The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-04-04
LIsaARIEs OPEN SUNDAY


Rooms On That Day.
= The March bulletin Of the Vermont
library commission contains the fol-
lowing relative to the Sunday opening
OF libraries:
"Burlington.--The Fletcher free H.
brary opened Its doors In November,
from 2 to In the afternoon on Sum
days for reading only. The first Sun
day, AZ came, now there are more than
100 In one day. Some remain all the
afternoon, most read an hour or two,
to be succeeded by others. Many
come who are not seen here on other
days, business men. clerks, etc. Many
boys and girls are here who probably
could come On other days II they chose
Very few OF the poorer working class
find their way here yet, but II Is ex.
pected that they will after more adj.
vertisement. Only the lighter maya
zines and newspapers are read gener-
ally but the first book asked for was a
Commentary Oh Romans. next Crud-
ems Concordance, then boy wanted
DOmbey and Son, read II all the after
noon and came next day to take II
home. Some have come with Bible
class questions to look for the answers.
Cyclopedias are consulted by those
who could not take the time for such
study on other days. Many speak
gratefully OF the privilege OF reading
at the library on Sunday.
st. Administering to the desire to
keep the youth of st. Adams from run.
ming the streets and cOngregating on
corners Sunday afternoons. the trus-
tees Of the st. Adams public library
decided to open the reading room for
the young men and boys OF the city.
On Sunday afternoon. December %,
1907. the reading room was opened for
the first time. 1t being somewhat of
novelty the library was well patron.
lied, there being over forty visitors,
mostly men and boys. Since the open
Ing number OF visitors has settled
down to fairly constant figure twenty
being about an average number. The
majority are boys between the ages of
10 and Is. who come to pass the after
noon In reading magazines and juven-
lie fiction. Now and then some older
person comes to look up a question or
examine book OF reference, but that
Is the exception. In view OF the fact
that the library was opened as a read.
Ing room for the boys OF the city. and
as a means OF keeping them of the
street, am OF the opinion that the ex-
pertinent can be pronounced success.
Whether or not II Is to continue l am
unable TO state. When the matter was
first brought up II was decided to give
the scheme good trial before II was
accepted as permanent thing or re.
jected. Books are taken from the
stack for use In the room but no books
are exchanged during the afternoon.
These are mostly works OF fiction. The
reading room Is open from until 6 D.
m, under the care OF MFR. 8. s. Cush.
ing.
"Brattleboro.--The free library be-
gan to open Sundays early In January
and has been pronounced success.
the number Of readers increasing each
Sunday.
Montpelier Kellogg Hubbard
library was opened nine Sundays on
trial with an attendance OF 4S1. Dur.
Ing this time the janitor and one Of the
trustees were In charge At the an.
nual meeting the trustees voted to con.
tinue to keep open and Mr.. English,
the janitor. was engaged to be in at.
tendance during the hours from l till
8 In the afternoon. Not merely the
reading room but the whole library Is
kept OPEN"