works, 178,836; substations, 14,400; school libraries, 11,859; total, 205,135; attendance in reading room, 47,104; number of books accessioned, 3389; number of volumes in library, 41,719; total number registered borrowers, 22,844.

Brooklyn. Public Library. Dr F. P. Hill, the librarian, compresses his annual report for 1916 into the following brief parapraphs:

The circulation for the year, 5,349,382, was 525,808 less than for 1915, due entirely to the fact that children were denied the use of the library from July 7th to September 25th, on account of the epidemic of infantile paralysis.

Of the 873,792 volumes in the library, 95,527 were purchased during the year, at an average cost of 92 cents a volume, being 21 cents less than last year. This is explained by the fact that while nearly all publishers increased their prices, larger discounts were received in some instances, and more books were purchased from secondhand dealers.

Salaries are too low in the Brooklyn Public Library. A new schedule was adopted by the trustees early in the year, but as the board of estimate did not make adequate appropriation, only a part of the scheme (applying to the minimum and maximum salaries of the lowest grade) could be put into effect.

While library work appeals to a large number of young women, the low salaries paid by the Brooklyn Public Library, the high cost of living, the establishment of libraries by insurance companies and other large corporations, and the development of new lines of social service have tended to withdraw from our staff many competent assistants no less than seventy having resigned during the year, most of them to accept positions at larger salaries. Business men appreciate more and more the value of the training given by public libraries, and unless library boards revise their salaries the loss of good assistants will continue on the increase.

Buffalo. Owing to the large circulation at the new Jubilee branch, the public library is able to report for the year 1916 the largest issue of books in its history, notwithstanding the depressing effects for several months of the epidemic of infantile paralysis. The total circulation was 1,720,494 volumes, of which 599,781 were issued from the central library, the balance having been distributed through its seven branches, traveling libraries, and the classroom libraries of the grammar schools. For the last ten years there has been a gradual decline in the percentage of fiction sent out by the library. This year the proportion was 53.4 per cent.

The total number of registered borrowers is 92,031, in addition to which there are 42,844 children borrowing books from the 943 libraries in the grammar schools of the city.

The total income of the library for 1916 was $139,275.04, of which sum the city appropriated $120,000. The number of volumes is 355,021. During the year 41,327 volumes were added by purchase, gift and exchange, while 26,812 were withdrawn.

Depositories and traveling libraries are placed in many of the large industrial plants, four of which have instituted a daily delivery between the central library and the plant. One of the new locations for a traveling library is the main office of the Western Union Telegraph Company, the books being for the use of the messenger boys.

An appreciative memorial note and a portrait of Mr William Ives are included in the report. Mr Ives died August 21, 1916 at the age of 99 years and 6 months, having served the library as librarian for more than fifty years before his retirement in 1904.

As illustrating the worldwide fame which the library has attained, particularly in respect to its work with schools, the Buffalo Express of March 11th publishes the following letter received from New Zealand:

CITY OF AUCKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

6th December, 1916

Mr Walter Brown, Librarian,

Buffalo Public Library, Buffalo, N. Y.

DEAR SIR: The question of instituting the Buffalo system of public school and public library cooperation has for some time been engaging the attention of His Worship the Mayor of Auckland and the library committee, and at a recent meeting it was decided to adopt the system here. I have been requested to prepare a report on the system, and should be glad if you could supply me with whatever literature or information you can on the subject. No doubt you are aware that the system is in operation in Wellington, New Zealand, and I am leaving shortly to investigate its workings there.

Whatever expense is entailed by this request, I shall be glad to meet on learning from you the amount.

I am, yours faithfully

JOHN BARR

Chief Librarian and Director

Corning.

The common council has increased the annual city appropriation to the free library from $800 to $1400, thus making provision for a substantial increase in the stock of new books and periodicals, in the librarian's salary and in the hours of opening. These improvements are regarded merely as a first step in a movement which is to give Corning a library which will fitly represent the enterprise and educational ideals of the city.

Eldred. Defeated a second time in their campaign for an appropriation from the town, the trustees of the Sunshine Hall Free Library decided in December to put upon the public the responsibility either of closing the library or of providing immediately the amount needed for its maintenance. The responsibility was promptly met. Facing seriously the possible loss of their accustomed privileges in the free use of books and magazines the people of the community quickly realized that the library had become a community necessity, and subscriptions were soon in hand amounting to $550, a sum considerably larger than that originally asked for from the town. This demonstration of interest and popularity has put new life in the enterprise and plans are being formed for enlargement and improvement of service.

Fairport. After three years of serious unsettlement due to inability of the taxpayers of the village to agree upon a site for the proposed Carnegie building, the public library has found a home which it is believed will be adequate for a time at least. A modest building on the ground adjoining the high school campus and owned by the school district, has been remodeled, redecorated and furnished for library use and in February the library opened to the public in these new quarters.

Gloversville Free Library. The librarian's report for the past year makes mention of the serious interruption of work caused by the closing of the circulating department and the children's department for nearly two months in the late summer and early fall, due to the epidemic of infantile paralysis. The result was a decrease from 69,086 to 59,643 in circulation. But the number of persons using the reading and reference rooms was only slightly less than in the previous year, and the number of books and magazines issued to persons in

the reading rooms exceeded that of the previous year by 6131, making the largest total ever recorded.

Herkimer. Plans have been adopted and contracts have been let for improvements in the free library building which will greatly increase and improve its facilities both for children and adults. The main feature of the improvement is the transformation of the rear part of the building, hitherto used as janitor's quarters, into a well-appointed and attractive children's room. A separate entrance will be provided for this room so that adults will be free from all disturbance by the little ones. By transferring all books and furnishings provided for the children to this special room, congestion in the main library will be greatly relieved and books now on crowded or inaccessable shelves will be brought within convenient reach of borrowers.

With the opening of the new children's room a more active and systematic work with the classes in the schools will be undertaken.

Highland. A fine collection of children's books, numbering 500 volumes, has been received by the free library as a gift from Dr E. M. Stanton.

Though the library has been in operation only a little over a year, it already has a stock of about 1600 volumes and circulates 1000 volumes a month. It has just had the benefit of a second visit from one of the state library organizers, and is now in model condition for effective work and harmonious growth.

Hoosick Falls. The trustees of the Cheney fund of $50,000, left in 1912 by the late C. A. Cheney to provide a building and endowment for a free public library for the village, have been in such doubt as to the choice of site for the new library that they have asked the public for an informal vote on the matter. The problem is peculiarly serious as the cost of site and building is limited in Mr Cheney's will to $25,000, making it necessary to choose between an expensive site with a cheaper building and a lower priced site with a finer building. The vote has shown such difference of opinion that it has accomplished little except to arouse a more general interest in the enterprise. It is expected that the trustees will take decisive action in the matter of a site at an early date, deferring the erection of the building till after the war. It is a satis

faction to know that though the people are losing these years of delay, the fund for endowment is growing at the rate of $2000

a year.

Hornell. The interior of the Carnegie building has been much improved in appearance by repainting the wood work and redecorating walls and ceiling.

Johnson City. The new library provided by the Endicott, Johnson Co. was formally opened to the public on March 9th. Nearly

1000 persons came to celebrate the event and to show their interest and appreciation. The building with its many reading and reception rooms, spacious sun room, smoking room, dens, children's room, travel bureau, attractive dining room and kitchen, was much admired by all, and pleasurable anticipation of the comforts and benefits to be enjoyed was in evidence on all sides. The library is to be known as "Your Home" and everything in its accommodation and equipment is to be in harmony with this name.

Though a library stock of books have been supplied in anticipation of a large popular demand, the stock was immediately shown to be inadequate and rush orders had to be given by the end of the first week of operation.

Kingston. The city library reports as the most important event of the past year, the purchase of over 400 new technical books, made possible by an anonymous gift of $1000 for this purpose. The response of the public was immediate and the issue of books in the class of useful arts is much the largest ever reported. Total additions of books during the year numbered 1139, of which 261 were purIchased for children.

The total circulation was 51,089, as compared with 55.434 in 1915, the decrease being due to the general epidemic prevailing in the summer. A most encouraging feature of this decline is that it is made up entirely of fiction, the issue of nonfiction showing a gain over any preceding year in the history of the library. Regular instruction is now given by the librarian to members of the first class in the high school in the use of library tools and reference books. During the winter a weekly story hour is held for the children, the number ranging from 25 to 85.

The range of activities now carried on by the library has reached a point where the present staff is becoming seriously inadequate

and the engagement of another assistant is recommended in the report.

Livonia. Under the leadership of the Civic League, a brief campaign for the establishment of a free library for the village has been brought to a successful conclusion. The first public meeting in the interest of the library was held on January 28th. By March 22d, gifts and subscriptions had been received amounting to $900, an organization had been effected, a building rented and support from village taxation secured. On April 12, 1917 a charter was granted to the new library by the Regents of the University.

A special feature of the library is to be a rest room.

The way in which the new enterprise is welcomed by other organizations in the village is shown in the fact that among the earliest pledges received were subscriptions of $25 each from the local grange, Masons, Camp Fire Girls, Eastern Star and W. C. T. U.

Lyons Falls. The free library reports for the year ending January 31, 1917, a stock of 934 volumes, a registry of 464 borrowers and a circulation of 2030. Each of these figures makes a new high record for the library.

Madrid. Provision has been made for one of the best public libraries to be found in any of the small towns of the State by a notable gift from the Hon. A. Barton Hepburn and the scarcely less notable action of the taxpayers of the town in their generous pledge of support. The gift was announced early in January, in the form of an offer from Mr Hepburn to provide a model library building and site at an estimated cost of $15,000 or more, an initial stock of books and a permanent endowment of $20,000, if the town would pledge itself by a two-thirds vote to provide $1000 a year by taxation for library support. The acceptance of the condition thus presented might seem a matter of course in view of the magnitude of the gift proposed; but that condition involved a per capita tax for library support greater than had ever been voted by the people of any city, village, town or school district in the State. The people, however, whether influenced by motives of self-interest or by sentiment for the donor or both, were quite ready to meet the test, and at a special election to act on this matter decided to accept the gift and its conditions by a vote of 245 to 30, or eight to one. It is

understood that work is to be begun on the new building at once and it is hoped that the library may be in operation early in 1918. The building will be constructed with a view to serve as a general social center for the town, with entertainment hall and kitchen in addition to the usual book and reading rooms.

Marcellus. The free library took possession of its new quarters on January 23, 1917. It has joint possession of a new building erected for the combined use of the library and a bank, the library occupying the second floor.

Marlboro. The free library has taken a new place in the life of the community as a result of its removal from the school into an attractive and convenient building in the center of the village. The quarters now occupied are rented for the present, but the library has a favorable option on the property and it is hoped that the way may be opened for it to acquire full and permanent possession.

Mooers. Clinton county has another new and promising free library to its credit as the result of a successful library campaign at Mooers led by the Rev. John Neil Robertson and a few earnest associates. The enterprise was able to report by March 1st a stock of 500 volumes and a property valuation of $487. A Regents charter and a first allotment of state library money were granted to it on that date. Early in April the collection was classified and cataloged under the direction of one of the state library organizers and a model charging system was installed.

Funds for the erection of a new library building are now being accumulated with such success that there is every confidence in the early success of this effort.

New Rochelle. An interesting historical and descriptive sketch of the public library is printed in the New Rochelle Pioneer of December 30, 1916, contributed by Regina Armstrong. An appreciative tribute is paid to Miss Jessie E. Brainerd, the retiring librarian, to whose many years of faithful service, first as children's librarian and later as chief of staff, is credited a large measure of the library's present development and standing.

New York. Public Library.

The following are some of the more striking facts and figures presented in the report for the year ending December 31, 1916:

The books issued for home reading numbered 10,128,682; a decrease from the previous year of 255,897, due to the epidemic of poliomyelitis, because of which children were not admitted to the library from July 7th to September 25th. The rate of increase in the use of the circulation department for the first half of the year by both adults and children, and by adults throughout the entire year, shows that, if the epidemic had not occurred, the increase in circulation over the previous year would have been about 800,000 volumes.

The total number of persons recorded as using reading rooms of the branch libraries was 4,121,436.

During the year the reference department received 48,713 volumes (of which 14,174 were purchases and 34,539 gifts) and 77,395 pamphlets (of which 11,647 were purchases and 65,721 gifts). The circulation department received 223,270 volumes (of which 218,479 were purchases and 4791 gifts) and 5262 pamphlets (gifts). In the circulation department, 212,446 volumes were discarded or lost during the year.

At the end of the year there were 1,033,319 volumes and 316,530 pamphlets in the reference department, and in the circulation department, 1,109,547 volumes, making the total for the whole library, 2,459,996 volumes and pamphlets.

The number of employees on December 31st was 1224. Of these, 534 were in the reference department, 679 in the circulation department, and II in the municipal reference branch.

The total cost for maintenance. of the entire library system was $1,452,843.88, of which $627,914.85 was for the reference department, $806,820.48 for the circulation department, and $18,108.55 for the municipal reference branch. From the city of New York, the library received $762,513.76 for maintenance of the branch libraries and the municipal reference branch.

The statistics for 1916 show the following increases in the use of the central building over that of 1912 (the first complete year of occupancy of the building): III per cent in number of readers registered, 76 per cent in number of volumes consulted, 15 per cent in visitors to the building, 23 per cent in the staff of the reference department, and 35 per cent in the expenditures of the reference department. In the main reading room, which has seats for 768 readers, it has been a frequent occurrence to have every seat filled and readers waiting for a place at one of the tables. This extraordinary growth in the use of the library, together with the increased cost of administration, have brought it practically to the limit of its annual income.

In the municipal reference branch, public health division has been formed, which supplies all books and printed matter required for the use of the various bureaus of the health department.

New York. Teachers College Library. Plans have been announced for the erection of a library building to cost about $1,250,000. Of the amount required, $250,000 has been contributed by two anonymous donors. The building will occupy the site on 120th street between Teachers College and Whitter Hall, overlooking the Columbia gymnasium. It will be at least six stories in height and will contain two large auditoriums.

Norwich. The annual report of the Guernsey Library makes evident its constant and eager efforts, not only to meet but to anticipate so far as possible the wants of the community. Nearly all general social or national movements were advertised and helped along by suitable displays of books and bulletins and all days having a memorial or patriotic significance were used to strengthen the influence of those days.

The circulation of the year was 43,251. Thirty rural schools used 1281 books from its collection, and books were sent to six other book stations in the rural districts, the patron at the farthest distance being 18 miles from the central library.

Work for the children and the schools has absorbed much of the attention and interest of the librarian. During the year 6853 library books were taken by teachers into 44 schoolrooms for use by teachers and pupils. Story hours were continued with good success on Saturday afternoons, a demand for the same being ever apparent. There were 20 story hours with an attendance of 1533 children.

Odessa. A new free library has been organized in the village and funds amounting to $200 have been secured to qualify for state charter and state allotment of public library money. The charter and grant were awarded to the new library by the Regents at their meeting March 1, 1917.

Ogdensburg. The librarian, Miss Mary K. Hasbrouck, contributes to the Ogdensburg Advance of March 15th a most interesting summary of developments since 1904, when she assumed charge of the library. Improvements in the building and material equipment include the opening and furnishing of a children's room, the installation of model heating and lighting systems, the building of a fireproof room for articles of special value, the fitting out of a special room for the Remington collection and the modeling and furnish

ing of the back piazza as an outdoor reading room. The book collection has been improved and enriched and made more serviceable by thoroughgoing elimination of useless material, by systematic care in selection of new books to be purchased, by generous gifts and by the installation of a comprehensive dictionary catalog.

The following improvements have been made in rules, policy and methods of administration:

I Loan of new fiction has been limited to a period of one week instead of two weeks.

2 Fine for overdue books has been reduced first from 5 cents a day to 2 cents, and later to I cent a day.

3 A pay duplicate system has been adopted. 4 Hours for opening have been lengthened by 21⁄2 hours a day, greatly increasing public use of books.

5 A system of reserving books has been put in force.

6 Renewal of books has been authorized by telephone or post card, without taking books to the library.

7 The old limit of one book to a borrower has been changed to limit of two books of fiction and any number desired of nonfiction.

8 The time limit for the retention of books other than fiction has been so liberalized that such books may be kept almost any reasonable time.

9 Specially liberal privileges have been granted patrons going away on vacations.

10 Deposit stations have been established at two factories and at three of the city's stores.

Since 1904, the stock of books in the library has increased from 10,452 to 15,722 volumes, the circulation from 21,479 to 39,140, the operating expenses from $2908 to $3492. In 1904 the average cost of operation per issue of book was 131⁄2 cents; last year this average was reduced to 80 showing a marked increase in economy of service. Altogether the record of progress during these thirteen years is one in which both the librarian and the city may find encouragement and satisfaction.

Olean. The report of the public library for the calendar year 1916 shows a total issue of books numbering 106,260, of which 40,329 were issued to adults and 24,304 to children for home reading, and 41,627 were issued for reference use.