The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-18

| III
this year.
| story hour classes growing
more popular.
The one pressing need Of the Far
go public library is a new building
on a new site, a building adequate
for the needs of Fargo OF the future
| according to the annual report Of the
public library made to the members
of the city board of education.
The report states that the board
has reached the conclusion that the
present building and site must soor
be given over to business. It will
soon be the center OF the business
district and, OF course, will be toe
valuable to hold for library purposes
In this connection" says the re-
port, "the board has not been idle
The needs OF our library have been
presented to the Carnegie corpora
ton and there is reason to believe
that we have gotten its attention
We hope to secure an additional
grant Of at least 5000" The re-
port relates that the most serious
problem confronting the board is a
new site of sufficient size and not
too far from the center of the city
and some members of the library
board have been hopeful that the
need for a new city hall and q new
library might result in a Civic Centre
and a municipal building in keeping
with the spirit Of Fargo.
Highlights in the report show that
the population Of Fargo in 1912
1S was 1881 compared with 20,549
in 1857, and that the library in
come five years ago was $4,428 COM
pared with an income of $500 this
year. The especially prominent fact
is that gain of 1884 in the yearly
circulation has been made in five
years of which 14,081 has been made
during the past year as compared
with a gain of / ,435 last year, 8,115
of two years ago, or even S,943 OF
three years ago. The increase in the
use Of the children's books is es-
pecially to be noted, the number hav-
ing more than tripled in the past five
years.
The Book Circulation.
1T seems appropriate at this time, y
says the report, ito call attention to
the increase in the use OF the library
during the last five years. The fol-
lowing table proves that the larger
income and awakened interest brings
about greater results:
1912-1913 1916-1917
POPULATE on Of
Fargo .......14,SS1 2O,54S
in library 80. s,7s4 1901
Children's books 1910 1885
Income .........$4, 423 $500
Salaries .........1,755.25 200
DG Snd psr S5dH5as 1919. 1.sS4.7s
books .......84,s75 s2,sss
Circulation of
/ juvenile books 1914 1886
Practical Books in Demand.
The annual report says that the
demand seems to be for prac-
teal books and those dealing
with business, advertising, electricity
and domestic science. The use Of the
class which includes philosophy,
psychology and conduct of life shows
an increase that is more than ordin-
airy, while the one which includes
sociology will continue strongly the
favorite.
The number of borrowers at the
beginning of the year was 5,s2S,
the number registered during the year
was 1852, cards withdrawn during
the year 554 and number Of borrow
erS at END or year b,SZb.
Children's Department.
Perhaps" says the report, Some
idea Of the growth OF the children's
consideration OF the circulation
statistics. In the year 1928, a
total of 1914 books were issued from
the children's room. This year a
total of 23,696 has been reached, and
the gain in this department alone for
the past year is S,702. During the
last two weeks in September the
children's room was closed for fumi-
cation, decoration and the addition
Of new shelving. Since then an aver
age daily circulation of more than 90
books has been maintained, and many
days the number has reached more
than $50 with $50 being the largest
number issued in one day.
Story Hour Glasses.
"The story hour, held on Wednes-
days and Thursdays OF each week
from November to April, has been
more largely attended than ever be-
fore. The stories from Green and
Roman mythology constituted
the program for the older
children, and animal and folk tales
for the younger ones. Students from
Fargo college, the agricultural col
lege, Oak Grove seminary. Concordia
college, Moorheal normal school and
the various business colleges have
likewise found help in the Fargo pub
lie library"
The library board recommends to
the city board OF education that the
plans to ask financial aid from the
Carnegie corporation be speeded up;
that interest in obtaining better quar-.
tiers for the library, better facilities
for the public and work rooms fol
the star be not allowed to give
precedence to any other; tha
all energies and ingenuity be advanc.
ed to this end and that Fargo shall
have from this present administers
ton, IL possible, a library suited FOL
her present needs and to her certain
future expansion.
The Fargo public library board
consists OF Atty. Robert M. Pollock
Hubert Harrington. Walter u. Stock
well, Herbert Z. Lsoomis, Mrs. Luelis
d. Hildreth, Miss Winnie Bucklin
librarian, and Miss Mary Schlanser
clerk Of 1.-THE library board.