Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-01-15
PUBLIC LIBRARY MAKES
ITS ANNUAL REPORT

Nothing spectacular marked the
library year of 1918, but II was one
OF steady growth and great useful
ness. Nearly every hour found stu
dents at work In the reference de-
partment. and young children began
10 read a better class of books. This
latter is due 10 united effort of
teachers and library attendants TO
direct reading. and SO soon as a.
system OF credits for such reading
is established In the schools. even
better results may be expected.
There was not the usual increase
In the circulation OF books, but this
can readilyrbe accounted for by the
fact that the largest addition OF
books came during the busy Christ
mas season when least reading Is
done, SO that the use OF these books
will be during 1914. Then. too, our
library is probably at last feeling
the effect OF picture shows OF which
most libraries have long complain
ed; but while shows lessen the time
for reading, their occasional pre-
sentation OF standard works greatly
increases the demand for these
books. Averaging che circulation,
14,624, by population, 4459, eacn
citizen of Abilene read four books
FROM the library during the past
year, and the use of reference books
in the library was many times .as
great. The number Of callers and
, reference works. 36,S25, was nearly
nine times the population.
During 1918, $50 books were
added by purchase and 131 by gift,
making the total number OF bound
volumes, exclusive OF government
books, 1884. Twenty-three current
magazines and newspapers were
provided by purchase, and II mag
azines and 5 newspapers by dona-
: ton. Other donations were 3S gov
eminent books, 40 pamphlets, cal
endars, blotters, and SIS to the
book committee for the purchase OF
. domestic science and manual train
ing books. The largest donations
/ of the year were the 5-volume
D Groves Musical Dictionary, present
/ ed by Miss Mary Forney; and the
: 3O-volcme sets of Scott and Dickens,
/ presented by c. Stevens.
8 Newspapers and public generous
ly responded as usual to every re-
quest for assistance in any way. In
fact, our entire library is due to the
} large-heartedness and broad-mind-
i edness of Abilene icitizens which
s have enabled them to unite in
: common effort for this great and
i ever greater good to the commun-
: ity.
: Following is a list of those who
l made special contributions to the
1 library, or who told nature and art
3 stories to children:
Mesdames C. NJ Harger, H. w.
Wilson, E. H. Durkee, G. A. Rogers,
E. H. Forney, w. w. Davis, ]. E.
Johntz, ]. M. Gleissner, B. N. Gleiss-
ner, w. T. Davidson, E. e. Hazlett,
&c. C. Wyandt, w. H. Schrock, F.
M. Gillett; Misses Grace Peters, Ed
ma Worley, Mary Forney, Ethel
Giles, Martha Blayney, Anne Ma
lott, Helen Sterl Elsie Southworth,
Ethel Thayer, Eliza beth Wyandt,
Iva Brown; Messrs. C. Stevens, S.
Kirk, w. T. Triplett, c. M. Harger,
j. w. Howe, G. T. Helvering, l. II.
Clewell, w. o. steen, w. H. Schrock
H. w. Wilson, ]. Spangler, Senator
C. Curtis, Reflector Company, News
Company, Chronicle Company; Cit
liens Bank; Farmers National Bank;
Abilene Graded Union; Presbyterian
Missionary Society," Christian Science
Organization; Wichita Eagle, Uni
versity of Kansas, State Agriculture
al College, Washburn College, Baker
University, state Board of Health
State Board of Agriculture, Kansas
State Historical Society, Nationa
Child Labor Committee, Railroad
News Bureau, National Tax Com
mission, Library of Congress, Unit
ed States Government.
Ida ROMIG, Librarian