Morning journal and courier., 1884-10-03

" during the year was 359, of which 31 were donations, the cost of those purchased being S768. .09. This is a decrease in the number of volumes added, but an increase in the total cost, owing to the purchase of larger num- Der of comparatively expensive works.
 In the reading room one or two periodicals have been added to the list, which otherwise remains the same as last year. In looking over the roll of the Institute membership have been forcibly impressed with the large proportion of ladies' names that appear in our list of patrons, nearly if not quite fifty per cent being of the gentler sex; and while appreciate the ladies' patronage and hope that it will never be less, but on the contrary will largely increase, it has seemed to me that there is a large and intelligent class of the community who at present pat ronize the library only to a very limited ex- tent, and who, should they make free of it, would find it of great profits This class that I refer to are our skilled mechanics, who comprise many of our best citizens and who are really the bone and sinew of our city. According to the census of 1880, there 999S males over sixteen years of age en- ployed in our establishments of productive industry, of which think it is safe to esti- mate that 5000 are employed in mechani- cal establishments or have to do with machinery and tools. If this large class, or 8 portion of them, could be interested in some way in our libra -ry, it would greatly strengthen our member ship. And while would not advise the Institute to develop its library in any one department to the exclusion of others, or for the benefit of any one class of the communi ty to the damage of others, believe that the time has come when we can do something towards the commencement of reference h- brary for the more especial benefit of me chanics, manufacturers and inventors, which shall include as complete collection of pat G, T,T0& only United States patents, but foreign patents as well. Of course, to get together fairly complete patent library will take time and large amount of money, but we can at least make beginning as have already a complete, nearly plete, set of the Official Gazette of the patent office, which, if bound into vol 'umes, would with the Journal of the Frank lin Institute, which contains the earlier pa tents, and the other mechanical work we now have, make fair collection to start with. To these could be added the current monthly volumes of the patent office, and perhaps af- ter a little the abridgements of the British patents; while from time to time, the money could be spared, other mechanical and technical works could be purchased. It may be said that the demand for collection of this kind would not justify the expense. l admit that at present there is no large call or demand for it, but such collection, if once fairly commenced and brought to the attention of those whose special benefit it is designed, would create it's own demand and use, which would most decidedly increase, if the experience of other libraries is of any use as guide. Take, for instance, the Chicago public library. In the report of this library bearing date June, 1882, the librarian reports the number of visitors using the various patent publications as 6,S58, an increase of nearly 20 per cent. i1l the previous year;while in the report of June, 1884, two years later, the last published, he reports the number foreign patents was 17,352, an in crease of 150 per cent. in two years, a very notable increase, due, I suppose, to the fact that the collection was constantly being added to and made more and more complete in all it's branches. For in the report of 1881, the librarian notes the fact that when the set of British patents were incomplete they were not called for oftener than two or three times week, while they were asked for three or four times day when the set with abridgements and index was complete, or nearly so. And while we cannot expect to rival the Chicago library, which has full sets of American, British, Canadian, French and German patents, either in the extent of our collection or it's completeness and use, that being free library open to all who choose to come, while we are a subscription library with small clientage, I believe such u COu0ctlOn WOuIO n0lp our ne1nDefSQ1p un- til the time shall come, which trust is not many years off, when we shall be able to open our doors to all.
 At our last annual meeting a vote was passed authorizing the board of direc- tors to make to the Court of Common Council proposition in aid of project for public library. Your directors, after careful consideration of the subject in all it's bearings, submitted to the city proposition which was printed in the last annual report of the Institute and also in the city Year Book, and as you have all prob ably seen it, it is not necessary for me to re- peat in detail here. It is sufficient to state that it provided for the erection by the city of suitable building in 8 central location, in which suitable rooms should be provided for the Institute library and reading room, which should then be made free for the of our citizens. This proposition, accompanied by a suggestion as to the manner in which the money might be raised, was adopt ed by the Common Council and approved by the Mayor, who by order of the Common Council appointed committee of thirteen to carry out it's provisions. This committee or ganized and took the matter actively in hand, and had nearly completed arrangements for a thorough canvass of the city with a view of securing if possible subscriptions to the amount of S100, ,000, when unfortunately monetary crisis was developed by failures in New York, and by the advice of leading citi zens, from whom substantial aid was expect ed, the committee ad journed further opera tions until the month of October. But inas- much as we are now in the midst of T3resi- dentia1 campaign, it is doubtful whether the committee will deem it advisable to under take it's renewal this fall.
 The committee have undertaken a large scheme, but it is one that ought to commend it. self to every citizen and call forth his aid to make it a success, a free library, the fit ting crown of our excellent public school system, would be benefit to every person in the community, no matter what his posi- tion, not only now but for as long as the city shall exist.
 Whatever may be the outcome of this eff fort, the Institute is to be congratulated on the position it has taken, which, if I under stand, may be stated to be this: That it is ready now and at all times to do that which shall increase it's usefulness in the community and it's value to our citizens, it's only aim being the good of the city. And in closing cannot refrain from calling your at tention to it's strong financial position, in spite of the decline in it's receipts during the year past Owing to this building free of incumbrance, with fund of over $2, 900 in the hands of the ,rustees for it's enlargement when necessary, with over $700 in the treasury for steady income for the maintenance of the reading room and in crease of the library, and an income from membership sufficient for current expenses, it seems to me that we ought to command much larger membership than we do at present; and our annual reports, instead of showing membership of five hundred or six hundred, should show an average of not less than ten hundred to twelve hundred which would be very small membership for city of the size of New Haven.
 Tn conclusion thanl. vo11 mann of he