The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-26
BUTTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Marked Increase in the Use of
Bound Periodicals.
THE GROWTH IS STEADY
General Literary Magazines Lead in
Popularity-The Critical Periodi-
cals-They Reflect Rather
Than Lead.

Librarian j. f. Davies writes this
week about the steady and marked in
crease in the use of bound periodicals.
In the classified home issue of the
Butte free public library it is noticeable
that the most marked and steady in
crease is in the use of bound per1odl-
Gals. Many of these magazines are
drawn purely for recreative reading,
many for information on subjects of
permanent or temporary interest and
many of them for a combination OF re-
creative and instructive articles. This
tendency to devote more and more at
tention to the magazines we regard as
altogether commendable. Even in the
matter of fiction it is in general the
more deserving works that appear first
In the magazines before being published
in book form. And when it comes to
the consideration of scientific, artistic
philosophical, economic or historical
subjects, one will be wholly behind the
times who neglects to avail himself OF
the contents of the magazines. We
have many readers who watch for the
completion of the volumes of different
"
have us devote a special article to the
subject. There are many periodicals in
the library, which, by reason of their
character or bulkiness. are reserved FOR
reference use only, but for clearness we
will include in this column only such
as may be drawn for home use. The
number mentioned will also be limited
to such as have within the past month
or so been increased by the addition of
recently bound volumes.
We called attention above to the in
crease in the use of this class of books,
and it will probably be matter of in
terest to our patrons to know that the
patronage of the whole collection is in
creasing at a rate surprising even our
own satisfactory record. The figures for
the last three months have not been
exactly compiled, but it is safe to say
that the issue for April, May and June
of the present year, being the three
months directly succeeding the end of
the year for which our report has al
ready been made, will exceed the issue
for the corresponding three months of
last year by about 5000 volumes.
Among the periodicals to be mention
ed this week we will begin with the
general literary magazines 1t is safe
to say that these lead in popularity,
and to great extent constitute almost
the whole of what is best in the read
ing of such people who read at all, and
do not make special use of our collec-
ton. We will observe respecting this
class that the American magazines,
whether we consider contents, typo
graphical makeup or illustrations, are
vastly superior to those of our English
cousins. The magazines of this class
to be noted to-day are the Century IL
Illustrated Monthly Magazine, English
Illustrated Magazine, Frank Leslie's
Popular Monthly, Harper's Round Ia
BILE, Lippincotts Magazine. Munsey's
Magazine, New England Magazine and
ST. Nicholas. OF these publication, the
only one that does not depend on pic
torial accessories for its success is Lip
pincott's. Its special feature Is that it
never runs continued story, but in
every issue there is contained what
may be called a long short story and
several well-selected stories and es-
says. The Harpers Round Table and
st. Nicholas are published specially
for the young people, and it is hard to
find a better grade of reading for the
boys and girls than these volumes con-
tain. The other magazines are for adult
readers and present a combination of
pictorial and literary attractions the
Munsey depending almost entirely on
its illustrations, to the exclusion of any
special merit in its reading matter,
while the opposite line is almost follow
ed by the New England Magazine.
Closely allied to the general literary
magazine is the critical periodical,
which of late years has assumed a
=. prominent place not only in respect to
character, but to influence and popu-
larity. The vast production of books
of all classes during the past quarter
century has been accompanied by an