Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-31
COLBY COLLEGE
Excellent Work
At Colby Library
Not Spectacular

There is nothing spectacular
about the work of the Colby Col
lege library. 1t does not lend itself
to the sort of publicity which ath-
lctics and some other college activi-
ties receive. Yet the work goes
steadily on. seven days a week. sup
plementing the work of every de-
partment of instruction. In the
course of an average day. from $50
to POO students will visit the library
with most bewildering assortment
of needs.
Some come merely to use the
Seaverens Reference room as a con-
venient place of study between
classes. others to read some of the
81 or more magazines. The bound
files of these magazines forms one
of the most important parts of the
reference equipment of the library.
Another group of students will use
the library for the reserved books,
which are assigned by the members
of the faculty in connection with
the class work. These reserved
books are placed on special shelves
near the charging desk and may be
used only in the library. except
when they may be drawn when the
reading room closes at night and
returned the next morning as soon
as the library opens. This makes it
possible for all members of a class
to have an opportunity to do special
reading. There are usually any,
where from 600 to 500 OF these re-
served books on the shelves at one
time. Still others come to the Ii
brary in search of work on some
assigned topic. debate or written re-
Nnrt a
considerable amount of searching
and the assistants are always ready
to help.
Each fall the freshmen of both
divisions are required to spend four
periods in the library receiving in
struction as to the use of the libra
~. The librarian explains to them
the working OF the system and then
requires them to do some research
work for themselves. The library
also makes an attempt to supnly the
students with recreatiOnal books,
not only classics. but books of the
present day that arc worth while.
In every way. the library attempts
to impart to the students a love of
good books.
Mention should be made of the
growth of the library during the
past few years. The increase in
the number of books possessed by
the library during the past few
years is 1O.S11, making a total of
5S,0o3 volumes in the building on
July l. 1922. Since last fall, 7S4
volumes have been added to the Ii
brary. OF this number. I'll have
been bought, $50 contributed as
gifts and 13S from binding periodi-
Gals. The total number of volumes
lent during the last college year was
411O, an increase over previous
years of 90 per cent. The library
is a very busy place every evening
and all afternoon and evening on
Sunday.
brary and the imperative need of
additional accommodations for the
students made some changes neces-
sary. Through the generosity of
Charles Il. Seaverns OF the class of
1901, the new reference room, above
the college chapel. was fitted up in
accordance with plans drawn by the
librarian. The result is one of the
most attractive reading rooms to be
found among the small college Ii
braries. When this reading room
was opened in the fall Of 1916 it was
intended that the old reading room
should be thoroughly renovated and
used as an auxiliary reading room
and a place where the various pro-
fessors could meet students for con-
fercnces. Then came the war and
all plans were upset. Later it de-
veloped that the heating pipes We're
wrongly placed and the old reading
room could not be properly heated
Last June, the trustees of the college
voted to provide additional space for
the library and make the necessary
alterations in the heating facilities.
This fall when the college opened,
the new room was available and now
presents an attractive room for
study and conferences. The room
is open every morning and after
noon during the week and is used
extensively.