, 1874-07-04
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

terday afternoon. Present, MosBrs. Hoyne, An
thony. Raster, ouahan, shorey, and Quoal
The Librarian and employees OF ths Library
were raappointcd for tho ensuing year, with the
exception Of r. kiss, who had tontered his
resignation. sundry bills wore approved. Au-
thoElty WAS given the Librarian, with the ap-
proyal Of tho Library Committoe, to purchase
bookR, without specific notion Of the Board, to
the amount Of $500 per month.
1Ir. Poole, tho Librarian. read bis annual re-
port, from which ne make tho following interest,"
Ing extracts concerning
THE CIRCULATION OF DQpKS:
"The Library opened for the circulation OF
books on tho lat day OF May with II 1855 vol
umos, Of which shout IL. .0o0 were books adapted
ghioay works Of reference, the donations of our
English and resident friends. A complete card
catalogue had beon prepared and arranged and
shen llsts had been mado Of the entire collcc-
tion.
"With only four wooks remaining before tho
close of tho oloial year, tho tima eeoms too short
to arrive at definite conclusions as to the future
ntatfatics Of tho circulating department. A Law,
however, Of persistent increase was developed
during these four weeks, which, confirmed by
ahe results Of the month Of June (which the pro-
cess Of printing this report enables mo to tlso)
exhibits series OF faots Of q most Interesting
nature, and which are unparalleled In the previous
htstory Of American public libraries.
!, The daily ayoiaRe Of books given out during
Tho frat week waa 1873; tho second week. 20O:
s;s, Me third weokt ss7 the fourth woek. As7i tho
hdsh ndsantS t%Sees, es5; tho sixth weck ST.; Tho
During the eighth week occurred tho holiday on
Which tlo cornerstone OF the Chicago Post 6f1ce
@ vas iaid, during which tho Library was open but
public that the Library was closed, Tho frst
four days Of the ninth week, which brings tho
etatlctics down to last evening, show o daily
average of 804.
In order to appreciate tho fact TINT Ii
brary, haylng!eas thaull5 ,00gyolumos adapted to
general circulation, showed duly average OF
1ao volumes on ita seventh week after
statistios Of some Of tho largest and most
ellccesHtul libraries In the country, Tho Boston
Public Library, ut tho eud OF it's fifth yenr hay-
tg ing a3,sgo Yolnmes. and registration Of i8,7s1
volnmee. At the end Of ita axfh year whan it
YEA established In its present Library building,
It reported daily average Of 383. Tile next
year. ls5o then having 78,0A3 volumes, 1t ro-
portns rpsa,ta aay average 6s md spoke ct these
eighth ~ year the daily Average waa 60si tho ninth
year, out the tenth year. Co., Of which GOO vero
from .d tho Lower Hell unpopular circulating de-
brarv wha Ton w fF1 fna nssss tue general
Tor the first tt1no. The number OF yolumop in
both departments was then 106, ,0S4, aud tho
@ registration Of bet eth borrowers numbered 1880
une ySsI is aSfs ns asy
ago Of circulation In tic Chicago Public Library
III 1tB sixth Yoek was larger tiau that OF tho R0s
ton Public Library IL it's twelfth year, The last
tts twanty-flrst year-showa that tho Lower iiull
with u, Cos volumes. aud registration of "a, ,43
book-borroworH, had daily average circulation
Of 772 yolusncs and Dates Hall, with l40.477
volumes, Ind daily average Of % volumes taken
HThe Olucinuati Public Library. Al III, and .,