The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-07
1924 JULY VISITORS
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED BOOKS
TAKEN OUT OF LIBRARY.
PLANS FOR GETTING BOOKS.
BOARD JOINS BODLEY CLUB IL
BRARY OF PHILADELPHIA.

Many Important Matters Discussed
at Meeting of Library Board.
ChiIdren's Department to be
Addcd-Electric Lights and Fans
VIII BE Put in Reading Rooms.
Number of visitors to Library
During June Was 1880, During
July 3.124-OVer thousand People
Have Secured Borrowers Cards.
The popularity of the Savannah Free
Library is growing every day and this
fact is attested by the figures kept by
the librarian which were presented at
the meeting of the Library Board last
night. During the month of June
there were 1880 visitors to the library.
In July there were 1924 visitors. The
number of new cards issued to Dor
rowers during July was AIS, making a
total Since the opening of the free Ii
brary ,097. The number of books taken
out during July was 1885. All of this
was very gratifying to the members
of the board and the fact that the
public is approaching the advantages
and conveniences of the library cannot
any more be questioned.
The regular monthly meeting Of the
Savannah Free Library Board was
held in the library building last night.
In the absence of President Ashmore,
Mr.. A. A. Lawrence presided. The Lii
brary Committee, which consists of
Mr.. Ashmore, DIR. Mum and Mr.. Wit
cover, made a very interesting report.
Needed. improvements.
The board decided that the day of the
oil lamps had passed for such build
ings. at least. and resolved that at the
earliest possible moment electric lights
should be placed in the reading rooms.
A very welcome feature also will be
electric fans. and this will make the
reading room great deal more pop
ular in the afternoons and evenings.
These improvements Will be put In as
soon as practicable.
Some new bookcases have been or
dered, and the reading room will be
made very attractive and comforta-
BILE.
BOdIey Club Library.
BY arrangements with the Bodley
Club Library of Philadelphia, $50 books
each month will be received at the Sa-
Vannah Library. When all, or a GER
tain number are found to be not on call
they will be returned. and thus insure
a list of the newest publications as rap
idly as they come from the publishers.
The expense of getting the books in
this way is but a fraction of the actual
cost of the books. if bought outright
and is entirely satisfactory.
The first list sent out by the Bodley
Library shows a great number of the
latest and most talked of volumes, and
the reading public is assured of getting
all the latest works of fiction travel
and research.
This plan is recommended by many
who have tried the circulating library
scheme, and it has certainly proved
successful where library committees
and boards have been strictly
limited in funds, and yet wished to Of
fer their patrons the best and newest
in books at all times.
ChiIdren's Department..
AT the recommendation of the Libra
ry Committee considerable attention Is
to be given to the children's depart
ment of the library. One of the tables
in the reading room is to be reserved
for the especial use of children and
revolving bookcases will be arranged so
that the little folks may get such books
as they wish to read, without asking
the librarian to select them. Fifty
dollars was appropriated for the pur-
chase of new books. suitable for chill
dren, and the magazines and papers
especially devoted to literature for
young folks will be included in the reg
ular subscriptions. The need of these
features has already been felt, and
understanding how important it is, the
board was ready to act at once in the
matter.
Work of Librarian.
The librarian and assistant are now
quite busy getting the books indexed
and catalogued, but it will be some
time before they are entirely through.
The department of fiction has been
catalogued by authors; and later, when
| the work is further advanced, will be
catalogued also by book titles The
| departments of American history, fine
arts, poetry, biography and the drama,
| have been prepared for circulation.
| Section classified, poetry, universal BIZ
| ography, drama and literature.
The librarian and assistant are busy
every morning with the classification
! and catalogue work, and the library is
open to the public afternoons and
evenings only. The hours are from 3
| p m. to 10 p. m.
Members of the Library Committee
| have paid forty-one visits to the IL
brary during the last half of July. No
record of their visits was kept until
| after July Is.