The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-11-05
'DELVE|N THE BOOKS
AN INCREASED PATRONAGE AT
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Interesting Report Was Submitted to
the Board of Directors Last Even
ing BY Miss Maud van Buren,;
Non-Fiction Literature Finds Much
Favor With the Reading Public;
the Features of the Month.

The following report was submitted
to the library board at it's meeting
last evening:
To the Board of Directors Gentle
men: Herewith is submitted the re-
port of the Mankato public library for
October, 1909. The library was open
for the circulation of books twenty
six days, and for reading and reference
use thirty days, with the following
results: Adult fiction, l,343; non-fc-
ton, l,O44; Juvenile fiction, GAL; jul
venile non-fction, l,l60; total, 4,4SS,
an increase of 9O2 over last October.
Over 40 per cent of this circulation
was non fiction; eighty-two German
books were issued; the reading at
tendance was 1904, an increase of 312
over last October. The average Sun
day attendance was thirty -one.
New Names Added.
There were l08 new names added
which makes total registration of
5,063. One hundred six new books
were added, making the total number
of accessions 1919.
lessons on the Readers Guide and
Poole's Index" were given the higa
school freshmen and eighth grade pu-
pills this month"; and classes were re-
ceived at the library and instruction
given on the use of the card catalogue,
the arrangement of the books in the
stacks and the general arrangement of
tine reference material
All of the geological specimens have
been relabeled and systematically ar
ranged.
A list of ghost stories and Hal
lowe'en poems were published and
material for Halloween programs and
parties was gathered together and
placed on the reserve shelves.
A collection of post cards represent
ing types of our western Indians was
on display for a week in the chill
dren's room, and collection of orig
inal drawings by English illustrators
was also exhibited for two weeks.
Helps for Little Housekeepers.
Special lists of helps for little house.
keepers, useful books for useful boys,
and helps for mechanics and engineers
were published for distribution, and
all the books included in the first
two lists were issued within two days
after the lists were distributed. Many
duplicate copies could have been made
use of. A list of books for mothers
was given room in the daily papers.
Lists of school and college stories were
posted in all the upper grade rooms
of the public schools.
Quality, not quantity, in literature
is receiving closer and closer attention
and the list of 100 of the best novels
which patrons may help themselves to,
are doing much to raise the standard
of novel reading.
The requests for "any new novel;
are becoming fewer and fewer as the
efforts of would-be literary lights
grow feebler and more tiresome. That
thinking people are becoming satiated
with the weak books of the day is
very noticeable here as elsewhere.
Display of Attractive Books.
The display of attractive books OF
art and travel has resulted in a larger
use of literature of this nature, and
tine practical books are becoming bet
ter known as practical people become
better acquainted with the resources
of the library. Notes have been sent
to many whose interests along special
lines have been brought to the notice
of the librarian, calling attention to
books supplying special needs.
A Civic league meeting was held at
the library on the 2Sth.
Magazines have been donated by
Mrs. w. E. Young, Mr.. j. c. Noe, and
Mr.. Albert Lindholm. Respectfully
submitted, Maud van Buren,, librarian.
Mona but routine business was