The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-11
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

AHuuA Ik6pOTE OIL the LIBRARIAN to thu
#@ Board of Trustees.
The fourth annual report Of the public
librarian, Leslie 6ulgrovs, has just been
submitted to the board Of trustees. He
says the demand for more room which
would have been inevitable, for the coming
year, has been happily averted by a combi-
nation of circumstances, at which all can
rejoice, for the wish expressed last year,
that the library should nave a home of its
own, which at the time was apparently a
hopeless one, has been fulfilled, and the IL
brary will soon be in q homo Of which it ID
worthy and such a nj as it deserves. The
popularity OF this institution could not
have been better shown than it was by the
unanimous assent to the proposition that a
building suitable for tho library should be
erected by the city at its own expense.
The only regret to be expressed" he says,
ia that there was no more time given to
the inception of the plans, and that the IL
brary had alone received the full benefit Of
the appropriation, and not had to share it
with an institution with which it has nc
natural connection. A little earlier start
won d have resulted in a building properly
arranged and large enough for the future,
but the present quarters will be fully occu-
pied in but a few years."
There were added during the wear 1.793
volumes; 1858 were purchased, sixty-four
given. There were repaired in the library
673 volumes, and eighty-nine were worn
out. There we've given forty-two volumes
BY the American Unitarian association.
The number of loan cards was increased
VI, and the number now in use is 3,2O1.
there were issued for home use on cards
1868 books, being an increase over the
previous year of s, 446 volumes. The daily
average was increased tWenty-three, The
largest number issued in one month was in
March, when the circulation reached b,O27.
The demand for books has varied but little
from the previous year, fiction constituting
the larger portion, being about 65 per cent
of the whole. Interest in science, poetry,
drama. art and everything relating to the
home, ia gaining. All influence ia always
thrown in favor of books which will benefit
rather than amuse, and the younger per-
sons especially are at all times assisted in
10 lost of advocating the merits of good
books which would perhaps remain I'M
known. Ths reading room has been well
attended. There were issued 1901 books,
of which a large number were for reference,
the school children having made use Of
these books. There were $3.50 periodicals
used. For those coming to read there are
pc iodioals and papers.
The needs of the future are noted IN the
report. An accession catalogue is a very
necessary article and should be had, the
Of the books should Be- made and in &C.
cordance with the Dewey decimal system
which ia the best in use. A card catalogue
should be prepared at az carly a period as
possible. It's necessity is great. The
library when settled in it's new home should
be kept open from nine a. m. to nine D.. M.
instead of closing at meal time. The Ii
brary would bo benefited and the children
made happy if the age of card holders be re-
duced from u to l0years. New lists of books
have been prepared in regular catalogue
and printed in THE INDEPENDENT.
Thanks are given to MIR. Wilbur T. An
drews, for a year the day assistant, and
Miss Alice A. Boy. who for eight months
has been the regular assistant, and various
others for help given.
In the report OF the board of trustees to the
city council last night, the librarian ia thus
complimented: mo ordinary person, with
out large experience can possibly perform
the multiform duties required of a librarian,
and the trustees esteem themselves fortu-
nate in having tho services of 80 competent
n person to fill that position as the present