The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-02
Portland Institute and Public Library

Portland Institute and Public Library.
The annual meeting of this corporation was
called for yesterday afternoon at the Library
Room. The attendance was very small. The
Librarian, Edward A. Noyes, ESQ.,, presented
| his report as follows, which was accepted and
ordered on file: sa4tff'Fff
| 10 the President and Directors Of the Portland
| Institute and Public LiJrary:
| GENTLEMEN-In compliance with the rules
OF the Library herewith submit my annual
report Port o,..,,..,.., : ,.,,., - .,
past year, tabular statement of which by
months is submitted, shows q total of 80, 531
| volumes against 80, 697 issued last year. This
is accounted for by the fact that the Library
was closed during nearly all of August and
september the total issues for the two months
Deing only 1888 volumes against 5465 the cor
responding months of the previous year. The
largest issue in any one month was 3779 vol
umes, $50 volumes larger than any previous
month since the library was opened. On the
whole am able to report the same steady in
crease in the circulation of volumes as noticed
IN former reports.
The number of yearly subscribers was 800, an
increase OF five over last year. spite of the fact
that the library lost a number of yearly SUBJ
scribers by the vote putting the teachers of the
city schools ON the free list, AS it now stands
we have 800 subscribers and ITO persons using
the library free OF charge, a total of 800 exclu-
sse VI life members ~ "a r.
On August 14th the library was closed for re-
pairs and was not reopened till Sept. 9th.
Turing that time four new alcoves were placed
IN the main room, thereby increasing the shelly
ing capacity to nearly two-thirds more than the
old capacity - e7Eff-f FH6
Inc shelving of the Document room was COM
pieted, thereby doubling the capacity of that
room and enabling the removal of all the docu-
ments, duplicates and books rarely called for to
that room, and relieving the main rooms
: a shelf catalogue was also prepared, SO that
IN fnture the yearly examination of the library
may be proceeded with without closing all the
departments at any one time. This examina-
ton revealed the loss of books during the three
years and Two and q half months of operating
tne library, and it was found that the loss was
lnuch smaller than was feared might be the
case, the total loss being 139 volumes, 102 of
winch were works Of fiction and the remainder
OF no very great value with one or two excep-
tions. The list of losses with the names of the
volumes is submitted herewith. D. taA
The total number of volumes added the past
year was 26l4 against 1895 volumes for the pre-
vious. year, and the total number of volumes in
the library is now 14,079.
The amount expended for books the past wear
was more than double that of the year preced-
ing, while the character of the purchases has
been equally good. A classified statement of
the volumes received Is submitted herewith
From the arrangement made with the Girls
Library Association of the Portland High
Sonooi VIC "ooualy received ItUZ volumes. And
under the vote of the Directors Nov II, 1871,
MI volumes OF reference books have been placed
in the hands of the School Committee for the
use OF the Portland High School,
While in the past year a large number of
popular scientific works have been purchased,
we have still a large list of desirable and neces
sary scientific works prepared under the advice
of Profs. Brackett and Goodale of Bowdoin
College, Gen. j. G. Duane, U. S. Corps Engi-
neers, and others. Several valuable periodicals
have been added to the list during the wear. and
further increased is ordered. III
During the past year large number of phot-
ographic views were purchased abroad by Mr. II.
b. Brown one of your Board, part of which
have been mounted, framed and now adorn the
Reading room of the Library.
Our collection of portraits has been enriched
by the gift of a painted portrait of Gov. Lin
coin, presented by K. H. Daveis, ESQ. Also
Photographic portrait of Gov Kent, presented
by Mr. l. II. Dupee. A fine bust of Henry
Clay, modelled from life at New Orleans, and
presented by the Hon. Jacob Mcclellan has also
been received. H4A-s-i-- t0
Among the most rare volumes presey ted dur
ing the year, a list of which accompanies this,
was nearly complete set of the Liberdtor
newspaper, presented by Mrs. Oliver bennett.
z In conclusion, the Librarian has the satisfac-
ton to state that the work in all departments
of the Institute is in a satisfactory state of for
wardness, and it is hoped that by the LIST of July
next the supplementary catalogue of books will
be in the hands of the printer.
u s.r Respectfully submitted
,-oste.a .as.l EDw. A. MOVES, Librarian.
Mr. Noyes, the Treasurer, submitted the
os.l e. -