St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-30
MORE ROOM FOR READERS.
Report Of the State Historical So
ciety.
NEED A NEW BUILDING.
Increase Of Volumes in the Library
Renders 1t Imperative to Have
Better Aceomm odations.

Prof. Williams yesterday issued the
report of the State Historical society,
which was established in 1872 Its OBJ
iects are stated to be: First. the collec-
ton. preservation and publication of
materials for the history of Minnesota
and its people; second. the collection
and management of library containing
useful works of reference on the most
valuable departments of knowledge;
third. the diffusion among the citizens
of the state of useful knowledge. Dec.
l. 1886, when the last biennial report was
made. there were upon the register of the
library 1866 volumes and 1859 I'M
bound volumes. Total, 25,I75 The adj
ditions since have been 2.490 bound and
1890 unbound, making total to date of
1856 books in the library. An exact
ing and increasing department of
the librarians work is the attend
ance on the wants of patrons and
users of the library. Prof. Williams
says on this point: "Our library is pa
tronized for Information on every i'm
aginable subject that ever entered into
the human mind. A considerable por-
ton of these searchers after facts are
quite readily salts fed by works which
are usually to be found in every fairly
organized library. But a fair percent
age of them are only solved by much
trouble and outlay of time on the part
of the librarians, very often, 1t seems
to them,
VASTLY OUT OF PROPORTION
to the Importance or value of the sub
ject to which the inquiry refers" The
most important portion of the report is
that relating to the present cramped
condition of the library. Prof. Williams
writes:
1.-THE present apartments of the So
ciety were never suitable for its pur-
poses, on account of the utter lack of
proper arrangements for library work
id use. 1t was simply SO much area,
cut up by walls and partitions arranged
only with view to supporting the walls
above, and without any thought of our
convenience and wants, Thus we have,
during our whole occupancy of them,
suffered from their unftneSS. Latterly,
the two light shafts which had served
to light the rear portions of our rooms,
dimly. it is true, but were of real
advantage to us, were closed up,
so as to use for Offices above,
and this still further deteriorated
the quality of our surroundings. and
gave us trouble and delay IN our work.
ne apartments, from the faulty way IN
which they were planned, were poorly
| lighted, while the ventilation, or rather
the utter want of any artificial ventila-
ton. rendered them unhealthy and dis
agreeable. During some portions of
the year they
WERE so COLD AND DAMP,
that persons visiting them for study
were afraid to remain long. The effect
on the health of the officials of the
society, who were constantly confined
in this kind of atmosphere. may be mag
ined. Almost invariably persons
visiting our rooms for the first time
would express their surprise at the I'M
fitness of the same for our purposes,
and sometimes even censured us
for not having a location more
suited to the value and usefulness of the
institution. But, of course, our only re-
SponSe to this was that we would gladly
make the change suggested, only that it
was out of our power, as yet. And now
to crown the other objections, we have
almost reached the end of our space,
and any further growth of the library
will be impossible, or at least very diff