Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-14

student of language, architecture arr
history or any other academic or ma
terial study; also an expert library Oh
the aDnIied sciences-like electrical en-
cheering, chemistry, mining, oil Veins.
etc. Sixty-one hundred volumes nave
been bound 5237 have been cataiogueo
(as against 1852 last Year,.
Art Department Active
"The art department continues TO pc
built UP. In this department TINS II
brary is recognized as leader IN tiie
west. The text book OF the Cailio ,,d,a
Library association was prepared nere'
and serves as authority for all Calltor-
mia libraries and practically all West
ern libraries There is no other lhstl-
tuition west of st. Louis Whlch pro-
vides such adequate text books for arr
students, architects, mining clVll anu
electrical engineers, for city clups' ue-
batting societies, high schools, young
people seeking an education III Ale
chanics or a trade.
This library is recognized through
out the profession as leader IN schol1
arship and business. In proportion Oh
volumes to population, circulation per
capita and per volume, CIRCULATION per
attendant, cost per circulation, regis
tration, consultation, organization ana
the other items recognized in library
economy. it can afford comparison with
anv other public library of its own or
any other class.
"a special effort is being made to
carry the advantages of the library TO
those who do not now use 1t. Many
thousands of letters are being sent
out to business men, high school ana
normal pupils, railway and department
store employees. ETC., inviting them 10
the particular advantages this library
has for them.
Large Addition Made
''The net gain in circulation for TINS
fiscal year is 73,175, or 1914 per cent;
the gain in consultation and visitation
and reading room use, about so per
cent. Present total circulation, 49,
572. making this about thirteenth
among all American public libraries
in circulation, while the city is about
eighteenth in population.
"The largest addition to the STOCK
of books in any year in the history OF
the library was made during tL n1s llscaI
vear-namely, 1913. This is 5075 more
books than we added in the fiscal year
preceding, and a gain of GA per cent
over the average annual gain for ten
wears before that. The discards num-
her 3330-a large percentage due to the
increasing age sof our stock. Ihese
discards, however, are almost without
exception still utilized in orphans
homes, on the Los Angeles aqueduct
camps and in dozen other places
which this library serves.
''The total number of bound volumes
is 1926, 1854, making this about nineteenth
in size among the public libraries OF
the United States.
Increase of Gard Holders
"Most important of all as showing
the continued growth of usefulness or
this library to it's community is the
registration of card holders. In TINS
the net gain for the fiscal year is oS4l'
making a total membership of n,S0l.
The librarians report gives. taple
showing in detail the net gain or loss
in membership by the month for the
last twelve years. This table shows
that the average net gain per month IN
1898 was 5; in 1904 1871. AS soon as TINS
administration abolished the foolish
red tape which limited registration
the average rose Immediately to Al
per month. The present average net
gain per month for the fiscal year Is
4S7. which is 419 per cent above the
highest average in any year under pre-
vious administration, and 245 per cent
more than the average for the seven
years preceding this administrator
Comparative tables in the report or the
librarian show the extraordinary ad-
vance of this library beyond its own
former records and the records OF other
American public libraries.
From the financial side the second
enforced removal of the library (Sep-
TENDER, 1909, was even more econom-
icalIy conducted, the expense or NOV
ing about double the stock being far
less than half the expense of remoYal
two years and half ago. In 1889.
when 5000 volumes were moved TO the
citv hall. il took six weeks closing to
arrange them and to open for. bust
ness. In the same proportion the re-
moval at the beginning of this fiscal
wear would have shut the library to
the public for considerably over two
years. In fact, however, the library
was not closed at ALL and only the de-
partment actually in transit was closed
for day
An important Invention
"This library has made many inven-
lions approved by the library profess