Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-08
SHOWS
MORE PEOPLE
USING LIBRARY
Librarians Statement, Just
Made Public, Reveals
Facts of Interest.
NEW SPECIAL FEATURES

NEW SPECIAL FEATURES
That a constantly increasing use Of
the public library facilities of the city
is being made by residents of Indian
apolfs was indicated by the annual re
port of Charles E Rush. librarian, re-
Gently made to the board of school COM
missioners
Practically every department of the IL
brary showed a marked increase in bust
ness and the growth for the last few
years has been steady and is constantly
accelerating The report in part fol-
lows:
THE annual reports recently submitted
from the various departments of the Ii
brary show almost without exception
pleasing gains over the work Of the pre-
eeding year.
The statistical report on number of
books letn for home reading shows to-
tai of SS7. 54S volumes. an increase of Il
per cent over last year. or this num-
Der 1850 books were lent from the
adult department at the central library,
IL per cent more than last year, 542,474
were left by the branch libraries, an
increase of II per cent over last year.
and 4O9. 2O2 were children's books at cen
tral and the branches, S per cent more
than last year.
The total number of home readers Is
now 6s. ISL This is 81 per cent Of the
total population. This 667s1 represents
a gain of 81 per cent in four years, and
1S.7 per cent in che year. OF this total
number % 66S are juvenile readers.
The average circulation Of books
among these 66.Ts1 home readers was
about thirteen volumes. while the per
capita circulat ton for the entire popula
ton of the city was 2.S2 volumes.
NUMBER VOLUMES
IN LIBRARY.
There were at the end of June, 1921.
244293 volumes IN the library system.
This shows an increase in hook stock Of
per cent. If all books received during
the book campaign could have been add
ed to library records before the cOmpila-
ton of these reports this per cent figure
would have been about doubled. There
were 1895 books added to the library
by purchase during the past year. This
was per cent more than during the
preceding year. The number of miscel-
laneous gifts received was exceptionally
high as special efforts have been put
forth this year to build up the library
by the accession Of free material. There
have been 5S.443 gifts received and re
corded since Oct. 10, 1920
THE work of the refe department
shows come very promising increases.
There were last year 30.450 reference
questions answered, an increase of 30
per cent over the preceding year. The
use of the telephone for reference pur
poses shows a gain of SIS per cent, total
of 1910 questions having been answered
in the reference room alone. The total
of service for both reference and read
ing rooms shows 81 127 reference ques-
lions answered, 3 954 telephone questions
answered and 72.0O4 readers served. These
figures show gain Of 27-S per cent in
reference questions, 97.5 per cent in tele-
phone questions and 50 per cent in num-
Der Of readers.
1.-THE increase in work in the catalog
department is exceedingly encouraging
During the last year there were "a, 355
books cataIoged and classified, a gain
of IS Der cent over the number cataIoged
last wear. In the cataloging Of these
books there were 126,130 cards. almost
40 per cent more than the number made
last year OF these 126130 cards, ,514
were typewriter, 81 40S were made on
the multigraph and the remainder was
purchased from the Library of Congress.
1.-THE story telling work has been in
creasing very satisfactorily. There were
last year 533 of these story hours held.
with 1,4O9 stories told by members Of
the library staff, and an attendance of
% 900 children. The story hour radius
has extended to thirty-six Fairgrounds.
BUSINESS
BRANCH PAYS.
he ha
proves that 1t is a paying investment in
the city. The number OF books cir
culated shows gain of Is per cent over
the preceding year, reference questions
answered were Is per cent more than
last year and telephone questions an
swered show an increase Of % per cent
The total number Of books lent for home
use from the business branch was 10 27S
The business branch equipment is stead
lily increasing and improving. Constant
vigilance builds up the collection wisely
and consistently. The printed equip
ment now includes 2,744 books, 7436
pamphlets. 2,749 clippings, 942 I'M
mounted maps and 5,916 pictures.
The picture collections throughout the
library system are being built up as
rapidly as funds and time VIII allow.
The circulation of %. SOL pictures for use
outside the library last year shows that
the time and effort expended on these
collections is very much worth while.
ibis figure for picture circulation is
over 100 per cent larger than the figure
1or last years circulation
Special features of the YEARS. work
were the establishment of the teachers
special library, the book campaign. the
organization of the Manual Training
high School library as a branch of the
puonc library, the establishment and or
gan1zation of a deposit station at School
~ opening of the teachers room at the
central library, and an inventory of
the entire book stock in the library and
all its branches"
DETAILED NOTES
BY DEPARTMENTS
Home readers, 66,7s1; 1871 per cent in
crease In one year; 81 per cent increase
In TOUR years; p per cent of total popu
lation; 2.S2 books per capita circulation
IL volumes circulation per home reader
Books lent for home reading. sS7. 54S {:
IA per cent increase. Adult department
at Central, 1850; II per cent increase.
Branch libraries. 474,315: IA per cent in
, crease. Children's books, 4O9, 500; s pe-
" cent increase.
Book stock in entire library. 244. 2o3 +:
per cent increase. Added by purchase.
1905; 4 per cent increase. Gifts re-
ceived and recorded, s., 443
Work of binding department: 7.O11