Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-01

IN the reference department., the puDllc
having direct access to the books, but
the space at our command for this pur-
pose is so limited that not one-foursh of
the demand can be accommodated.
he daily use of the periodicals. on file
in the reading rooms, averages 100 per
day. but no record is kept and the fig
u. es are not included in the circulation
tables.
There are 22l periodicals received in
the library, which are apportioned as
follows: On file in reading rooms, AZ;
on file at delivery desk, 1872; for use at
home, 81.
That the circulation of current period
icals is popular may be judged by the
fact that with fifty-two periodicals, the
circulation amounted to 1891 for the
year.
The large number Of newspapers from
surrounding towns, on file in the read
ing rooms, required 80 much space that
their .ntinuance was deemed impracti-
cable, and the donors of the papers have
since transferred them to the chamber
of commerce, where they are on file for
the use OF the general public.
Special attention has been given to
the reference collection in the purchase
vi UOOh6s OOluP Plctc 6ctS VI tIlc lcdQlOK
English and American reviews have
been added, while the other classes have
received the attention that the demand
warranted.
On the 1st of July the board of direc-
tors extended the privileges of the H.
brary, during vacation, to all pupils of
the public schools who attained an aver
age of 80 per cent. in their examinations.
rIo xvoro soo,, o1 70 OrO x>,,os1c ox,l AZ.
increase OF juvenile visitors to the read
ing rooms averaged 100 per day the cir
culation of books to these children
amounted to II $50 volumes in ten weeks.
The library staff deserves special
mention and praise for the patience and
efforts exerted to impress the youthful
readers with proper understanding of
the card, catalogue and other guides, and
to inspire consideration for the books:
the result of the care exercised is yery
apparent and highly satisfactory from
the moral effect, and from a business
standpoint as we'll; since the principles
of care and cleanliness thus instilled in
the minds of the juvenile reader adds 80
per cent. to the length of the life of a
book on the library shelves.
During the past year the important
work of making card catalogue of the
books has been actively going forward
under the care OF especially trained cat
aloguers, Mr.. G. A. Cutters Rules for
Dictionary Catalogue being the
adopted guide for the work.
The compilation OF finding list of
authors and titles of the contents of the
library was begun on the 1st of October,
and will be in the hands of the printer
nv tho 1kth NJ Doco m hnr
The copy Of the finding list has been
written on cards. postal size, directly
from the books, and will be continued
in that form after the list is published
from them.
To compile list under such a press
ure, of course, cannot be satisfactory,
nor is it published at all from choice,
since the library is growing so rapidly
as to render its usefulness very short
lived; but it has been rendered impera-
tive from the lack of desk room for the
consulting of the shelf sheets, which for
the past year have been the cole means
of access to the library, aside from the
helps afforded by the staff OF attendants.
on whom the circulation has in the
main depended.
The experiment of circulating music
has proven decided success, and that
it has been appreciated by our patrons
is shown by the circulation of $40 in the
eight months it has been on the shelves,
while the high character OF the collec-
tion must prove an important educa-
tional feature.
A special effort is being made to COL
lect Photographic views Of the city and
surrounding country, and it is earnestly
urged upon our citizens to assist us in