Evening journal., 1901-04-17

bered that these figures exclude the
school room libraries.
The use of juvenile literature at the
library has always been very great-so
great that the corner which Is assigned
to the children and their books swarms
with young folks after school hours and
every evening. This space is very made
quate and the presence of public docu-
ments on some of the shelves Of this room
makes it anything but an attractive place
for the children. Lacking guidance and
restraint children frequently get improper
books and noise and confusion were fire.
quenuy TO be met with there Plans for
several improvements in this department
are already under way. Miss Bryer.
whose term Of service as an attendant is
longer than that of any other member of
the junior staff, has been put in charge
OF the children and devotes her entire
time TO that work. In il she is assisted
by Miss Burki. The withdrawal of an
attendant from the main desk is in part
made up by the fact that all juvenile
books are now charged in the children's
room. The top shelves Of the cases have
always been too high for the children.
These will be lowered and frieze put
around the room at the top of the cases.
On this will be placed pictures suitable
for children. Several bulletin boards for
picture work will be put up additional
lighting will be installed and further
measures will be taken to guide the ch.l-
dren in their reading and make the in
tuence Of the library wholesome and inn
proving. In making these improvements
the library takes steps to put its prac-
tice in line with that of the most nd
vanced and successful libraries in the
country.
MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS.
There were 5,4O3 cards issued TO reg
istered borrowers during the year, making
the total number of cards issued since the
library was made free 22,74s. OF these
totals, Sc cards were issued at the Rock
ford branch. with a total registration
there of 515. But as 1858 cards have
been cancelled or expired during the year
ito date 1912 cancelled and EXPIRED, the
net registration at the close of the year
was 15,2O6 As the number of cards in
force at the close Of the previous year
was Hop; the net gain in registration
was 4.164. Among the borrowers were sos
persons not residents of Wilmington. an
increase OF rs from last year. There
were issued 1SS teachers special cards.
compared with 81 and 112 in the two pre-
vious years. The school pupils holding
cards numbered 5,622 in this last class
there are no statistics of earlier years
available for comparison.
USE OF THE LIBRARY.
The total number Of volumes circulated
from the entire library was 1sS. .3S9. a gain
Of 1881 over 1S9s-19OO. The books cir
culated by the central library numbered
1S2,6l5, compared with 13s,676, the figures
Of the first year Of its administration rs
a free library. The percentage Of fiction
dropped slightly from the previous year,
the comparative figures being 51.S last
year and 52.S the year previous. The per-
centage Of Juvenile circulation likewise
dropped 00.1 per cent, standing last year
at 1874 per cent.
ROCKFORD BRANCH.
With 1858 volumes on its shelves and
with the opportunity Of drawing on the
central library the Rockford branch cir
culated 5,774 volumes. This is an increase
of S03 volumes on last year. This branch
is only open evenings, from TO 9, but Mt
those times it is visited by numerous per-
sons from that neighborhood especially
children, many of whom read the books
there instead of taking them home. Du-
plicate copies of certain OF the new books
are sent to that branch, and fourteen
periodicals are regularly on file there.
CARD CATALOGUE.
All new books purchased have been
promptly accessioned and catalogued, the
A. l.. A. catalogue cards being used in
all cases when they covered the books
added. In the work of reclassifying and
recataloguing the older volumes, the fol-
lowing classes have been completed:
Philosophy, religion, philology, English
and American essays and juvenile. There
were added to the catalogue 9,775 cards
for S,27S titles.
GIFTS.
The gifts numbered 800 volumes and
400 pamphlets. From the United States
Government came 26O volumes and 26j
pamphlets. The citizens of Wilmington
as before gave numerous unbound per-
iodicals, many of which We're put nto
temporary binders and circulated. Such
gifts are very acceptable. 1t is frequent
ly possible to make up sets or volumes Of
periodicals, or fiji gaps from such sources
In those cases they are as good as money
to the library, and at the same time it is
a convenience to the housekeeper to be
rid Of them. Gifts Of popular novels and
books Of almost any kind are solicited
from citizens. They are almost always
Of some value to the library. If they
prove to be duplicates or too little use to
be catalogued and permanently kept,
they can often be exchanged with other
libraries to good advantage. A list Of
donors follows this report.
The present librarian took charge on
March 16 1901. He has been very much
gratihed with the cordial cooperation he
has received from the members Of the
staff since that time.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE F. BOWERMAN.
Librarian.
18th April, 1901.
SHERIFF and POSSE In