Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-02-15
NEW METHODS
AT FREE LIBRARY
Management to Be Placed on
Efficiency Basis
Guarantors' Certificates No Longer to
Be Required-New Charging System
to Be Introduced.


The forthcoming annual town re-
port will contain an announcement by
the trustees of the Brattlcboro Free
Library of important changes which
are to be made in the library's general
management and routine work. While
the library S work has always been
well done, its growth has been such IN
recent years that the trustees have felt
that, i'll order to give the people full
equivalent in service for the money
spent, changes in methods ought to be
made which would place the library s
management on a basis of modern elf
cheney
The present time seemed to be IA
vorable for making these changes, and
as preliminary step the services and
advice of Miss Rebecca w. Wright of
Montpelier were secured early in Jan
uary. Miss Wright, who is a trained
and experienced librarian, was for sew
eral years the secretary of the Vermont
Free Library Commission. and is widely
known as an expert in library manage
mcnt. That her services could be had
was rare good fortune. She came to
Brattleboro on the l4th OF January
and spent two weeks, when, with the
ready help of Miss Florence Pratt, act
ing librarian, and her assistants, a large
amount of preliminary work was ac-
complished. Early in February Miss
Wright returned for another week, when
equally efficient work was done and
the way was prepared for the modern
methods which new librarian is OK
pected to take up and carry forward
early in March. Briefly stated, this
is the work so far done:
Upwards of | 900 worn.o out and UNI
used books have been taken from tho
shelves and disposed of and room has
thus been made for a Encouragement of
books in regular use.
As a beginning in this direction the
fiction, both adult and juvenile, has
been arranged alphabetically by au-
thors, and the biography has been sep
aratcd into collections and arranged al
phabctically by lives of persons. The
advantage of this arrangement for ease
of finding any book wanted is readily
apparent.
Books in the alcove of juveniles have
been re-arrangcd with special refer
ence to the convenience of the younger
children. Other work of similar char
actcr will be done as time permits.
The most important changes of
methods in doing the library's work
will be these
All persons taking books from the
library will sign registration cards,
providing in this way complete list of
the lbrary's borrowers
Guarantor's certificates signed by a
member of the board of trustees will
no longer be required, but all books will
be loaned III the discretion of the libra
rian.
A new. charging system for books
borrowed will be introduced-its use
has already been bcgun-under which
borrowers individual cards will be
done away with, and books will be
; charged on permanent book slips under
the date when they are due to be re-
8 turned. This is change which all
, users of the library will especially APP
prcciate
A radical new departure will be that
of changing the age when children may
begin taking out books for themselves
, from 10 years old to !. The children
will thus be given the use of the Ii
brary as soon as they can read, and
their taste for reading will be rightly
. directed. Attractive books for these
., younger readers have already been
bought, and the ready cooperation of
!. the mothers in the wise use of this priv
ilege is confidently expected.
In due time the alphabetical card
| catalogue will be revised and arranged
. in one alphabet like the names in a tele.
T. phone directory. The advantage of such
an arrangement for finding any title
+ wanted is lf-evident
!, All these changes, it will readily be
- seen, are intended to promote the con,
venience of the library users, and to
invite the widest possible use of its
privileges. Besides the essential pre-
liminary changes here enumerated Miss
Wright has made many valuable sug
= gestions of ways and means by which
s the library's usefulness may be great
~ extended and the institution be made
more and more an active factor in oul
community life.
- Miss Edith l. Wright, who has beer
- engaged to take charge of the library
4 under it's new departure, began hel
! library work in her home town OF
:. Springfield (Nt.). From Springfield
!, she went to the FREQ Public Library
= commission of Vermont as first assist
y. ant, remaining upwards of two years
T She then took year = study and train
- ing in the Pratt Institute Library
y School in Brooklyn, and has been nov
=. for Il year or more senior assistant il
~ one of the branch libraries of the Pub
+ lie Library of New York city. Sh'
:. will thus como to Brattleboro wei
a equipped for her work, and it is safe Il
NJ bcspeak for her cordial welcome anC
Il cooperation.
The growth of the library in rccen
II years has been notable, When in Jan
II uary, 1887, it was placed in its prcsen
II permanent home in the building erected
=. and given to the town by George j
h Brooks there were only 800 volume
on its shelves 1t was not until 1872
that the number of its books reached
the 10000 mark. The circulation TO
that year was 1854, Today the librar
IL owns 81 900 books exclusive of the NOR
ID than 1000 copies discarded during Jan
re uary as above related. The circulatio
le for the year ending Jan. 81 last wa
Il, 53,32l, an increase of 2,444 over tn
Of preceding year. Even more broad an
X helpful is the service which the librar