Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-06-08

LadleS ana Gentlemen:-
Your librarian herewith presents
his third annual report as librarian
of the Wauseon Public Library and
the eleventh report of the library
since its opening in 1906.
Circulation of Books
The circulation of books has again
shown an increase over that of the
previous year. During 1916 the
total circulation of books for home
use was 1895, an increase of 563
volumes, or APP per cent. over the
circulate On for 1915. Of the books
circulated 6,891 volumes, or 1852
per cent. were adult fiction; 1908 vol
umes, Or 8.65 per cent. were adult
non-fction; 4,O76 volumes, or 1929
per cent, were young peoples or chill
these figures and percentages with
Cnose for the previous year shows a
decrease in the circulation of adult
fiction, but welcome increase in the
circulation of adult non-fction and of
books for children, both fiction and
non-1iction. For in 1915 the circula-
ton of adult fiction was 7,409 vol
Gmes, or 55.41 per cent. of the total
circulation; the circulation of adult
nOn-iction was 1,101 volumes, or 8.25
per cent. of the total; that of juve-
nile fiction was 3,258 volumes, or 24.4
per cent; and that Of juvenile nom
fiction was 1854 volumes, or 11.86 per
cent. The circulation of adjust non
fiction during the year by classes was
as follows: Literature, 378 volumes;
sociology, $50 volumes; travel, 104
volumes; general works, such as en-
cyclopedias and magazines, 80 vol
umes; history, 81 volumes; biography,
sc volumes; fine arts, 80 volumes; ma
tural sciences, SO volumes; philosophy,
50 volumes; religion, AT volumes; and
useful arts, A volumes. Compared
with the statistics for 1915 the circu-
lation by classes shows an increase
in five classes and a decrease in six
classes, with one class, history, show
ing the same circulation for both
years. The increase in the circula-
tion of books of literature and of
travel was considerable, and there
were also increases in the circulation
of books of philosophy, the useful
arts, and in works of a general ma
ture The decreases were in the
lCldSScS VI SOCIOIOSyJ llliN
arts, natural sciences and religion
) while the class of philology, which
showed a circulation of one volume in
1915 had none in 1916. 1t is to be
regretted that books on useful oc.
cupations should not circulate more
/, frequently, but the causes may be at
tributed both to the fact that there
is no apparent demand for such books
and to the fact that the library does
not possess more of them. But tht
tchief cause is undoubtedly the fac
that the library is not used more by
men, The circulation of juvenile non
: fiction was as follows: Social scien
: ces, including mostly fairy tales, 50l
volumes; literature, 344 volumes; his
tory, 247 volumes; travel, 240 vol
f umes; natural sciences, 109 volumes
fine arts, 95 volumes; useful arts, g
volumes; biography, 81 volumes; re
/. ligion, 19 volumes; and philosophy,
volumes The total circulation, bot
of adult and juvenile books, was a
follows by months: January 1, SO
volumes; February, 1,448 volumes
March, 1924 volumes; April, 1,161 vol
umes; May, 1,005 volumes; June, "a
volumes; July, 794 volumes; August
586 volumes; September, 964 volumes
October, 1,130 volumes; November
Hats volumes and December, LAT
volumes.
! During the year the library wa
open 243 days for the circulation o
books, making an average daily cir
culation of more than 81 books. Fo
the 1895 books in circulation borrow
ers' cards were used 12,146 time:
thus making daily average of near
ly so persons taking more than 3
! books. Compared with 1915 there wa
| an increase in the average circulatio
| of more than two books per day, bu
a decrease of one per day in the nun
Der of people drawing books.
New Borrowers
The cards issued to new borrower
| numbered 2O9. AS on January 1, 191
there had been LOTT borrowers card
| in force the total number in force fo
1916 was 1886. At the end of 1911
however, 172 of these cards were car
celled because they were no longer
force, so that at the beginning of 19l
the net total of borrowers cards sti
on file was Lila, or net increase fC
the year of 81 cards. Including
these figures are Is three-month
paid tickets and 9 two-weeks' pal
| tickets, and two free tickets issue
to transients who were visiting
Wauseon. The use of the library
out-of-town people was more tina
| double that of the previous year, tt
statistics for which showed the issl
ing of only 9 three-months' and tw'
| weeks tickets. The free use of tt
| library was given to the pupils fro
the surrounding country who were a
tending our schools and to the st
dents of the country normal schoC
At the beginning of the school yea
as at the beginning of the previo1
two school years, blank applicable
: cards were given to Superintende
I'm. l.. Alsttetter that the teache
might distribute them among their p
pills. And, as had been shown befoi
there was a noticeable increase IN
brary users, not only among scho
children, but also among other mel
bers of their families.
Reading and Reference
During 1916 the Wauseon Public
brary was visited by total of GO
people for reading and reference wo
during the 27 days it was open
such purposes. This IS a decrease
161 visitors, or of 2.57 per cent. ov
I1o15. PERHAPS, however, this apps
ent decrease is due to al elf 1rt dl
ing the past year not ID cHont
readers those who might sit at
tables without intending to read
, other words, there was in 1916 da
average of more than % visitors
reading and reference work, a {
crease of less than one visitor frt
\ the daily average for 1915. Of the
J 1875, or six per day, were adult res
ers; 1927, or seven per day, we
child readers; 389, or more than {
per day, were adults doing referel
work; 2,101, or nearly eight per d
were young people and children dol
reference work, practically all
school purposes. The daily avers
for school reference work during
nine months of the scheol year v
nearly ten per day. 1t is crafty
to have an increase in the NUM-
of reference workers over the previr