, 1875-01-03
OUR LIBRARY.
Mr. Poole Speaks Concerning the
Recent Complaints.
Glass Cases Are lmpracticable---1here
Will Be a Railing.
The Board Of Directors Discuss
the Accommodation Cues
ton.


THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
COMPLAINTS OF DooK-DRAwERs.
L TRIBUNE reporter had AZ interview With Mr.
Poole, Librarian Of the Chicago Public Library,
yesterday afternoon, relatiye to the letters OF
complaint which have recently appeared in the
newspapers. Tho following was the substance
Of the conversation:
Reporter-Whas have you to say relative to the
charges made by some correspondents Of TIE
TRIBUNE, Mr. Poole7
MIr. Poole-I acknowledge that thero is somo
unavoidable inconveniencs hers, growing out OF
the facs thas We have an enormous pat.on-
age. Wo have no less than 1860 per-
sons drawing books from 1ere,-that
number OF names registered. Our daily aver
age last week, was 1,773, and it is increasing at
the rate Of 90 per day, while our supply of books
is not onc-fourth adequate to the drain upon us
for tho reason TINT We have nc. enough duplicate
sets, our resources not being very extensive. :
R.-1s this demand unusual In your ex-
peri ence?
IL. Poo1e--Very much 80, indeed I have had
experience in the Public Libraries of Boston and
Cincinnati, where tho demand is not half 10
great, while the facilities for supplying tho
public are three times as large rs ours
R~-How do you account for
THOSE ANNOYING DELArB
which are so frequently complained Off
Mr. Poo1e-1n tt.o first place We have not suI6-
cent books, and nuEt try to suit again aud again.
Tho volumes required may be ont, and the spn,i-
caa.s do not want to leave without something to
read Now, if we had enough duplicate aats, all
this could be avoided, OF, st least, a large pro-
portion Of it. Another reason is that We have
not sufficient help for all the work that is to bo
done and, then, people como here when the
crowds are unusual, ,-oa Saturday afternoon.
and when the schools a1o ou.~ II adults could
manage to COMO during tho earlier hours Of the
day, they would not find half 20 much difficulty
in being suited. To1 cancot imagine what q
crush no have sometimes.
R.-How do you look at that suggestion rela
tive to
GLASS CASTS?
Mr. Poole-I don't think anything about it, be-
cause it would be utterly imprac:icabie. We
hayn't room enough as it is; but We could never
get around bad ne glass cases: Our asaistaats,
few us they are continually get in each others
way in tho small corridors between tho cases. I
know that, even had We the roon, We could not
serve ope-fourth the number OF people with
glass cases. That WAS the old style, aud WAS
= allow ono.
out? ~ 49, ''' '041 '~'~ ' ' o.
Mr. Poole-I have nothing to complain Of in
h.trespect. Everything goes smoothly enoush-
There IS very little writing and stll less nutila-
tion and such as have observed has not been,
I think, malicious. We always fine in such
cases.
R.-Do you still insist On deposits-unless
there is q suaraotee?
Mr. Poolo-We must have gustantee-we
tt fu1 o57t$ ~ n
rect dealings WITH young persons who haye heen
derilict. There have not beon worry many cases
that could be called serious. We ind that tho
guarantee system is the best
R.-Are you
SATISFIED WITH THE PnoaREss
you have been making?
A1r. Poole-So far as our immense circulation
goes, res; but I'd feel much better had we more
means at our disposal. l hope the Common
Council will grant subsidy. Otherwise, We
there are mary citizens who would do great
deal to aid US. In fact we have only just COM
menced work. When tho demand for books
grows yet larger, We much have branch libraries
two on the West Side, one on the South Side,
near Twenty second street. md one on the North
Side The Centrnl Library should have both
circulating and reference department, and it
should ha situated in the uslghborhood Of Dear-
born Park. The appetite for reading in Chicago
is gratifyingly immense.
BOOKS MOST IN DEMAND.
R-What class OF books do you find most IN
demand2
mr. Poo;e-I have statistics here to show that.
We average the same as other libtaries-fcom a
to rs per cent in works OF fiction and juvenile
books, These, however, mean works Of fiction,
comprise some OF the finest works in tho English
language, and aome Of the most instructive. 1t
is faliacy TO suppose that solid reading is not
we'll patrouized- Our historical shelves arc well
thinned ont, and our biographical department il
NHk1nA oj,~- ff,o and