The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-03-13
The Circulating Library.

To The Editor Of The Neacs;
SIR:-The trustees of the Library of the
Burlington County Iyceum of History
and Natural Sciences desire to place be.
fore your readers a short outline of the
history of that institution, and to give
them a clearer understanding of what il
is and what it has accomplished, in order
to interest them in certain plans for Civ
ing it a wider scope and greater useful
ness.
The Lyceum was incorporated in 1860
with Dr. Edward Harris, of Moorestown,
as its president, and among the other off
GERS and members were large proportion
of the principal citizens of Mount Holly.
The objects of the society, as stated in
the charter, are the collection of statistics
of history, the cultivation of the sciences,
and the advancement of learning. A reg
ular meeting has been held on the first
Friday evening of each month, and a
principal feature Of the meetings has been
the reading Of papers, specially prepared,
and frequently containing valuable con-
tributions to local history. Two very
successful seasons of University Exten-
sion lectures were given in 1912, but
the courses arranged for the following
year were abandoned because the neces-
sary subscribers could not be obtained.
In 1898 a series of lectures of unusual in
terest, by prominent citizens of the state,
were delivered under the auspices of the
Society, but the attendance, despite the
fact that no admission was charged, was
discouragingly small.
A museum has been gradually accumu-
lated, which contains many rare end in
teresting articles. There are autographs
of Washington and other eminent Amer
leans, a rare and curious map of the
American colonies IN 17l5 relics of colon
lal and revolutionary times, very large
collection Of Indian arrow-heads and i'm
plements, birds mineTalogical specimens,
fossils, etc, collected with especial refer
ence to this state and county. In 1876 a
successful effort was made to establish a
library and Board Of Library Trustees
was added to the list of officers. In 1881
it was found that the rooms, which were
then in the second floor Of No 1880 High
street, were entirely inadequate, and the
building on the corner Of High street and
Murrelrs alley was erected by Mr.. Lewis
with a view to furnishing suitable accom-
modations for the library and museum
These rooms, including the rear of the
first floor aud the entire second floor, have
been rented by the Association since that
time.
The late Nathan Dunn provided in his
will that the residue of his estate should
be devoted to the establishment of a
| library in Mount Holly. and when his es-
tate was settled in 1882. the Lyceum was
appointed by the Chancellor as trustee Of
the fund, and received the sum Of 600.
The income OF this fund is devoted to the
! library, which is open daily, as a free
reading room. The library has grown
slowly but steadily, until it now numbers
more than 5000 volumes, not including
unbound pamphlets and government pub
| lications The books have been carefully
selected, and many Of them are rare and
valuable-Eotably the snperbly illustrated
works, once owned by Nathan Dunn, now
in case bearing his name and forming .
/ central feature Of the library. In 1I6s
under charter from George III, 1.-THE
Bridgetown Library Company" was or
/ gained and the remainder of its UNIQUE
collection Of books, numbering abont l5C
volumes, together with the old charter
now form highly interesting feature O
our own library. The Rev. Alexander
4 Shiras, d. d., Of Washington. a former
resident of Mount Holly, showed his con
tinued interest in the town by donating
his entire library of more than 400 vol
umes to the Lyceum. This collection il
also shelved apart from the other books
and is now known as the "Shiras Alcove.'
1t contains many valuable works of ref
erence, and was most important ant
highly appreciated acquisition. It viii
be readily acknowledged that we hav,
here an institution capable Of exerting {
/ decided influence for good.
There are the monthly meetings, witt
their social and literary features the mu
scum, with its collections illustrating thu
history and resources Of the county, anC
especially the library, with its works o
reference and general literature, and it
free reading room, open every afternoon
! during the winter, and every morning
| during he summer and where any on