The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-04-07
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Annual Meeting of the Society-RepOrts
and Election of Omcers.

the Portland Institute and Public Library was
held at the library room yesterday afternoon at
$50 o'clock. There were present Judge Nathan
Webb, Hon. j. Fl. Drummond, James P. Bax-
ter, Stephen Berry, Hon. Chas. Mclaughlin,
Lewis B. Smith, e. A. Noyes, Geo. G. Burgess,
Judge J. W. Symonds, M. B. Coolidge, VIM.
D. Mariner, and L. o. Short, in all twelve,
just quorum. Judge Symonds presided over
the meeting.
The records Of the secretary, M. B. Coolidge
were read and approved.
LIBRARIANS REPORT.
To the Directors Of Portland Public Library;
Gentlemen:
I hereby present, with few remarks, the
statistics OF library work for the year ending
March 81 There appears to be little out Of
the usual course, to make this year with us
materially different from the preceding.
I had been hoping, that before this year clos
ed, something might be done to provide for
this library in the near future, more commodi-
ous quarters,
The library is not using its full powers, and
cannot while in its present cramped conditi on I;
for several years we have had no place where
the larger books, papers, aliases, etc., could be
stored for ready use, and they must be scatter
ed in different places wherever they can be
put out Of hand; then, having no particular
location, they must be searched for when
wanted.
The book shelves ere full and there is no
space for more. The cases which contain the
Public Documents are also full, and the later
arrivals, for want Of better accommodations
are lodged upon the floor.
The Gard Catalogue cabinet lis filed and /
can see no space for its extension as it occupies
one Of the window sills.
We have no space for new shelving for work
tables, nor the many other working conven-
iAnca which wa have a0 long naadad
1t has been suggested that the bound copies
OF local papers now stored in this room, which
ia not considered fire proof, should be removed
to the room opposite, where there would be
less risk OF fire; bui l can see no place in that
room whore they can be stored unless, as has
also been suggested, some of the books in that
room be removed to this, to make a place for
the papers. In that case with but one attend
ant at the delivery desk, she must leave her
place there, pass through two doors, across the
corridor and into another room for circulating
books, and I do not see how this move can be
made practical one,
We are laboring under, not only crowded
condition of things, but in connection with
this, the inconvenience Of rooms disconnected,
and some OF them dark and ilf.adapted to
library use. In the very cold weather such as we
have experienced the past winter, this room,
the reading, and one of the smaller rooms are
not sufficiently heated. Think OF warming a
room 33x37 feet on the floor, and 16 feet high
windows, with one small steam coil, yet this s
the condition of this and the reading room,
while the smaller one mentioned has no means
for heating except from the large one adjoin-
ing.
These rooms cannot be made comfortable in
cold weather with the small amount of piping
now in use. Gould the partition across the
corridor between the delivery and reading
rooms be extended to the ceiling, it would pre-
vent the escape Of so much heat and aid some
what in making the rooms more comfortable.
These facts are not new, but some OF them
have not been mentioned before for the reason
that the library was supposed to be only tenn
porarily located here, and expensive
changes for short stay would not be advis-
able. They are not mentioned at this time in
any spirit OF complaint towards the hospitable
roof which shelters. us (for 1 doubt not the
rooms are all right for what they were intend
ed), but rather to show what is needed IL the
library is to remain here even but a short time,
and also that Ii is impossible for the library to
accomplish the good which is reasonably ex-
pected while laboring under so many disad-
vantages. And then we cannot, with an equal
value in books, be justly compared in our work
and usefulness with other libraries more favor
ably situated.
The street boys have come to see us the past
winter about as usual, although there was re-
port that some other place had been provided
for them, and their number decreased with us
for short time, yet think they nearly all re-
turned to this library as the reading room will
show on almost any day or evening when the
schools are closed. The library has been for
tunate in securing the services OF good assist
ants. have yet to hear the first complaint
against either OF them, bat on the other hand
they are often complimented by our patrons for
their prompt and courteous attention.
Books and pamphlets have been donated TO
the library the past year by the city of Port
land, and the several publishers Of newspapers
IN this city, by the cities OF Boston and Gin
cinnati, the Royal Society OF Canada, the Port
land Dramatic Club, by Mr.. e. A. Noyes, by
DIR. Samuel A. Green of Boston, DIR. j. A.
Spalding, Hon. Frederick Robie, Hon. T. B.
Reed, Prof. Edward s. Morse, Hon. J. 81.
Drummond, George @. Burgess, George ID.
Rand, III. G. Briggs, W. 81. Smith, @. W.
Stevens, 81. W. Richardson, George II. Allen,
Ira Berry, Stephen Berry, e. +. Duren, ]. W.
Leeds. j. L. Stevens, l.. Deane, j, L. Hafri-
son, George H. Davis, W. S. bennett, Rev.
G. NJ, Bartol, Mrs. Governor Washburn, Mrs.
Hobson, Mrs. W. p. Preble, and different pub
lie libraries throughout the country and others.
Whole number Of books donated, 203. Whole
number of pamphlets, 211.
The library has purchased the past year $40
books; 20S have been donated, and 81 have
been added by binding periodicals. making
total of 839 books added the past year Two
books have been lost, and 27 condemned as
worn out, leaving now the whole number of
volumes in the library 80, The whole
number OF books taken from the library for
home use is 1862; the whole number used in
the library, 21,7S3; sent to binder, 221; re-
paired in the library, 110l; covered, ALP.
The following is a comparative table for the
years ending in April, 1884, and April, 1885;