Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-12
The Public Library Of Knoxvilie.


addition of a large collection of new
books to the Public Library, we are
gratified to notice the growth and
marked Improvements that have late
ly been made in this Institution.
The Library now having passed
through its days of infancy may be re
garded as one Of the most important
and indispensable features of our city.
and stands only second to our schools
and churches.
Beginning nearly eight years ago,
with two or three hundred books, 1t
has gradually grown in size, by the
active exertions of it's officers and
friends, until it now numbers about
twenty-five hundred volumes made up
OF choice standard works in all classes
of literature, from the English,
American and foreign writer's.
The entire Library has recently been
classified under ten or twelve leading
heads; a new descriptive catalogue
has been carefully written up, which
with an increase of twenty feet of
new shelving, places the Library in
| systematic aud well arranged order
and can not fail to promote its general
success and usefulness, if the public
will only lend more hearty oo~Opera-
ton. The purchase made about two
| weeks since, of one hundred and
| twenty-five dollars, is the second
largest and one of the most valuable
ever made by any corps of officers. 1t
contains one hundred and fifty vol
umes OF select books, embracing works
of History, Biography, Philosophy,
Essays, ETC., intermixed with fiction
and poetry of the highest order.
From accurate statistics gathered
during the first half of July (the
rooms being closed the balance of the
month, while cataloguing) it was found
that two hundred and twenty-five
books were called for, of which two
hundred and fifty-twO or ninety-three
per cent. Us out of every 14) were de-
livered. This places the circulation al
five hundred books and over per
month, or six thousand annually at the
minimum, as it is we'll known that the
circulation increases towards the fall
and winter seasons. The following
table shows the number of volumes
read, of each respective author, when
it exceeds four volumes or less, (when
the figures indicate more works
than the author has written it is to be
understood that certain works of the
author have been read twice or oftener)
Oliver Wendell Holmes,4; Marryatt, A:
Mrs. Holmes, 4; Charles Reade; 4; Sir
Walter Scott, 5; William ii. Prescott,
5; Charlotte Baronte, S; Thackeray 6;
Bulwer-Lytton, 8; John Lothrope
Motley, 8; Adams, w. T., c'Oliver
Optic'O II; e. 2. Roe, Is; Mrs. Evans
Wilson, Is; Miss Alcott IS.
From the above it will be seen that
Mrs. Evans Wilson is the most popular
novelist among the patrons of the Lii
brary, miss AIcOtt's stories strictly
speaking, being juvenile) with E. P.
Roe rating second, Bulwer-Lytton
third, Thackeray fourth, Walter Scott
and Charlotte Bronte fifth, while
. strange to say Dickens falls below the
limit OF four books. Eighteen vol
umes for Miss Alcott, with eleven for
"Oiiver Optic" gives abundant evil
evidence of the liberal pat
ronage 8 of the young folks.
Motley, with eight volumes, and Pres
colt, with five, seem to be well appre.
ciated as historians.
This report, showing yearly circu.
lation at the rate of each book in the
Library every ten weeks, Is fattering
to the friends and managers of the in
stitution. and certainly offers them no
little encouragement. It is hardly y
complimentary to the good people OF
our town to say that the membership
of this most worthy organization is
comparatively small, scarcely more
than one hundred and fifty persons.
The receipts arising from this number
barely pay the expenses of keeping the
doors open, leaving nothing for the
purchase Of books, which necessarily
holds in check the growth of the Lii
: brary. A roll of three to four hun
dred members would give it vitality
and add several hundred volumes to
the shelves every year.
The management had hoped 10
work the list this year up to that
number, ye. the prospects at this time
will not warrant q belief in it beiD G
done, unless their efforts meet with
more success in the future.
An earnest solicitation is extended
for members. aud we trust large
number of our citizens will appreciate
the situation and connect themselves
with this highly deserving institution
: their interest and influence could not
be devoted to more worthy purpose
Applications for membership NAV be
left with the Librarian, at the Read
ing Rooms.
Can't Preach Good.