Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-06-09
To the Honorable, The Public Library
Board, Wauseon, Ohio.
oI;o. ,nd CovAIou.o,,.

To the Honorable, The Public Library
Board, Wauseon, Ohio.
Ladies and Gentlemen:-
Your librarian herewith presents his
second annual report as librarian of
the Wauseon Public Library and the
tenth report Of the library since its
opening in 1906.
II is a satisfaction to report that
during 1915 the Wauseon Public Lii
brary showed an increase over the
previous year in every branch of it's
service. For there was a larger circu-
lation of books and an increase in
the number of cards issued to borrow
ers, as well as an increase in the
number of people who visited the IL
brary for purposes of reading and re-
ference. Moreover, the number of new
books added to the library during the
year was greater than that of the
books added during 1914.
Circulation of Books.
During 1915 the total circulation of
books for home use was 1882, an
increase Of 1,4S4 volumes, or 12h per
cent. over the total circulation for
1914. OF the books circulated 7,409
volumes, or 55.41 per cent. were adult
fiction; 1,101 volumes, or 8.25 per cent.
were adult non-fiction; 3,259 volumes,
or 24.4 per cent. were young peoples
and children's fiction; and 1884 vol
umes, or 11.86 per cent. were young
peoples and children's non-fction. A
comparison of these figures and per-
centages with those for the previous
year quickly shows a decided increase
~ - .sv. Irks - I,,1k hNfh
fiction and non-fiction, at the expense
of juvenile books. For in 1914 the
circulation of adult fiction was only
6,196 volumes, or 81 1-5 per cent. of
the total circulation; the circulation of
adult non-fction was 796 volumes, or
6 7-10 per cent. of the total; that of
juvenile fiction was 1866 volumes, or
28 35-100 per cent. and that of juv-
emile non-fetion was 1,510 volumes, or
IL 1926 per cent. Undoubtedly the
relative increase in circulation of
books for adults is very desirable, in
asmuch as it has usually been difficult
to increase the circulation of such
books, especially the non-fction. The
circulation Of books of adult non-fic-
ton during the year by classes was
as follows: Literature, 268 volumes;
sociology, including economics and
political science, 152 volumes; ma
tural sciences, Ill volumes; history,
81 volumes; fine arts, 81 volumes;
biography, 80 volumes; general works
such as encyclopedias and magazines,
7S volumes; travel, SO volumes; reli-
gion, 56 volumes; philosophy, SO vol
umes; useful arts, AZ volumes; and
philology, volume. Every class
showed an increase over the previous
year in the number of volumes cir
culated, except the classes of travel
and philOlogy. The decrease of q vol
umes in the circulation of the usually
popular books of travel was notice
able, but there was a corresponding
increase in the circulation of most of
the other classes, while that of the
natural sciences more than doubled
and that of the fine arts was increas-
ed by two and half times. The cir
culation Of Juvenile non-fction was as
follows: Social sciences, including
mostly fairy tales, Sol volumes; travel
291 volumes; history, 238 volumes;
literature, 1856 volumes; natural
sciences, 121 volumes; biography, 81
volumes; fine arts, 72 volumes; use
full arts, 56 volumes; and religion, 38
volumes. The total circulation was
more evenly distributed throughout the
year in 1915 than in previous years,
probably due to the cool weather of
the summer. By months the total cir
culation was as follows: January, l.
428 volumes; February, 1920 volumes;
March, 1894 volumes; April, 1,033
volumes; August, 526 volumes; Sep
tember, 1908 volumes; October, 1,131
volumes; November, 1891 volumes
and December, 1.139 volumes.
During the year the library was
open 244 days for circulation of books
making an average daily circulation
of nearly 55 books. For the 1882
books in circulation borrowers cards
were used 1895 times, thus making
a daily average of nearly 81 persons
taking nearly 55 books. The daily
average for 1914 had been only so
persons to taking 81 books, while that
year, also, borrowers cards we're used
only 1857 times, an increase for 1915
Of TOT per cent.
New Borrowers.
The cards issued to new borrowers
numbered 1885, AS on January 1, 1915
there had been $50 borrowers cards
in force the total number in force for
1915 was 1903. At the end of 1915,
however, 1913 Of these cards we're can
celled because they were no longer in
force, so that at the beginning of 1916