The Portland daily press., 1889-02-22
Atbenaum and the Portland Instituta and

Athenaum and the Portland Institute and
Public Library and to empower the CONVEX
sion of the same into Free Public Library"
approved January 10th, 1876, which had been
ratified by the proprietors Of the Portland
Athen@um January both, 1876, was formally
accepted by the corporators of the Institute.
No accession OF books was gained by this
consolidation, the collection Of the Athe-
Daum having been destroyed in the fire of
1866. but we gained the equity in the build
ing on Plum street, and the addition of many
influential citizens to the list of our life
members. The closing terms of the act au-
thorizing the Union of the libraries provided
that whenever the city. of Portland shall
determine to take the rights of the CONSOLE
dated corporation for the purpose of free
public library it shall be held only to pay
and discharge any existing debts and liabili-
ties" thus closing the mouths Of those who
In later discussions claimed that 1t was only
proprietary library;
The annual report in April 1876 showed an
increase in the number of books issued to
3S,434 volumes. At the meeting of the direc-
tors In May 1t was voted to keep the library
open between 10 a. m. and 8 p. m; every
working day, and the city granted additional
room Tor reading room.
In June 1876 occurred the death of our sec
ond president, Mr.. John Neal, who in its
inception had thrown his strong personality
into the effort to create public library.
Truly brave, impetuous, forceful and
ioveable man was our noted writer. In his
day as well known IN England as America.
How we strove together to reach that benev-
oleRt person in another city, whom it was
announced was seeking to find some strug-
CLING library upon which to bestow his large
collection Of books, can be imagined. But
we never saw the man or the books. have
been hunting like Diogenes for such a man
ever since.
In February, 1877, the trustees OF the Port
land Academy voted the sum of twelve hun
dred dollars annually to be applied to the
N u IL. hF0 tw.Ak
This sum has been continued annually ever
| since, and but for this timely help / cannot
see how the library could have been main
| tanned.
In April, 1877, the public. which up to this
time had free access to the shelves, was ex-
cluded; and the old School Committee rooms
| opened for reading room.
| The annual report in April, 1877, showed
an increase OF 1862 volumes TO the library,
and that 1874 volumes had been Circulated
| A finding list of books was issued IN June
| OF this year; and the cost Of printing it on
| brown paper was paid by the adv srtisements
Ii was fndlng list arranged by subjects
under me authors names; and nothing but
| make shift of catalogue. During this
| year the library met with a severe loss in the
death of Hon. Geo. I. Davis, whose varied
and extensive knowledge of books and dis
ciplined taste were of great value to the lib
| rary.
In March, 1878, a committee of the direc-
| tors was chosen to arrange terms for a con-
OXIDATION OF the Mercantile Library Asso-
| citation with the Institute
AT the annual meeting in April 1873 the
| report showed that 1862 volumes had been
| circulated for home use, aud the total num-
Der OF volumes in the Library was 49,
W., Librarian Moves. in concluding his
owing to pressure of other duties And at a
| subsequent meeting of the Directors Asst
Librarian S. Nj. Watson was chosen to fiji
| the vacancy.
| The agreement for union of the Mercan-
tile Library Association and the Institute
was signed April IS, 1873. Under this agree
| ment the Institute received $3.50 volumes
and great accession of moral support; and
bound itself to 'ay $3.50 annually. for seven
| years. In July 1873 the library lost warm
friend by the death Of Judge Geo. f. ShepIey
| whose broad and judic0us counsels and
material aid had always been confidently
depended upon, In November, 1873, Mr..
Coolidge was elected, which Office he has
continued to hold up to the present time.
In April 1879, the annual report showed a
circulation Of 60,772 volumes for home use
and total Of 20, 13l volumes in the library.
President Putnam's report was an elaborate
| review of the work of the institute she wing
| how wonderful the success of the library
had been, and yet without having ever re-
| ceived over S1l00 in any year from the city,
| or any large gifts from private individuals.
report showed that 81, 1872 volumes had been
circulated for home use; that there had been
| q considerable increase In the number of
books used at the library, being nearly TO-
| 600 volumes; a total of TAI books were added
to the library for the year.
AT the annual meeting in April 1881, the
librarians report showed 44.873 volumes
circulated for home use, 1853 books used In
the rooms, and an addition of 865 volumes to
the library. During the year the library
received from the executors of the estate of
| Hon. John b. Brown, one of its inco.por-
ators. one thousand dollars, the largest gift
OF money, up to that time, the. library had
| ever received. In December of this wear.
owing to the demands of the county upon
| the city for additional room, a formal notice
| was received from the Mayor that part of
the rooms then occupied by the library
| would be required for the use of the county.
but fortunately this demand was not pressed
| At the annual meeting in April 1882 the Ii
| brarian reported the number of books crcula-
ted for home usel43. 799, consulted in the libra
/ ry, 1885, and an addition of 843 Volumes to
the Library. l find that during this wear the
old objection to the library as being propire-
| tary library, delayed the appropriation from
the city, and attacks were made on it, both in
the public press and otherwise. These OBJ
! jections were met both before the City Coun-
ell and in the public press by a comparison
| of the work of this library so far as its means
went, with the great public libraries abroad
and at home. and the appropriation was
l SldHbcu VIII Uuly d SllBut Qtldy.
In the spring Of 1888 finding list of books
arranged by subjects under the authors
/ names was issued, cheaply printed and most
of its cost betrayed by the advertisements.
AT the annual meeting OF April, 1888, the re
| port showed 43453, volumes circulated for
home use, and 1890 used at the library and
| after making allowances for all losses 28. 9lg
volumes in the library. This report showed
gratifying increase In the number Of people
/ using the library at the rooms.
| During this year the library sustained a
severe loss in the death Of its vice-president
Israel Washburn, one of its original incor-
porators and directors and one Of its most
| enthusiastic and influential supporters, both
/ before the government in behalf of the an
| preparations and in the details of library ad-
/ mnistration.
At this time President Hon. William l..
Putnam who had so long and faithfully
served the library as president resigned and
the Hon. Joseph w. Symonds, the first treas
urer of the library was chosen president;
nda Mr.. Phillip Henry Brown was chosen
| vice president.
During this year also by the death of Mr..
| Nathaniel @. Sawyer, the library received a
large and important bequest of about eleven
| thousand dollars to be called the Sawyer
| fund. Mr. Sawyer had been for some time
| constant visitor at the library, and, as his
interest mainly conferred in scientific books,
| the terms OF his bequest required that the
| purchase of books on behalf Of the SAWYER
| fund should follow in the line of books of a
| permanent scientific value for circulation,
| During the winter of the year 1888 COM
| plant was made that the reading room was
| crowded with small boys whose attire. not
| always clean, made the atmosphere of the
room uncomfortable for older persons, practi-
| cally driving from the room that class
| of readers. A generous suggestion from the
| officers of the Fraternity enabled us to send
| some of the younger lads to the rooms of the
| Fraternity and relieved somewhat the pres
sure on the very crowded reading room Of
| the library.
| At the annual meeting in April, 1884, the
| librarian reported the number of books cir
| culated for home use 4S,578 volumes, and
| books used at the library %, 259
At this meeting formal notice was COM
municated to the incorporates of the death
| of one Of its first corporators and uniform
| friend, DR.. John Taylor Gilman.
In August another incorporation and di-
rector, Mr.. Samuel E. Spring, passed away.
How helpful his counsels and material aid
had been can be appreciated by all who re-
member the position he held in our city in
the trying times of the war and great fire.
AT the annual meeting in April, 1885, the
librarian reported that all of the shelves
were full and no space for new shelving,
everything being crowded; that the whole
number of volumes in the library was 3O,131;
that the circulation for home use was Al ,6S2
volumes and used at the library rooms, d.
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