Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-01
Its History From the Start
ing Point.
THE VARIOUS MANAGEMENTs.
How it Grew From 1872 to Date.
Recent Large Increase in the
Number of Books.

B. Caswell, HI. K. w. Bent, Colonel G..
81. Smith, Judge Sepulveda, W. H.
Mace. A. W. Potts, T. w. Temple. r. H.
Dalton, General George Stoneman, w.
B. Lawlor, General Mcconnell and
Harris Newmark. These gentlemen and
their successors in Office managed the
affairs OF the library for nearly six years
under the title of "Los Angeles Library
Association" small stock of books be-
ing obtained, partly from proceeds of the
life membership fees and partly from
monthly dues.
J.C. Littlefeld was the first Libr .rian.
at salary OF $75 per month, which was
soon increased to $10O.
In April, 1878, the members of the
organization voted unanimously to dis
solve the association under an agree
ment with the city. by virtue of which
| the City Council took possession of their
property, valued at $3,13425, and as
sumed liabilities amounting to 81 ,074 25,
known as the clos Angeles Public Lii
brary," under the provisions of the
special act passed by the Legislature for
that purpose.
In January, 1879, under the provisions
of the revised charter. the members of
the Council, fifteen in number, with the
Mayor as Chairman, became permanent
Board OF Regents for the management of
| the institution. P. Connolly was elected
in January, 1879, as Librarian, to succeed
JIG. .Littlefeld. In June, 1880, Miss Mary
E Foy was elected Librarian. In January,
| 1884, Miss Jessie A.Gavitt was elected Iii
brarian, to succeed Miss Foy and held the
Office until January, 1889, when she was
succeeded by Mrs. Lydia A. Prescott,
who held the Office for q few months,
until the 1st of April following, when the
present Board of Directors, Messrs. G. A.
Dobinson, FL. Jay Hanchette, E. W.
Jones, j. Mills Davies andF. H. Howard
was appointed under the provisions OF
the new charter, and they appointed
Miss Tessa L. Kelso as Principal y.
rian, and Miss Jessie A. Gavitt at First
Assistant. as
For the period of ten years dating from
the time when the library management
passed into the hands cf the Council as
Board OF Regents, in 1879, up to the
organization OF the present Board of Di-
rectors,. very little Interest seems to have
been taken by anyone in the develop
ment Of the institution as a means OF
public good, the records showing that
the stated meetings were not attended as
they should have been; the chief busi-
ness done at any time being mostly to
audit the claims for salaries, rent and
other expenses. The remarkable in
crease in the prosperity and population
of Los Angeles brought with il no ad-
vantage to the Public Library, everyone
being too busy to waste time upon any
thing but real estate speculations. After
the subsistence OF this excitement, and
when the present board took Office. it
did so with the determination to create.
if possible, a public interest in the H.
brary, and to make it, as it deserves to
be, an attraction of which the city NAV
we'll be proud; and we bave now the
satisfaction of seeing the library located
in spacious, well-lighted and airy rooms,
which have been furnished throughout
with library fittings of the most improved
designs and constructed of the best pos
sible material.
The stock Of books brought from the
old library quarters. in the Downev
block last July, was not only small. but
| lily adapted to the needs of community
like this; but this stock has been more
than doubled during the year, and the
record OF the readers shows that the
work OF the Directors has been appre-
clated. During two days last week, Fri
day and Saturday, 1,046 books were
handed over the counter to the readers,
and for the month of December the total
number OF readers foots up to over TO-.
GOO, or nearly as much as it used to be-
in year. Miss Kelso, the able Librarian,
makes her annual statement of the finsp-
ces Of the library as follows:
RECEIPTS.
Balance on hand April L, 1889. - s. 1904 81
Balance from. tax levy of 1S8S-S9
transferred April L, 1881 -. 1ss 40
Received on account of apportion-
p5es msnt snS fpT nes ssal year. 1885 Co. 17e2s 5s
Total. ..-..-................. .$2l,42s 46
EXPENDITURES.
BOOKS I ftS ana periodicals. als.-...........$ 3,540 80
aIIsaty Salaries expenses '...'.....-.. 2'2ss 60
Balance in hands of City Treasurer. 1921 i SO SO
Iotal ...............S21,42S 46
The book account is as follows:
Number of volumes in the library
September 2, 1889 ...... .... 63s6
Number of volumes added to library ''o/
to December L, 1889. ........ 4771
plscsrdea use rae s,o,.n 80
Number of volumes in library De-
~
There are 1S9 periodicals received in
the library, which are apportioned as
follows: On file in the reading-room,
70; on tile at delivery desk, 70 for use at
home, So.
The circulation of books and periodi.
calls for the three months from Sep.
tember End to December 1st is given
below:
Sept; Oct. Nov. Totals.
Reading rooms. .3,4ls 1870 1851 1855
Home 1,415 2,277 2'61O 6'4O2
Total. ........4.sss 5.s47 7,2e1 17,e41
In addition to this registered number
| of applications at the delivery desk.
there is an average daily attendance Of
over 100 readers who make use of the
periodicals on file in the reading-rooms,
making the total number 29,94l, which
moderate estimate of 10 per cent. will
give grand total Of 131 ,74O readers for
the year.
| The Library Directors will ask for
largo aDDr0nriofiOr fbsn x7oou I .x9l