, 1874-08-22

a better appreciation OF the import Of tnese
statistics will bo gained by comparing them with
cesaful libraries in tho country. Tho boston
Public Library. ut tho end Of itH fifth yoar, with
q collection Of 34,8gG yolumes, reported daily
average circulation Of $40 volumes; Rk tho ond
seventh year.-then having 78,0As volt1neH,-of
5S8, aud spoke Of this ~ tan Immense circula-
tlonn.'' Tho eighth year tho duly average was 5O5
volumes; the ninth. 557; tho tenth 626 the
et,!ovonth, o44; aud tue tWolfta l1sSD. o. G'i4'
U34 volu1nog. In 1879, its twonty-llrst year, its
daily average circulation was 88i volnmoa;
aul in :Ao month Of July lass. past. with
collection of 0l,ou4 volumes, it reports
daily circulation Of SIS. The Chicago. Library,
at tho and Of its ninth weoh, with loss than
IT, 600 volumes, had daily ayo1nge OF 7D0 books
given out and at tho end Of the hfteenth week,
had daily average Of ,053. No lib1ary in tho
country can show oguros approaching anywhere
The Cincinnati Public Library, at tho end Of
it's fourth year G871), with 33,05S volnmoa had
daily average circulation Of S77 volumes ~
3s7s WITH vo,amss an average Of ele ;7S y
Tho New York Mercantile Library. with 147,578
Yolllmes, reports d day average for the year
ont,ng April, 1874, Of G54 volumes.
A careful collation. mid comparison of tue str
tstics Of public libraries for long sericy of
years proves tho fact that thoro 10 law govelil-
Ing the demand In community for tho various
kinds Of books that ID as fixed rs that which
regulateA tho average temperature OF tho Hen-
communities Of equal Bocia and intellectual onl-
ture. It is aa follows: Six per cent OF tho
books called TOR wilt bo history and biography;
q por cont. poetry and drama; 2 per cont,
art aud is por cent, ilction mud Juveniles. In
our Western citioB, nearly 10 per cent will bo
German, Trench, and other literature OF modern
Europoan Languages. Should library-reporr
show Satisfies much at Variance with theso t]g-
ures it evidence that screw IL loose some
whore. Tho library is not fully supplied In its
various departments; somo restrictions nro
placed Oh the circulation; or tho atatistics arc
not accurately kept. It should be remarked that,
au excessive demand for fiction, which, however,
| aoon settles down to the STEADY average. Thus,
in tho Chicago Library It is no 30 por cont. In
tho boston Library, It is III por oeut but, III tho
Cincinnati Library it HtantS at tho lnoonlDlonly
| low figure Of II per oont.
| uesldea tho law governing the kind OF boolts
| drawn from library, thero ID rule which da~
ter,nincs tho proportion Of ho6ks tkcn from
month to month. singularly enough, the great
! the yarna} mud autumual oq,ilauxus.-the Breat-
est demand being IN March anu tic leuHt III
| Boptomber. III tho middle OF blarcn tho demand
has rcachea its highest point, mad thence !
| summer months, till 1t asTivoa Ut lta lowest mark
In tho midllo OF September. Yhen 1t bcginH
gradually to incroaso unit! 1t soaehos it's perl
hilion again In March. The general Bnppos!totl
would be, TINT tho bnlnuler ana wtntnr huatseeB,
when tho days a.a the lanseat m.l shortest,
would DO tho turning poluts. But 1t IL not 10
Why people should have Hroater aesro to rea.
in March than during tho lollg Wlutor-oYonanBs
they read leas In September may la PARTIAL,
accounted for. The summer sneatin1,s arc over
tho schools arc beginning; faiI-bnbinoha Is com
ing ou; aud ii IL ths aoanon Of fa'!s. e1poH'tlon
aid sllowy wl,lch abBorb much of tho publ
attention, hinrch hoing ooYoEed by Leat ma,
ba ono rrhson why g.oater nnv'ant Of reaanI
il then Consumed than during any other mont
Of ths yaAr.