The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-02-03

and of Miss Barrett showed the li- brary affairs to be expertly handled. Other officers chosen were: Secre- tary, John L. Gaffney; treasurer, MT. Northrop; executive committee, William S. Jones, E. Vincent Malo- ney and John c. Gilmartin. The other members of the board are John A. Coe, F. S. Chase and Charles H. Swenson.
 Treasurer Northrop's report showed that several contributions had been received by the library during the year with which to purchase books and that the fines collected from delinquent book borrowers during the year announced to $2,760.13.
 Librarian Barrett's report showed 8 large circulation both in adult and children's books. The total cir. culation of books from all agencies of the library during 1886 was 344, ,00s volumes. This represents 8 loss ot only per cent for the year while the loss in 1895 was IT per cent There was decided dropping of in fiction reading during the year. The reports follow:
 Librarians Report
 To. the Board of Agents of the Silas Bronson Library:-
 The report of the librarian for the year ending December 3l, 1886 is herewith submitted. The central library was open every weekday from g a. m. to g p. m., except on legal holidays and Saturday after moons during July and August. The branch libraries were open three afternoons and three evenings each week. The reading rooms of the central library were open from to 6 D. m. on Sundays, from January 1 to April 30 and from November l to December 31. The total circula- ton of books from all agencies of the library was 344,008 volumes. This 1936 circulation figure repre- sents 8 loss of only 2 per cent for the year as against a 17 per cent loss in 1885, IS per cent loss in 1884 and a 10 per cent loss in 1883. This slowing up of circulation losses in 1886 is at least encouraging after the ever mounting losses of the three preceding years.
 There was definite upward trend in children's circulation, most ap- parent ill the central children'S room, and at Brooklyn and Rose Hill branches. In fact, one-half of all the books issued from the library during the year were borrowed by children using the children'S room Of the central library, the branches and the school deposit and playground collections.
 The total circulation recorded was distributed as follows:
 Adult departments of the central library, A per cent; children'S room of the central library, l6 per cent; Brooklyn branch, per cent; Rose Hill branch, 6h per cent; Water vile branch, 3A per cent; school deposits, 22ia per cent: playground and other special deposits, .00hs per cent.
 A0uAt 0OOk NAECuAosAVM
 The total number of volumes bor- rowed from the adult department ot the central library was 151 PAS, or about 73 per cent of all books issued from the central building. The number of adult books borrowed from the three branches was 2O,643. This circulation was distributed as follows: Waterville branch, 7,935 1 volumes; Brooklyn branch, 6,6S1 volumes and Rose Hill branch 6,O26 volumes.
 Unusually large losses in fiction circulation in the past, four years have been attributed by some h- braries to a shift in reading interest. It is quite possible, however, that these losses are due to the compe- tition and popularity of the circula- tion library. These libraries, cnarg- : | ing a rental fee for all books, are oI course able to meet the demand for the popular fiction book of the
 moment very much better than
 the public library can. In the face of the reduced book appropriations of the past few years for example, the Bronson Li- brary was forced to adopt very definite policy regarding the pur-- chase of popular novels. If bought | in sufticient numbers. to satisfy the demand for them. 1t could be only at the expense of many impcrtant books in the fields Of psychology, economies, sociology, the sciences, art, literature and biography, It IS I oi,vio,ss that the ahsence of these