The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-10-03
BOOKS IN PLENTY,
How q Circulating Library May BE Formed
at Slight Expense.

at Slight Expense.
Owen Meridith has remarked upon
the possibilities of liying without books,
but the suggestion is not pleasant one
to contemplate. We do not realize what
books do for US until we are deprived Of
them in some way, and then the gapleft
in our life shows only too plainly the
influence and hold they have upon us.
No new books to read, no new books to
discuss and recommend, would be ter
rible state of affairs to many, and yet it
Is seldom that we get all the right kind
of books that we want In great city
there are ma y ways of procuring sutii-
Gent reading matter at slight cost.
Libraries offer great advantages, and
the people are quick to avail themselves
Of their opportunities, as is shown by
the growth Of such institutions. But in
q small town or the country the condi.
tons arc altogether changed, and book
loving people are often deprived OF a
great deal Of reading. The latter disad-
vantage, however, has been overcomein a
great measure Of late by the formation
Of private library clubs at slight ex-
pense, and for those who are unac-
quainted with the methods Of organizing
such associations this description is
given.
The club may be composed Of any
number from ten persons upward, but
the more that join the greater the
variety of reading afforded to the men,
bers. The sum to be expended may be
decided upon by the club, and each
member contributes either 81, SO or SO
or any intermediary sum they agree
upon, each one paying the same amount
With the money thus obtained q com
mittee purchases as many volumes as
there are members in the club, and .
card is printed which is pasted on the
inside cover Of the books, covering the
list Of members, with the titles of books.
Then the books are distributed to all Of
the members, each one receiving the
book under her name. Then opposite
each name the dato of the receipt of the
book is written. 1t may be the rule to
keep each volume two weeks, which
gives ample time for all the members of
tho family to read it, and then it is
promptly returned to the treasurer at
the expiration of the time set, and the
date of the return noted. Then it goes
around until every one in tura has re-
ceived each book, and tEen lots
are drawn, and each member receives
one of the volumes to keep. In this
way, for the price of one volume, which
they ultimately receive, the members
have the use of the entire set Of books.
While the books are going tho rounds it
is very easy to keep track of them, be-
cause the names follow in regular order
The books should be covered with brown
paper, in order that they may be kept
fresh and clean, and it is we'll to print
on the card a slight penalty for keeping
the books beyond tho prescribed time.
There are number of these clubs in
different parts of the country, and they
are continually growing. BY consulting
with each of the members, individual
tastes may be considered, and il the
majority desire novels, the list may be
made up mainly of such books. Allow
ing each member two weeks time, a club
of ton persons may be kept up for six
months, and ten new books placed at
their disposal. The expense is trihing,
and every one who joins club will find
it a profitable Investments arper's
Bazaar,