As may be seen above, the month of December 1877, exhibits the largest home issue recorded during the twenty months, and one of the largest in the history of the library.

THE FREE READING ROOM AND REFERENCE DEPARTMENT

Has a total more than half of that of the Home Issue. The figures would be considerably larger if a more accurate account had been kept, particularly regarding the use of Patent Office Reports.

CLASSIFIED CIRCULATION.

A full and detailed exhibit is given in the next table of the classified circulation in all departments of the library, during the year 1877.

If

In the foregoing table a separate column of percentages is given, obtained by excluding the collection of duplicates. the question of expense is to be considered, this column should

not be taken into account, since the books in that department of the library pay for themselves.* They must of course be included in any calculation which has reference to the character of the circulation. To show our standing in regard to this as compared with other libraries, I quote from recent reports. Mr. Poole, of the Chicago Public Library, says: “The circulation of English prose fiction and juvenile books has fallen off from 68.5 per cent. reported last year, to 62.57 per cent. The average circulation of this class of literature in the lower hall of the Boston Public Library for the past eight years was 74.5 per cent.; and 75 per cent. is the usual proportion in other public libraries which are well supplied with these books." This from the public library of Waterbury, Conn., which is apparently making every effort to elevate the standard of taste, and which has the double advantage of being located in an older community than ours and in a small town where such influences are likely to be more quickly and directly felt: "In nearly all free public libraries, works of fiction form from 75 to 80 per cent. of the books drawn out. In our own, the past year, such works make nearly 79 per cent. of the entire circulation." Springfield, Mass., shows 70 per cent. of novels and juveniles; the Cincinnati Mercantile over 73 per cent. The San Francisco Mercantile gives the average of four years as 69.3 per. cent., "considerably below the conceded rate. That three-fourths of the books issued from public libraries will be novels appears to be the law of popular reading." Among those who have had charge of libraries for the people, there is a marked preponderance of opinion, as shown in printed reports and public expressions at the London conference, to the effect that people cannot be forced into higher lines of reading by

*The "Collection of Duplicates" comprises duplicate copies of popular books, which may be drawn by members, on payment of five cents per week. It is composed chiefly of fiction, and supplies the urgent demand for new novels without cxpense to the book fund. It also serves another purpose in giving to members the privilege of drawing several books at once.

depriving them of fiction; that a reasonable supply of novels is necessary to attract readers, who will in time, advance to something better. In view of our low percentage of light reading, the subject is one which need give us no trouble. The explanation of this gratifying result I conjecture to be found chiefly in our large constituency of Public School teachers, and the special stimulus to scientific reading which they receive from the syllabuses of the Superintendent. To this must be added the scarcely less influential fact that a large number of our members are pupils and graduates of the High and Normal Schools, and have, during their course, frequent need for consulting standard literary and scientific works in the preparation of their lessons, and thereby acquire an appreciation of the higher classes of books. In his last report Prof. Winsor calls attention to the fallacy of assuming the percentage of fiction read in a public library as the standard of the tastes and reading habits of its members. "It should always be further borne in mind that in public libraries the demand for the better books is considerably lessened from the fact that such books are bought more commonly for the family book shelf than the inferior ones. It is for this reason that reputable authors of pupular fame * * never represent in the circulation of public libraries their hold upon readers." The tired professional or business man of literary tastes seeks in a novel a respite from his severer course of study and reading. For the latter purpose he has provided himself with books. The novel he does not care to own, and therefore, looks to the public library to supply his transient and occasional want.

*

The primary object of a library is to instruct and elevate through the reading of books; hence the number of volumes issued may be taken is the measure of its work; and the cost of issue per volume is the only practical standard by which to estimate the economy of its administration. Judged by this, our

record for the past year is a very favorable one, whether comparison is made with other libraries or with our own figures in former years. The Boston Public Library, as stated in the last. report, has reduced the cost of issue per volume from 25 cents. in 1867 to 10 cents in 1877. In this library it has fallen from 46 cents in 1866 to 14 cents in 1877. On the basis of total expense the average cost of issue per volume for nine libraries, including the leading public libraries of the country, is 17.6 per cent., in ours it is 14.2 cents.* The same, taking account only of salaries, for eight libraries (the data not being given in the report of the ninth) is 6.2 cents; in ours 5.5 cents.

In times of business depression and enforced economy, library subscriptions are liable to be discontinued as belonging to the list of life's luxuries. It is cause for congratulation, therefore, that there are 670 more memberships in force at the end than at the beginning of the year 1877. The number of temporary subscribers fluctuates with the seasons as well as the times. Considerable larger figures appear in the

*Obtained by dividing total expenditures for the year, including amount paid for books, by the total issue, excluding periodicals.