New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-27
LIBRARIES OF NETWORK.
c1INcr Az THEIR TREASURES.

This is the season when most OF inc hpraries III
the city are closed for repairs "a phrase when
probably applies, in fact, rather to the repair OF
exhausted vitalit, than to damaged wainscots or
lilapidated books. The churches do not scruple to
close their doors for the summer season. and per-
hans the libraries may plead that if spiritual things
are relocated to oblivion in August intellectual
ambitions cannot complain OF little neglect. leu
it NAV be observed that people are not gencralH
supposed to come from distance to New-lorh ioi
the betterment of their souls while goo" many
persons whose yearly occupation gives 'hoin o,iS
- limited recess in the summer resort " '"0
metropolis at that season 80 prosecute Sono -"
vorite study or to make researches LOT "n'on '"'
meaQre alcoves Of their own homes Will HUI su"Oo'
Unless extraordinary repairs are IN progress "o
library should require five weeks LOT rehoNa"o"'
and many of the bestordered libraries III Ihe co"u
nv ousnend the issue of books for a no longer
neriod than ono week some for even shor'er
time. Il is disheartenng to a scholar who through
ant tbe busy wear has been anticipating month or
two of the busiest mustiest fare, so toothsome 10
the true bookworm. to be confronted at the very
door of his unimagined Paradise by writing upon
the wall" Closed till September H.
Though no changes OF much Importance arc DC
ing made in any of the principal libraries 'nls
summer. almost all are in II tlourishIng sta'o oi
growth The spacious halls Of the Aston Library
and the increased accommodations winch lo'i""
the large improvements and additions maze year
ago in the building, have realized the expectations
of the trustees who justly regard tins colec'o" VI
100000 books as of the most useful libraries III
the country. both because of the iudcious care
which has been applied in the selection of books
and because of the accessibility OF its stores TO the
nnblic Both the Astor Library and the LenoN'
with its fine collection of valuable books and PIC
tnros are now closed for the summer.
The Mercantile Library and Reading Room le-
main omen to members of the association thronsh-
ont the summer with the exception OF fortnight
in August 1t is generally supposed that the mehl-
bershu of the ASSOCIATION is gradually falling OIL
ami statistics in measure favor TINS cohciuslon'
The total circulation of books for the year CHUNG
May1, 1ss2. was 12O,3i5. against lo66'l TOT inc
wear before THIS is decrease OF $3.50 Volumes
or more than % per cent. The president Oh 'no
association in his last animal report suggests t"o
causes which NAV partly explain the diminishing
circulation These are the remotcneSs OF the man
library from the ahOles of the readers, and the
rostlv increased publication of cheap literature
which supplies bOundleSs store OF popular Hcta4h
mt a trivial cost. The number OF active anu SUI
scribing members in Ssh was 49l9; now u Is GUY
2 I1G A part though not all, of this sudden epo
is TO he accounted for by change IN the consti'ue
ton of the association by when the atco"1i, 20
delinduent members were closed 1l'eI 'n r
months instead of twelve months as before: lue
nnmher OF books in the Mercantile Library Is not
far from 10000 an increase OF neariy Vvo onot we.
the preceding year. The percentage ct hctoh is h2s
oute 20 which, according 10 tho Hbrarlan w; -
Peoples Is a smaller proportion tnan nc ST
INC libraries contain. The number OF periodicals
i'm the readlr groom is considered by some heinDeIo
of the association to be too large, espeGlaiy a.
many of the papers are seldom real ana tile uoIo
Of direction has recommended that the expenses De
reduced by dropping some of the newspapers ana
magazines from the list. For the same purpose the
reading room will probably he closed III an eaIlicI
l0D
The free library and readng-room OF the Cooper
Tnion which is now closed has been lat8cy
nntronized during the past year, aud ITS advantages
will be kept fully up to their previous marx. nc
institution Is well situated to supply the wants OF
that class of persons who make use OF IT, anu tne
uptown movement does not diminish the usefulness
OF the large and well-supplled readlng-rOOu. ne
library contains 10000 volumes. and over 3OO
periodicals are on file in the reading-room. Inc
total number of visitors daring the year was nearly
\ The Apnrentices' Library in East SXteenth-st is
Slosed during the month OF August ms library i,
S,hch Is under the auspices OF the society Oh
Mechanics and Tradesmen, more nearly iuIuls the
reunirements of q free city library than any Other
establishment i'm New York. save the inclplent rec
Circulating Library in Bond-st As tne c19uialICH
is confined however 10 mScnnmcS how eyrr who
have an occupation can borrow boo%s IRON the
shelves as well as all boys under the age OF
eighteen: but men, In order to he eIgioIe, must
nresent a certificate from their employers as 0iteh
as once year. The accommodation oil the library
is excellent. and the alcoycs, when now contain
81 600 volumes. womb easily llOlu iNNt't'' -
crease during the last year has amounted 10 5000
volumes The circulation of books has been nearly
coo day About t OF the
and historical Works are also drawn IN large mum
bers The Apprentices Library experiences IN
some degree the same effects as the Mercalthe
Library IRON the publication or cheap literature.
Instead of paying fares of o cents to come TO
the library. many persons VIII now lay out ti,i
sum at "A boOkstall in the purchase OF a cheap anu
The only library in the city which Is truly free to
ali is the Free Circulating Library at No SO Bond,
st. a hopeful hedglng of two years. lneoIpOrateu
on March 10, 1880, it has now 1000 volumes
with circulation of 10000 Inc library IS uenen-
dent upon the voluntary contributions OF CHART
able persons and is mainly used by those VINO are
in able to purchase books Of their own. The only
restraint imposed upon tho use of books Is that
nersons who wish TO draw them must give refer
ence and satisfy the Visiting Committee that they
reside at the place alleged he reading room is a
information respecting the library, 10000 readers
were counted during the past year IN tile reading,
room a large proportion OF whom consisted OF
Young persons between the ages of fourteen end
fweptv.Onc wears. The greatest obstacle 10 the
success of the enterprise is the lack OF cohlnouous
quarters, and hopes arc entertained ny the trustees
that better accommodations may soon he provided
The building at No. 40 BOnd-st VIII probably DC
purchased, and the apartments made ready 1or the
uses of the library by November l. with greater
freedom and more room for expansion, the trustees
believe that the library will increase rapidly both
in SIZE and in popularity ana that II may y III ' h
been LETT wholly vacant.
The library of the Young Mems CHRISTIAN Aeso-
citation at FOurtb-ave and Twenty thlrd-st., has
undergone some enlargement, and 1t is expected
that more space will be devoted 10 its use next
year The number of volumes now owned by the
association is mot far from - OOO and the library
has a steady growth. The Harlem Branch of tho
association situated at Third ave. and One-hun
dred-and-twcnty-s iXth-st.. has library OF .26t
volumes more than half of which have been added
durinc the last year through a member of the asso
cation who offered the library the sum Of $500 oil
condition that an equal sum should be raised else
where. 800,
The Library of the New York Society, which 'ha
existed, though not al says under its present name
for nearly two centuries, is ono Of the most con
srN alive as il is the oldest of the libraries III this
county. There is a feeing in the community thai