The Portland daily press., 1898-04-27
PORTLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Annual Meeting and Election of Officers
Last Night.

A meeting of the trustees of the Public
library was held last evening at the
library rooms and the reports of the
president, treasurer and lisrarian were
received.
Hon. James P. Baxter, president, in
his annual report calls attention to the
detailed reports of the treasurer and Ii
brarian and urges that the Portland Pub
lie library, belonging as it does to the
people of Portland, be oreditably support
ed. The past year has been one of the
most important iniits annals.
the additions to the building made by
the Walker trustees have increased its at.
Effectiveness yet it is unpleasant to record
the fact that people are constantly apply
ing for books which the librarian is I'M
able to supply. This engenders disap-
pointment and people go away and criti-
else the trustees. To carry on the library
properly, the trustees should. have annually
on hand at least twelve Thousand dollars.
New books should be purchased and old
books are kept in circulation much longer
than they should be. The harrington
bequest will Re a great help to the library
but there should be an increased appro
priation by the city to enable the library
to meet the increased demands which are
being made upon it.
In the opinion of Mr.. Baxter the two
most important additions made to the
library are the Reference Room and the
Young Peoples Department. The libra
Rams report shows that 21.1sl people
have used the Reference Room during
the year and the recorded use of books in
this department. is &c, 519 while the Young
Peoples Department during the past four
months has been used by SOIL children.
Mr.. Baxter thinks that one of the press
ing needs of the library is book binder
and that such an employe, would find con-
slant employment and he closes his report
with an expression Of delight at the light,
airy and convenient arrangement OF
the library rooms.
In her annual report the librarian Miss
Alice G. Kurdish dwelt upon the fact
that the growth OF the library had been
steady and that normal increase OF
activity had been shown in every depart
mont and it was notable that the past
year had been marked by many radical
and important changes. Among those
changes were the completion of the new
stack building, the Improvements of the
reading room, the Sunday opening, the
young peoples department., the increase
of registration and circulation and the
reference room.
The report closes with general statis-
ties that the total number of volumes in
the library is A, 022 and that the volumes
added during the year were 1888. To
the librarian it is a matter of gratifca-
ton that we have been able to help so
many in this search after knowledge and
the aim for the future would be to do
more to promote the growth of the edu-
cational features of our work.
The report of the treasurer for the year
ending April l., 1898, shows the follow
ing receipts:
Balance from old account, S. 1866. 4e
City of Portland, $780, 600
Athenaeum building, 1,O73 10
Sawyer fund, 799. 40
Walker fund, 407S 5e
Harrington fund, S73 OF
borrowed money. 5000. 90
Fines and catalogues from libra
rian, ae1. oC
Interest. 7.S1
Total, $22, 1928 4e
After deducting the necessary payments
for the various funds, salaries and legi.
innate expenses balance on hand was
reported of 50, $50. SO.
The various reports were accepted and
the following officers elected for the en-.
suing year:
observation-disclosures P. Baxter.
Vice President-J osiah I'll. Drummond.
Treasurer-EdwRrd A. Noyes.
Secretarv-Viroi1 C. Wilson