Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-31
BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC IlBR AIRY.
To the Age-Herald:

blrmlugnam 0Ae eeV6Th1 lnbllbuLiOus oi great merit which are little known and little appreciated by the great mass of our people,. These institutions have been so quietly organized and conducted that amid tile noise and hustle of every day life we are inclined to overlook them. The con staHt activities of our existence interfere with our enjoyment of much of the cultiva- ton that is increasing about us. One or our most admirable institutions is the pub- lie library, which was begun, in limited way, about five years ago by Dr. J. Ii. Phillips, the able superintendent of the public schoo.s of Birmingham. Dr. Phil lips was anxious 10 provlde Tor long felt want in our city, yet he had almost no financial facilities for inaugurating ana carrying on this enterprise. He received but little encouragement or money, yet with commendable persistence he has im- proved the library year by year. Dona- tions ot books were made by individuals; the different branches of the public schooi system gave entertainments, the net pro- ceeds Of which were used to purchase ad- oitional volumes. h thi, way, with never fitggipg energy and interest, Dr. Pailiips . has brought our public library up to it's present. state of remarkable excellence. The rooms used Tor nbrary purposes are ln the high school building, corner of Twenty first street aud Park avenue, and are well aoapted for the purpose. be library pruper is long room, about 50 feet in length and IS ID width h this apartment are The doupie cases containing the books and curios, and In the center are long library tables, covered with the latest magazines anu periodicals. Comfortable chairs complete the furnishings. Adjoin- ing this room is smaller one, which is appropriately furnished and is used as reading parlor. There are in the library twenty-slx large cases of books and curios placed On either side of the room. There Is one case devoted 10 the poets, four cases 10 fiction, one to politics and science, one to religious philosophy, two cases to edu- cational works, two to the best historical writers, one to travel and biography, two 10 literary criticism, one case of miscel- laneous works, two of bound magazines, two of miscellaneous documents, one case of referencs books, aud the best encycIo- pedias published, such as the BritauDica, Appletun's, Columbian aud others. It Is hiiiazng to learn the number and class of looks now registered in our public library. There are now 40l2 volumes and among those are the highest authorities upon scientific, educational, historical and phil osophical matters, besides the latest and best works oi fiction. Recently, since Jan nary l, l75voumes have been added among winch are the following: Pembroke, Mary E. Wilkins; My Lady Rotha, by Stanley J. Weyman; Our English Cousins, by Richard Harding Davis; Van Bibber and Other Stories, R. H. Davis; Adventures oi sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle; Memoirs, The Parasite, A.icah Clarke. The White Company, The Refugees, all by Conan Doyle; 1rllby, Du Maurier; Travels With Donkey, K: l.. Stevenson; also, The New Arabian Nights, and An Inland Voyage, by Stevenson; An Edinburgh Eleven, A ,Ide, all by j. Nj. Barrie; besides Lord sornont. sod His Aminta, by George Meredith; John March, Southerner, George Cable; Beyond the Dreams of Ava Caiue; The Golden House, Charles D. War ner; Marcella i, Two volumes, Mrs. Humph- rey Ward; Women of Israel, Grace Agui- lar, How 10 Study and Teach History, E. A.Hinsdale; The Q iincey Methods, Miss Partridge; Concentration: Take on Peda- RoRy, F. W. Parker; Text book on Psy- chology, Herbart; The Senses and t6e Will, Preyer; Development of the Intel lecf. Preytr; Theory and Practice of Teach- ing, David Page; Eluoation,, Herbert Aristotle and Ancient Educational Ideas, Davidson; Psychology Applied to Education. Gabriel Compayra; Mod ss saa aaess, tdsas Of Of Ms1 MEyolus9n Da% E.hics of Hegel, sterrel; Works of Edgar Allen Poe, Grlswold; The Doctor, His Wife anu The Clock, A. K. Green; Myths of Greece and Rome, Guerter; Amiel's Journal. Mrs. Humphrey Ward; Seven Stories, Dr. Johns; My. Farm at G. Miichell; Cigarette Makers Romance and the Ras;ons, F. M. Craw- ford; A Kentucky Cardinal, J. Lane AL len; Pits of Travel at Home, Giimpses of Three Coasts and others, by Helen Hunt Jackson; Obiter Dicta, and Men, Women and Books, Augustine Birrsll; A Diplo- mats Diary and A Successful Man, Julien Gordo6 (Mrs. Van Rsnsalear Cruzer); Pen Portraits of Literary Women, by Cone and Glider; and many others, space forbids enunierating.
 Dr. Phillips was fortunate enough to se- cure, year or TWO ago, two copies of Pick ett,s History of Alabama for the library, and as this book is now entirely out of print it has become exceedingly valuable. The doors of the library are open to mem- bers every Tuesday afternoon from to o'clock, every Thureday afternoon from 8 to 6 O clock, and on Saturday from g to 12 a. m. aud to p. m., except on legal hol- idays. At these times the rooms are com fortably heated, and Miss Sophie Unger- man, the accommodating and considerate librarian, is ready to render any assistance necessary, and to keep correct list of books taken out and returned. The plan of registering the books is complete and satisfactory. Each member has page'in a ledger, on which Is entered register num- Der, dates of withdrawal and return of each book, so that no confusion can ensue.
 Among other valuable books in the Ii. brary Is the Narrative and Critical History of America in eight volumes.
 Among the magazines which are received regularly at the public library are the At- lantio Monthly, Arena, Art Amateur, Chau- -tauquan, Century, Current Literature, Cos mopolitan, Education, Educational Review, Hafper,s Weekly, Harper's Monthly, Fo- rum. Harper's Young People, Judge, Ladies' Home Journal, Munsey, Lippin- cott, McCiure's, North American Review, Poet Lore, Popular Science Monthly, Frank Lesife,s, Review of Reviews, Scribner's, graphic World, American School Board Journal. Toronto Educational Journal.