The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-10-18
GAINS IN ALL DIRECTIONS
Decimal System Of Arrangement Is
Acknowledgement Financial
Iy-OffIoers Chosen.

Theo. +. Lansing, Col. J. II. Fisher
Professor Edgar Wood, Frank Brown
A. b. Wood, i. A. Dickey, w. n. Arm
strong, Rev. V. II. Kitcat, Professor J
Lightfoot, DR.. c. T. Rodgers, Mrs. c
N. Hyde, U. B. oldy, Mr.. Andrews
Professor Elston, w. W. Hall, DIR
High and +. b. Auerbach were present
at meeting Of the Honolulu Library
and Reading Room Association held
last evening. Professor Scott occupied
the chair; II. A. Parmelee officiated a!
secretary.
Col. Fisher read the Finance Com
mittee's report. for himself and Col
w. +. Allen. 1t showed receipts t.
have been during the year s3l ,OO4 ant
disbursements sl3,7S35O, which, with
the balance on hand last year. leaves
$l7, ,104.22 to the good.
Verbally Col. Fisher reported that
$4,000 was received from the Bishop
Trust, which was uninvested. This
amount had not been utilized to any
extent for the reason tnat il might be
required for new building. The
scheme to build on the present site
had been Abandoned, however, for the
reason that the character OF the neigh
boring streets might not remain such
as to make 1t wise to have the library
IN that quarter. About 5000 of the
assets Of the Association was now ont
at good interest.
Miss Burbank read the treasurer's re-
port, showing receipts S29,l62.li and
expenditures S2S.72S.77.
Mr.. Lightfoot, at the request of Pro
lessor Scott, explained his work in
Classifying the books in the library on
the decimal system. His talk was
listened to with great interest.
Dr. Rodgers read the following re.
port OF the Administration Committee:
To the Officers and Members of the Uo.
noiulu Library and Reading Room
Association.
Ladies and Gentlemen:-ln the de
partment of work coming under IN,
supervision of this Committee. the las
year has been one of quiet prosperit,
ana steady progress, without sensa.
tiOnal features.
The report Of the Librarian will give
IN detail the additions to the library
ana the sources from which they have
been received, whether from Gift or
purchase.
The two regular employees of the
Association, the librarian and the ian
ltor, remain as at the last report, and
both nave continued to discharge their
respective duties with intelligence and
ndeiity, and TO the entire satisfaction
OF the Committee.
Ihers nave been, owing to changes
OF occupation and residence. several
changes In the person employed 10
take charge of the library in the even
ings; the present incumbent Is a lady
OF exceptional intelligence. and prob
apiy upon the whole, the best qualified
Ior the place of any one we have thus
far had.
The floors OF the building, which had
come 10 present a very worn and shah
by appearance, have been stained and
vanished throughout to the great i'm
provement of the general looks of the
institution.
"A shding ladder, to give more con-
Venient access to the upper cases on
the Eva side Of the building. has been
provided and has proved a great con.
'ehience to the librarian and her as
slstant.
The cost OF these improvements, to-
sether with some minor repairs and
additions to the furniture and fixtures
VIII he found in the report OF the
treasurer.
Ihe most important feature of the
last years work has been the under
taking of an entire Redistribution and
cataloguing OF all the books in the
library. No one who has not had per-
sonal experience in handling work OF
this kind can have any idea Of the
amount OF detail involved or the length
OF time required.
Some months ago ii was found that
the library had reached the limit OF
what, according TO all the best author
tiles In such matters, could be handled
adyantageously by the system then In
vogue. After due inquiry and careful
consideration 1t was decided to reclas-
sify and catalogue our entire collection
according to what Is known as the
Dewey system. This Is a decimal sys-
TEN, very symmetrical and complete in
It's details and, having been once adopt
ed, can be extended indefinitely.
The work being something that II
was impossible for the regular officials
oi the library to undertake in addition
10 their other duties, has been placed
IN charge Of Mr., ]. Llghtfoot and one
assistant selected by himself, and is
now estimated to be something over a
quarter done.
The work has been several months
under way, and as Mr.. Ldghtfoot has
other duties that require much of his
time, 1t will probably be not much, II
any, less than a year from the time II
was commenced before It Is completed
The price agreed to be paid for the
whole work is seven hundred and fifty