New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-04
THE BROOKLYN LIBRARY.
CHANGES MADE LAST YEAR WERE FOR
THE BETTER.
PATRONS FIND THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES on BOOKS SENT
TO SUBSCRIBERS.

CONvENIENT-POsTAGE on BOOKS SENT
TO SUBSCRIBERS.
There is a sharp contrast between the quiet anu
good order that prevail In the Brooklyn Library a.
present and the confusion and disorder that hi'eu
the building during the whole OF last summer. az
that time extensive changes IN the iheii'' y, w
building were in progress. and WORK 'ha' was co
pected to occupy three months lasted nearly WIZ
as long. The whole interior was In fact' remaac
and the situation OF the most Important oepa
ments of the library entirely changed. Ahe
principal work consisted Of the remoVal Oh the s"p
porting columns OF wood and the SUBSTITUTE" '
steel and iron Except the floors, the oui'o'"s wa,
practically made new within. Inns ""' io1'
necessary on careful examination OF the wooowork
which had deteriorated sadly IN the '"e"'' ''
years since the library was erected.
Alopy with these changes the delivery department
was transferred to the first floor. and the reaoins
room was removed from the hrst 10 the se'o'.
No change was made In the reference oepai 'n'''.'
The effect OF the change was to transfer hcar's
half the books in the library to the main noor' '"u'
distributing the weight upon the sheiVes ''oie
evenv and carving q much greater proportion vi !"
N the lower part OF the building The chahse'
have proved entirely satisfactory 10 the H'a"as
ment of the library. and on the whoie arc os,
favorably by its patrons. Some OF the i"..ei' ~
were In the habit OF dropping INTO tue ie"uS
for a few minutes whenever they happeneh u w
4, tho neiphborhood OF Montague-st ana han
,eu minutes to spare. find II somewhat less con-
venlent to mount the stairs to the secoho s'o,y'
but these are comparatively ie"' "hie iee"'
readers who spend some time in the read'hs TUT"
are thankful for the increased quiet insured ny ''
further distance from the street. The light 100
is better and cloudy days the 'front.' par VI ''e
reading room Is always well hshteu.
IN tho other hand callers for books at the de-
livery department naturally spend only brief PERIODS
In the library and II is considerably 70 the'r ao'a
tage to be able to transact their business Oh inc
main floor with no more stairclimbng than Is In
voved in ascending the steps leading to the front
entrance
Mos, Of the time since the reading-room was re-
moved upstairs attendant has been on duty al
TIE door TO prevent non-members Oh the library
from enjoying its privileges. This custom had been
maintained part OF the time downstairs, but not
a regular thing.
"Of course II 4. unfair" says Mr.. Bardwell. the
librarian "to our regular subscribers to allow out
siders to use the readng-room The outsiders might
lust az well expect the privilege OF drawing BOOKS
without paying anything for II. They know tney
cannot do that since every book is checked on
against the subscribers name. But there have been
quite a number Of people in the past who have tried
10 get the use OF the papers and magazines for
nothing To protect ourselves against them we were
compelled TO adopt the rule Of keeping a guardian
al the door all the time. Subscribers who visit the
reading room only occasionally may be little an
nOyed by the question are you hehoei' co'
very few complaints heard. everybody seems
10 recognize the reasonable OF the rule. and OF
course those who go to the reading often be-
come known and are never accosied on entering
The worst case we ever had that of one old
rounder who claimed to be subscriber. He had
the habit OF coming in in the morning and taking
possession OF one OF tie daily papers. which he
seemed TO regard his property. Finally.
when he was asked 10 show his ticket, he produced
one issued about years before. | threatened TO
send for a police officer before could get ria OF
him, but after that We never had any more trouble
with him"
The Brooklyn Library is doing a fairly good busi-
FOR the summer season. IL suffered considera,
bly, early In the year from the strike which caused
much trouble In Brooklyn. but the effects OF THAI
were recovered from some time ago. Considerable
business Is done In the forwarding OF books TO sub
scrlbers who out OF the city for the summer
a member OF the library going into the country
for his her vacation can arrange to have books
the postage before going away AS soon as the MEM
bers order received the book is forwarded TO him.
and he the" retain II the usual time.
The only expense Is the postage. This, In MI.
Bardwelrs opinion. Is much more than II ought TO
be- He has for several years been ardent advo-
cate OF reduction in postage on library books
The present rates are cents pound Mr. Bard.
well thinks that cent pound. or at the most
cents pound would be sufficient He says that
libraries and their patrons should be treated az
literally by the Government as the publishers OF
newspapers and periodicals II such rate were
made II could not easily be subject TO abuse. since
pa ckages sent out by library could bear It's stamp,
and OF course those returned by subscribers would
bear the name and address OF the institution.
Ing last year Mr.. Bardwel was unable TO take any
vacation. This year he spent the greater part OF
July at Lake Bomoseen near Castleton. w. II was
his first visit to that region OF which he speaks en-
and RarTe oana
colony OF his fellow townsmen there.