The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-06-29
Mrs. C. P. Barnes, Librarian Of
G. N. Simmons Library, Tells
Of Work Of the Year.
LIBRARY SHOWS AN ADVANCE
Report Shows That the Good Done by
the Institution is Being Increased
Each Year-Many Books Added
During the Past Year.


as librarian for the year just closed.
The report shows healthy growth
IN library work in Kenosha and it will
be interesting to all of the people of
the city. The report follows
Herewith is submitted the fifth
annual report of the library for the
year ending May 81, 1905.
We have had, on the whole, another
successful year of work. The out
break Of smallpox in the county,
which forced us to close our doors dur
ing the busiest week of the year,
March 9th to 14tl1 inclusive, was our
most serious handicap, not only losing
to us the actual weeks circulation,
but considerable further loss, from
fear on the part Of patrons IN town,
and refusal on our part to circulate
books in the country until the small
pox had ceased to develop new cases.
A conservative estimate of our lost
circulation is 1000. Even with this
loss, our circulation has increased
from 64836 to 65874, with a decrease
in percentage of fiction and children S
stories from 90 to "a per cent.
After establishing a West side
station in October 'O4 at Mr.. Turnock' S
store on Rowland avenue, a new
building, we'll located, and finding
that the circulation only amounted to
452 in five months, there seemed to be
only one conclusion to arrive at,
which is that the time is certainly not
ripe for stations in Kenosha, what
ever the future may develop. The
station was discontinued in April.
The renting collection continues to
be profitable investment, our sur
plus being nearly twice as large as it
was year ago. We do not aim to
have many books in this collection,
but simply to supply few novels
which, for various reasons, are in
unusual demand. This year the
number thus called for seemed some
what smaller, only q books being
purchased leaving us with cash on
hand, from rentals etc. to the amount
of SOS. SO.
The School Duplicate Collection has
had the same careful attention as in
the two previous years, with equally
good results. We have changed and
modified our plans somewhat, grad
ually dropping the lower grades from
the list of rooms supplied with books,
1arna1xy ~ +ho adxr;ro of +ho Crpo~;~
|tendent, as the best and most import
ant results seem to be attained in the
grades above the third grade. The
books for the younger readers were
badly worn, and during the year 1873
have been withdrawn from the coll
lection, only a small portion Of which
have been replaced. This left us
with a considerably reduced number
for part of the year. We have just
added upwards of 100 new books ready
for the Fall, and hope to add as many
more before the opening of the
schools, when we will be fairly well
equipped for another years work
among ali grades emitting sub-pri-
mary, first and second grades. APP
pended to this report is the statistical
record.
This year we have issued ninety
nine teachers cards, with circnla-
ton of $3.50, and eighty-seven spec
ial cards with circulation of 2443,
allowing two weeks to book. The
unusually large number of special
cards is due to our granting this
privilege to the seniors of the High
school, as help in working up their
graduating thesis.
Good order has been maintained in
the reading room throughout the
year, with very little characterization
on the part of students, and the num-
Der of readers has increased from
10000 last year to n, $50 this year,
while the-books taken from the circu-
1ating department, for use in the
reading room, number 1874. This
doesn't include the larger number set
aside for the High school debaters,
who worked with lese books, on their
joint debate, for nearly three months
during the winter. We sacrificed our
statistics, rather than hamper the
students in any way, by attempting
to keep this record.
We now have in the library (exclu-
sive of the school collection, number
ing 1881 1904 books, of which 22.8
per cent are fiction and children S
stories. Of these, our inventory
shows 10 are missing and unaccohnted
for, somewhat larger number than
we have ever before had to report.
But even this number is small one,
with so large a circulation and open
shelves, the aggregate money value
being only $40. 80 for the books, when
new.
We have added 1921 books by pur-
chase, gift, ETC., including the follow
ing, which seems to be worthy of
special mention:
Aldrich, ed.-Young folks library,
II vols.
Cambridge modern history-vo1. 8
and s.
Christy-Proverbs, Maxims, etc.