Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-09-23
THE BELCHER LIBRARY,
A Son of GaysviIIe Donates for the
Benefit of His Native Place.

indeed
having access to such a large and valuable
| collection OF books as is contained in the
! Belcher Library recently established in the
village of Gaysville. This library is a he.
quest OF the late VIM. G. Belcher of Cali
/ fornia.
Mr.. Belcher was born in Gaysville many
years ago on the Belcher place now occu-
pied by j. b. Taggart. He studied law and
when young man went West, finally To-
eating ia Marysvilie, Cal. Here he amassed
a fortune.
He was great lover of books, buying
literally of all kinds. Mr.. Belcher al wavs
had a kindly feeling for his birthplace
and wishing to remember the people OF
4 Gaysvilie in some way that would be an
enduring benefit to them, he Wilied to a
library corporation to be formed in the
village, ell his miscellaneous library, val
ued by the appraisers OF bis property at
T q 900, and also $4,000 in money, which
was to be invested and the income only
used to improve the library.
To receive this bequest, under the direc-
tion Of his brother, Judge Isaac Belcher
/ who was executor OF the viii, a library
corporal ion WAS formed with five trustee S
and organized as follows:- NJ l., Wyman,
president; j. B. Taggart, V ce president;
1 j. A. Chedei, secretary; DIR. {. q. Smith
treasurer; DIR. +. E. Steele, librarian.
The books were received last January
suitable for a circulating library; for Mr.
Belcher's taste being for scientific books,
and he being a Greek and Latiu scholar
and reading French as well as English,
there were quite good Dumber OF books
not suited for general reading. There
were selected about 500 volumes for cir.
culation.
After having visited several OF the prin.
cipal libraries in The state and their vari-
Gus systems carefully studied, the Dewey
system OF decimal classification was
adopted, together with the card system of
catalogue. The work OF classification and
cataloguing was then begun and was com
pleted in the early part OF the summer.
/ Rooms have been htted up adjoining
the store of j A Chedel Il Co, and shelv-
ing and all necessary appliances put in to
receive the books.
Al the last annual town meeting the
town OF Stockbridge voted that their lit
tie library, called the Stockbridge Free
Public Library, containing about zoo vol
umes, should be combined with the Belch-
er Library. This was done and the COM
I binsd library was installed in the new
rooms and made free TO the public in July
{ last There has also been established
branch library at Stockbridge.
To lover Of books an examination OF
the Belcher Library viii prove very inter-
estiug and profitable as well.
There are a great variety OF titles and
bindings, although for the most part the
bindings are very substantial and many OF
/ There are $50 volumes OF history which
include such works as II. II. Bancroits
complete works in forty large volumes ana
also George Bancrofrs history OF tne
/ United States, in ten volumes, and many
I otLer histories Of countries in both the
new and the old world.
/ In biography, among many others, are
fourteen volumes OF a special and, conse-
ouently, expensive edition OF the writings
OF George Washington. -.
! In travels there is r large variety the
dates Of publication extending over pc
riod of 1850 wears. Among them may De
mentioned eight volumes Of Cooks voy--
/ agas toward the enorth and south poles anu
a9ound the world, bound in iull leather,
together with maps and engIaNlngs bouhu
sepsrately. Some of these books are 10
wears old and aside hon tneF Naluv as
records of exploration and discovery they
are valuable as showing how well engrsV-
ing could be executed at that time; Ihey
contain many maps and charts ana many
engrayines OF portraits and landscapes.
Inc library contains many bound vol
umos of magazines, together with copy
of Poole's Index, which makes IL IeIg e"sS
To find articles on aim )st any subject
The sci of the North American Review
ia nearly complete, extending back to lSZO'
rha American Journal OF Science ana Arls
IL also nearly complete, beginning In 1916,
besides partial sets OF many other maga'
zines. -. ,,,o- ., botany
and his collection of Dotanical WORKS NHs
onite extensive. Among these books may
6e mentioned two volumes OF coloreu
,1atss showing all varieties OF terms 10
Eortb America, also eight volumes OF COZ
ored mates showing all varieties Oh DiN-
ish and exotic ferns. :. de- voI.
The North American sylvia I'D nFS W ~
umes contains coloIea pla'e11 1.n,Ss and
trees in the United States, CAna at,d
Nova scotia, all being very elegHhV anu
expensive books. ,, c,aIo,s
n,ong the ye.y old books are Gale :
uC,onrts of the Gentiles, Fan Engilsh Mors M,
,ripted in I677, also an Italian oook pIlHIseu pIl.'
In 1929 and containing many ssit ehsit dose
ahoSring the character of the work uone
9Sat 1eriod. There is also a copy, OF
Roman Breviarium, dated 15Ss, prlnIeo III ~
rod and black ink, well oounu Ah" "S''
Sside from book curiosities and rare
and extensive publications, tuelJi uei,a5 70
excellent variety OF resdlng lusI l,reT,hv su.re
the average reader 10 hlssors, a. srIs' and
trayals poetry, useful and hne hte, "nN
an excellent collectlon ""
i'f Io,,-eyay yood the library is already' IL
Il cartain to be improved every yeaL' .Lo
The Income from the funds investen, tIe w
arst installment OF which VIII Oe AZ ed
the s' 1st Of next will bo,s BE sHRinGsd RSsas
Tor new books. The fund oeihs assnred
~, ,,strons of the library can oe sss1aot IL,
the thst pdirU tbey win have the latest and best
books produced' ,.on, in connec-
There is also a reading room ~, ~ General
len the library. Besides Tue senS,1' snlN,,,'
ton ai1g Ssn matter att and books Of reference com
tsined in the library. the reausI saveraI Of the
'sFIS0p TSo present list qs,s sqse Rsv% g1GGsa
19rSi mrS,11es nSs Ladies Home Journal, sorSn S1
and hexlew taetnTe Of the library is only re Z.
ms ms aessabiisbed but is one that VIII Os
much appreciated. vary fortunately
naed Ihe oTsIg bainF open all the time daflna
hnsiness hours, attended by the ,i ssSs i;Sbt
librarian. The rooms are Ai''
es.A d