The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-04-03
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Annual Meeting of the Corporation
Yesterday.
Reports of the Librarian and Treas
urcr.

The annual meeting of the Portland Ins,i-
tute and Public Library was held Yesterday
afternoon. the president. Hon. j. W. Sy.
monds in the chair.
Librarian S. N. Watson made his annua,
report, as follows:
To the Directors of the Portland Public
Library.
Gentlemen-I herewith present brief sta
tlstlcal report Of library work for the year
AT the beginning of the year the library
contained 30,5S4 volumes. Since then 306
have been purchased, $50 have been donated
and SO have been added ny bind
three have been lost and lo2 have
been condemned a worn out, leaving
row In the library total of $3.50 volumes.
There have been made 40,3l7 charges for
books circulated at homes; 24,09l for books
used In the library; 3, 1876 have been covered !;
1917 have been repaired in the library, and
$40 have been sent to the binders
Fifty-0ne periodicals are regularly re-
ceived besides the local newspapers. Two
thousand five hundred and twenty-one PAM
phlets including unbound periodicals have
been donated. Twelve Of the books pnr-
chased are of the elias designated by the
Sawyer Fund to come under that head,
and have been so labelled and recorded.
There are 244 life members. 237 subscribe
ers and 465 free cards, guaranteeing the use
OF books for home use to 946 persons.
Fewer books Of fiction are added to the
library each year, and those OF history, trav-
ell, biography, literature, etc. are increased,
as well as those Of general reference not easi-
sient subscribers fall off in proportion to the
omount of fiction dropped from the circulat-
ing books. Although a few less books have
been sent to homes this year 9.197 more
books have been consulted in the library
than last year, showing very marked in
crease in the Use Of the library for reference,
which we are glad to see, proving the appre-
citation of this class of books.
Anticipating the removal of the library
from this building during the coming year,
extra help was employed in November last to
assist in preparing for the change. When
we consider that our working force has new
er been more than sufficient to keep along the
daily routine work of the library. and that
all extra work has been accommodating for a
long time for want of space and help to ar
range that which could be, for the time, laid
aside, we think we shall readily see enough
TO be done to warrant the assistance en-
ployed.
The library has 1900 pamphlets, includ-
ing unbound magazines, and these have been
slowed away wherever space could be found
to accommodate them, regardless of any sys-
tenn or order, so they, of course, were not
| readily accessible when called for Two
thousand pamphlet cases have been pro-
cured and filled, after carefully asserting
and arranging the papers according to their
different classes or subjects, and they may
| now be at once put In order whenever proper
shelving Is ready to receive them: To assert
and classify this number Of miscellaneous
| papers and place them in properly labelled
cases consumes a great amount Of time. as
all know who have had the experience. The
United States documents have all been re-
arranged. which WAS another very similar
work.
Much more equally important work re-
mains to be done before the removal of the
library, and as Mr.. Whitney has proved
himself very competent and trustworthy
assistant. recommend that his services be
continued for the coming year.
builder | find the new buildings is intended
TO be ready for occupancy in the summer,
barring unforeseen accidents and delays.
This, fortunately, will bring the removal
to the most favorable time in the year, as the
library ls least used in the summer months,
and with jndicious management can, we
think, be moved, at that time without closing
its use to the public single day.
OF some who have very kindly given books,
They are Hon. Nathan Webb, Hon. j. Il.
Drummond, VIM. p. Preble, NJ f. King. T.
y. Reed, Drs. ]. A. Spalding, Charles D.
Smith. Charles <. Banks, Messrs. Stephen
Berry, Charles y. Merrill. Brown Thursron,
M. N. Rich, Joshua Davis. b. c. Stone, j. X.
Wheeler, George d. Rand, Francis Wharton,
Douglas Brymner, Edward w. Hall, I. s.
Pparvin; Ira Berry, George c. Burgess.
A. w. Paine, Lewis B. Smith,
w. IL, Fem, r. G. Manning, H. w.
Richardson, G. NJ. Nattinger, heirs of Mrs.
Phebe Paine, M. L. Dcane, Theo. Sutro, J.
A. Warwick, III. V. Poore, A. w. Greedy, ii.
B. Adams, Edward J.. Paul, Henry Deering,
Edmund Quincy, II. G. Briggs, William l..
Putnam, Samuel Chadwick, d. N. Mortland.
Edward 5. Holden, Mrs. J. r. Anderson and
Miss Sarah V. Rice. Also the several pub
fishers of our local newspapers, city of Port
land, Boston, various public libraries far
and near and the United States government
and State of Maine
Trusting that before the occurrence of
another annual meeting of the association.
the library will be we'll established In home
Of its own, this report is respectfully sub
mitted.
The treasurer, Mr. E. A. Noyes. reported
as follows: M