Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-01-27
FROM SMALL BEGINNING
The Alma College Library Has
Grown to Prominence
NOW HAS 10000 VOLUMES
To Which the Public as Well as the
Students Have Access.

Since the Founding of Alma college in
| 1887 the institution has made "A remark
able progress in every way, but perhaps
what has been most significant of the
growth of the college is the buildings
| that have been erected. In the eighteen
years of its history six magnificent
buildings have sprung up which can not
be equalled in many institutions which
boast of careers covering thrce-quarters
of century One of these which has
always been Alma's special pride is its
college library.
The library was the third building to
adorn the campus and was completed in
| 1899. Ii is built of red brick trimmed
with stone, is handsomely finished i'll
hardwood. and in every respect is well
adapted TO its purposes. No expense
was spared to make il attractive in ap-
pearance. solid in construction and fire
proof The ground floor contains the
stock room with shelving for about
%, 900 volumes, and adjoining this is
the large and well lighted reading room
and the Librarian office.
The growth of the library has been
astonishing. The first books 10 be con-
| tributed, which formed nucleus TO the
library, were a set of Encyclopedia
Britannica. given by Rev. d. NJ Coop
er. of Detroit. and $50 volumes on
religion, education add literature. given
bv Rev Jas. G. Inglis of Bay City.
From that time there has been n steady
stream of money, books and pamphlets
until il has grown 10 magnificent
library, ranking with those OF the older
and larger institutions of the state.
| The total number of books i'll the
library now is 10000 volumes besides a
large collection of valuable pamphlets
and complete volumes Of magazines on
file The following are some of the
important Libraries comprised: The
| Pollasky law library Of 7S2 volumes,
the Lucy Plum Mitchell library of
history and political economy, the
Arthur Plum Hill library of Lincolniana,
| and the Sarah III. Lancashire library.
| As TO the subject matter. the library
| in general might be classified according
| 10 the number of volumes as follows:
history, 800 literature, $50; period
ical literature, 5230; religion, 5000;
biography, 550; science, 900; travel,
63O; fiction, 429 There have been added
so far this year l32 volumes.
To give an idea aS 10 what extent the
library is used by the students, there
were drawn since the opening of the
college year up TO January ID, l.lS5 vol
umcs. of which upon history there were
l42 volumes, literature. 23,; biography
l20: science. St; fiction, 9S, and miscel-
! laueOuS 5O2.
The library has Away, been the favor
ite place for public benefactlOns II has
been through the mumficcnce OF such
generous friends a. y w. Wright. who
has contributed more TO the making OF
the library than any other one person,
that such building has been possible.
So far this year there has been received
for new books from \. NJ Marshall, of
Duluth. Minnesota, $50; for binding
periodicals from A. w Wright, $50 and
for current periodicals for the ensuing
year from John w. :. Pierson, OF
Stanton, $50.
one of the finest gifts that ever has
been received arrived last month from
Chas Stinchfeld of Detroit. 1t is the
"Boydell Gallery of Shakespeare.
There have been two editions OF this
work published, one i'll England and the
other in Philadelphia, the latter being
the copy purchased for the library.
This is superior to the English edition
in that it contains explanatory texts
from Shakespeare IL formerly be-
longed TO wealthy gentleman i'll New
York who purchased it in the original
o,,I hoH hnn nd 4.
icently that the binding alone added
, 800 to the cost James 4. Piper, o.
the Charles +. I.aureat Co, of Boston,
Through whom the work was purchased,
saws: I'VE have in more than thirty
years dealing in rare books handled
many copies Of this great work, but
never before one which in appearance
and finish at all compared with this.
The illustrations in this work number
loo plates, the masterpieces OF such
! painters as Reynolds, West, Opdyke,
Fuseli and others of the Royal Academi-
J clans and the getting up Of this work in
, volved an expenditure OF 800 pounds
sterling, and is the only tribute worthy
of Shakespeare that has ever been pro
duced." This splendid gift cost the
: purchaser 81 600 The authorities hopt
10 have il put into a glass case so that
the different pages may be exhibited
from day to day.
The reading room, which adjoins the
> stock room, is excellently equipped Will
y all the leading current periodicals of tins
country and of England. In all there
are seventv-eight different periodical
which come to the reading room reg
ularly. Among these are the leadlnI
{ dailies of the state, Chicago and New
York. local and county papers, the lead
ing weekly aud monthly magazines sucl
/, as Harper's. Leslie's, Forum, Scribner'
Outlook. Review Of Reviews. Literar.
p Digest. n. 4. Review and dozens
others representing education, science
religion, art and fiction.
!. The present Librarian, MISS Essy u
Hooper, is a graduate OF the College 9
. the class Of 1898, and has acted III I'M
), capacity sirce yher graduation. BY he
!. Thorough acquaintance with the horar