The San Francisco call., 1904-04-09
LATON TO HAVE
A new LIBRARY
Splendid Structure Is Soon
to Rise in FlOurishing
Fresno County Village
PROSPERITY IN SOUTH
Tax Levy Adopted by City
Charter Does Much to Aid
Los Angeles Institution

A distinguished feature OF Laton, a
new town in the southern part of Fres-
no County, is its early recognition of
the social and educational advantages
of a public reading room and library.
Four years ago this place had no ,ex-
istence. To-day 1t has more than 300
inhabitants and there are 100 settlers
in the adjoining Lag,fna de Tache
Grant. In January, 1902, small or
ganization of women secured the use
Of room in the hotel and started
reading room and library with three
books, a few old magazines and three
daily papers. The new enterprise sue
cessfully passed the days of discour-
agement and trial which seem INSOFAR
able from such undertakings and soon
after were able to move into larger
quarters. These have been outgrown
and now the library is to have per-
manent home of it's own. At pub
lie meeting held a fewweeks ago. Mares
Saunders, the manager of the Laguna
de Tache Grant, offered to give cor
ner lot and to erect upon it $1,000
library building.
The strong work performed by the
Los Angeles Public Library during the
last year is shown by it's recent report.
This covers the first year since the
adoption of the new city charter. One
of the provisions of this charter is not
able, there is no other like it in Cali
fornia. 1t requires a minimum tax levy
of four cents on each one hundred dol
lars of taxable property in the city,
but ii fixes no prohibitiye maximum
rate. The tax has this year yielded
$43, 1864. The work of the library is now
done through the main library in the
city hall, six branches, four delivery
stations and four deposit stations. The
home circulation of books was 677,411,
a gain of 101, ,470 over the preceding year.
The total number of volumes in the Ii
brary is over $1,000, an increase of 49,
SIS in the twelve months.
There are 25,227 registered borrowers.
The reference department contains 49,
900 volumes. A number of complete
sets of valuable magazines have re-
Gently been added. The fiction shelves
show an ownership of 1877 volumes
and the active home circulation of 239,-
600. In the Juvenile room may be found
5000 works, including juvenile fiction,
with home circulation of S1,225.
In the little mountain town of Loyal
ton, Sierra County, with a population
Of but a few hundred people. 175 books
have already been accumulated in its
town library. 1t is kept in the hotel
and is open every Saturday evening.
Any one who deposits a dollar may OBJ
tain a loan of a book.
The San Jose public library has re-
ceived from S. w. Churchill, a citizen
of San dose, a present of bound vol
ume of the San Jose Weekly Visitor
published in 1851. Gifts of such rare
volumes of newspapers and manu-
scripts are highly priced by all libra
ries.
The collection Of Californiana is in
creasing. 1t now contains a number of
valuable books relating to early days
in California
The Vallejo public library, which
still occupies its old building. was re-
Gently badly damaged by a fire which
proved quite destructive In the city.
Every book in the library was injured
by smoke or water and many of them
will require rebinding The furniture
of the library was ruined Insurance
policies OF $4,000 will probably cover the
loss.
One Of the travelling libraries sent
from the State Library has been re-
ceived at Lompoc, Santa Barbara
County. 1t is possible that the use
Of this little library will lead to efforts
for the establishment of public
library under the general law of the
State.
A library association has been formed
in Porterville, Tulare County, with the
view Of interesting the public in the
establishment OF public library un-
der the provisions of the State law.
In this cause the use of the travel
ing library just received from the State
Library will prove great help Por-
terville is a prosperous town, has an
assessed valuation of nearly half a mil
lion dollars and low tax rate.
The new Carnegie building in Visalia
is almost ready for public USE 1t is
tastefully finished in buff upon the in
terror side walls and has light green
ceiling. Around the building will be
a handsome lawn and beds and clusters
of Towering plants. Many of the citi-
zens of Visalia have stated their in
tention to give freely from their own
libraries in order that the new building
may nave SOOuly array VI NOluDleS
when ii is opened.
The Pomona Public Library, already
distinguished for the excellence of the
plans on which it was constructed, will !
soon be surrounded with floral beauty.
Besides lawn there will be rows and
hedges of roses supported by a seven
foot trellis work, which is to hold the
Gold of Ophir and Cherokee varieties.
These library grounds will in a short
time become one of the most charm
ing spots in Pomona.
The library profession has met with
loss by the sudden death of Miss
Bessie F. Cooper, the librarian of Los
Gatos Public Library. Her service of
three years in that capacity was faith
full and efficient and she had endeared
herself to patrons of the library by
her unfailing kindness and courtesy.
College Alumni Entertainment.