Ernst Albert. Chinesisches Porzellan. Leipzig. 1913.
Text. Atlas, 1 40 plates, some colored. 3 tables.
GIFTS.
The gifts received during the year, from 3761 donors, numbered 8791
volumes, 1 6,560 serials, 313 photographs and 81 newspaper subscriptions.
The foUovsnng list represents the gifts of importance received; except as
otherwnse noted, the givers are residents of Boston:
American Book Company. Six volumes of juvenile text-books.
Andreas, William D., Cambridge. Boston Museum and Park Theatre
Programmes, 1898—1913, and other material relating to the stage.
Andrews, Mrs. Judith W., Estate of, through Clement Walker Andrews.
394 volumes, 154 periodicals, 47 dramas and librettos, also 33 photo-
graphs and a collection of sheet music.
Benton, Josiah H. One hundred and eighty-five volumes, three mounted
photographs and 50 post cards (Swiss views).
Berlin Photographic Company, New York City. Catalogues of exhibitions
of paintings, drawings, etc., with introduction and appreciation by
Martin Birnbaum.
Bemardy, Miss Amy, and the Italian Consul-General. Forty-five books
in Italian for the North End Brahch.
Boston, City of. Assessing Department. 349 volumes giving the value
of real estate in the City of Boston.
Boston Art Commission. Sixteen photographs of sculpture.
Boston Browning Society. Twenty-three volumes for the Browning Col-
lection.
Brackett, Miss Harriet. Sixty volumes, chiefly Italian literature, 33 guide-
books, 1 4 volumes of music and 48 pieces of sheet music. For North
End Branch.
British Museum. Coptic Martyrdoms, etc., in the dialect of Upper Egypt.
Coptic Apocrypha in the dialect of Upper Egypt.
[54]
Catalogue of the Cuneiform tablets in the Kouyunjik Collection —
Supplement by L. W. King.
The Book of the Dead — Facsimiles of the Papyri of Hunefer, Anhai,
Kerasher, etc. Transcripts and translations by E. A. Wallis Bud^e.
Brown, Allen A. 171 volumes of music, 4 1 programmes, 4 photographs,
23 volumes for the Brown Dramatic Collection and $50. in part pay-
ment of two Opera Scores.
Brown, Arthur K. Four volumes of portraits of musicians, collected and
mounted by Mr. Brown for the Brown Dramatic Collection.
Carr, Samuel. Programmes of Easter, Christmas, and other special
services, at the Old South Church, Boylston Street, Boston, from April
2, 1884, the date of the installation of George A. Gordon, D.D., to
and including Easter Sunday, April 3, 1904. Samuel Carr, organist
and director of music at the Old South Church, April 1 884 - April
1904.
Club of Odd Volumes. Exhibition — Prints, playbills, advertisements
and autograph letters to illustrate the history of the Boston stage from
1791 to 1825. From the collection of Robert Gould Shaw.
Coolidge, Mrs. J. R. Twenty volumes of miscellaneous works and 1 09
numbers of periodicals.
Dyck, Professor Walther von, Deutsches Museum, Miinchen. Twenty-
four publications of the Deutsches Museum von Meisterwerken der
Naturwissenschaft und Technik.
Elliott, Mrs. Maud Howe. A marble bust of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe,
by Shobal Vail Clevenger.
Fiske, Mrs. Andrew. The original manuscript and pen drawings made by
Mrs. Elizabeth Wells Gallup for "Studies in bi-literal cypher,"
Gay, Frederick L., Brookline. Synopsis medicinae; or, a compendium
of Galenical and chymical physick. By Zerobabel Endecott. Intro-
duced and annotated by George Francis Dow. Salem. 1914. One
of an edition of 200 copies. From an unpublished manuscript dated
1677.
Great Britain. Patent Office. Ninety-five volumes of specifications and six
volumes relating to Patents.
Hale, Philip. Five volumes of music, also five volumes for the Brown
Dramatic Collection.
Hersey, Miss Heloise. Thirty volumes, miscellaneous works and seventy-
seven pamphlets relating to Vassar College.
Hills, Frederick S., Albany, N. Y. A complete set of "Men of
New York State," in 74 parts. ( Biographies with portraits. ) Edited
by the Hon. James H. Manning.
Johnson, John G., Philadelphia. Catalogue of a collection of paintings
and some art objects. 3 volumes. 1 . Italian. 2. Flemish and
Dutch. 3. Modern. [Owned by John G. Johnson.] Philadelphia.
1913.1914. Plates. One of an edirion of 300.
[551
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company. Thirty-four volumes, text-books,
for the Teachers' Reference Collection.
l^ughlin, Mrs. John F. One hundred and fourteen volumes of mis-
cellaneous work', including a number of text-books.
Marion, Mrs. Horace E. One hundred and forty-seven mounted photo-
graphs, miscellaneous foreign view^s, and the Century gallery of one
hundred portraits. For Brighton Branch.
Massachusetts Historical Society. Photostat reproductions of 1 7 numbers
of the Boston Weekly Newsletter for the year 1 743. Twenty-three
photostat reproductions of broadsides and one of Bonner's Map of the
Town of Boston.
Morgan, J. Pierpont, New York City. Babylonian records in the Library
of J. Pierpont Morgan. Part 3. New York. Privately printed.
1914.
Perry, Thomas Sergeant. Eighteen volumes, including a number of
Russian works.
Richards, Miss Elise E. Thirty-six volumes of The Boston Transcript.
1830-1847.
Ross, Mrs. W. O. Thirty-one volumes of miscellaneous works and 41
numbers of periodicals.
Saltonstall, John L. Reminiscences of the Civil War and autobiography
of WilHam Gurdon Saltonstall. Boston. Privately printed. 1913.
Sampson & Murdock Company. Eighty-five directories of cities and
towTis in the United States and Canada.
Shaw, Robert G. Forty-one concert programs, 1865—1871.
Smith, Mrs. Charles C. Ninety-three books and pamphlets and 202 num-
bers of periodicals.
Tileston, Mrs. John B. Thirty-nine volumes, including "Histoire de I'Ab-
baye de Port-Royal," in 34 volumes.
Webster, Frank G. Jones, E. Alfred. The old silver of American
churches. Letchworth, Eng. 1913. Illus. Plates. Privately
printed for the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.
White-Smith Music Publishing Company. One volume and ninety-seven
pieces of new sheet music.
Widener, Mrs. George D., Ashbourne, Penn. A catalogue of the books
and manuscripts of Robert Louis Stevenson in the Library of the late
Harry Elkins Widener. Privately printed. 1913.
THE CATALOGUE DEPARTMENT.
During the year, under the direction of Mr. S. A. Chevalier,
Chief of the Catalogue Department, 72,555 volumes and parts
of volumes, including 5 1 ,871 different titles have been catalogued
[56]
or re-catalogued. Hie usual comparative table presents the
details :
VOLS. AND VOLS. AND
PARTS. PARTS.
Catalogued (new): 1913-14. 1914-15.
Central Library Catalogue . . 17,422 12,244 22.017 20,614
Serials 6,687 5,929
Branches 17,624 15,594 28,293 24,046
Re-catalogued 15.931 9,468 16,316 7,211
Totals 57,664 37,306 72,555 51.871
There have been 261 ,685 catalogue cards added to the public
catalogues (226,228 at Central) during the year. Within a
few days after the receipt of every new bound book a temporary
card is filed in the Bates Hall Public Catalogue, under the name
of the author, so as to make the book available to public use with-
out delay. Later, this temporary card is replaced by the usual
permanent author and title and subject card.
A large number of subject headings in the card catalogues have
been revised, sub-divided and made more convenient for consulta-
tion. This work proceeds from year to year, and old cards,
long in use, made up by titles clipped from the old printed
catalogues and pasted on the cards, are continually being replaced
by new printed cards, in more legible type.
The new and enlarged edition of the Catalogue of our valuable
and extensive collection of books relating to Architecture and
allied subjects, in process for some months, has been completed
and issued in print, the revision of the sheets, as they passed
through the press, being in charge of Miss Mary H. Rollins.
Of the Allen A. Brown Music Catalogue, Part 1 of Volume
3 has been published, and Part 2 is nearly all in type. This
will complete the main body of this important work, but Part 3
will consist of a Supplement to cover the many titles which have
accumulated during printing.
The preparation of a Card Catalogue for the Allen A. Brown
Dramatic Collection has been finished, and virtually all the
titles in our general collection of dramatic literature, by authors
or on subjects represented in the Brown Collection, have been
copied in anticipation of the printed catalogue which we propose
to publish. Many eighteenth century pamphlets relating to
[57]
matters of controversy upon dramatic subjects and which have
never been separately catalogued previously, will be included.
A catalogue of American periodicals relating to history, con-
sisting of about 15,000 titles, in preparation by Mr. William Ab-
batt, has, in co-operation with other libraries, been examined, and
the titles checked so as to indicate those possessed by our Library.
Also, as a work of library co-operation, facilities have been
extended to Mr. T. J. Homer, for the inclusion of such material
as we possess in a list he is preparing of the periodical literature
to be found in all the libraries in this vicinity. This list has now
advanced as far as the letter H.
Much other work of revision and re-cataloguing of certain
special collections has been carried on during the year, in order
to promote the convenient use of the books. Many works in
the general collection have been transferred to special collections
for greater safety and convenience. In such cases, new catalogu-
ing and recording is necessary. It will be apparent, therefore,
that a great deal of work falls upon the Catalogue Department
that is not represented merely by the number of new books
catalogued.
Various periodicals, bibliographies, publishers lists and sale
catalogues are continually under examination by Mr. Murdoch,
Dr. Muss-Arnolt, Mr. Taylor, and others members of the staff,
in anticipation of selections for purchases.
SHELF DEPARTMENT.
The usual Shelf Department statistics follow, from the report
of Mr. W. G. T. Roffe, in charge:
Placed on the Central Library shelves during the year:
General collection, new books (including continuations) .... 20,653
Special collections, new books ........ 2,801
Books reported lost or missing in previous years, but now found, transfers
from branches, etc. .......... 1 ,990
25,444
Removed from the Central Library shelves during the year:
Books reported lost or missing, condemned copies not yet replaced, trans-
fers, etc 10,635
Net gain. Central Library 14,809
Net gain at branches (including reading-room stations) .... 16,790
Net gain, entire library system ......... 31,599
[58]
The total number of volumes available for public use at the
end of each year since the formation of the Library is shown in
the following statement:
1852-53
1853-54
1854-55
1855-56
1856-57
1857-58
185&-59
1859-60
1860-61
1861-62
1862-63
1863-64
1864-65
1865-66
1866-67
1867-68
1 86^-69
1869-70
1870-71
1871-72
1872-73
1873-74
1874-75
1875-76
1876-77
1877-78
1878-79
1879-80
1880-81
1881-82
1882-83
1883-84
\'^olumes in entire library system ....
In the branches and reading-room stations .
These volumes are located as follows:
9,688
1884-«5
16.221
1885 .
22.617
1886 .
28,080
1887 .
34,896
1888 .
70,851
1889 .
78.043
1890 .
85,031
1691 .
97.386
1892 .
105,034
1893 .
110,563
1894 .
116,934
1895 .
123.016
1896-97
130,678
1897-98
136,080
1898-99
144,092
1899-00
152.796
1900-01
160,573
1901-02
179,250
1902-03
192,958
1903-04
209,456
1904-05
260.550
1905-06
276,918
1906-07
297,873
1907-08
312,010
1908-09
345,734
1909-10
360.963
1910-11
377.225
1911-12
390,982
1912-13
404,221
1913-14
422,116
1914-15
438,594
Central Library .
828,342
Brighton
19,690
Charlestown
15,515
Codman Square
4.842
Dorchester .
20.338
East Boston
16.751
Hyde Park .
27.181
Jamaica Plain
15.336
North End .
5.337
Roxbury Branch:
Fellowes Athenaeum 2
9,118
Owned by City
8.218
Total, Roxbury Branc
.h
37.336
South Boston
17.327
South End .
16,509
Upham's Comer
8.562
West End .
17.756
"West Roxbury
9.243
Lower Mills (Station A) .
Roslindale (Station B)
Mattapan (Station D) .
Neponset (Station E) .
Mt. Bowdoin (Station F) .
Allston (Station G) .
Mt. Pleasant (Station N) .
Broadway Ext, (Station P)
Warren St. (Station R) .
Roxbury Crossing (Station S)
Boylston Sta. (Station T) .
Andrew Square (Station Y)
Orients Heights (Station Z)
City Point (Station 23)
Parker Hill (Station 24) .
Faneuil (Station 25) .
453.947
460,993
479,421
492.956
505.872
520.508
536.027
556.283
576.237
597.152
610,375
628.297
663.763
698.888
716.050
746.383
781.377
812,264
835,904
848,884
871,050
878,933
903,349
922,348
941 ,024
961,522
987.268
1.006.717
1,049,011
1,067.103.
1.098.702
1,098.702
270.360
856
7,406
987
1,369
4.769
2,064
2,213
3,160
2.017
1.664
1,982
2,038
2.010
3,044
1,376
1.682
[59]
Net gain at Central Library 14,809
Net gain at branches and reading-room stations ...... 16,790
Net gain, entire library system 31,599
CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT, CENTRAL LIBRARY.
During the year 79,003 books were lent from the Children's
Department, at the Central Library, for use outside the building.
This number is included in the figures of total circulation given on
pages 40-4 1 , and is shown separately here, to indicate the large
use of the Department. An increase is recorded of 1 0,396 vol-
umes over the number issued in the preceding year.
It may be interesting to note that of the total "home use" circu-
lation at the Central Library, 20 per cent is through the Children's
Department. At the branch libraries slightly more than 50 per
cent of the entire circulation is for juvenile readers. Much of
their reading is recreative, but no inconsiderable part of it is
educational. A large amount of reference work is done with
children, and in connection with the preparation of study courses.
The introduction of commercial subjects in the schools has
required changes in the reference work, reflected in the demand
for elementary books on such topics as the tariff, finance, indus-
trial processes, food products, transportation, etc. Books on the
civil service and on other vocational opportunities are also in
request. The ability to deal, intelligently, with such reference
work, and to help pupils, who are sent to the Library by teachers,
requires familiarity with the general collection as well as with
the books reserved in the Children's Department. It requires
also, wider knowledge on the part of the attendants. The aim,
of course, is to so direct the children who are seeking aid, that they
may themselves acquire the proper method of literary research,
and gain facility in selecting the important facts.
The Custodian of the Department, Miss Alice M. Jordan,
has, during the year, given talks on the use of the Library to
classes from the schools, besides addresses, upon request, before
teachers, clubs, parents' associations, and other organizations, —
all in relation to the educational work in which this Library,
through its Children's Department, so effectively co-operates.
[60]
Under the Custodian's direction a short list of books for vacation
reading was issued, and also a list of 1000 titles prepared by
request of the National Congress of Mothers, which has been
printed by the Bureau of Education.
Through the kindness of Professor Sargent of the Arnold
Arboretum the Children's Department and some of the branches
are receiving specimens of trees and shrubs, in bud, in blossom,
and in fruit. These specimens include those of native growth, as
well as examples of rare and beautiful importations and they are
not only ornamental but are instructive to the careful observer.
By this co-operation, the Arnold Arboretum hopes to make
itself more widely known and more fully enjoyed by our
citizens, and the Children's Department is enabled to stimulate
the wider interests of its visitors.
The Teachers' Reference Collection, placed in one of the
rooms of the Children's Department at the Central Library, is
constantly used. In this room, also, reserves of books are placed
for use in connection with the University Extension Courses. Re-
serves are now made for teachers of manual training. The im-
portant educational periodicals (for the use of teachers) are
also currently filed here.
Concerning the enlarged use of this room. Miss Jordan, in
her annual report, remarks:
The use of the books and periodicals has very largely increased during
the year and the increase in the number of readers has been followed by an
increase in the amount of reference work required. This work demands a
specialist in educational subjects. It pertains to material required for the
discussion of specific problems, dealing with methods of teaching different
subjects in the school curriculum, with the matter of discipline, with school
extension, and similar subjects. From the questions asked daily the follow-
ing topics have been selected, as representative of the information constantly
desired :
Grading and promotion of pupils.
Methods of disciplining children in the kindergarten and primary grades.
The teaching of eugenics in schools and colleges.
Agricultural education.
Teaching children the use of money.
The Binet texts.
Development of the public school system.
Books on sand gardens, open air schools, continuation schools.
[61]
Psychology of the relation of man to man.
Methods of teaching children to read.
Froebel on playgrounds.
BATES HALL.
By the report of Mr. Oscar A. Bierstadt, Chief of the Refer-
ence Department, the use of the reference collection, and the
demand of readers for books to be used in Bates Hall continues
to increase. It is worth noting, as he points out, that the collec-
tion reserved on the open shelves here, about 10,000 volumes,
carefully selected to cover different departments of literature,
would, of itself, be a valuable library if considered independently,
TTiese books are open to use without formality. Besides this
informal use 683,000 slips have been required by requests for
books from the stacks for use at the Bates Hall tables.
At the reference desk in the public catalogue room the attend-
ants are constantly occupied in assisting readers, in directing
attention to the best books covering a great variety of subjects,
and in answering reference questions, both directly and through
correspondence.
Our custom of assembling in Bates Hall, in prominent position
near the Centre Desk, books relating to important subjects of
current interest, is appreciated by the public, and many readers
use these books who would not otherwise find access to them.
Recent reserves of this kind related to affairs in Mexico, and to
the European war.
THE SPECIAL LIBRARIES.
The Special Libraries, so-called, include all the departmental
collections at the Central building, which relate to the Fine
(and technical) Arts, i.e., painting, sculpture, architecture (with
the allied subjects of design and building technique) , landscape
architecture (with city and town planning, garden design, etc.) ;
the Allen A. Brown Music Collection; The Barton-Ticknor
libraries (with the Barton collection of Shakesperiana, and the
George Ticknor collection of Spanish literature) ; the Allen
[62]
A. Brown Dramatic Library; the Galatea Library (relating
especially to the modern progress of woman) ; the Prince Library
(rare Americana) ; the Artz collection (mainly poetry) ; the
Bowditch collection relating to mathematics; the Browning Li-
brary; and other special collections.
In order that the widest possible publicity may be given to the
facilities which the Library offers through this group of special
libraries, I repeat what was said in the report for 1913:
The valuable books in this group are especially used by scholars and
students engaged in literary research. Many of the volumes can be found
in no other library in this country and the reading tables in the Barton
Gallery are in constant use under reservation by authors, educators, and
others who find in this retired reading-room the quiet and privacy necessary
to their work. In the Fine Arts reading-room the tables are usually fully
occupied, and the considerable number of books on open shelves are
freely used, as in Bates Hall. The West Gallery leading from this
reading-room is especially devoted to reservations for classes from the
schools of art and design, to various other study classes, and to con-
ferences in connection with the University Extension Courses. In the
Allen A. Brown Music Room, students of music find material obtainable
in no other place. The entire work of the Special Libraries is in the
highest sense educational, and the training and experience of the attendants
is an essential element in the effective public service which is given in these
rooms.
Mr. Frank H. Chase, Custodian, presents in his report the
statistical data from which the following details are extracts:
FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT.
The direct circulation from this Department for use outside
the building (included in the home use circulation, pages 40—41 )
was 22,071 volumes, compared with 20,668 volumes thus
circulated in 1913.
The circulation of pictures sent out as aids in study, and cover-
ing a variety of subjects, is shown below:
PORTFOUOS
BORROWERS. ISSUED.
Public schools ............ 2,238
Private schools ........... 45
Clubs 13
Classes ............. 23
Sent to branches for exhibition or study 241
Miscellaneous ............ 172
2,732
[63]
This number of portfolios compares with 2,5 1 1 the number
sent out in 1913.
BARTON-TICKNOR ROOM.
Barlon-Ticknor books issued ......... 13,444
Maps issued ............ 956
Books from other departments, issued for readers in this room . . . 5,334
ALLEN A. BROWN MUSIC ROOM.
The number of volumes issued for use in this room is 13,268.
The number added to the collection is 368, of which 1 71 were
given by Mr. Brown.
From the Fine Arts Department, 40 volumes have been trans-
ferred to the Music Room shelves, consisting mainly of six-
teenth and seventeenth century treatises, and original editions
of great composers.
Among the more important additions to the collection are:
Orchestral scores of Delibe's opera "Lakme" and Ponchielli's "La
Gioconda;" full scores in autograph manuscripts of Coleridge-Taylor's
"Hiawatha's Wedding- feast;" and C. H. Parry's "Job;" and a duet
for violoncello and contra bass by D. Dragohetti.
MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES OF SPECIAL LIBRARIES.
Visits of Classes.
The number of meetings held by classes and study clubs during
the year is 137, including an attendance of 2,330 members,
besides an attendance of 1 ,060 students in connection with the
University Extension Conferences, or a total of 3,390.
LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS,
The following list includes the free public lectures given at
the Central Library during the year, and also the exhibitions
open to the public at the Central building.
With regard to the Lectures, it should be mentioned that they
have cost the Library nothing, except for the services of a lantern
operator whenever required, the expense of lantern slides (added,
however, to our collection), and a small amount for expense of
[64]
supervision. We are under obligations to the lecturers who have
generously co-operated in our work, by giving their services, and
to the associations who have assisted in the programmes. They
have rendered public service of value. The lectures are educa-
tional ; and audiences totalling for the season upwards of 20,000
persons have attended them.
Lectures.
Note : — All lectures, except those marked with an asterisk, were illustrated with
lantern slides. The afternoon lectures before the Ruskin Club are not
included in the list.
1914
Jan. 1 8. How to enjoy pictures in art and nature. Henry Warren
Poor, M.A.
Jan. 2 ! . Horace's Sabine Farm. Professor E. K. Rand. (Auspices
of Archaeological Institute of America.)
Rome. Cora Slanwood Cobb.
The Stage of To-day.* III. Contemporary Dramatists and
their Plays. Frank W. C. Hersey.
Fertile Argentine and its Vast Patagonian Pampas. Charles
Wellington Furlong, F.R.G.S.
Avignon and Southern France. Mabel Frances Knight.
Style in American Architecture.* Ralph Adams Cram,
James Matthew Barrie, Story-writer and Dramatist.* E.
Charlton Black, LL.D.
Municipal Gymnasiums. Dr. Dudley A. Sargent. (Aus-
pices of Field and Forest Club.)
The Landmarks of Paris : a history in stone. Huger Elliott.
Cleopatra and Her Children.* S. Richard Fuller.
The March of the Turks. I. The Advance, Khiva to
Vienna (1213-1529). Frank H. Chase. Ph.D.
The Stage of To-day.* IV. Contemporary Dramatists
and their Plays (continued). Frank W. C. Hersey.
The Land of William Tell. Francis Henry Wade, M.D.
Das neuere Deutsche Drama* (in German). Edmund von
Mach.
Angels in art. Fraulein Antonie Stolle.
Recent Explorations in South America. Professor Hiram
Bingham. (Auspices of Archaeological Institute of
America.)
Mar. 5. The March of the Turks. II. The armed camp and the
retreat (1529-1913). Frank H. Chase. PLD.
Mar. 8. Reading: The Dreamer, a drama of the life of Joseph, by
Mrs. Percy Dearmer.* Helen Weil.
Jan.
Jan.
22.
25.
Jan.
29.
Feb.
Feb.
Feb
1.
5.
8.
Feb.
9.
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
12.
15.
19.
Feb.
22.
Feb.
Mar.
26.
1.
Mar.
Mar.
2.
5.
[65)
Mar. 9. The Cape Cod Canal. J. W. Miller. (Auspices of Field
and Forest Club.)
Mar. 12. The Great Panama Canal. Charles Mason Fuller, U.S.N.
Mar. 15. Folk Songs of Western Europe.* Henry L. Gideon, with
illustrations by Constance Ramsay Gideon.
Mar. 19. Tyrol. Rev. Leo J. Logan.
Mar. 22. George Washington and the Revolution. John Kennedy
Lacock.
Mar. 26. Some Phases of the Housing Question. Walter H. Kilham.
Mar. 27. German Castles. Dr. Karl O. Bertling.
Mar. 29. The Making of Books before the Days of Printing. William
C. Hamburgh.
Apr. 2. Nooks and Corners of the Old Bay State. John Ritchie, Jr.
Apr. 5. Meunier and Stevens: the artist of labor and the artist of
"fashion." F. Melbourne Greene.
Apr. 1 3. More than a Half Century of Street Railroading in Boston.
Capt. Augustus G. Reynolds. (Auspices of Field and
Forest Club.)
New Zealand, its Scenery and Social Life. Rev. Ralph
Bray. (Auspices of Field and Forest Club.)
American Pageants and Pageantry. William C. Langdon.
(Auspices of Boston Pageant Association.)
Japan Through the Camera. Herbert D. Heathfield. "(Aus-
pices of Field and Forest Club.)
The Possibilities of Pageantry for Holiday Observances.
Frank Chouteau Brown.
Around the Bay of Naples. Cora Stanwood Cobb.
The Music of the Bible.* Louis C. Elson; with musical
illustrations.
Oct. 22. The Battleship: its Evolution from the Nile Boat 2500 years
B.C., to the "North Dakota." Charles Mason Fuller,
U.S.N.
Historic Boston and Vicinity: Colonial and Revolutionary
Landmarks. John Kennedy Lacock.
America — the Triumph of a Great Nation. George N.
Cross, A.M.
Esperanto, the international language ; its principles and uses.*
George W. Lee. (Auspices of New England Esperanto
Society.)
Nov. 1 . John Masefield, "The man of to-day and to-morrow in
poetry."* Anna Johnson, A.M.
Nov. 5. Assisi of Saint Francis. Louis C. Newhall.
Nov. 8. The critic and his tribulations.* Olin Downes.
Nov. 9. Paper-making, ancient and modern. William B. Wheel-
wright.
May
11
June
8.
Oct.
8.
Oct.
11.
Oct.
Oct.
15.
18.
Oct.
25,
Oct.
29.
Oct.
31,
[66]
Nov. 10. Song recital for children.* Mrs. Jessie L. Gaynor and
Miss Rose Gaynor.
Nov. 1 2. Hayti. Roger W. Babson. (Auspices of Field and Forest
Club.)
Nov. 15. Hunting with Canoe and Camera in New Brunswick. W.
Lyman Underwood.
Nov. 19. Russia. John C. Bowker.
Nov. 22. Reading: Monna Vanna, by Maurice Maeterlinck.* Cora
Marceau Holahan. With selections from Henry Fevrier's
opera, rendered by Misses Anna B. Eichhorn, violin;
Florence M. Colby, 'cello; and Eleanor G. Flinn, piano.
Nov. 29. The Library Story Hour: what it is. May W. Cronan.
With illustrative story-telling by Mrs. Cronan and J. J.
Cronan.
Dec. 3. Austria-Hungary. John C. Bowker.
Dec. 6. Lecture Recital: Folk Song and Art Song.* Henry L.
Gideon, A.M. With musical illustrations by Constance
Ramsay Gideon.
Dec. 1 0. Rambles in Quebec and New Brunswick. Guy Richardson.
(Auspices of Field and Forest Club.)
Dec. 1 3. The Country of George Eliot. Charles S. Olcott.
Dec. 1 7. A Horseback Ride Through Greece in the Summer of 1914.
George W. Tupper, Ph.D.
Dec. 20. Lecture Recital: Old Songs of Old France.* A. T. M.
de Andria.
Dec. 27. How to listen to plays.* Alice Howard Spaulding, A.B.
Dec. 31. The Musical Genius of Birds.* Charles Crawford Gorst.
Illustrated by colored bird portraits in enlarged pastels,
and imitations of bird songs.
1915
Jan. 3. Jean Sibelius and His Music* Olin Downes. With musical
illustrations.
Jan. 5. Our Houses, past and present. Mrs. EHzabeth McDonald.
Jan. 7. Chile, the Strait of Magellan, and the Woundrous Fuegian
Archipelago. Charles Wellington Furlong, F.R.G.S.
Jan. 1 0. A tour from Mexico City to Vera Cruz. Lula Blake Hamer.
Jan. 14. Municipal Administration. His Honor the Mayor, James
M. Curley. (Auspices of Field and Forest Club.)
Exhibitions, Central Library.
1914 A. In the Fine Arts Department.
Jan. 19. Modern Rome.
Jan. 26. South America. — Southern France.
Feb. 2. American Architecture.
[67]
Paris.
Turkish Empire. — Foreign Ports.
Switzerland.
Angels in Art.
Church Architecture in Rome.
Drawings in the Uffizi Gallery.
Tyrol.
Garden Cities.
German Castles.
Massachusetts.
Medici Prints (new accessions).
Memorial Exhibition : Books, pictures, and manuscripts illus-
trative of the life and work of William Shakespeare
(bom April 23?. 1564).
French Ironwork.
Etchings by Dwight C. Sturges (lent by the artist).
Pictures appropriate to Memorial Day.
French Sculpture.
Hawaiian types (original photographs lent by Miss M. L.
Millard).
European Travel Posters (lent by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh
Rankin) .
Austria-Hungary and the Balkans.
Architecture of Dalmatia.
Belgium. — Germany. — Russia. — Architecture of Liege.
Pope Pius X. and the Vatican.
Rheims Cathedral.
Japan.
The Bay of Naples.
Historic Boston and Vicinity.
Assisi of St. Francis.
Modern Printing Papers (lent and arranged by Paper-Makers'
Advertising Association).
Russia.
Austria-Hungary.
Canada. — Niagara Falls.
Greece.
Madonnas.
Illuminated manuscripts and Early printed books.
Panoramas of American Scenery.
Parks and playgrounds of Boston. — Illuminations and
miniatures from the Grimany Breviary.
Jan. 14. Italian books of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, con-
taining woodcuts (lent by Wellesley College Library).
Feb.
9.
Feb.
16.
Feb.
23.
Mar.
2.
Mar.
9.
Mar.
15.
Mar.
19.
Mar.
23.
Mar.
27.
Mar.
30.
Apr.
2.
Apr.
20.
May
1.
May
11.
May
25.
June
3.
June
6.
June
15.
July
28.
July
31.
Aug.
12.
Aug.
20.
Sept.
21.
Oct
5.
Oct.
13.
Oct.
19.
Nov.
2.
Nov.
9.
Nov.
16.
Nov.
30.
Dec.
7.
Dec.
14.
Dec.
21.
Dec.
23.
1915
Jan.
1.
Jan.
11.
[68]
1914 B. In Street-Floor Exhibition Room
Jan. 16. Mexico.
June 29. Salem, Massachusetts.
Aug. 1 0. Gardens.
Sept. 9. Maps of the European War Area.
Nov. 2. The Boston Public Library and its Branches.
Nov. 1 1 . Baby-Saving Exhibit (collected and arranged by the Ameri-
can Association for Study and Prevention of Infant
Mortality).
1915
Jan. 1. The Work of the Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona
(lent and installed by the Observatory).
1914 C. In the Music Room.
Sept. II. Memorial Exhibition: "The Star-Spangled Banner."
LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS AT THE BRANCHES.
Besides the Lectures and Exhibitions at the Central Library,
others at the Branch Libraries have been open to the public.
The exhibitions are arranged upon a definite plan of rotation
from branch to branch through the season. The lectures at
the North End Branch, in Italian, under the auspices of the
Boston Branch of the Societa Nazionale Dante Alighieri may
be especially mentioned. Others (in English) have been given
at the Upham's Corner Branch, and the course is to be con-
tinued during the season.
BRANCHES AND STATIONS.
The service required by the public through the Branch Depart-
ment of the Library continues to increase. The Codman Square
Reading Room was designated a branch, November 1, and
there are now, 14 principal branches, and 16 minor branches
(termed for convenience "reading-room stations"), all operated
in unison with the Central Library, by means of a system of daily
vehicle transportation. Subsidiary agencies of distribution with-
in the Branch system have, during the year, included 62 fire
department houses, 38 institutions, and 1 55 public and parochial
schools. The following figures summarize the operations for
the year:
VOLUMES.
Circulation through the branches (recorded also on pages 40-41) . 1,737,920
Gain, as compared with preceding year ....... 149,912
Total cost of operation, chargeable against the City appropriation . $141,107.71
[69]
Unless one comes into direct contact with it, the work of the
Branch Department cannot be appreciated. Through its activi-
ties the facilities of the Central Library, with its valuable collec-
tions of circulating books, are made available in the out-lying
districts of the City, and the various branch collections supple-
ment the Central in bringing the books near to the homes of the
people. Each branch library is the centre of a group of schools,
and it is the especial duty of the custodians to care for the
demand for books from the schools assigned to their districts
respectively. Books are sent to the schools on deposit, by requests
from teachers, through the Branch Department. Special col-
lections of books, required for reference work in connection
with the course of study, are reserved at the branches for the.
use of pupils; pictures are sent directlj'^ from the branches to
the schools, (supplementing the portfolios sent from the Central
Library) ; and the schools are visited periodically for the purpose
of issuing library cards. The Department also arranges for the
deposits of books at various institutions, and the work of inter-
library lending. All this work is likely to increase continuously,
as the demand through the branches increases with the growth
of the City. The space devoted to it at the Central Library
is already outgrown, and no more space is available within the
walls of the present building. The problem of finding addi-
tional room is one that must soon be faced.
The relation of the branches to those who use books is in some
respects closer than that gained through any other function of
the Library. The custodians soon acquire intimate knowledge
of the requirements of the patrons whom they serve. The
branches are centres of comparatively small districts, and this
makes such intimate knowledge possible. The custodians there-
fore are able to observe closely the influence of the Library
upon those who use it, many instances of human interest grow
out of this, and some of them are pertinent here, since they show,
as cannot be shown by figures or by mere didactic statement,
what the Library is doing for the people. In regard to work
with the schools, I quote the following extracts from their reports,
made to Mr. Langdon L. Ward, Supervisor of Branches :
170]
Co-operation between the Library and the schools is very gratifying,
and appreciation of the Library System as a whole is frequently heard.
One teacher has brought members of her class to the reading room
several times. The facilities were informally explained to the pupils as
they examined the books, and the teacher pointed out books desirable for
them to read. The interest of teachers is naturally brought about by the
interest of the Library in the teacher, shown by the excellent circulars and
communications sent from time to time from Central, and by the activity
of the branches and reading-rooms in their respective districts. At the
beginning of each year assistance is offered to the teachers and they are
asked for suggestions that will help us to aid them in their work. Every
two weeks opportunity is given the schools to order picture bulletins. De-
posits of books have been asked for by most of the teachers in the district.
The evening school was visited and registrations taken. The pupils
were all foreigners, who could not read English. Three of the young
men are using the Library now, sending to Central regularly for Polish
books.
We sent what we think was the first deposit taken by a continuation
school in this district. Each teacher has about three hundred different girls
during the week. Many of them became wage earners before they had
formed the reading habit, but now they have an opportunity to con-
tinue the ordinary school courses, to learn a trade which may be in con-
nection with their daily work, or quite outside of it, and to become
acquainted with good books for recreational reading.
The teachers and the pupils of the Parochial High School use the
Library constantly, taking books directly and sending to Central for
books that the reading-room does not possess. All of the teachers have
cards and a few have had deposits of books and pictures. The teachers
in both the high and grammar schools send the pupils here for reference
work, most of which is done during the evening hours. During the early
fall and winter several men preparing for civil service examinations and
others who were taking out naturalization papers used our books. One
man said, "The Library is a blessing to those seeking information and
should be highly appreciated by all."
The purchase, during the year, of about ten thousand volumes
of additional copies of the books in greatest demand at the
branches, has helped to meet the urgent needs of our readers.
Concerning the use of these and other books the custodians
remark :
Our new books are in constant use. I really think that I could use as
many more next year. One book suggests another, and the other may
suggest two more and so on.
[71]
The new German books have pleased several of the older German
people who, although they read English books, do not read them as readily
as they do those in their own native tongue. They are impatient now
for more.
Our reference books have made it easier to obtain information that was
difficult or impossible to find before, such as sketches of some of the
authors who are now writing; and, in the historic reference books which
have just been added, some of the historical references are given much
more in detail than formerly.
It occurred to me in this connection to notice what books our adult
readers had left on the tables at closing time; here is the Hst: Gummere,
Old English ballads; White, The blazed trail; Lawrence, Phillips Brooks;
Marriott, How Americans are governed; Roberts, Heart of the ancient
wood; Giddings, Readings in descriptive and historical sociology; Mintz,
The new American citizen ; Muir, Story of my boyhood and youth ; Cabot,
What men hve by; Scott, Rob Roy; Gibbon, Decline and fall of the
Roman Empire ; Doyle, Sherlock Holmes ; Hill, On the trail of Washing-
ton; Verne, 20,000 leagues under the sea; Annunzio, Laudi del cielo.
More books of modem poetry and drama seemed desirable and in.
order to estimate whether such books would be read in this district or
not, we obtained from Central a deposit of such books. Of the poems
some would suit an average reader, some would only appeal to students.
The collection as a whole was well used. It led to suggestions and com-
ments, which will be helpful in selection, and during the six months the
books were here every book, except four, has been issued at least once.
I cannot make too emphatic the need for books in easy English. As
I have so often reiterated in my reports, the foreigners need them as a
help in learning English, the teachers require them for deposit, and the
children urgently ask for them for their younger brothers and sisters. I
wish we might have at least a dozen copies of every such book in print.
The first book asked for by a new Italian reader was Tasso's Jerusalem
Delivered. The first books called for by foreigners who can read in
English are quite hkely to be "A Hfe of George Washington," or "A
history of the United States."
Concerning the use of pictures in circulation from the branches,
a custodian says:
Personal experience teaches us that a picture is often the starting point
of independent research work. An interesting proof of this latter state-
ment was encountered among the children last fall. A set of bird pictures
stimulated among the young people an interest in the common birds of
the neighborhood, and for a time Chapman's bird book was in great demand.
Some of the girls who had been in the habit of getting pictures from
us while in the grammar schools, have, since reaching the Girls' High
[72]
School, continued the practice, and are how coming in almost daily to get
material to illustrate their lessons in biology. A set showing enlarged
pictures of insects as well as other sets on ants and bees have been used
by the class.
To show the character of the requests I will take those for the month
October — November, which are fairly representative.
Myths. Trees. Birds.
Animals (4) Ducks and geese. Eskimos.
Indians (3) Holland. United States.
Miscellaneous (3) Asia (2) Pelican and cormorant.
Valleys and plains. Flowers. Columbus.
China. Desert. Land and water forms
Silkworm. Islands, etc. Pilgrims.
Fairy tales. Butterflies.
Of work which is to a degree co-operative between a branch
and a large industrial establishment which has its own collection
of technical books and periodicals, a custodian remarks:
The company has a large plant in our district, including their Welfare
Buildings which are used by their workmen, wherever employed. A
branch of their central library is one of the features of the plant of
special interest to us. It is a pleasant quiet room already filled with
technical books and magazines. Since their collection is and must be
so complete and up to date we hope the time will come when we can
refer our patrons interested in such subjects to their shelves and have our
library cards honored there. In the meantime, since they have no books
of recreational reading we have been given a section for deposit books
which is filled partly by us, and partly by the Central Library. The
librarians keep a record of the issue of our books. They have also given
us a space on their bulletin board and we intend to keep it filled with Branch
lists and notices so that the employees who live in this section may use the
Branch.
As for the reference work with the public at the branches,
and our relations with the public gained by such work, Mr.
Ward, says:
The thirty branches and reading-rooms of the Library are now fairly
well equipped for popular reference work. The collections of books
have been built up year by year in response to the actual demand, so that
even the smaller reading-rooms have not only the obvious reference books,
but a moderate supply of anthologies, histories, biographies, geographical
readers, scientific manuals, etc.
As to the kind of reference work, it varies widely with the constituencies.
An attempt is made to meet conditions as they exist at each place. In
general the reference work of the branches may be described as follows:
[73]
There are first of all questions from grammar school pupils, then the
less simple questions from the high schools. Next the inquiries from
college students living in the district, from men studying at evening classes
and at home, from teachers, physicians, nurses, writers, engineers, elec-
tricians, plumbers, motormen, conductors, post office clerks, candidates for
civil service examinations, from women's clubs, travel clubs, mission study
clubs, and many more groups or classes. Since all these depend upon the
Branch for help it follows that the inquiries cover nearly every kind of
subject. The branch may not always have the best material, but it will
usually have something on a given subject.
An important feature of this reference work is that the branches may
obtain within a few hours, through the daily delivery of books from
the Central Library, material which is not on their own shelves. That
is, the resources of the great Central collection of books are available
for use at a branch, or for home use, and a card holder seven miles
away from the Central Library may receive a book within twenty-four
hours, exactly as if he had presented his call slip at the delivery desk in
person. It is through this daily interchange, also, that reference questions
are sent to the Central Library.
Boston has several large private technical schools, and in the public
schools the recent increase in courses in the practical arts has been marked.
Consequently there has been a growing demand for books and information
on scientific rather than hterary subjects, and our branch collections
of books for reference have been strengthened, year by year, to meet
these conditions.
Upon this phase of their work the custodians also make interest-
ing comments. Of these I quote as follows:
I am glad to report that there are now more adult readers than ever
before. There are also many students, normal school pupils, teachers
from high emd grammar schools.
High school pupils require assistance through reference books for home
use lessons on studies in the school curriculum, and make extensive use of our
excellent collection of supplementary reading-books, which has been built
up for this purpose, and in which are many duplicates of books most in
demand.
Grammar school subjects range from a grain of wheat to the building
of a locomotive, or a great city factory and its method of operation. The
pupils range from the child of nine who asks "What can you show me
about Sammy Adams," to the member of the rapid advancement class
who wants a volume of comprehensive history, Tylor's Anthropology,
Lowell on government, or a book on international law. Reference work
has taken a new trend which requires progressive ideas and material to
cope with its demands. Science and practical subjects have come forward
with the advent of the newer ideas of vocational and practical education.
[74]
and predominate in the daily aid given. I am asked for material on
industrial studies covering food, clothing, housing, modes of travelling,
products of the soil and manufacture, textiles, water and milk supply,
immigration, irrigation, inventions, etc., and especially about new authors
and things of world interest, to the partial exclusion of people and things
of the past, except as they affect present inventions or events.
Our new books have been much used. Some of the more popular
subjects are those of auditing, accounting, book-keeping, business forms,
letter-writing, social functions, civil service, mathematics (including arith-
metic, algebra, geometry, calculus), mechanical drawing, engineering,
electrical engineering, economics, advertising, plumbing, practical trades,
and science.
More than twelve different races are represented in the new borrowers
of the year. The demands are as varied as the nationahties. Books are
wanted in all the various languages, also simple books for foreigners learn-
ing English, recent fiction, standard fiction, biography, Hterature, travels,
sociology, education, vocation and technical books for students in the schools
and for practical workers wanting to pass examinations or to become
more efficient, not to mention books for general reference work in every
subject by all ages and all classes.
The reference work with pupils of the various high schools has shown
a marked increase. There has been considerable change in the class of
subjects on which help has been requested. Formerly they were mostly
literary or historical subjects, now they are questions relating to home
and city hygiene, pure food and milk, child welfare, play grounds, labor
conditions and similar topics. If permanent interest is aroused in these
subjects our future citizens will concern themselves with interests of the
community and work for the common good.
At the North End Branch, by funds supplied by Mrs. James
J. Storrow as a gift to the Library, the previously unoccupied por-
tion of the basement has been finished attractively as a room for
club and class uses, recreational as well as instructive, under
the voluntary direction of the Custodian, but undertaken by her
apart from the routine operation of the Branch. This work,
which arouses the enthusiasm of the young persons who are
engaged in it, is exceedingly interesting; and cannot fail to en-
lage the influence of the Library in this closely populated district.
THE CHILDREN'S STORY HOUR.
The regular work of story-telling to children by a trained
story teller, introduced some years ago has been continued with
[75]
excellent results. With us, this work is intended to be educa-
tional primarily, but that does not prevent its being enjoyable
as well.
Mrs. Cronan, who has charge of it, aims to feach children
between ten and fifteen years of age, and to co-operate with the
Library staff in stimulating a love of reading and the right choice
of books. She says :
We have used stories of Lincoln and Washington, of artists, musicians,
and explorers, and have continued stories of "Ivanhoe," "The Talisman,"
"Lorna Doone." and "Oliver Twist." These all lead to the Library
shelves where the books may be found. We count the results good if
we find these books are in demand. I must confess to an extra glow of
satisfaction when I find boys walking miles and making repeated efforts
to gel some fine book which has been introduced through the Story Hour.
I once thought that with forty children there should be forty copies of
each book ready for them. I have learned that if there are eighty
children and only a few copies of the book, there will be persistent effort,
sustained interest, and much more satisfaction when the book is finally
secured. There is always some other book that can be substituted until
the desired one is gained, and there is a certain ardor resulting from working
and waiting for the book in demand.
The best results, to my mind, do not immediately follow the Story Hour
but are shown months afterwards when the children stand before the Library
shelves and point out the books they have learned to know and love, when
they choose books for other boys and girls and show discrimination in their
choice.
All the results obtained by an hour of recreation may be gained and
much more accomplished if through the Story Hour the children may be
given a kind of "self-help," the ability to choose, the desire to read, books
of value.
I believe the child who has learned to discriminate in his choice of
books and has become an ardent reader, will be likely to be equally dis-
criminating in his choice of other pleasures. If he has learned to delight
in simplicity, honesty, fearlessness and purity in his heroes, he is less likely
to be contents with an unworthy standard in his friends. It is a most
effective method of safeguarding a child from the dangers of his environment
when through the story hour we give him that companionship of books
which Milton calls "intimate knowledge and delight."
I quote also from reports of custodians:
In these few months it has been a great pleasure to the boys, and had
the desired effect of directing the boys' reading to some of the best books,
that they would not have read unless they had heard the stories.
[76]
Every Tuesday evening at about half-past six, a line of eager children
with happy faces begins to form at the door of the children's room near
the lecture-room stairs. There they stand patiently until the doors are
opened and then, showing their cards as tickets of admission, file decorously
down to sit in rapt attention for a full hour while Mr. and Mrs. Cronan
tell of Nils and Roland and Charlemagne and other story-book friends.
The aim has been to introduce the children to some of the greater books.
It has certainly succeeded in making these books popular. Although
we have five copies each of the Wonderful adventures of Nils and
the Later adventures of Nils, none is to be found on the shelf now,
while before the story was told one copy met the demand. At the
end of the hour it is difficult to find on the shelves anything one would
recommend the children to take out, but they industriously make out
sheaves of slips, and are hot discouraged even by repeated failures to
get the coveted books. Every attractive looking book is seized as soon
as it reaches the shelf.
It is a fact borne out by statistics, which were kept on several occasions,
as well as by personal observation, that the children's reading, since the
inauguration of the Story Hour, is of a better quaHty, of a more definite
scope ; and not so often a matter of chance as formerly.
During the summer we took two groups of children to hear stories at
the Art Museum, held under the direction of the Boston Social Union.
This venture proved a distinct success. The children, particularly the
boys, delighted the guide in the Museum by their eagerness and interest.
They surely seemed to get a great deal out of it. Seventy-eight boys and
girls went on the first of these trips, and on the second, there were ninety-
four, which was the largest group they had had at the Museum during the
summer.
REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT.
Mr. John J. Keenan, Chief of the Registration Department,
reports the following statistics relative to the borrowers cards in
force January 1915:
Held by men and boys .......... 45,680
Held by women and girls ........•• 61,783
Held by persons over 1 6 years of age ........ 59,408
Held by persons under 16 years of age ....... 48,055
Pupils' cards (public and parochial schools) ...... 36,018
Students' cards (higher institutions of learning) ...... 28,890
The increase for the year is as follows:
la caids held by men and boys Jl
In cards held by women and girls • • • e'~^^
In cards held by persons over 16 years of age ..... ^'^^
In cards held by persons under 16 years of age ... . . 5'I«?
In cards held by pupils of public and parochial schools .... 2,002
In cards held by students of higher institutions of learning .... 2,578
[77]
The net gain in cards of all descriptions held by borrowers, and
valid for present use was, for the year 10,958; and the total
number of such cards outstanding at the end of the year covered
by this report was 1 07,463.
VARIOUS STATISTICS.
Distribution of Documents.
The usual statistical table follows, showing the distribution
of library publications for the year:
Sent to departments for free distribution 103,693
Sent to departments for sale ......... 342
Free, direct distribution 39,406
Distributed for library use .......... 116
The character of the publications issued during the year, for
the purpose of promoting the convenient use of the Library is
given below.
Publications.
TThe publications for the year, issued under the editorial super-
vision of Mr, Lindsay Swift, include:
Weekly Lists. From Jan. 17, 1914, to Jan. 9, 1915, inclusive (nos.
300—35 1 ) , fifty-two issues, containing 336 pages. The edition
of each issue was 2,500 copies, the total number of pages printed
and issued free was 43,680,000.
Quarterly Bulletin. 3d series, vol. 7, nos. 1—4, inclusive, in March,
June, Sept., and Dec, 1914. The four numbers comprised 456
pages and each issue was in an edition of 2,000 copies. 3,648,000
pages in all, were printed and distributed free.
Aside from the usual titles of new books in the Bulletins, other
matter appeared as follows:
June number: Prospectus of the University Extension Courses,
1914-15.
September number: Programme of Exhibitions at the Central Li-
brary, branches and reading rooms (repeated in part in December
number) ; List of Free Public Lectures (repeated in part in De-
cember number) ; Announcements of Lowell Institute ; and of
University Extension Courses (repeated in part in December
number) .
December number : Lists of books illustrative of the following : Lowell
Institute courses: Professor W. E. Hocking's course on Human
Instincts and their Transformation; Prof. C. H. Haskins's course
on The Normans in European History ; and Prof. Kuno Francke's
course on Personality in German Literature before Luther.
[78]
All bulletins containing announcements of exhibitions and of lectures
given in the Library or in neighboring institutions are in great demand and
the editions are speedily exhausted. Larger editions of the September
and December issues might advisedly be printed.
The Catalogue of the John Adams Library is prepared for the press
and awaits the opportunity for printing.
The Bates Hall Centre Desk, Newspaper and Patent RoomSt
Central Library.
In handling the large number of books brought from the stacks
for the use of readers in Bates Hall it is inevitable that vexatious
delays will sometimes occur. This Library is so planned that
it is at a disadvantage with respect to rapid service in this reading
room as compared with libraries having a central reading-room
immediately connected with the stacks (Library of Congress
plan) or the novel arrangement of a reading-room immediately
over the stacks whereby the books may be lifted directly into the
room (New York Public Library plan). Here the books from
the stacks are first delivered at the main receiving shaft in the
tube room of the Issue Department, and must then be brought by
a page to the reader's table. In busy hours, the service is taxed
to the utmost, and besides this there is sometimes delay due to
the improper operation of the vacuum tubes through which the
call slips are sent to the stacks, or to some other part of the
mechanical appliances upon which we rely. Such troubles are
comparatively infrequent, but they will, of course, occur, and
then occasion much criticism, regardless of the great number of
ordinary cases when no delay is encountered. A complete re-
construction of our tube and carrier system might somewhat short-
en the time of delivery. The expense would be heavy, but
might perhaps be warranted if we had the money which could
be used without regard to more important demands, although,
after all is said, this Library, in the majority of cases, by the
testimony of those of wide experience, serves its readers with
reasonable promptness. Every unsuccessful or delayed appli-
cation for books is immediately investigated when brought to
the attention of the attendants. As stated in a previous report:
[79]
Only a few persons, compared with the large number served daily,
are put to serious inconvenience, but these few instances are re-
gretted. The criticism resulting from them is persistent, while
the thousands of cases in which the book is obtained promptly
pass without comment. Applicants sometimes wait a long time
for a book, and do not report the delay. It would be of assis-
tance if, whenever delay seems unreasonable, it were at once
reported to the desk attendant. Usually, if so reported the
cause may be traced and the delay overcome ; or, if not immedi-
ately overcome, prevented from again occurring.
Sometime ago, an extended test showed that the average delay
in receipt of books, of all kinds, in Bates Hall, some of which
came from remote parts of the stacks, did not exceed ten minutes.
A recent test, covering various hours which were taken at ran-
dom, has shown a similar average. Of schemes that have been
tried for shortening the delay to readers (including direct elec-
tric communication with the stacks from the Centre Desk, by
ingenious apparatus which proved too delicate for our work),
only the introduction of complete indicator service has proved
effective. As explained in the report for 1912 the indicator
record, duplicating that in use in the Issue Department, makes
it possible to determine at once, at the Centre Desk, whether or
not a desired book has already been lent for use out of the build-
ing, sent to the Bindery or otherwise temporarily removed from
its place in the stacks. The settlement of this preliminary ques-
tion, immediately in the Hall, obviates the necessity of waiting for
a similar report from the Issue Department, and the loss of time
occasioned thereby. Those who use the reading-room are learn-
ing the advantage of this, and frequently before filling a call slip,
inquire at the Desk if the book wanted is available. In any case,
if a book asked for is, as shown by the indicator, not available,
report to that effect is at once returned on the call slip, and the
reader may substitute other titles, or need not be disappointed by
long waiting only to find that the book wanted is out. This is of
advantage in a large number of cases, although it will be obvious
that the use of the indicator does not materially shorten the time
of delivery of books which are available. In the case of readers
[80]
who desire to use continuously a considerable number of books
on any subject, delay may be avoided by filing, in advance, a
list of titles. The books will then be assembled on a reserved
table and will be found there at the appointed hour.
The usual statistics, reported by Mr. Pierce E. Buckley,
Custodian, follow:
Centre Desk- The maximum attendance of readers (335 on December
13, at 5 P.M.) exceeds by 32 the maximum reported in 1913. In one
month only, namely July, has the maximum attendance fallen below 125.
Newspaper Room. During the year four papers have been added to
the subscription list, and 1 5 for various reasons dropped ; the number now
regularly available to readers being 312. The attendance in this room
sometimes exceeds the proper limit. This is especially the case on Sundays.
The total number of volumes in the files of bound newspapers is how
7,774. Some indication of the important place these files occupy is given
by the fact that 1 3,603 persons consulted them during the year, using
27,415 different volumes.
We have, during the year, added to the files of early papers various
numbers of the Boston News Letter, Boston Gazette, Massachusetts
Sentinel, Essex Gazette and New London Gazette. And besides these
have received a file of photo-stat copies of the first years of the News Letter
(April 24, 1 704 to April 1 9, 1 708) and also 1 5 numbers of the News-
letter for 1 743.
Patent Room. This, also, is an important department of the Library.
The collection now numbers 13,007 volumes, an increase of 412 for the
year. The recorded use of the room is:
1914-15. 1913-14.
Volumes consulted, as recorded 100.092 97.945
Persons using the collection ....... 13.211 13.430
Besides the recorded circulation, readers, as in other parts of the
Library having open shelves, may take volumes from the shelves without
formality, and, of course, v^thout being counted.
The Periodical Room, Central Library.
The statistical table below shows the number of readers in this
room, at certain hours, in each of two successive years :
1914-15
1913-14
10
12
2
4
6
8
10
A.M.
M.
P.M.
P.M.
P.M.
P.M.
P.M.
9.946
13.998
21.029
26.623
19.894
23.351
8,347
9.933
13.972
20.830
26.483
19.861
23.362
8.314
181]
The use of the bound files, appears in the following table :
1914-15. 1913-14.
Bound volumes consulted during the year, in the day time
(week-days) 33.421 33.228
In the evening or on Sundays 1 2,093 1 1 ,693
Besides the periodicals on general subjects regularly offered
to readers in the Periodical Room others, on special subjects,
may be found in special departments. The distribution of the
entire suscription list, open to readers at the Central Library, is
as follows:
Fine Arts Department and Music Room ....... 125
Newspaper Room ........... 103
Periodical Department . . . . . . . . . . 1,137
Statistical Department 39
Teachers' Reference Room 37
Documents and Statistics.
Mr. Horace L. Wheeler, in charge of the Statistical Depart-
ment, reports that there have been received as additions to this
Department by exchange with and gifts to the collection of the
American Statistical Association held here, 388 volumes and
1,120 pamphlet parts. From regular purchases, 995 volumes
have been added. The total number of volumes in the Depart-
ment is 19,343.
The name "Statistical Department" needs explanation. The
collection includes State, Municipal and United States Govern-
ment reports, and many works on economics, and relating to
social science. Reserves are made here for students of subjects
represented in the collection, and persons seeking statistical in-
formation upon commercial, financial or municipal problems
are frequent visitors. It may afford some indication of the use
of the room, to note that in obtaining answers to reference in-
quiries here, about 12,000 volumes were consulted during the
year; 3,755 volumes were sent out to other departments for use;
1,945 volumes were issued through the Branch and Issue De-
partments for use outside the building, and about 1 ,000 volumes
issued directly from the Department itself for such use.
[82]
Sunday and Evening Service, Central Library.
The average number of books lent on Sundays and holidays,
from the Central Library, for use outside the building was 776
(744 in 1913). The largest number on any single Sunday (or
holiday) was 1,348 (1.259 in 1913). The largest number
of readers present in the Bates Hall Reading Room on any
single Sunday was 335 on December 1 3 (295 in 1 91 3, on Febru-
ary 9).
The Printing Department.
The following table compiled by Mr. Francis Watts Lee,
Chief, presents a comparative statement of the work in the Print-
ing Department in each of two successive years, so far as this
work may be expressed in a statistical statement:
1913-14. 1914^15.
Requisitions on hand at opening of year .... 7 ....
Requisitions received during the year . . . . 172 « 149
Requisitions on hand at end of year . . . . . .... ....
Requisitions filled during the year 179 149
Card Catalogue (Central) :
Titles (Printing Dept. count) 17,844 18.294
Cards finished (excluding extras) 164,335 261,685
Titles in type, but not printed 5,220 1 1 4
Card Catalogue (Breinches) :
Titles (Printing Dept. count) 296 608
Cards (approximately) 16.280 33.440
Pamphlets, not elsewhere enumerated 29,876 24,650
Call slips 186.500 1.228,500
Stationery and blank forms 937,735 814,825
Signc 645 954
Blank books 94 I
The Bindery.
The usual statistical statement as to the work in the Bindery,
based upon the report of Mr. James W. Kenney, Chief, follows:
1913-14. 1914-15.
Number of volumes bound, various styles
Volumes repaired
Volumes guarded
Maps mounted ....
Photographs and engravings mounted
Magazines stitched
Library publications, folded, stitched and trimmed
'38.530
40.633
2.833
3,134
2.284
1.600
311
313
6.694
3.347
217
192
183,423
192.064
183]
EXAMINATIONS.
Examinations for library service were given as follows : Grade
E, May 23, 71 applicants of whom 39 passed; Grade E, Sep-
tember 12, 58 applicants of whom 26 passed; Grade B, October
17, 32 applicants of whom 10 passed; Grade E, January 23,
1915, 108 applicants of whom 74 passed.
CHIEFS OF DEPARTMENTS AND CUSTODIANS OF BRANCHES AND
READING-ROOM STATIONS.
As at present organized, the various departments of the Library
and the branches and reading-room stations are in charge of the
following persons:
Samuel A. Chevalier, Chief of Catalogue Department.
William G, T. Roffe, in Charge of Shelf Department.
Theodosia E. Macurdy, Chief of Ordering Department.
Oscar A. Bierstadt, Custodian of Bates Hall Reference Department.
Pierce E. Buckley, Custodian of Bates Hall Centre Desk, Patent and
Newspaper Departments.
Frank H. Chase, Custodian of Special Libraries.
Barbara Duncan, Custodian of Brown Music Room.
Walter G. Forsyth, Custodian of Barton-Ticknor Room.
Frank C. Blaisdell, Chief of Issue Department.
Langdon L. Ward, Supervisor of Branches and Stations.
Alice M. Jordan, Custodian of Children's Department.
John J. Keenan, Chief of Registration Department.
Horace L. Wheeler, First Assistant, in charge of Statistical Department.
Francis Watts Lee, Chief of Printing Department.
James W. Kenney, Chief of Bindery Department.
Henry Niederauer, Chief of Engineer and Janitor Department.
Marian W. Brackett, Custodian of Brighton Branch.
Katherine S. Rogan, Custodian of Charlestown Branch.
M. Florence Cufflin, Custodian of Codman Square Branch.
EHzabeth T. Reed, Custodian of Dorchester Branch.
Ellen O. Walkley, Custodian of East Boston Branch.
Elizabeth Ainsworth, Custodian of Hyde Park Branch.
Mary P. Swain, Custodian of Jamaica Plain Branch.
Edith Guerrier, Custodian of North End Branch.
Helen M. Bell, Custodian of Roxbury Branch.
Mary J. Minton, Custodian of South Boston Branch.
Margaret A. Sheridan. Custodian of South End Branch.
Josephine E. Kenney, Custodian of Upham's Corner Branch.
[841
Alice M. Robinson, Custodian of West End Branch.
Carrie L. Morse, Custodian of West Roxbury Branch.
Mary A. Hill, Custodian of Station A, Lower Mills Reading Room.
Grace L. Murray, Custodian of Station B, Roslindale Reading Room.
Emma D. Capewell, Custodian of Station D, Mattapan Reading Room.
Mary M. Sullivan, Custodian of Station E, Neponset Reading Room.
Isabel E. Wetherald, Custodian of Station F, Mt. Bowdoin Reading
Room.
Katherine F. Muldoon, Custodian of Station G, Allston Reading Room.
Margaret H. Reid, Custodian of Station N, Mt. Pleasant Reading Room.
Cora L. Stewart, Custodian of Station P, Broadway Extension Reading
Room.
Florence M. Bethune, Custodian of Station R, Warren Street Reading
Room.
Katrina M. Sather, Custodian of Station S, Roxbury Crossing Reading
Room.
Elizabeth P. Ross, Custodian of Station T, Boylston Station Reading
Room.
Edith R. Nickerson, Custodian of Station Y, Andrew Square Reading
Room.
Edith F. Pendleton, Custodian of Station Z, Orient Heights Reading
Room.
Alice L. Murphy, Custodian of Station 23, City Point Reading Room.
Mary F. Kelley, Custodian of Station 24, Parker Hill Reading Room.
Gertrude L. Connell, Custodian of Station 25, Faneuil Reading Room.
EXPENSES OF THE LIBRARY.
The expenses of the Library, paid from the City appropriation,
are shown in detail on the Balance Sheet pages 24-27. To
enable a ready comparison to be made, for two successive years,
the following summary is presented of the various items of
expense :
For salaries:
1913-14.
1914-15.
General administration
$204,809.52
$204,748.05
Sunday and evening force
28.05037
27,642.19
49^9 ft';Q ftO
$232,390.24
1,124.38
From Whitney bibliographic fund
For books:
From City appropriation .
23,707.74
39.673.67
From trust funds income .
15.503.93
9.981.02
From Carnegie gift, for Gala-
tea collection
35.49
58.86
From Sullivan bequest .
394.82
459.80
'iQf.Ai Oft
50,173.35
Carried forward
$272,501.87
$233,687.97
[85]
1913
^14.
1914-15.
Brought forii>ard .
$272,501.87
$233,687.97
For newspapers, Todd fund in
come ....
. $ 2.000.00
$ 1,919.34
Periodicals
7.452.72
7.470.49
Furniture and fixtures .
4.940.28
4,252.45
Gas .....
2.863.10
2.376.38
Electric lighting .
2.890.39
4.699.59
Cleaning ....
9,275.80
11,509.91
Small supplies .
3,890.68
4.127.34
Ice
231.74
216.79
Stationery ....
2,037.58
2.299.74
Rents ....
14.710.64
15.495.67
Fuel
13.268.70
14.225.61
Repairs ....
3.680.40
2.981 .29
Freights and cartage .
1.963.33
1.961.17
Transportation between Centra
and branches .
5.299.20
6.089.60
Telephone service
647.94
950.38
Postage and telegrams .
1.074.00
1,648.12
Typewriting
1625
23.70
Travelling expenses (including
street car fares on library ser-
vice) ....
452.66
313.51
Grounds ....
267.31
165.06
Lecture account (lantern slides
and operator)
259.23
544.85
Miscellaneous expense
764.63
992.81
$77,986.58
djQ/i 'tf.-i on
Printing Department:
4>0*T,Z0^ .OU
For salaries .
7.208.42
6.776.50
Stock ....
2.169.10
2.007.08
Equipment
68.44
1.864.01
Electric light and power .
77.17
102.73
Contract work .
469.52
169.93
Rent ....
450.00
450.00
Freights and cartage
158.20
137.84
Insurance
258.14
254.25
Gas . . . . .
255.92
341.26
Cleaning
153.15
163.15
Small supplies .
74.63
108.98
n. 342.69 ■
io ^71; y-i
Binding Department:
\i;JlJ.l J
For salaries . . . .
29.296.04
28.612.88
Stock ....
3,591.7.1
4.223.06
Equipment . . . .
671.00
Electric light and power .
85.20
"i25!95
Contract work .
9.25
107.87
Rent
1,350.00
1.350.00
Freights and cartage
747.50
696.66
Insurance . . . .
169.50
170.08
Gas . . . . .
55.70
56.01
Cleaning . . . .
155.05
163.15
Small supplies
158.72
69.01
36,289.67 -
le. CIA en
i
JJ,JI1.\3I
Totals . . . .
J398, 120.81
$415,902.17
[86]
The following sub-division of the total expenditures shows
the sources from which the money was derived:
1913-14. 1914-15.
Total expenditures:
From City appropriation . . $380,000.00 $400,000.00
Various credits (balances, pre-
vious year, etc.) . . . 186.57 2,358.77
Trust funds income, gift and
bequest 17.934.24 13,543.40
$398,120.81 $415,902.17
CONCLUSION.
I gratefully acknowledge the efficient assistance rendered by
the Chiefs of Departments and Custodians whose names appear
above, and that of the members of the staff throughout the library
system. I especially record my appreciation of the loyal co-
operation in the work of administration of Mr. Otto Fleischner,
Assistant Librarian.
I have, in previous reports, remarked that in the work of the
Library the personal assistance given by the staff members, of
various grades, who come directly in contact with the public is
invaluable. In the closely populated districts of a large city,
like some of those in which our branches are located, containing
many persons untrained in the use of books, this personal assis-
tance is especially necessary. But in departments of the Central
Library also, where students are seeking the best sources of infor-
mation, or where readers wish to be directed to the best books
on some special subject, nothing can take the place of compe-
tent personal suggestion and advice. This the Library has
always supplied on general and on certain technical subjects,
by the Chief of the Reference Department and by the Custodian
of Special Libraries, with their immediate assistants at the refer-
ence desk in the public catalogue room, and in the Fine Arts,
Music and Barton Rooms. In degree measured only by the
character of the work required, the Chief of the Issue Depart-
ment; the Custodian of the Children's Room; (Including
Teachers' Reference Room) ; the Custodian of the Centre Desk,
Bates Hall; the Assistant-in-charge of the Statistical Depart-
ment; with their assistants (including the periodical, newspaper,
and patent rooms) are always at the service of the public.
[87]
All these Chiefs and Custodians, by special training or by
extended experience, are qualified for this work in their respective
departments, and nearly all of them have been long in the Li-
brary service and know its resources. Inquiries requiring special
knowledge are expected to be made to them directly, rather
than to any minor assistants, and if questions are asked which
do not fall within the province of the department in which the
inquiry is made, as is not unlikely, since no one person can be
expected to know everything, the inquirer will be directed to the
proper department. Reports of dissatisfaction, for any reason,
with the operation of the service, or of failure to obtain the in-
formation desired, are earnestly solicited by the Librarian or
Assistant Librarian, one of whom is accessible without formality,
during the day, or by the representative of the Librarian in charge
during the evening.
Respectfully submitted,
Horace G. Wadlin,
Librarian.
INDEX.
Abbatt, William. Catalogue of Ameri-
can periodicals relating to history, 57.
Accessions and additions. (See
Books.)
Appropriations. (See Finance.)
Architectural catalogue, 56.
Arnold Arboretum, plants for children's
room, 60.
Balance sheet, 24-27.
Barton-Ticknor room, 63.
Bates Hall, 32, 61.
Bates Hall Centre Desk. 78, 80.
Benton, Josiah H., reappointed trustee,
elected President, 1 .
Bindery, binding and repair, 4; growth
in twenty years, 5; Examining Com-
mittee report on, 34; work of, 82.
Books, additions, 3, 43. 49, 81; by
years, 58; average cost, 3; binding
and repair, 4; for branches, 9; cata-
logued, 53; delays in delivery, 78;
demand for popular, 46; deposits, 42,
68, 69; duplication avoided, 48;
Examining Committee, report on, 31 ;
fiction, 43, 45, 56; financial limita-
tions in purchases, 46; gifts, 53; inter-
library loans, 43, 49; location, 58;
lists prepared, 57, 60; mutilation of,
32; payment for lost, 2; on important
subjects, 61 ; on open shelves, 61 ;
range of purchases, 47; for scholars
and students, 17, 31, 48, 59, 60, 62,
69; schools, 6; teachers reference, 60.
(See also Circulation; and Reference
work.)
Branch Department, needs more room,
16, 28, 69.
Branches:
Books, additions, 3. 9, 31, 43, 70;
fiction, 43; location, 58.
Circulation, 4, 39, 40, 41; cost of,
18, 68; cost of new buildings, 19;
custodians, 83; extracts from custo-
dian's reports, 70; Examining Com-
mittee on, 29, 33; growth in twenty
years, 1 1 ; lectures and exhibitions,
68; no more should be opened at
present, 18; pictures, 38, 71, 72;
reference work, 41, 72, 74; Andrew
Square, opened, 39; Broadway Ex-
tension, new quarters, 7; Codman
Square, made a branch, 3, 68; East
Boston, new building, 6; Faneuil,
opened, 39, property to be purchased,
North End, room furnished by Mrs.
Storrow, 74; Warren Street, enlarge-
ment, 38. (See also Retrospect.)
Broadway Extension Reading Room, to
have rooms in Municipal building, 7.
Brown, A. A., music room, 33, 63; dra-
matic and music catalogues, 56.
Card holders. (See Registration.)
Catalogue Department, 32, 55.
Children's Department, 36, 59.
Circulation, 4, 6, 39, 40, 41, 43, 59.
62, 63, 68,-81. 82.
Clubs and classes, 17, 47, 59, 60, 62,
63, 73, 74, 81. (See also Scholars.)
Codman Square Reading Room, made
a branch, 3, 68.
Delays in delivery of books, 78.
Deposits, 42, 68. 69.
Documents and statistics, 81.
East Boston Branch, opening of new
building, 6.
Employees, 15; Examining Committee,
29; hours of service, 3; list of chiefs
amd custodians, 83; salaries and
wages, 5, 8, 16, 30.
Estimates, 8.
Examinations, 83.
Examining Committee, 20; report, 28.
Exhibitions, 66-68.
Faneuil Reading Room; property to be
purchased, 7; opened, 39.
Fiction: circulation, 43; demand for,
46 ; purchases, 45.
[891
Finance: appropriations, 1,2; balance
sheet, 24—27; Bindery and Printing
cost, 5; books, expenditures, 3, 9, 44,
45; books, limitations in purchases,
46; branches, cost, 18, 19, 68; branch
buildings, cost, 7, 19; estimates, 8; ex-
penditures, comparison for two years,
84; Faneuil property, 7; increase in
expense, 19; receipts, 1 ; repairs and
furnishings, more money needed, 16;
sale of Boylston St. building, 20;
salaries and wages, 5, 8, 16, 30;
sinking funds, 19; Francis Skinner
Fund. 8; trust funds, 1, 3, 10, 19;
Mehitable C. C. Wilson Fund, 8.
Fine Arts Department, 33, 62.
Gifts, 8, 53.
Griffin, John F., & Co., contractors.
East Boston Branch, 7.
Homer, T. J., preparation of periodical
list, 57.
Hours of service, 3.
Inter-library loans, 43, 49.
Inventory, 20.
Kenney, William F., elected Vice
President, 1.
Lectures, 14, 63, 68.
Librarian's report, 38.
Lists prepared, 56, 58, 60.
McLaughlin, James E., architect, East
Boston Branch, 7.
Mt. Pleasant Reading Room, to have
rooms in Municipal building, 7.
Music room. (See Brown, A. A.)
Mutilation of books, 32.
National Congress of Mothers, list pre-
pared for, 60.
New^spaper room, 32, 80.
Newspapers, early files added, 49, 80;
expenditures, 3.
North End Branch, lectures at, 68;
room furnished by Mrs. Storrow, 74.
Ordering Department, 31, 49.
Patent Room, 80.
Periodical Room, 32, 80.
Periodicals, expenditures, 3; prepara-
tion of lists, 57; sent to institutions,
42; use of, 60.
Personal assistance through library ser-
vice, 86.
Photographs and other pictures, 3, 38,
62, 63, 71, 72; hung at branches, 38.
Printing Department, 82; growth in
twenty years, 5; Examining Conmiit-
tee on, 34.
Publications, architectural catalogue,
56; Brown dramatic and music cata-
logues, 56; periodical lists, 57; chil-
dren's lists, 60; distribution of, 77.
Reading committee, 31, 45.
Receipts. (See Finance.)
Reference work, 4, 6, 17, 41, 47, 59,
60-63, 72, 73, 81, 82, 86.
Registration Department, 76.
Repeurs and improvements, 16, 28, 29,
38.
Retirement fund, 16.
Retrospect, 5, 11.
Salaries and wages, 5, 8, 16, 30.
Scholars and students, works for 17,
31,48,59,60,62,69,81. (See also
Clubs and classes.)
Schools, work with, 6, 17, 39-41, 60,
73.
Shelf Department, 57.
Skinner, Francis, bequest, 8.
Special libraries, 61 .
Statistical Department, 81.
Storrow, Mrs. James J., gives fund to
furnish room at North End Branch,
74.
Story hour, 74.
Students. (See Scholars and students.)
Sullivan, Patrick F., expenditures from
bequest completed, 1 1 .
Sunday and evening service, 82.
Teachers' reference collection, 60.
Trust funds. (See Finance.)
Trustees, organization, 1 ; meetings, 23.
Twenty years work, review of, 5, 11.
University Extension Courses. (See
Clubs and classes.)
Upham's Corner Branch, lectures, 68.
Wilson, Mehitable C. C, addition to
fund, 8.
The Public Library of the City of Boston: Printing Department.
1 . Central Library, Copley Square.
Branch Libraries, February I, 1913.
2. Brighton Branch, Holton Library Building. Academy Hill Road.
3. CharleitoWD Branch, Monument Square, cor. Monument Ave.
4. Dorchester Branch, Arcadia, cor. Adams St.
5. East Boston Branch, 276 - 282 Meridian St.
6. Jamaica Plain Branch, Sedgwick, cor. South St.
7. Roxbury Branch, 46 Millmont St.
8. South Boston Branch, 372 Broadway.
9. South End Branch, 397 Shawmut Ave.
10. Upham's Comer Branch, Columbia Road, cor. Bird St.
1 1. West End Branch, Cambridge, cor. Lynde St.
12. West Roibury Branch, Centre, near Mt. Vernon St.
1 3. Hyde Park B ranch. Harvard Ave., cor. Winthrop St.
14. North End Branch, 3a North Bennet St.
1 5. Codman Square Branch, Washington, cor. Norfolk St., Dorcheste
Delivery Stations, February I. 1915.
A. Lower Mills Reading Room, Washington, cor. Richmond St.
B. Roslindale Reading Room, Washington, cor. Ashland St.
D. Matlapan Reading Room, 727 Walk Hill St.
E. Neponset Reading Room, 362 Neponsel Ave.
F. Mount Bowdoin Reading Room, Washington, cor. Eldon St.
G. Allston Reading Room, 6 Harvard Ave.
H. Faneuil Reading Room, 100 Brooks St.
N. Mt. Pleasant Reading Room, Dudley, cor. Magazine St.
P. Broadway Extension Reading Room, 13 Broadway Extension.
R. Waiien Street Reading Room, 392 Warren St.
S. Roxbury Crossing Reading Room, I 154 Tremont St.
T. Boylston Station Reading Room, The Lamartine, Depot Square.
V. City Point Reading Room, Broadway, near H St.
X. Parker Hill Reading Room, 1518 Tremont St.
Y. Andrew Square Reading Room, 3% Dorchester St.
Z. Orient Heights Readrag Room, 1030 Bennington St.
Area of Cty (Und only) 45.60 Square miles.
Population (Census ol 1910), 686,092.
.^'1£
193 . I
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BOSTON PURl I'r , m^
JUL 26 1917
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