The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-02-14
THE NORFOLK LIBRARY
The annual Meeting Of The Subscribers
Was Held Last Evening.
ENCOURAGING REPORTS OF OFFICERS
Pay ing Subscribers INCREASED so ~ q.
Free 1isi. IS y. e. - -Aetemuuucc,
go y. c.-SoIumcs ahdeu-Gcuero,Is
Response Those Who fInve Don:,.
ecd DGoks-yucnnciea Filled

The annual meeting OF The subscribers
to the Norfolk Public Library was held
AZ the library building last night
Mr.. G. Bllups was called to the chair
and Mr.. II. +. Bagnall oftlciated as sec
retary.
Counting proxies, there we're present
lhirty-one in all.
The president, Col. William Lamb
read his report which was as follows:
PRESIDENT LAMBS REPORT.
TO the Members Of the Norfolk Public
Library:
couraging in the history of Norfolk
Library. Our institution is thoroughly
appreciated and enjoyed by our COM
munity and has become a necessity in
our midst
Your particular attention is called to
the interesting report Of your librarian,
which gives full history of its pro
gress during the year past
Ihe total attendance this year has
been So,Sf9 as against 2S,079 in 1895.
Books loaned in 1856, 1929; in 1895. 1O32o
volumes, an increase of % per cent: $50
volumes have been added to the libra ~,
2oG by purchase and $50 by dona tions.
The CITY Councils have wisely dona ted
Sl,5O0 for the current year, and this, with
the $50S.CS received from other sources
IS larger sum than has bean received
Tor many years. There is every rea-
son to believe that this appropriation
will be continued by the city and that
our annual income from other sources
will annually increase.
1t gives us pleasure TO call attention
to the faithful and courteous manner in
which your librarian and his assist ant
have discharged their duties, and also to
the thorough and efficient manner in
which your treasurer and secretary
nave performed theirs. Respectfully,
WILLIAM LAMB. President.
IlBRA ARIAN'S REPORT
The Librarians report was as follows:
Norfolk Public Library, Jan. 80 1897
TO the President and Directors.
Gentlemen: think that both you VINO
bear the burden of the management Of
the library and the people at large. who
reap the benefit OF its success are to be
congratulated on its very substantial
progress during the past year. The
statistics which are given herewith prove
that this important public institution is
advancing in every respect on its career
OF usefulness .8
has increased 80 per cent: the free list
scholars Of the public schools. teachers.
etc), aS per cent; attendance at the
rooms, % per cent: number of books
drawn from the library 30 per cent.
There has also been a large increase in
applications to the librarian for infor-
nation on matters literary and other
wise, sometimes 10 satisfy curiosity
and at others 10 be used in school work
II gives the librarian great pleasure to
AFFORD such assistance as far as his
limited resources are available
me number OF volumes that has been
added to the collection during the past
year makes very good showing. An
examination Of the list Will prove that
not only have we with promptitude
Kept Well UP with the current fiction OF
the day, but also that many solid works
Sy,.A .T,,J. -
Deen placed on our shelves. We owe
many thanks to the kind friends Ca list
OF whom will be given later on IN this
reporO who have donated lis numerous
works, some of considerable rarity and
most Of them OF great worth Icnlcm-
oerlllS always that this institution is
not private property, but that ii is held
IN trust for the benefit Of the public al
large, the librarian has in season and
out or season, privately and in the pub
lie prints earnestly solicited donations
or DOCKS. bound magazines, and par
ticularly works Of local interest. such as
directories and old volumes of nnwspa-
pers, and has met with many favor
able responses.
The work on the new card catalogue
or our collection has been pressed along,
and the librarian hopes that another
year VIII sec II near completion ana
ready for printing, If there arc any
means available for that purpose
On Jan. 81 1896. there were AL per
sons entitled TO draw books from the
hbrary-l97 subscribers and 250 on the
Tree list. This year the number has in
creased to G51, 2a5 OF whom are sub
scrlbers. and 396 on the free list. 1t will
pc remembered that all public school
scholars above the age OF 10. all teach
ers ministers and newspaper editors,
are allowed to draw books free. The at
tendance at the rooms during 1895 was
@eVt9; curing 1896 ii has been 35.S49. We
need more room, especially during the
busy hours or the afternoon and can
NOT help thinking that eventually some
puhIlc-spirited individual may opan his
heart and give us a home Of our own
Durlng 1923 there We're loaned ont 10
3Zo volumes. During 1896 this number
nas neen increased to 1929 divided IS
iolioWs: Fiction. 1906; biography ana
travels. oI3; history and metaphysics.
oiS; belles-lcttles. Ai5.; magazines. lI22.
science, l06. Of the books loaned about
10 per cent. were solid works as contra.
distinguished to fiction, which IS n re-
markabiy good showing.
There has been added 10 Tho uhrorv
during the year $50 volumcs-265 by pur-
chase and $50 by donation. The donors
nave been: Hon p. g. Tyler Mrs.
Shields. Miss Bagnall, II. B. Rowland
G. Gildchans, Miss NJ Il. Santos. Rev.
Or. Rarten, E. w. James. J. g. jenkins.