New-York tribune., 1896-02-06
MR.. BOSTWICK JUBILANT.
WHAT MR.. DONNELLS REQUEST MEANS
TO THE FREE CIRCULATING LIBRARY.
THE LIBRARIAN TELLS OF THE ADVANTAGES TO
THE PUBLIC ACCOMPANYING THE GREAT


THE PUBLIC ACCOMPANYING THE GREAT
INCREASE IN FUNDS.
BY the will Of Ezekiel ]. Donnel. which was
nled AT the Surrogate's ONCE last Monday by Johh
A Stewart president OF the United States Trust
Company the principal OF the estate ABOUT So'''''V
n, the death OF Mrs Donnell and her daughter Is
TO go In case the latter leaves no Descendants u
the New-York Free Circulating Library ihis e'
tate is to be applied 10 the promotion OF the oee
cen, purposes of said corpora ton MI DohheH u
rected that the estate de ised TO the SAID New
York Free Circulating Libra be applied py sa'u
cornoration 10 the erection OF a nrcproof puidihe
sui,ahIe and proper for the purposes OF ipra'!'
and a fit memorial OF my children as hereindi.ei "
mentioned which building shall be snpPHeu WIN
books for free circulation and snail De caeu ".u
desenated the Donnen Free Circulating Library
"a Reading Rooms" Mr.. Donne makes mention
an the will of how the readingroom shall be man
aged lie specifies that il shall be open from noe"
un, 10 o'clock In the evening every week day. "here
young people spend their evenings p'o''
away from demoralizng influences.
The specifications Of the will appeared al iene' !"
Tho Tribune Yesterday. The generous Request 10
the New-York Free Circulating Library ny |NI
Donnell was unexpected so far az couid De leai"eu
Arthur f. Bostwck. the librarian-in-chiei OF '!ie
ubrarv was seen at the George Bruce branch at NO.
sos West Forty-second-st yesterday afternoon anu
in speaking of the magnificent bequest 10 the library
NV Mr. Donnell said: II know nothing more ABOUT
,he Dorneu will than what have read in the news
papers.
THE GIFT A WELCOME SURPRISE.
"1 never had the pleasure Of Mr.. Donneirs ac-
ouaintance and knew nothing whatever Vi .i'
,ans 40 his generous bequest takes me q"'e os
surnrse All the friends Of the library must De
much pratifcd at this evidence of his desire u au
4, q, s work of circulating good literature among
the masses Of the city. Any gift OF this h'iiu -
most welcome the funds al the ulspoS"' oi ''-,
library are quite disproportionate to the ai'ou' "a
,,ork which IL desires to do and which 1t couid 10
were its income increased. The present inNes'eN
s,nas of tho library amount 10 less than soVVVV 80
,ba, Mr. Donne's bequest is six times greater 'naN
the amount now invested This does ho' no"e'ei,
take into account the value OF the DuiIui"ss' oi
which the library owns four, rents one ana occupie
another free OF rent sa,,
~ ,ha, any such gifts can be utilized to the pest
advantage Its staff Of workers Is well orsai'1eu
efficient and enthusiastic. and the news ol NIL
Donnelrs beauest has caused the greatest interest
among them.
PREPARING A LIBRARY MAP.
"we are now preparing a library map Of the city,
which will be extremely interesting when COM
pleted 1t will show the precise location OF ever!
user OF our Libraries. different color beng useo
for each branch which will show the grouping OF
the members around the branch libraries that they
use II the other circulating libraries in this cty
will supplement this by similar work the map VII"
then show clearly the localities that are most IN
need OF new libraries. Such map may have some
weight In deciding tie site of the DonneH library
or any other library which may be built
''If Mr.. Donnelrs will is carried out to the letter
the library to be built in memory o. his chiidren
will remain open an hour later than any o. the
present reading rooms, which close now at
o'clock.
WILL ALLOW READERS TO REMAIN LATER.
"A great many people stay in the rooms until the
hour closing. and would doubtless be glad OF IN
opportunity to remain later. In fact some students
often ask permission remain for the purpose Of
looking up some special subject after the doors
have been closed 10 the general public. Recently
changes have been made in the rules Of the reading
room which keep away to a great extent the tramp
and loafer element that frequent such rooms. not
for the purpose of reading. but 10 obtain shelter TO
sleep off the effects OF debauch simply to idle
away their time. This class Of idle and shftless
beings cannot fail to prove source Of corruption
10 the young and old who flock to the reading
room in large numbers. Formerly restriction
at all was made upon free attendance at the read
ing rooms but now every is required to register
he ms st tme ame and cke is them given to him
which he holds while reading and gives TO the Gus
those persons desirous Of using the reading room
cen s h knepns awaS the
referred TO. who seem especially unwilling to sign
\ their name to a book.
SOME REGISTER FICTITIOUS NAMES
Those who do so often give fictitious names and
addresses. sometimes giving evidence that they are
not without a sense OF humor. as when they assert
themselves to be Hall Caine Thomas Carlyle
A man at the Jackson Square branch was told prior
to seeSn that IN order to use the S0m e
But I'm not twenty-one yet.
Owing to the fact that he present genera9n ro Is
the OF the circulating library as opposed 10
the great collection Of reference books. TO be used
only by students and specialists. Mr.. Donnels 8
beQuests show him to have been in sympathy With
the tendencies OF the age In library matters me
oldfashioned idea OF a library was q collection Of
books be handled only by favorite class. some
thing like the specimens In a museum. The mod
ern idea is to allow the freest OF the books
sstent with their proper treatment and preserva-
ton. OF course, this does not bar out the great
reference library but 1t marks the free circulating
library as peculiarly modern development
HOW THE LIBRARY BEGAN ITS CAREER.
THE New-York Free Circulating Library began
in a sewing-class conducted by charitable young
woman In this city who struck by the great
lack Of decent reading among the children under
her charge. She and few friends collected some
secondhand books end began TO lend them 10 chill
dren. with such success that in March, 1880, two
rooms were rented No. So Bond-st. and at the
numbers six branches and circulated last year GA
volumes. making II the third public lending library
in the country.
that the neighborhood Of the Bond-st branch was
particularly d!sreputable at the time when 1t was
obliged to accompany the librarians who were
women as far as Broadway when leaving their
work. On side OF the library a low
sort. A few months after the library founded
the resort was closed. the proprietor saying that
the library had ruined his business, those who
formerly freQuented his house spent all their time
reading.
A DOCTOR DIES FROM MORPHINE