The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-08
FOR ALL THE CITY
PUBLIC LIBRARIES WITHIN
REACT or EVERY ONE.
Ne one Living IN Manhattan Mere TipaD
Five Minutes From Library Wore Than
Wall tine Circulation AmOng children
Rocks ami MusIc tor the uBlihd.

hensive' is the library system az to-day.
There are now twenty-four Carnegie libra
riss a. we'll az a dozen other branches ~
the New York Public Library for ihGfTsc
circulation OR books. and IL is said that mo-
person living in Manhattan in more than
i've minute waIk from some library
In ell the city libraries more than half the
circulation is among children under the age
y Of "a. There Ia no age limit. Any child
who Gan read may have a card and take out
booka. Two story books a week may bs
taken out. The children are encouraged
70 cultivate a preference for history. travels.
biography or nature books.
Fairy tales lead the list Of popular books
everywhere among children. There is one
striking difference to be noticed smonR
the younger as well ms the adult readers In
che free libraries. While the call for fiction
10 greater among those In more favored
environment, II liz said that the poorer peo-
pie incline TO more serious lines of reading.
Even tbs children on he Fast side draw
books on history. biography and travel. 30
= are they 70 become Americanizcd
Al the Rvington street branch library n
sturdy, dark browed. bespectacled outh Of
10 had under his arm the other afternoon
@Stsrland' and Treasure Island He ad-
mitted afondnessF for scientific books. espo-
cially works ON electricity.
Are you an Americana
ooh, yesl' he replied empatically. although
speaking with noticeable foreign accent.
Your father Is Russian. lie be not2'
yes. ma'am. but he can read United
States all right"
The rosy checked French boy nearby
was considering q book on chemistry.
How 10 IL you boys all seem to IKE books
on SCiOnce3'
Its a natural born liking for boyS.' re-
Piled tho young Russian American.
~Three-lfths Of the circulation Of the Riv-
lnxton street branch 10 among children
Probably 1000 children hold books from this
library. Biography 10 a favorite study With
them. and they call especially for lives If
Lincoln and Washington.
At Chatham square two-thirds " the
circulation 10 among the children. and
special attention 10 given to encouraging
them to respect and properly TO care for
books. A feature Of the reading room
10 q collection OF books prettiEy illustrated
and bound which the children may uss by
special permission. Duplicates in palmer
form may be taken.
The adult readers are almost all men.
When at various seasons men of certain
trades are out Of work the reading room
IL a popular resort. At RivingtOn street
100 men are admitted in the course of one
day. One hundred and fifty periodicals
and forty newspapers are found there.
representing ten languages.
These men cad books that are worth
while. and read for instruction. The
women seem either to have no leisure for
reading at home or abroad or else not 20
care for reading.
Many OF the reading rooms in the libraries
throughout the city are used by students,
who find there the books necessary for
home study n thus save tho expense Of
buying the books.
70 supplement the regularly estab-
lished branch libraries tho travelling
libraries supply cases Of books to tt special
needs. These libraries are lent "tO. any
school, club OF institution which will promise
to be responsible for the proper care Of
Of their circulation" The privilege is limited
10 those within the city. including branches
in the BOrOughs of Manhattan. The Bronx
and Richmond. where an Office has recently
heen opened az st. George.
These travelling libraries are cent 10
study clubs. schools. engine houses. police
stations and business houses. Several
large corporations have books for their
employees. In some Instance maintaining
4 library OF from three hundred 10 six
hundred volumes In such libraries fiction
figures largely.
In other instances libraries are sent
70 individuals. houss libraries of ten
volumes, miscellaneous in nature. to en-
courage habits of reading among those
who might not find their way TO the public
library building. One such house library
~ presided over by a washer woman. an
other IL in the home Of a dressmaker. still
another in a cobbler's shop.
One man has for FIVE wears been studvinx
for civil service examinations during his
spare hours from daily toll. A woman
working In a factory studied dentistry by
means OF a house library, and Is now a
practising dentist. Six industrial or mission
schools are headquarters for distribution
OF books among children. supplying sup
Elementary reading.
barking back 70 the children. there is
q private library not far from Fifth avenue
where children may find reading that In
guaranteed to be pure and indebted both
As TO subject matter and tangible form
and condition. Another similar library is
designed especially 10 provide helpful, in
spring and entertaining books for children.
with all harmful. unhealthful or ques-
ton works excluded. Bright. pretty
bindings. large clear type. good Illustrations
are considered al well IA authorship.
In. Library for the Blind at Eighty
first street and Amsterdam avenue. IL the
largest collection OF books for the blind
outside OF their educational institutions in
the United States. Any blind resident OF
the States Of New York. New Jersey and
Connecticut may draw books. Two vol
umes and n current magazine may be-
had at = time. the book to be kept one
month, the magazines two weeks.
Few readers call here in person for their
books. only about forty visiting the build
ing in a month, Not for them is the charm
OF dainty binding and quaint illustration.
nor the delight which the booklovsr finds
in selecting new volumes from the shelves.
Soubbre and serious in outward appearance
are the tines OF ponderous volumes, re-
sembling rows Of letter flies more than
anything else.
Readers are content TO trust the selection
of books to the librarian and let Uncle Sam
do the rest. Books for the blind may he
sent free through the mails. and are usually
Distributed in that way.
This library. with a membership OF 6ls.
has a circulation Of D75 volumes a month.
$50 Of which are sent by mail. The circula-
ton h almost entirely among adults.
French and English books are much
studied by the blind. Psychology has for
some reason q fascination FOR these readers.
Histories. 10y Fiske and Parkmnn are pop
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