St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-03
HAVE ONE AT LAST.
The Library Board Chooses DIR.
HoSmer Librarian.


A sense of ominous quiet pervaded
the board room in the bubble library
building yesterday afternoon as the
members of the board filed in and took
their seats for the regular monthly
meeting. Something else unusual
was noticed at the same time.
Thomas Lowry walked in and took
seat as member of the board. He
has been seen there so seldom that it
looked almost as if he were an inter.
loper. But he took an interest in the
proceedings. While Prof. Sven Oftedal
was reading report from the library
committee Mr.. Lowry interrupted him
10 ask il it was not time something was
done about filling the place of Herbert
Putnam. Prof. Oftedal hastily explained
that they would come TO that IN a
minute and the board would be advised
that the committee had practically fin
iShed It's work. Mr.. Lowry merely eX-
pressed the idea that was in the minds
of several members. More than one of
them went to the meeting with the
avOwed intention of criticising the
library committee for its slOwneSs in
getting librarian. The library conf
mittee had evidently sat under cover.
But its labor is finished. The libra
rian has been selected. His name is
James Kendall Hosmer-Dr. James
Kendall Hosmer. of st. Louis. professor
of English and German literature i'll
Washington university in that city, and
a celebrated literary man.
The library committee reported that
it had examined the claims of DR.. Hos
mer, and had found him to be the very
man needed in Minneapolis. Several
letters were read from prominent
library and literary men through
out the country indorsing DR.. Hosmer.
Then the board adopted the report.
DE-. Hosmer'S term will begin March l,
and he will receive salary of $3.50 per
month. He will not do much here the
first month, but will be worked into
the harness by the library committee.
lie will be allowed $500 for moving eX-
penses. The following, from Apple
toms Cyclopedia of American Biog
raphy, gives one an idea of what man.
ner Of man DR.. Hosmer is:
James Kendall Hosmer, author. was born
IN Northheld. Mass, Jan. %, 1854. and was
graduated at Harvard in 1855. During the
civil war he served i'll the Forty third regi-
ment OF Massachusetts volunteers. He
was professor in Antioch college III 1856
of English aud German literature in
the University of Missouri, and in 1874
was elected to similar professorship in
washington university, st. Louis, which ne
Guard Boston, 1860 The Thinking Bayo-
net QS6j). "A Short History of German
Literature" (St. Louis, 1871. Life of Samuel
Adams c,American Statestesmen" series,
Boston, 1851 and STORY of the Jews ('.Story
of Nations series, New York, 1851.
Since the above was written he has
published several other works of his
torical character. His whole life seems
to have been passed in pursuits that
would eminently fit him for library
work. While professor in Antioch col
lege, for five years lie was the librarian.
He has been connected with the public
library of st. Louis for six years as
member OF the execI tive committee,
and,aS chairman of the book committee,
and under his direction, nearly all of
the $4,000 volumes in that library have
been selected.
Prof. Oftedal will continue to draw
Sl25 month as acting librarian until
the 1st of March.
The board adopted several suggestions
from the library committee. Hereafter
none of the employees of the library will
be paid for extra work unless such work
has been authorized by the board. The
extra work will be done by some substi-
tutes, who will be paid SIC a month.
Prot Oftedal claims that this plan will
save some $50 a month and will also
serve to train up a good many young
people in literary work so that they will
be competent to take positions in the
library when vacancies occur.
President NorthrOp read letter COM
planning of the poor ventilation in the
building. 1t seems that the building is
so constructed that the windows cannot
be opened from the top. 1t also appears
that some of the windows are supplied
with patent vcntilator which the own
ers are trying to introduce into the pub
lie schools advancing the argument that
they are in use in the public library
building. Messrs. Walker, Moore and
Lowry are requested TO look up this
matter of ventilation.
The Eighth ward people were repre-
sented by delegation asking for a
branch library near. Nicolet and Lake
street. The petition was signed, il was
said, by 800 persons. A suitable build
ing can be secured at NicolIet and Lake
street for about S400 year. The mat
ter was referred. Two hundred dollars
worth of new books will be purchased.
The bulletins that have been published
since the publication of the finding list
will be compiled into a supplementary
catalogue. The library will be open on
Washington's birthday the same as on
Sunday.