The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1895-10-31
FROM OUR LOCAL.
G. w. JOHNSTON TELLS OF THE
PUBLIC LIBRARY AT
FOND Dp LAC.
a GOOD LESSON ron KENosHA
What Has Been DoneIn Fond du Lac May
Be Done Here.

j Be Done Here.
! FOND DU LAC, Wis, Oct q = Stu
ated in the very center of the city
where the greatest volume of the bust
ness Of this city is transacted stands q
tWO-story cream colored brick building,
underneath the tasty brick cornice of
which stands out in bold letters the
words Public Library" 1t is the
pride Of Fond du Lac and is one Of her
| best supported institutions. 1t has
been in existence less than two years,
but in that time it has SO ingratiated
itself in the public affections that it
would no more be thought of parting
with it than with his honor the mayor
and the rest of the government Of the
city. To be sure a public library is
not, strictly speaking, part Of a city's
government, but it does have a great
bearing on the good order of very
large class Of citizens Of the reading
kind, who are to be found in mischief
if not thus employed in their spare mo-
ments. This, however, speaking par
enthetically, is one Of the very least Of
considerations in favor Of the establish
ment Of such an institution.
tore myself away from those with
whom have been visiting the past few
days, this afternoon, for the purpose of
climbing the neat, easy stairway of the
building mentioned for the purpose Of
taking peep at this model place, af-
ter which it has long been the cher
ished hope of this paper Kenosha
might build unto herself similar edu-
cational institution. For a place so
much in use the public library Of Fond
du Lac is very tidy and inviting
place. 1t is all in one large room
about twenty feet in width by about
one hundred feet in length. The front
end of the room is lighted by nearly
full length windows and very close to-
gether. This section of the room is
used for the general reading room and
has the appropriate tables Of nicely
polished woods and chairs of both
handsome and substantial make. The
floor is covered with an ingram carpet
and the walls with excellent portraits
of the most famous authors. [ speak
of this as a section Of the room. 1t is
divided off to the entire front of the
building by itself by d substantial bal
bannister, railing Or whatever
name by which it would serve the same
purpose. This section is furnished
with large selection of papers from
all sections of the country and includ
ing news, art, science and mechanics.
These are all free to every one, for they
are bought and paid for out Of the Ii
brary fund which is provided for each
year at tax levy time by the city gov
eminent Any one, whether he be
citizen or a domestic of some other eli
mate, has perfect right to partake of
the repast served on these tables SO
long as he observes the simple injunc-
lions to remove his hat and approach
with due respect and keep his mouth
closed under all circumstances.
There are three other compartments
or sections. The first one is sort of
hall way into which you enter and by
crossing which one reaches either of
the other places he wishes to visit.
This lies next back of the reading sec
ton and is one-half the width of the
building. The other half is given over
to the reference room. Here one must
go if he wishes to look up the biOgra-
ply of bedbug or the rise and fall of
the prohibition party. 1t is arranged
with a sort of desk running all around
the dividing fence at convenient
height for the resting Of the books to
which one may be referring.
Next back of these sections is the Ii
brary proper, which occupies the great
er part of this floor. Every body was SO
busy today with the re-catalogueiug of
the entire list of books that it was with
some difficulty that was able to get
information concerning this most inter
esting part of the place. [ had barely
time to find out that shere are now
something over $4,000 books and that
the city provides a fund for an addition
of 500 books every year. 1t takes one
librarian and one assistant to attend to
the demands of the public upon the in
stitution and they apparently have
their hands full. There are between
1000 and 5000 books taken from the
building every month, and when they
are returned they have to be carefully
examined and some of them frequently
repaired. After book has been in
use for a time the leaves begin to drop
out. covers come eff; some are careless