Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-28
ART AND MUSIC STUDY
IN LIBRARY INCREASES
War May Be Cause of Enlarged
Interest Here. as Shown by
Annual Report

Whether or not the war has had any
thing 10 do with It librarians are loatn W
say, but the fact remains interest IN art
and music has increased Tremendously III '"o
last two years in Philadelphia. -
The facts are shown by figures In tne
twenty-second annual report OF the fTee LIZ
brary of Philadelphia. just published.
The art department of the library was useo
by 40,S7S persons during the year an IN
crease of more than 1000 over any preced-
ing year. Tho collections Of books deaIhs
with architecture, costume ana interior
decoration have been in constant use through
out the year, and the demand Tor DOCKS on
these subjects is increasing as the size and
scope of the collection become better known.
This may be due. librarians believe, to the
fact that the folk at home want to acquaint
themselves with the art and architecture OF
countries in which their boys were hghtlnS'
The boys have seen much of these things hrst
hand. and the home folk may not want TO be
considered ignorant 1t Is pointed out Books
on customs. art and architecture OF 'nglano,
France, Italy and in special cities OF Europe
have been most popular.
The music department issued, for nome
use, for period Of four weeks, lO,36f
volumes of scores and musical textbooks.
This Is increase of more than 1000 over
the number lent during any previous year
And in response to the requests of readers
an increased amount of reference work has
been done by the members of the library
staff
Collection of folk songs and folk dances,
for which there have been many requests,
were among the accessIons during the year
explained the librarian. There have been
many requests for compositions by modern
French musicians"
The total circulation was 3.l4s.509 show
ing an increase of 3S1.l99 over the crcula-
ton of the previous year The number OF
persons counted consulting or reading books
in the library and it's branches was 1881 $50.
han ,,nI,, hpr
rowed for home use from the childrens
rooms, an increase of 265.S2O volumes over
the previous year. And 32.675 children who
had not previously made use of the library
were given readers cards.
We made record of the number or
children who used books in the library for
study or recreation" explained the librarian.
But. after school hours. the reading tables
wore crowded with children from nine to
sixteen years old. They represented many
strains of racial descent children who did
not borrow books for home use.
"One of the most gratifying phases of the
years work in this department is the more
definite and effective cooperation between
the free library and the schools Many of
the parochial. we'll as public schools have
asked TO have closer relations established
between their classes and the nearest branch
| library. instruction in the of the card
| catalogue and the simpler reference books is
| offered all school children The instruction
Is given IN tne cnlldrenS room by appoint
| ment with the teachers. who accompany the
| classes, and Is adapted to the needs and age
| of the pupils Of all grades. The library also
| supplies the teachers, far as the present
| insufficient number of books will permit, with
! small collections of books on special subjects
for use in class rooms.
'The story hour for children has brought
| results in the increased circulation of the
| less familiar books. More than 569l2 chill
| dren attended the 91S story hours last year
| Heroic folk lore and legends of the Allied ma
| tons were most popular. Pictures of flags
| we're much used and the children's reading
| directed towards works of history and
travel"
The names of I 33 new borrowers of books
| for the blind were added last year. OF these
| 26 live in Philadelphia; 81 in Pennsylvania
and SO in other states
| Seventy-six travelling libraries were sent
| out thrty-three to fire stations five to police
| stations. and thirty-eght to other addresses
| The library has done much war work dur
| ing the last year as In the previous year II
| has increased and maintained a traveIins q
| library at the United States navy yard: has
| carried on the campaign for books for SOL
diers; and has supplied books and periodicals
for reconstruction hospitals