Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-22

ready for distribution. The report is
an attractive pamphlet Of 80 pages.
The report is of particular value this
year as it contains. in addition to the
usual statistical and financial state
ments. the Index to Maine Public
| Documents from 1S29-1S61," at which
latter date indexes were begun. The
index covers "a pages.
State Librarian Emery says in his
report that during the last % months
ending December g. 1906, books have
heen added to the library as follows:
| Exchange NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ..... 4,3S3
| Donation ........ NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $50
| Total " Hasa
| Important additions have been made
| to he reference section, by completing
broken sets of magazines and other
| serial publications ana the purchase of
now works. The Importance of the
| law section is recognized and has been
| krrt M to date by the addition Of the
| latest authorized editions of statutes
| diGeSts, court reports and legal
periodicals.. and also important text
books and cyclopcdias.
Some of the sets of session laws of
the differ 1T states arc still incom-
,letc, and it is hopod by the librarian
Shan some. at least. of the wanting
:"!j!mcS may yet be secured by ex-
change.
The medical section has been en-
richcd by the addition Of some of the
hac
able additions have also been made to
the historical collection.
Many valuable maps and pamphlets
which, owing to their size and form.
could not be properly shclved. have
been mounted and bound and made
easily accessible
An unusually large number of re-
quests have been received from va
rious states for publications of this
stale. These requests have been
complied with. when it has been posi-
bic 10 secure for the library any
thing of equal value in exchange.
a number of applications for tho loan
Of books have been received from the
public libraries in the State.
The State officials, scholars. club
members and people of the state in
general have patroniZed the library
mor--frCcly during the past year than
ever before and since fiction has been
mostly eliminated from the library.
these demands have necessarily been
for books of study purposes.
Provisions should he made for more
stack room, and for such extra help
rs will be necessary to keep the Ii
hrary in the front ranks Of progressive
libraries in the country
The patrons Of tho library appre-
ciatc the great need of more cOmmO-
diOuS and convenient quarters, says
Librarian Emery. and it seems only
necessary at this time to express the
hODe that some step will he taken be-
fore long to relieve the crowded condi-
ton. Owing to the lack of stack
room the books cannot be properly
shclvcd or arranged, which fact great
" increases the work of the depart
ment When the present library room
was completed. it was said that the
steel stack would afford shelving for
20 600 volumes. and would be sufficient
for ten years growth. The ten years
expired in 1901 and if the estimates
which have been made from time to
time are correct, the library now con-
tains about $1,000 volumes.
The congested conditions of the Ii
hrarv can be relieved to some extent
bv the erection of temporary stacks in
the rooms of the old library.
The adopted policy Of the state is to
supply its citizens with the various
state publications, 50 that they may
be fully Informed as to the work Of
the departments.
The library now receives from the
state bindery for distribution and OK
change 615 copies of each of the re-
ports of the various State departments
and institutions. While this number
is sufficient to supply the demand
when the legislature is not in session.
many of the requests of the members.
i'm the legislative year. must be denied
or referred 70 other sources
During the past two years over I6oO
nockares have been sent out. and to
saw that $4,000 State publications have
been distributed by this department.
would be a Conservative estimate.
An increasing interest is manifested
nv the people of the State in the free
nublic library movement. So pro-
nounced is the expression of this
sentiment. it seems safe to venture the
prediction that within a decade there
will be very few Of the organized
places in the state which will not con-
tain a free public library in some form
The travelling library, which has
passed the experimental stage. has be-
come an active agent IN exciting
interest in good reading ana 1ree
libraries Nv still more hearty
cooperation and effort upon the part Of
those engaged in educational work
the school, church, grange and club
the field of the travelling library could
be greatly extended and It's WORK
increa Sed.
During the past two years free
public libraries have been established
in the towns of Yarmouthville,
Damariscotta Coined with Newcastle),
Weld, Rumford Falls, Bangor, Booth
hay Harbor and Gray, and those nave
received S700 in books as provided for