The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-10-17
The Ladies' Library,

ton. With the thought prominent IN his
mind that the newspaper press of this city
had been either indifferent or neglectful of
the fact that the library was doing noble
work in the community, the city editor of
the FREE TRADER took occasion to visit the
library on Wednesday, to see what could be
said of 1t, and noted down some things
which he commends to the earnest perusal
and consideration of the reader. In answer
to the questions, Miss Macy, the librarian,
very courteously gave information and
placed at the reporters disposal the records
of the society, from which these facts are
cleaned. The library began first with few
books, and was held at various places in the
city until the erection of the court house,
when, through the endeavors of Miss Vince
Bushnell Miss Macy and others, the super
yisors donated the use of the room to the as
ISOLATION for a free public library. The OF
awa Book Club then devoted its entire col
lection of books, some 400 in number, to the
Ladies' Library, which was duly incorporat-
ed under the title of the Young Ladies Tenn
perance Union Library Association. Since
then the number of volumes in the library
at one time amounted to 1900. At present
the number has been reduced to l,i00, on
account of the lack of means to replace old
and WORKOUT books. There are now l,63O
subscribers to the library, which means that
that number Of persons patronize the instl-
tuition. 1t will be seen from this that there
are n much greater number of subscribers
than volumes in the library. Last year
all told, 10, 525 volumes were taken out of
the library, showing that, on an average,
each book was real seven times. Of course
some books are in more constant demand
than this indicates, which proves that it is
no easy matter to keep up such an institution
and take care of the books. cursory
glance at the book shelves shows that such
| leading authors as the following are repre-
scented: Scott, Parkinson, RawlinsOn, Dick.
ems, Holland, Holmes, Emerson, Hawthorne,
George Eliot, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Chan
ming, Winchell, Taine, Froude, Prescott, lr-
wing, De Quincy, llowells, Spencer, Hulk
| ley, Tyndall, Scribners Campaigns Of the
Civil War, Macaulay, Parton, Kingsley,
Stowe, Goethe, Carlyle, Bancroft, Knight,
! Hume, Plutarch Boswell, Thackeray, Tay
lor, Cooper, llar,e, Smiles, Disraeli, Tour
gee, Tinge, Black, together with all the IA
nous poets of Europe and America. All the
leading magazines and many Of the county
papers are on file. Encyclopedias and other
books for reference are also on the shelves.
The library records bear the names of many
generous donators of books, such MS Hon, j.
| o. Glover, Capt. Fullerton, Judge Cation,
| Hon. VIM Cullen, Drs. Hard, Petit and
Harris, J. II. Eckles, Mrs. Hattie Howe, F.
NJ. Sapp, Miss Nincie Bushnell Miss Nellie
Brush, Prof IIuet, Il. c. Hit f. G. Osman,
Hon. Wright Adams, Prof Boltwood, D. Lor
riaux, Mrs D. Evans, Mrs. Jas. McNlanus,
| Miss Edna Lewis, MIR. and Mrs. Peter Rus
sell, Mrs. Silas Ruger, L. f. Bull, Rev.
Gregg, Prof Thorpe, Senator Logan, Mr.
and Mrs. Wheeler Prof Williams, Lester
Strawn, Jessie Kruger aud a host of others.
No works of Sensational or trashy nature,
such rs those of Ouida'' and Mrs. Holmes,
find place in the library, but books of
wholesome instruction and entertaining
leading. The library should not he allowed
to die out for want Of practical aid and sup
port. 1t is doing good and n holy work
and deserves a strong encouragement 1t is
not n local institution, but is free to all per-
sons in the county that desire to avail
themselves of its advantages. TO the young
err class of the population Of Ottawa ii is es-
peclaly beneficial hundreds of whom are
it, constant patrons. To Ottawa alone must
the association look for needed help for at
least another year. The munifcent gift be
queathed by Ottawa's bcnefactor and phil
anthrophist may not be available for some
time, by being tied up in the contested will
case Miss Macy has done all that can or
should be reasonably expected Of her to
make the library success, but II time has
now arrived in which something must be
done to purchase new books and maintain
the expense of keeping the library open.
To do this money is an imperative necessity,
and the Ottawa public will be asked to MD
thi. worthy and audlble cause. The ladies