The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-08-10
.LIBRARYGR0WS
ANNUAL REPORT
TOB0ARD SHOWS
Circulation of Library During
Year Just Closed Reaches
16,SO3, it is Stated
NEW CHILDREN's ROOM
Separate Room is Planned For
Them when Library Opens
Again September 6
NEW CHlLDREN's ROOM

AGAIN OeptemDe[
The city library has just closed a
successful year, as shown at the an
nual meeting Of the library board.
From beginning og 1912 books
taken over from the library room
originally installed by the women Of
the city in q room adjoining the Com
mercial Club rooms, the new Carnegie
building was opened to the public on
January 6, 1918. With books donated
by patrons of the library during the
first year in the new building, added
to those already on hand, the circula
ton was $3.50 during the eight months
remaining Of the library year. From
this small beginning, the library now
reports 400 books owned by the H.
brary and some loaned by patrons for
the reference shelves. The circulation
this year was 16,803.
Reference Room Enlarged.
In order to meet the rapidly
growing patronage, the reference room
is being moved from the quarters as
signed 1t In the north end of the gen
eral reading room to the east side OF
the building, until now occupied by
the children. This entire section will
be given over to reference and study
room for patrons. The large reference
table, all shelf material, and the large
collection of magazine material col
lected since the opening Of the build
ing will be made more conveniently
available to patrons for research and
study. Joining this reference room,
a file of the state papers and the New
York Times is easily accessible in the
private office shelves north of the new
reference room. During the coming
year it is desired that several i'm
pOrtant reference works be added, in
order to make more useful the refer
ence department for the public.
The change of location for the ref
erence department will enlarge the
floor space of the general reading
room, where the leading state papers.
and five large dailies from outside the
state are found. The reading room
now has about 112 weekly, monthly
and. bi-nOnthly periodicals, making
probably the largest periodical group
of any public city library in the state.
Children to Have Separate Room.
After three years of caring for the
children and adults on the same floor,
under the entire charge of but one
person, the board yesterday directed
that the children be given quarters
on the lower floor where an entire
room be given over to all children from
the second grade through the Sth. After
passing from 9Th grade, all patrons
will use the main library. This year,
because of temporary arrangement
permitting the 8th grade children to
use the shelves of the main library
since the mid-year promotions in the
schools went into effect, the 8th
grade A student will continue to use
the main library, as they enter high
schodlain the middle of this year. All
others will use the young peoples
room on the lower floor.
This room, about to be prepared for
children's use, has heretofore been
used by the public as a community
room. While the accommodation ten
dered the public during the past three
years has been greatly appreciated
and enjoyed, all residents of the city
will be delighted to know that the
children are to have their own room
at last, under the charge of an as
sistant In the library. Here will be
found the best equipment possible to
give the children with means at hand /;
the hours will be the same as those
of the main room, including the even
ing hours (the last named privilege
could not heretofore be granted the
children, as the evening hours are
primarily the study hours for adults
at the library and the children could
not be accommodated during the even
ing.
Weekend Story Hour.
One of the delightful features Of tht
children's room will be that of week
end story hour for the first foul
grades. The librarian will conduct the
story hour.
September s is the date set for the
formal opening of the children's room
The librarian, now on vacation, viii
give the greater part of her vacation
days to preparing the room for tn
opening on September 6, and sh'
promises .he board that the room
shall be as gay and honey and happ,
as 1t is possible to make it under tn
trying financial stress of the times