The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-05
Present Library Association
Was Formed Here in 1859.
CONTAINS $4,000 VOLUMES
Two Railroads Contribute $780,
900 to Educational Work.
Amount of Reading Shows a
Big Increase.

<AflAAS 3AlI1S Is SdlQ dDOuI II, ING CITY
library is one of Topeka's greatest
educational institutions. Everyone
from the day laborer to the banker
can educate himself thru this medium
free of charge. The Ladies' Library
association, out of which grew the
present city library, was founeded in
1869. Two hundred books were pur-
chased and were placed in a Kansas
avenue store. The ladies took turns
giving out and receiving the books
on Saturday afternoon. The Topeka
Library association, the present organ
ization. was founded in 1871. In 1877
a number of liberal gifts were received
and the library became free one.
The year following the, city council
voted money to take care of the rum
ming expenses and has done so to this
time. The library occupied rented
rooms until 1888. Under the act of
the legislature in 1888 the present site
on the state house grounds was do
mated. The present building housing
the library was constructed soon after
at, a cost of $45,000. The Union Pa
eific and Santa Fe railroads donated
$4,000 and $4,000 was received
from individual subscriptions.
Contains $4,000 Volumes.
The city library contains $4,000
volumes containing history, biog
raphy, literature, travel, science as
well as numerous other subjects. One
hundred and four newspapers, peri
odicals and magazines are subscribed
to regularly.
According to the report of the city
librarian, 96,014 books were issued
last year, which practically means
that two books were issued to every
man, woman and child in the city.
Students borrow the largest amount
of books. Nine hundred and thirty
\
last year.
The railroad employees are vitality in
terested in railroad books and 1itera-
ture. However most of their reading
is confined to current railroad magaE
zines.
AS a class, the high school pupils are
the largest body of students using the
library books, in fact they are using
more each year. Since the high school
library was inaugurated three years
ago, for the purpose of facilitating
the use of classics and other books
among the high school students, there
has been no notable decrease in the
demand for such books at the city
library.
Students Use Library.
According to the librarian, high
school students do only a limited
amount of reading for pleasure. The
Washburn college students as well as
the high school students, use the
library for reference work. Their
reference work consists of mostly in
finding material for debates and
writing compositions on various sub
| jects. The ward school pupils use the
library principally for the reading of
fiction and consulting the eneyc1o-
ipedias. According to the librarian,
the ten books the children demand
most are: Uncle Bemus, Robin Hood
Alice in Wonderland, Little Women,
Blue Bonnet series, King Arthur
series, Fairy Tales. baseball stories
airplane books and wireless te1eg-
raphy.
Among the books the high school
students like best are: Tale of Two
| Cities, Bob, Son of Battle, Vanity
Fair and Richard Carvel.
The young married women desire
mostly books on travel, interior decor
alton. house building and fiction.
Biography. history and travel are the
type of Docks elderly gentlemen read
as a rule.
| According to the city librarian the
spread of disease has never been
traced directlyto library books issued.
Read Popular Books.
When a popular seller is in demand
about fifty per cent of the people read
it because of it's worth and the re-
naming ones read it because it is a
fad.
The librarian reports that there is a
large demand for technical and voca-
tional books by young men who wish
to improve themselves or better their
business position.
There is a constant demand for art
books.
- About ten per cent of the books is
sued are returned late. However, the
| book borrowers show a tendency to
| co-Onerafe with fha Hbra riau in re-
turning books on time and in good
condition.
The amount OF reading done by in
dividuaIs has increased since the war.
The librarian stated the war slightly
changed the peoples taste for litera-
| ture. During the war and for a time
lafterward hooks on the war and sub
| jeots pertaining to it were read in
great quantities, hut now the public
in general does not wish to read any
literature about the war.
!