The Portland daily press., 1870-04-05
Annual Meeting Of the Portland 1ustltutc
and Public Library.

and Public Library.
The annual meeting Of the corporators O
this institution was holden yesterday afternoon
The meeting was called to order by the Presi
dent, and the Clerk, Edward H. Noyes Esq
read the records of the last meeting. TIL,
President, John Neal, Esq., then read the an
nual report of the Directors, which was as fol
lows:
| since our last meeting we have lost our Pres
tdent. William Willis, our Vice President, Ed
win G. Bolles and our Librarian, Edwin A
Noyes; the first by death, the second by re-
moval. and the last by resignation But ihei,
places are now or soon will be supplied, and i
Is to be hoped in such a way that although We
may lack the counsel If the President and Vice
President, and the official services of the Lii.
brar'an, their example and influence will not
be lost upon their successors,
The report of Mr. Moves. Librarian and
Cietk, WI snow you what has been accom-
pnsned within the last year, and what we are
lusunsd In hoping for the future. It will be
seen mat while we had on our shelves at this
s stme last year but 1900 volumes, we have now
1O,43O volumes, without including pamphlets
or unbound periodicals.; that OF the additions
within the year, amounting to 263O volumes,
1N8 were bequest from our late President,
William Willis, already committed TO our keep
/ ing by his widow without going through the
usual forms of law; we have appropriated for
| these books two small rooms hitherto used for
meetings of our board and for other purposes,
that the conditions of the will may be scrupu.
lousy observed.
| With a view to this arrangement our CITY
fathers have granted us another large room,
not hitherto in use, where we can hold our
meetings and transact our business, without
nindrance or interruption. while it furnishes to
al! VINO may come for study, for consultation
amusement only. or with view to self educa
ton undisturbed opportunities which are not
likely to be uudervalued or overlooked.
70 our Librarian, Mr.. Noyss, we are indebt
cd for a comprehensive and admirably arrang-
ed 'adex prepared BY himself with the assist
ance OF Miss NJ. e. Barbour, after plan sug-
gsste1 by his acquaintance with what has been
found most convenient and useful in other in
situations OF similar character. His report,
nerewlth submitted, and that of our Treasurer,
Mr.. Symonds. will give the details you may
want for making up your Judgment on the pro-
ceedings Of the past year.
As under our new arrangements, the Libra.
ran and assistant Librarians will continue in
office no longer than till the first of Nay next,
we desire to put upon record our testimony Of
their faithfulness and general efficiency, and
TO express wish that car resources would
Justify their continuance, even at higher sala-
ries. N
Hitherto we have been able to nav to Miss
Barbour and Miss Brazier but two hundred
and nifty dollars year each, for attendance five
hours day, and to Mr. T. P. Neal but one
hundred and fifty dollars year for two hours
in the evening; and this while Miss Barbour
labors many extra hours without pay, and the
services of Miss Brazier, and the other assist.
ants in covering books, would entitle them to
additional compensation if we had an over
flowing treasury.
Let us now add for your encouragement and
tor that of our fsllow-townsmen, that within
the last three months measures have been con.
sidered for the establishment of FREE LIBRA
RY, by combining all the public libraries of the
city and associating under new charter, or
under the old, with notifications.
To this end our City Cuuucil has appointed a
committee to meet with committees from other
institutions, and with committee from your
directors to consult together aud prepare
plan for such organization, which. it is believ-
ed, may be successful.
Meanwhile we must urge upon our city faith
ers to uphold and strengthen US for the work
we have entered upon without fee or reward
other th an that which comes of well doing and
oftentimes with some cost to ourselves both of
time and money.
The late Librarian, Edward A. Noyes, pre-
scented his report which, after reciting the his.
tory of the library, proceeds as follows:
With the increase in the number of volumes
the past year, some departments have out
grown the space allotted to them, and it has
been necessary to assign these books for the
present to shelves in alcoves set apart for vol
umes of different character. This apparent
want of system in the classification is tenn
porary, and On the completion of the shelves,
now 10 process Of construction, will be imme-
diately remedied.
No attempt has been made to examine the |
loss OF books since the opening of the Library |
to the public. 1t is feared that the loss is |
large; but in the past year the introduction Of |
the card for applicants for the privilege OF U.s.
ing books ON the premises, under II years OF
age, has reduced the apparent loss, and result |
ed in an improved police of the rooms.
Inc Library has been kept open 3O7 days
and II A. NJ, 2.3O and $50 P. M, and and 9 |
IN the evening; hours daily, or AZ hours |
week; only IL hours per week less than the cir
cuIating department of the Public Library of |
The number of volumes has steadily increas.
ed from 7SCO at the last annual report to 10 400
showing an increase for the year of $3.50, OF
which lZ78 were received from the Request of
our late lamented President, Mr.. Willis, and
1857 from other sources. The amount expend-
ed for books the past year was $579 60, against
$l0O7 03 the year previous; the large sum re-
CURED Tor pripting the catalogue, cramping |
the outlay in this department.
The work of arranging and cataloguing the
coiiectlon OF pamphlets Is advancing slowly,
work being frequently suspended for impera-
tive demands for the labor elsewhere,
The total number of volumes issued to bor-
rowers for home use the pas. gear Was 80 954-
fAs compared WIN tue Ten months OF the pre-.
vIous year in which the Library was open, we
fnd that from June, 1853, to April l, 1869,
IA, 802 volumes were issued. while from June |
!, 1869, to April 1, 1870, 7,765 volumes were |
issued.
Within the past year the first catalogue of |
the library has been issued. 1t comprises all |
the volumes received to June !, 1869, making |
volume Of 1913 pages in double columns, and |
cost for printing $48S 10; 1000 copies we're |
printed, of which 100 were bound 10 cloth, - |
in half sheep interleaved Tor use at the rooms,
200 in paper GOV ers, and the remaining sheets |
were folded and laid aside for binding as The |
demand required.
The total number Of books now on hand End |
not included in the catalogue is 2255 and it |
will be necessary to issue supplement within |
the next SIX months.
InconclusiOn and review of my adminstra. |
ton, would call your attention for a moment |
to the fact that over 10000 volumes and large
number of pamphlets have been received, and |
over 5000 volumes catalogued, stamped, num-
bered and assigned their places on the shelves;
that printed catalogue has been published Of
these books; and all at cost for Librarians,
regular and occasional assistants, for period
Of three years, during % months of which the
library has been open for the delivery of books,
of about $1,000.
The report concludes with thanks for the as
sistance be has received in the past from the |
Directors, and expressive Of regret at being
compelled to resign his Office.
The report of the Treasurer, Mr.. j. w. Sy.
monds, shows the following financial exhibit:
RECEIPTS.
April 49, balance In treasury. ..........4 145 90
Receive ed from lite membership. ......... $50 &C