New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-31
BOOKS FREE TO THE MASSES
PROPOSAL TO ADD CIRCULATING coLLEc.
TIONs TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.


LIBRARIES THE INSTITUTIONS WHICH MAY
BE TAKEN * THE coNsoLoATioS-
SENTIMENT IN FAVOR OF TIE PI-A&.
Ever since the Astor ard Lenox Libraries and the
r !dcn Trust Fund were merged INTO the NeW-fork
Pubic Library effort has eeen quietly made 70
BRING into the consolidation the Free CIRCULATING
end the Acuilar Free Libraries. so FAR as ref.
ercnce library goes. the funds and material now at
the command OF the Public Library managers are
ample for the immediate establishment OF cred
table book centre, tut 1t has been admitted that
the w.shey o. the founders OF this great library will
not be completely fulfilled without the maintenance
O; free circulating Libraries at various points OF the
city which will be convenient to the masses 1t 10
obviously impossible to find site In New-York
CIV whore a reference and circulating library
could be establs shed that would be equally acces.
s'blc from all parts OF the city The essential
feature OF circulating library IS to have II within
convenient reach OF the masses
When the project OF uniting the Astor Lenox
and T.lden library interests was first put through.
the difficulty o. maintaining the highly important
circulating feature was prominent In the minds Of
the several boards % trustees ard 1t led them to
t:rn their attention TO the Free Circulating and
AGuilar each o. which have branches so well Sit
mated that they cover almost every ie3sely popu-
latod centre in the city, without conflicting With
each others interests Several informal commun
cat ons already have been he'd between the trus-
tees Of these libraries looking TO their union with
the Public Library. thereby supplying the do
s.r1ble circulation feature, which at present seems
TO be the only impcrfect.on Of the Public Library
plan The informal communications on the part
OF these trustees have resulted IN their personal
c::7rcss on OF hearty Enforcement ofethe greater
consolidation scheme being Of mutual heneht
to the libraries and best working cut the IN
terests OF the public and it Is probable that formal
acton will be taken soon after the Public Library
fzof no maj n
Circulating Library is at No. ~ Bond-s,, while it,
branches are at Nc. i25 Second-ave No. 226 West
Forty. Sc ond-st No PSI West Thrtecnth-st. No.
1873 Mad.son-aye. corner o. Ole-hunired-and-
twerty-hfth-stJ and No. 40 West TweEticthst. The
main building OF the Asu:lar Library is at No. lT
East Broadway. ana its branches arc az No. ~
Lcx!rston-ave, near F.fty-n.nth-st. and at No. ga
F,ftr-st. BY this disposition OF branch libraries
Manhattan Island is pretty well covered
William y. Appleton OF the publishing firm OF
D. Appleton & CO.. and chairman OF the Library
Committee OF the Free Circulating Library ex-
pressed himself yesterday as being greatly In favor
o, any move that would increase the usefulness Of
the library He thought that consolidation wi;h
the Public Library would be o. great mutual bene-
IT. and he was in favor OF such an action II the
minor considerations could be adjusted to the salts
faction OF the several boards OF trustees Or Henry
NJ Lepziger. vice -presGe1t OF the Asu,lar Library
and one o, the active founders OF that .nsu.
tuition. sad:
Il am heartily in favor of consolidation with tho
Public Library provided that the fundamental idea
OF the Aguar Library be preserved. This library
established primarily with view OF supply
ing the demand for books the part OF people
living In the ne!ghborhood OF our Libraries. II this
Is done. | am entirely IN favor OF placing cur
libraries under the control OF the Public Library
trustees but would suggest that the Board Of
Trustees OF the Public Library be arranged that
the Aguar Library can always have a representa-
ton in that board. II this could be done, 10
reason why the Aguilar Library should not be con-
sol,Gatoi with the Public and Free Circulating
libraries"
\ trustee o. tao Free Circulating Library said:
The Consolidation Of our library with the Puzzle
Library an1 with the Agul!ar Library would be
conducive TO far greater benefits TO the PUBLIC than
brsre. sr Se n F2r Snf &
could easily be so arranged mat Hospitals and other
ndfei Tor month 5r q n
mates At the end OF the month the books could
S be Ee snf cs b. aPped have ISs
this a small scale in our own library When ths
Board Of Education was giving It's course OF free
booEs on s ne sbiec o th yr5 ISsr our
librarian would make up such list OF books ard
send II to The nearest 5r1aeh oar experience has
Another great work that cod.d be done In tns line
= To supply public schools with certain lists 81
bPy Of M own V e6Saang sSm So 20 SI vone Zach
Most Of these libraries were furnished by Ephran
as children are in schoo. several years. T. does not
take them long 10 eX-tIst this supply o. o.oks.
Now. II the librarian OF those sch0o libraries would
send % the Public Library st OF come 2o1 book.
most in demand, they could be .oaned FOR several
months and then replaced By another set In tbs
way ?0Ooo books could be kept in constant c-cuia:
ton in the puolic schools TO the create; aiyantge
The total expense OF conducting the Free C.rcl-
latino Library and all re- branches IN 1897 was Si-
iS5 s. This covered by the revenue Of the j
brary According law. the library i entit.ed 70
$4,000 annually from the city treasury. but owing
u the inimical attitude OF former Boards OF Es-
innate and AppOrtionmen this sum has always
been down 10 $4,000. The income Of the library
from rs endowment ana from membership dues
cJml.eteS the $500 necessary FOR carry ing the
work OF the library. This library mas in al. It's
branches 1860 volumes and their total circulation
In 1921 t36.08 Os this great number OF books
taken to the homes OF The people 10 were .osi and
paid for. In two II the branches last year not
singe book was .ost These statistics 10 away With
the idea that Il great number OF books neces-
sariy lost or zen from free circulating Libraries
The Aguiidr Library nae 2j.sS yo.umes which had
circulation IN ls9i Of 255,Ss This library also re-
Il fund OF $4,000 a year from the ely, whie
It's income from endoWmrnts and other sources
brought the tOta, up to 81 80 IS in 1891.