The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-13


lie library. has issued the printed
pamphlet containing the eighth annu-
al report Of the library a resume of its
work for the past year and other sta
tistical informa ton. 1t is concise and
thorough As in other years the year
1895 indicated at its close a strong and
natural progress.
During the year the branch rooms at
the Green Ridge library, ana those i'll
South Scranton at Humphreys build
ing, opened late in 1897, We're continued
and another branch opened in West
Scranton at the Welsh Philosophical
library rooms.
Each is filling long felt want and
are conducted at present without any
material extra expense so far as the
central lbrarys appropriation is con-
cerned. Helpful cooperation and pri-
vate contributions from outside sources
are thus responsible. Though the re-
port is designated the eighth annual
the library has only been in active
operation little over six years, but
during that time has certainly, as the
report statistiCally indicates, made
deep and wonderful impression upon
the public at large.
During the year death removed
from service in various capacities, w.
Y. Smith, Attorney Milo j. Wilson, of
the board of trustees and Miss Emma
A. Thompson. Of the library staff.
These are the first thus to be removed
while in active service and the loss in
each instance is keenly felt.
THE SMITH REQUEST.
lat. h, 90
many gifts to the library while in life,
left a final bequest of $1,000 at his de-
mise and BY unanimous consent, this
gift will be set aside to form the nu-
cleus ot "a special section to be known
as the William Talman Smith Furd
Library ON Mines and Mining w. j.
Welsh, from the citizens, ana Attorney
II NJ. Hannah from The bar, were ap-
pointed to succeed MessrS. Smith and
Wilson, deceased respectively. Rev.
Daniel ). MacGoldrick and Rev. w. j.
Ford We're appointed to the vacancies
caused by thu resignation of Rev. =. J.
McManus and Rev. Joseph *. Dixon,
respectively.
Last year the lecture room at the
library was freely used. in every in
stance being a meeting which indicat-
ed association of some sort with the
work ard progress of the library. The
reference and reading rooms of the
| library from general standing point
| were used in even larger measure
| than in any previous year. The librar-
| ian was assisted during the year by
seven regular and two substitutes, OF
| extra assistants.
| A considerable balance remains on
| hand to the credit of each classified
| expense account, which indicates most
| scrupuluuS care, not due in any SrusC
| to a false economy, but rather a re-
| gard for future necessity In making
| up the required amount of apprOpra-
| ton for each succeeding year. only
| that which is actually necessary is
| asked for and these balances are moi
| figured in. thus becoming i'm large
sense reserve accounts for any em"r,
| gcncy which is bound to occur during
any fiscal year. Thus in the case ut
the branch libraries, where il wus
! found necessary to get additional nelL
and minor necessities tail other eN,
penses being borne from am outside
source), these balances became highly
useful.
APPROPRIATION ASKED.
AS compared with the appropriation!
| for previous years the request for thi,
year is very little larger in the genera
! fund. However. $1,000 is asked in ad
dition, to be used for insurance $500
and delivery station ana reading rooms
$4,000 Unless this last item is pro
vided for the present branch stations
must cease unless private funds ar
forthcoming.
So far As the actual condition o
he library is concerned the following
may be of interest; Registrations o
1885 We're as follows: New. 1,S4l: re
registered, 1,S2i; total, 1865, of whicl
3,55G We're city residents. 2G nOn-resi
dents. and 50 of teachers or Otner Spe
cial cards In addition to the 36S
cards that expired by reason Of thci
two-vear limit, - others We're sur
rendered or Cancelled sooner, makin
a total of 3SGJ, leaving 795G cards Il
force at the end of the wear 1898. Their
, are also 226 extra or students card
now valiG Cissuod To regular card
holders, but not included i'm the regis
tratiOn ligurcS aboNe), upon which ma
be drawn additional books other lha
! prose-fCtion or Juveniles.
From the circulating department.
; open 30j days, 1851 volumes wore is
; sued for home use, and 4,724 for use i
the reference and reading rooms:
total oi 13S4l1 volumes. Daily aver
: age for the year was 454. The largeS
issue OF any one day was go on Sat
= urday, Feb. 2G; smallest daily issu
2|J, on Thursday, Dec. p. S'malles
daily number Of volumes in the hand