The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-15

rive mOnI1S.
As an educator, our Library is becom-
ing more and more prominent. Not only
has much work been done IN connection
with both public and p~arochial schools,
but our statistics show a marked increase
in its use by the general student livery
thoughtful citizen must admit that a
free circulating library is second In I'M.
portance only to a college as a FACTOR OF
progressive education among the people,
and that an easy access to the best
thoughts of the best authors In literature
and history. sociology and the exact
sciences, must makeslls impress py ILLS ~
those higher standards of intelligence
and morality which tend to make better
American citizens.
Dur Library has far eutErown its pres
ent quarters and the problem of the
proper disposal of its contents, Is under
existing circumstances a difficult one
Our overcrowded condition has neeess--
and shelving in the cellar, which in their
turn nave become more than filled. ieax-
ing the floor of the passages the only re-
source. In this state OF affairs 1t IS difl-
fusion. Complaints are too often heard
In regard to light, heat and ventilation.
These matters cannot be improved as
long az we remain in our present iocs
tion. The question of lighting IN par
cular is a very serious one, as IN many
pasas OF r sas m6rary Ts snean nof nv nEni lnyo iiVss
great expense. but causes serious inquiry
to the eyesight of our employees. A care
auestions has led he Board of Trustees
TO purchase as portion OF a permanent
Library site. Nos. 2S6 Ind 28S Montgom-
cry street (52xl00 it, with the buildings
thereon, and the vacant property adJoln-
dng IN Jersey avenue l20xS0 it,, for the
sum of $50 .750 in cash. b deed for which
board of Aldermen of Jersey City. In
view of the fact that this first step toward
providing perrfanent quarters for the LIZ
brary has been obtained without cost to
THE city other than the annual appropri-
alton from year to year. At Is our priv
diege to call your special attention 70
provided to ~corsummate the. transaction.
Reference to the report for 1893 will show
T. the a1 y tsI en- f 13nea at rb dnsf t time
has been added thereto as the result of
accumulative interest $6,17.63; fines coll
miscellaneous sources, such as premiums
i1.7s. a total Of ss5,s1s.s5. leaving as win
report still to the credit of the fund after
the sun OF $5,60zL35
ending November 80, 1896. show that a
balance of 81 ,918.20 was carried over from
the previous year; $29,46-27 was received
on the sale Of city securities, h total
receipts being $55. 90.
The table of expenditures shows that
o,75o wa paid for the new library site ss
AllA $oySo0-fViL 44a ~ jill tzJS.
was expended for new books. The bal
ance in hand at the expiration of the
year was s., 7D5. IS.
The assets q. the library, Including the
2above investment III real estate, are 1884,
"a. 10, 4 which $4f, 1885 is given as the
Glue of the books. The library has still
.sa5,0 600 invested in Jersey City In "
In her report to the Board of Trustees,
Miss Esther q. Burdick, the Librarian,
says
as quantity is shown in every depart
ment.~ We nave to chronicle an increase
in circulation Of more than 25,000 vol
nmes. while both Reference and Reading
records of their suse4t7The total circula-
tion for home reading during the past
yea was 402, 450, of which number 232,14
were sent through the delivery stations.
On an average, each volume belonging
to the Circulating Department has been
Issued about eleven times. That the read
ing public of Jersey City appreciates its
privileges, is shown in the high rate of
the circulation per capita. nearly ~ vol
ufnes having been loaned for every man,
woman and child Of the community, In
this and In the amount of circulation,
we take our place with the leading IL
brarles of the United States.
The Reading Room. which has been
o oper ssasy Of ol iso.sas a rsad srsr' T rhew ave an
age attendance was 275. The list OF PEI
riodicals and newspapers taken remain
substantially n same.
wear was 100,684, varying from over 10, 900
in the dead of winter to nearly 1000 in
midsummer. The Sunday readers were
IA very marked growth In the use OF
the reference department is reported. no
less than M417 persons having availed
shemssiyes e bax rss ba pmyaie asls.u, MaIe RE RI
average attendance was "a; the average
use Of books, I6. The usefulness Of this