New-York tribune., 1901-04-07

them on the spot. while the books used from
the free Libraries taken to the homes The
thronged, however and the sign Standing Room
Only might properly he hung up every day in
the week 1t is very noticeable that a large
proportiOn Of the readers are men.
THE OPEN SHELF DEPARTMENT.
Buffalo's most noticeable variant from the
general type of modern public Libraries is
Probably lis open shelf department where
collection OF about twenty thousand volumes
is thrown open 10 the book borrowers IN
q beautiful bright room. where they are as
free 10 examine at viii as If each we're at the
shelves Of his own library. number OF puthc
libraries in the country have thrown their entlre
collection open 10 their borrowers, plan that
has many attractions. but also many disad-
yantages, both to the public and 10 the Gus
todians
The Buffalo open shelf department contains
q collection Of books which are selected with
the ordinary reader in mind, a representative
collection Of the best, the latest, the most at
tractlve books in all lines. from the most In
teresting book on psychoIogy to the bIlghtest
novel play. The three years experience
shows that books which have a real appeal, cr
a real value 10 the common man are sure TO be
read from this room.
The greatest appeal of this room is Of course,
10 more OF less unskilled. unsystematic read
ers but the majority Of library readers belong
10 this class. More than "a per cent OF the
entire circulation of 9Sl,23o books issued from
the library for home use Was from the twenty
thousand selected volumes Of this collection
The library. OF course, realizes that ITS best
work must be with that largest and most
worthy part Of the population, the children IN
addition 10 TWO large rooms fitted up with
pictures and casts with bulletin boards and
flowers, and, most Of all, with beautiful books,
10 be attractive 70 the children, il carrles !ls
books into the stronghold Of the children. the
public schools. Some thirty schools OF the Cll!
have been supplied with 40I classroom libraries
These schools have an average registration oI
over 1900 children. and they crew from li-
20t366 volumes Of the school collection l9i,ofo
times during the last school year. The greatest
care is used in the selection Of these books, and
-ha of Il
and Information that appeals TO children. II Is
the purpose Of the library 10 extend this work
10 all the schools in the city as fast as us IN
come will permit. Not only are the BOOKS Whlch
are the tools Of this work. expensive IN the great
numbers required bat the skill required 10 IN
roduce and foster this work IS also expensive:
In addition TO its invasion Of the graded
schools library assistants Visit each Of the hlgh
schools twice daily 20 gather lists and TO a.
liver the wished for books. The whole nulnpef
Issued in this way during 1900 was IS's4.
CIRCULATION AMONG CHILDREN.
The circulation from the children's
proper in the library building was lVp4"' SO
That together these three agencies-the children
room, the graded schools and the lgn schoolS-
Circulated 3l3.:i25 voIurces during 1900. Mere
numbers n circulation amount TO lttle' but this
Circulation is done from selected DOCKS, ana II
measures in the only tangible way the peat
OF the library pulse in the life Of the COM
munity
The library exhibits from time to time post
eIs OF its own making for single atIIdIuee ,
books For instance Stedman's American
anthology was advertised by a Wredlh apou'
eghteen inches across in green water corr,
each leaf carrying as the midveln the name Oh
some notable poem. Every copy OF iaiBe
humber Of duplicates disappears AT once When
such poster is put up. or course only Doohs
VI great merit are advertised in TINS way.
The only outside agencies or the lDiaIE,
except the schools are Of the travelling hDrar!
Hpe For example, something over a lhousdhu
solumes distributed through the various
nre and police stations OF the city, Where they
give great satisfaction to the men. Inc coHh-
inents which come back to the library are very
Interesting and sometimes very amusing put
,hey usually to this effect, we did hot
Know that there were such books.
ne library has by means reacheu any
..aing like its possible measure OF use
me congestion the main library pulluliIs oii
me busiest DAYS is such that IL IS almost I'M
possible 10 do anything letter than 10 manu- manu-
out books liFe parcels Of sugar ana the IMAM
ssement breads the danger Of this coheestioL, ie,
~ The money that is necessary 10 estapi'sii
branches could be had, il would be possiple -, ~
sAtend and deepen the influence or gooo poo
N way that IN generation would leaVe no
,soom for question Of the benehcence OF pupic
"Dfary in great city.
This last remark will have all the more loice
~ Connection with MT. Carnegies proposeu ie
Increment Of the New York branch horaries'
coming from so generally acknowledged an du-
iaority as Superintendent Elmendorf