The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-06-25
Annual Report Of Librarian Of
the Simmons Library Shows
Growth in Circulation
MANY CHANGES BEING MADE
Readers Among the Young People of
the City Being Greatly Inter
ested and Trashy Novel Il,
Seems to be Doomed

The Board Of Commissioners of the
Gilbert M. Simmons Library have fled
with the city clerk the; annual report of
the library and most interesting among
the reports sof the various ohicials is
the report of the librarian Mrs. G. P.
Barnes. In her report Mrs. Barnes
says: t4.s..t
s{'To the Board of Directors of Gil
bert M. Simmons Library ,a
teHerewith is. presented to- you the
leighth annual report of the library for
the year ending May 81, 1908, recording
it's use and growth for that period. The
accompanying statistics give an ac-
curate statement of the work n
g The equipment and opening of a
children IS room in the former Womens
Club Room was successfully completed
last September and the joy manifested
by the children in their beautiful new
room promises well for future work
among them. The opportunity thus af-
forded for individual attention is one
Of the greatest factors towards incul-
eating a love Of good reading, and there
is no doubt that the reading habit form
ed in childhood is bound to- oe educa-
tional and beneficial in later life. IF
a Fibrary habit can be cultivated
among the children, these same child
|ren, when grown, are going to turn to
the library for something better W. tn
while than sensational newspapers and
trashy dime novels.
HThe expense Of preparing this room
for the children, amounting to about
$4,000 certainly promises to be pay
ing investment, both in the great bene-
fit to the children, and in the added
comfort to the adult readers who are
no longer disturbed by the unavoidable
noise caused by the children when they
had only corner in the adult depart
ment upstairs.
''fThis room has been put in charge
of Miss Frantz, who is proving herself
able to interest the. little. ones--and
who had just taken a two weeks course
at Madison on the evaluation of child
ren's books-as further aid in her
work.
FfThe story Hour was resumed this
year, beginning November 16, but was
notsvery well attended during the three
meetings held before Christmas. It
seemed as though the children were too
interested in their outdoor play while
it was pleasant weather, and after
wards too excited over the approach Of
Christmas, to care for the stories.
Janury IS, the Board engaged Miss
Marian Allen, trained kindergarten
and. story teller, to carry on the work
for the remainder of the winter, and
her efforts were crowned with success
if an average attendance of 96 and
undivided attention on the part of the
children, are any guage. She even sue
ceeded in interesting the smaller child
rem in some of the King Arthur stories
through happy faculty Of telling them
in simple words. Eleven story hours
were held with total attendance Of
1859.
'EThe school duplicate collection has
made the best record in it's history.
the CIRCULATION amounting to 1868, or
nearly double that of last year. This
is due to the greater interest taken
by the teachers in this work as they
realized its value to their children
and. incidentally to the parents. A
number of teachers have reported speci-
al instances that came to their know
ledge of the pleasure given to parents
who read these books with delight. but
who would not borrow directly from
the library.
"The thoroughly established practice
of issuing teacher s cards, with the pri-
vilege Of 10 or even more books at a
time, was taken advantage of by 125
with circulation of 6571 allowing two
weeks to a book. Time has shown that
this is one Of the most useful of our
various activities, and restrictions have
grown less and less, until the present
policy is to allow teachers anything
they want for their school work. and
as long as they want it-provided the
rights of others are not interfered with.
The same general plan is followed in
issuing Especial Cards for club work
or special study, IS making use of the
privilege this year, with circulation
Of 1864.
This year s circulation numbers 49,
493, a gain of 9,498 over that of last
year, which may be taken as an indi-
cation of the increasing usefulness Of
the library. A comparison between
this year S circulation and that of the
first complete year of the library, will
perhaps measure better than anything
else, it's growth in value to the com
munity.
I9U1-U0 .................. 50, 493
l9OI-02 ................. 1928
Gain ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3e,5So
"a beginning has been made to do
something for the large foreign popu-
lation Of Kenosha, and German and