Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-10
CATALOGUE OF THE CLEVE,
LAND LIBRARY.
First Catalogue OF the Library.-His-
tory Of the CIeVeIsnd Library AssO-
citation,

Wo have received from the Cleveland
Library Association a copy of the Catalogue
of the Library, which is the first ever com
piled by them. The compilation has been
executed in good style. The method is
good, the object of the compiler having
been TO secure two advantages in the cata-
logue, First, q complete alphabetical
list, with a list of all the prominent
authors, and secondly, a classification of
works in their several departments, of Fic-
tiOn, History, Biography, Science, &c,
with such adesignation of their location on
the shelves that they may be readily
found.
Fiction takes the lead, there being two
or three books of this class to one of any
other single class. The works of the best
novelists are on the shelves. In Poetry
there is everything from Homer TO Holmes.
The Library is rich in Biography, History,
Science, in adventuresome books, of travel,
&c, and in religious works. The Cats-
logue has been dcSideratuH for several
years, indeed ever since the Library has
attained any considerable size. DictiOna-
ries are useful books after Language has got
some way on in development, and alibrary
catalogue yields like service when its
books can no longer be counted on the
fingers. 1t is to the ticket-holdef great
economizer of time and patience. It is
vexing to go to the Library, as people gem
orally do, having no definite notion of what
may be found, or of what you want. Both
notions may be definitely settled at home,
if catalogue is accessible there TO help and
determine the choice. And, then, the
choice will be more intelligent than the
blind one made at random in the Library.
Looking over the lists one sees what the
shelves hold, and can deliberately fix upon
the book which the mind is drawn to by af-
fnity, fame, fancy, or the recommendation
/ of another Or, if one has book IN mind,
and doubts if it be in the Library, he may
answer his own questions, without boring
the Librarian, by referring to the oracle.
Butaside from its present use and value, as
an eeonomizer of time, &c, to the ticket
holders, this volume is prelaced with a rapid
statement of the origin and growth of the
Library Association, which has general in
| terest. The Young Mems Literary AssOci-
alton, organized in 1916, was the origin Of
this institution The first meeting was held
November 25Lh, 1916. On tho 3Oth of the
same month the Committee on Organization
reported constitution, which was adopted,
and on December 9th the first officers were
elected, as follows:
President-William Case.
Vice President-John B. Waring.
Librarian-John Coon.
Treasurer-O. Klemm.
secretary-J. D. Cleveland.
1 W. D. Beattie,
VIM. T. Smith.
At the same meeting the following course
of lectures was reported engaged:
George Bradburn, Charles Whittlesey,
Rev, s. C. Aiken, Rev. s. W. Adams, James
A. Briggs, H. L. Smith, DR.. G. A. Terry, Rev.
s. B. Garfield. Prof S. st. John, James M.
Hoyt, Rev. DR.. Perry, George Wiley and A.
G. Lawrence.
TheEe lectures were given in Empire
Hall, on the south side of Superior street,
and were largely attended. The compiler
says, with perhaps slight SAVIOR of Amer
icanism, "Sometimes the audience would
be attracted by the anticipated brillianey
of the lecturer, and sometimes by his antici-
pated want oft" The population of Cleve'
land was then IL 900. Its railroad commu-
nications were not then formed, and pro-
fessional lecturers were unknown to Cleye-
land audiences.
The nucleus of the present Library was
formed by the proceeds $4,000 of festival
given on tho evening of January l, 1871,
with which few hundred volumes were
purchased. The Library was open to the
public from two to four o'clock every Sat-
urday afternoon.
In 184S, under o charter procured from
the Legislature, the Cleveland Library As
sociation was organized as a stock company,
and the Library of tho Library Associa-
ton was transferred to it. Two hundred
shares Of stock, at $40 per share, having
been taken, the Library was that year in
creased to 800 volumes, and a Librari n
was appointed to be in constant attendance
at the new rooms in Seneca Block.
In 1858 the Library of the Mercantile
Library Association was bought for $174,
and merged in the Cleveland Library As
sociation,
In 1856 the Library and Reading Rom
were removed to their present location on
i Superior street.
In 1859 Committee procured one hun
dred Subscribers to fund of $4,000, each
subscriber to pay $40 annually for two
years. This fund was devoted exclusively
to the purchase of books, and greatly aided
the growth ofthe Library.
The Association has held on its way
through gloom and sunshine until its Lii
brary now numbers between seven and
eight thousand volumes. Its property is
worth not less than SIS, 900. It is free from
debt. It has furnished the city thirteen
Courses of Lectures and Readings. It has
maintained, for several years, Reading
Room, with the leading journals and mag
azines on its files. Surely, an Institution
that has been of go much usefulness, and
that adds so much to the convenience and
benefit of our citizens, should receive the
most generous encouragement from all,
now and in the future.
Railway Intelligence.
w. u .,-,,-,o nh c.II.-. 81