The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-10-01
MEN WOMEN AND BOOKS.
EDITED IN THE INTEREST OF THE CAIRO
PUBLIC LIBRARY.


brary room Wednesday, October 4th, at 8
o'clock p. m. An interesting paper will be
read by Mrs. Ii. II. Candee, entitled
"Chautauqua and its Work" The meet
ing of the study class will be omitted on
Tuesday.
Mrs. Solomon Smith Looking On" by
Pansy, has lately been received at the IL
brary. Those who have been waiting anx-
iously for the Boys of 81 will be pleased
to learn that 1t has been received. This
book has met with great success, SIX col
lections having been issued in six months.
The New York Mail and Express tn us
describes Hebert Spencer: "a tall, slight
li9ue, somewhat stopped and suggesting
the delicate health of the student; calm,
pale face, the features rather large; a very
high forehead, partially bold thin, dark
brown hair streaked with gray; the fluent
speech Of the American instead of the hest
tatlon OF the Briton and the recluse-a sur
vival, in all probability, of his earlier life
as an engineer; a positive manner not in
| betting the man who has thought deeply
over things and feels sure ofhis philosophy
that is the famous student of Iociology.
Mr.. Spencer's visit to this country is made
for rest and recreation, and he declines all
invitations to lecture. 1t is understood his
visit will extend as tar west as Chicago"
Upwards of $4,000 has been subscribed
towards the cost of providing the city of
Aberdeen with museum and ART gallery.
AS the time is not far distant when Cairo
can boast Of Free Public Library, the
following letter, published in the October
number Of the Century, may prove of in
terest to our readers:
SO BOND ST, New YORK, July 26, 1889.
Editor of the Century Magazine:
SIR--ln the June number of the Century
you discuss the need of apublic library in
the city OF New York Permit me briefly
to call your attention to what has already
been done to supply free reading by the
New York Free Circulating Library.
This society was incorporated in March.
looo a.Ia aurong Its present trustees and
officers are Mr.. H. L. Pellew, Mrs. F. c.
Barlow, Miss A. Redmond, Mr.. Benz. H..
| Eiai6 NJ T. w G.nyono and Nj. 7 D;,r
pont Morgan; it aims to supply the public
with useful and standard literature, in the
principal modern languages, adapted to
all classes and ages of readers and without
payment; and it was the intention of the
founders to establish several free libraries
in different parts Of the city for the greater
convenience of the public.
The soclo'v first leased rooms in Bond
street, beginning with library Of 1900
volumes; these were loaned to any person
in the city whose name and residence had
been identified; and although the society
has al says avoided advertising or forcing
the library into notice, on September 30,
| 1880, six months after opening, the cir
culatiOn had been $4,000, and the number
OF books has increased to 5000. During
the year ending September 30, 1881, the
library had increased to $500 volumes, and
over 5000 persons from all parts of the
city, were applicants for the privilege of
taking out books; the eagerness with which
these books were read is shown by the cir
culotlon of the period mentioned, viz co.
300 volumes; and although most of this
large circulation was among the very poor,
only six books were lost The circulation
for the current year las shown a steady
increase over 1881, but the society has only
been able to increase the number OF books
to about 5000, while the list of registered
applicants is now nearly $500.
Its only by comparing these results
with the figures of small libraries that
their Importance is realized; they seem
most astonishing to those who are most
familiar with the usual ratio between the
number of books and the number of read g.
ers in circulating libraries. Moreover, no
effort has been made to swell the circulation
by popular novels, and great care is exer
cised in the selection of fiction the library
is also deficient p books suitable for the
young, in works relating to mechanical
arts, and in popular histories; in view of
these facts the very large distribution is the
most remarkable.
The society has recently purchased an
estate in Bond street for a library building,
and proposes to establish other branches as
soon as the funds permit. The managers
feel that in tho above facts they offer the
strongest confirmation Of the need of such
a library as your article describes, and are
encouraged to believe that they have laid
the permanent, foundation of such an ins,i-
tuition. Respectlullyyours,
WILLIAM GREENouau,