Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-08
OTIS LIBRARY CIRCULATION
 GAINS 12oS6 IN YEA

During the year ending August S1 the | book circulation at the Otis Library was | 0,406 according to the annual re- i port of the library which has just been | issued in pamphlet form. Last year the | circulation was 1OS,170. Fiction shows by far the largest circulation, 81,194 volumes having been circulated during the year.
 The circulation of books during the year was as follows: Fiction for grown people S1,194, biography 1,295, travel 1850, history 1.193, litera lure 2,165, fint arts 1197, useful arts 953, science 551, philogy S1, sociology 9S0, religion 2S9, philosophy 29a. magazines and miscel- lany 2,52S. 4 ion for young people 1S.- 1S1 other | | $ for young people 6.777, books in fol eign language 1,5S9. Total circulation for the year '12o,4O6 vol
 During the year 1885 books were add
 The: report of William A. Aiken, pres- ident of the board of trustees, says in part:
 The Otis Library has now attained it's l seventy-first year. Fer more than one third of this period it has, with your aid, been free to the public. The trus- | tees again ask a continuance of your 1 interest and cooperation. to an extent | a | of one mill upon the town grand List. | You will note a substantial increase l in the circulation of books in your l homes, over that of either of the pre- | vious five years; in fact, the largest in i our history with two exceptions. Since l the town has helped in this worthy ob- l ject the total circulation has reached 1 two million nine hundred and twenty 1 thousand five hundred and fifty volumes. 1 It is the constant effort of the trustees to raise the standard of the public de n4and by the increased substitution of l works of science-economic and social history, biography, trave', etc. for those of fiction, which are alway and every where, in great popular demand. and all ways will be. The library facilities of 1 Norwich are reasonably go1d, so far as general outside circulation is concern i ed. The great lack is in facilities for reference and research work in the
 study of special subjects within the li-
 brary walls, and. for the segregation of the children in a reading room by
 themselves under the special oversight
 of competent members of the library
 staff. This is quite beyond the present
 resources of the library owing to the
 lack of funds and space It is to be hoped that the future will develop a
 way for this most desirable consun1rna
 ton.
 The trustees warmly endorse the re
 marks of the librarian concerning the
 loss of the services of Miss Martha
 Ward, by her recent death.
 They return thanks to the librarian
 and her assistants for efficient services
 under an unusual pressure of duties.
 In her annual report, Miss Imogent
 A. Cash, librarian, says:
 1 The circulation for the year wa.
 120 40s-a gain of 12.2Ss over last year The demand for new books constant.
 increases, but there is a cessation Of tn
 call for war books. of which we have
 large supply. Of the one hundred dol lars given to us bZFehe state each yea and from which we are allowed to sug
 eest our choice of books provided it i
 non-fction, we have used about one half the appropriation for supplemen tary reading for children.
 We have sent out more foreign book , this year G.535), yet we ought to reac
 isfactory way of looking at it is. per
 haps, that the foreigners are now bette able to read Americana. The newsna z pers, bound quarterly and presente | from both offices are of much valu Z to us and we appreciate the kindness | | Our force has been depleted by the ill ness and death of Miss Ward a loys friend and felow-worker. With he shoulder always at the wheel, no tas was toe heavy for her wiling hand, . while her cordial manner to all patron
 of the library won her hosts of friend
 In her death the library met with
 heavy loss; her memory will live lon s In our hearts.