Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-15
LIBRARY CIRCULATION
PASSES 100000 MARK
Decline of Interest in Literature
of the War-Addition of 1859
Books at Fletcher Library
Last Monday Gives Total of
40,139 Volumes in Catalogue

At the annual meeting Of the board Of
trustees of the Fletcher Free library held
at 4:3o o'clock Monday afternoon the
following officers were elected. President.
w. j. Van Patten; secretary, Edmund G.
Mower; treasurer, II. l.. Ward; book
committee, Edmund G. Mower and DR..
Frederick, Upper.
The annual report of George Dana
Smith. the librarian, showed that for the
first time in the history of the library
the home circulation of books had passed
the 100000 mark. The statistics were as
follows: Number of books issued for out
side use, 100,6oG; number OF pictures 7e4
increase in circulation over 1918, OTIS
largest daily issue January %, when 6sl
books were given out; smallest issue June
>. with III average issue. 329; per cent
of non-fiction books, 35 3-5: per cent Of
fiction, CT 20: number of borrowers cards
in use, 900; number of new cards issued.
$50. Additions for year-received by pur-
chase 1903 volumes; received by gift, So
volumes; transferred from pay duplicate
collection. l21; making a total In additions
of 1459, Number OF volumes Withdrawn
because they were too soed and worn
for further use, 26G. making "A net increase
for the year of /. 1888. The number of books
now in the catalogue is ,l39.
! 1t has been estimated, the librarian re-
ported. that books have increased in cost
from o. to 30 per cent over the prices
of 1918. The purchases. however, have ex-
ceeded those of last year
! The demand for fiction still leads and
there has been a decline of interest in the
literature of the war, as was evidenced
by the decrease by several hundreds OF
books taken out on that subject. Several
hon
chased. most notable of which is Brand
Whitlock's Belgium"
In the children's rooms there are now
1882 books. The number of new books
purchased for this room was go; the num-
Der of school rooms supplied with books
5O the books issued from school rooms,
3.0SS number of books issued from school
rooms for home use. 1858.
The librarian complained about the
hard usage that chldren's books receive.
| as many of them require much mendng
and frequent withdrawal from further
use. In November, Childrens Book week
was observed by an exhibition of attrac-
tive editions Of books artistically illus
trated. considered advisable for young
readers and suitable for home libraries
y gift that is highly priced is that ot
a cabinet of mounted specimens of land
rs beauest from the late Mrs. Jennie
Congcr Allen of this city. The speci-
mems were mounted by the donor
brother William p. Conger. The cabinet
has been placed in the children's room,
where 1t Is much enjoyed by the children
and bird lovers in general.
| Lessons in How to Use the Library
have been given by the librarian to tn q
"tcacher-tra lining class" of the high school
es for some years past
Tho number Of books and pamphlets
received by gifts this year numbered
So. The library officials gratefully
acknowledge the thoughtfulness and
generosity Of these several donors. The
gift of Miss Theodore Peck of upward
of 200 volumes in memory Of his father,
the late Gen. Theodore s. Peck, forms
a valuable contribution to the library n
resources.
Through the generosity Of Byron ".
Clark his collection of war souvenirs
brought by him from France was on ex-
hibition for several weeks The loan OF
a number of water coors done by the
late Lucy Wheeler Torrey of this city
was received from Or. John c. Torrey
of New York city. The collection hae;
been given a place on the south wall Of
the reading room, where the light is
especially good for bringing out the char
acter and exquisite tone of Miss Tor
rey's art. The interest shown by tho
passing visitor in these few examples
of choice artistic work indicates some
thing of the pleasure and appreciation
of art that might result il it were DOS
sible for the library to have the loan OF
other paintings of equal merit for exhi-
bition purposes
In December Ernest L. Rand. recently
returned from Y. NJ. c. A. service in
Russia, favored the library with a loan
of a varied collection of articles secured
by him while in that country. The col
, lection was displayed in the trustees
room for two weeks and attracted hun.
, dreds of visitors.