The second collection, of over 1,300 volumes, is the gift of a graduate of Marietta College. It consists of books pertaining to philosophy, psychology, science and literature. Every volume is of value and the aggregate forms a most desirable section of the library. The donor, who is a man of high literary judgment, is still adding to his gift.

The last collection of note is the magnificent gift received at Commencement, 1900, from the Hon. Rodney Metcalf Stimson (Librarian 1881-1890, and treasurer 1881-1900) consisting of 18,712 volumes. This collection, while embracing various departments, is peculiarly rich in matter pertaining to American history. It is said by some who are probably qualified to judge, that in this respect it is second to none west of the Allegheny mountains except that of the Wisconsin Historical Society. The collection is the result of many years' careful work by a man who knows and loves books well.

Some of Marietta's former presidents have kindly remembered the library in substantial manner. From the estate of Dr. Henry Smith, the second president, came several hundreds of classical and other books. Through the influence of Dr. John Eaton, the fourth president, a large number of valuable educational works found their way to our shelves.

In addition to ordinary sources of increase, Marietta College is a U. S. Government depository and annually receives many volumes and pamphlets which, in the eyes of the uninitiated, are merely so many yards of sheep and paper specially designed to cumber the earth, but which in the estimation of the more enlightened, furnish well nigh inexhaustible stores of information.

For the study of southeastern Ohio history, or indeed of the history of the N. W. Territory, much valuable material is to be found in the records of the Ohio Company, and in a large number of manuscript letters and records of Marietta's colonial days. Many of these came to us from the estate of Col. William R. Putnam, a lineal descendent of General Rufus Putnam, whose name is a household word in Marietta history. Among these manuscripts are several journals written by General Putnam, and many autograph letters from him and from other prominent men of the time, together with a number of "civil and military commissions dating back to 1760."

For a library of its size that of Marietta College is remarkably well supplied with files of bound magazines which with Poole's and the Cumulative Indexes give invaluable aid to the student.

The library serves also as reading room for the students and supplies much of the periodical literature of the day.

Although the library is primarily a college institution, its stores are thrown freely open to the reading public of Marietta, with only the reservation that the students must have first consideration.

As to classification, the library is in a transition state from an old and unsatisfactory card catalogue with fixed location and uncertain clas

sification, to the Dewey system. The work goes on slowly owing to the fact that while Marietta College owes no man anything she yet has. no superabundance of means.

In its early days 'the library was moved from one room to another as convenience or necessity demanded, having no permanent abiding place of its own. Its present home is in a building expressly designed for the purpose and is a gift of Marietta alumni. Some thirty-two or thirtythree years ago the college president was spending the Sabbath in an eastern city. A Marietta alumnus walking with him spoke of his wish that the alumni should contribute to the support of the college. The president suggested the need of a library building and his desire that the alumni should undertake its erection. The next morning brought a check for $500 for that purpose. With such a beginning the effort could. but succeed and for thirty years we have occupied this building provided. by Marietta's loyal alumni. Half the lower floor is taken up by the museum and the other half by the literary society libraries. The second floor, with its gallery, amounting to a third floor, accommodates the college library proper, with an overflow into the attic of some thousands. of volumes. When first erected there were many vacant alcoves; now it is only by the "doubling up" process and many other makeshifts that our books are housed. We still have an abundance of light and air, but like Oliver Twist we are unsatisfied and hope some day in the future to have a new fire proof building or at least a fire proof addition.

The library is also the college picture gallery, in lack of a better, and on almost every available foot of wall space and along the gallery railing are hung pictures, some of them paintings by the old masters, willed to the college by Dr. Henry Smith, our second president.

During seven hours of every school day the visitor to the library will find busy students 'poring over their books or searching for additional help in their work; and it is a matter of common report that many a graduate feels his intercourse with the silent teachers met in library alcoves to have been the better part of his college days.

MINNIE M. ORR, Acting Librarian.

MARYSVILLE.

MARYSVILLE LIBRARY.

The Marysville Library Association was formed by a majority of the members of a woman's club, called "Woman's Parliament," in June, 1897. We had nothing to begin with but energy. We succeeded, however, in the following six months, in persuading the town council to give us the use of two rooms in the Town Building. One we use as a public free reading room, the other is the library, open to all as far as books of

reference are concerned, but only subscribers may take out books. Having secured the room, we next obtained possession of nine hundred volumes of well selected standard works, which had been the property of a library organized some thirty-five years ago, but which had run down, because new books were not added often enough to give freshness and variety to the collection. These nine hundred volumes had been given into the care of the I. O. O. F. lodge and were not accessible to the public. Soon after we received the books they were classified by the Dewey sytem, State Librarian C. B. Galbreath assisting in the work. A printed catalogue has since been issued.

From membership fees we furnished our rooms and bought a few new books. We announced our opening for December 3, 1897. On that day we held a reception at the library rooms to which the public were invited to come and, if possible, to bring one or more books for the library. About three hundred volumes were added in this way. Since the opening, we have been steadily adding to our number of books, till we have 1,809.

The care of the reading room, which is open every evening and Saturday afternoon, is entirely taken by the members of our Executive Board. The librarian and assistant also serve without pay. We do not feel that we can afford a paid librarian until we are established in a building of our own; and it is for that that we are now working, with a prospect of success at an early date.

We have had many donations from individuals of books and money, and different societies have given benefit entertainments. Though we probably make a small showing among the libraries of the state, we have accomplished enough to make us certain that only courage and perseverance are needed to give us our heart's desire.

CHARLOTTE HENDERSON.

MENTOR.

MENTOR VILLAGE LIBRARY.

Mentor* is a village of about 500 people; therefore we are somewhat limited in our ability to raise funds for carrying on library work. But some six years ago fifteen of us got together and began holding a series of meetings every month, something in the nature of the old New England township meeting, for the purpose of stirring up an interest in township affairs, and in doing what we considered it necessary to have some central point of interest around which we could all work, and we chose as that the library. There had never been a library in the village excepting a small circulating library. We all believed that the use of

Address at American Library Association, Cleveland, O., Oct. 2, 1896.

books and the greater knowledge of books would be a common center of interest around which we could all work and toward which we would all be glad to give work. The result of five years' work in this way was that we now have a library of about 1,600 volumes, and two years ago, acting under a general law of the state, we became incorporated and requested the village council to levy a tax for the work of the library. We at that time had about 1,000 volumes. The council very readily saw the advantage of this kind of work. They appreciated what was being done for the citizens and schools of the state, and therefore they levied a tax and turned the proceeds of the tax over to the library board. In this way, you will see, the library board is kept entirely aloof from politics. There are no elections by the people, nor is the board appointed by any political party. It is a self constituted body, a corportate body under the laws of the state, and as long as we maintain our corporate existence the village may turn over the funds to the library. We settled this difficulty of women's rights by having an equal number of both men and women on the board, and then in order to avoid the question of disruption of families, we made the other member of the family who was not on, an honorary member of, the board. In this way we increased the number of workers and at the same time satisfied the desire of many people to hold office.

But we found that fifteen, together with the supernumerary and honorary members, were unwieldy, and the work practically devolved upon very few of the members. Therefore when we were incorporated, we made an executive board consisting of five members, and they had absolute management of the library proper. They are elected every year from the members of the association, the fifteen and these others, and they have absolute control of the library. In this way we have found it very easy to accomplish the work we have set out to do.

I have stated this result of our work to show what can be done. I believe that one of the best and easiest methods of education is through the library; that we reach all classes, all ages and all kinds of people, and that by making the library an adjunct of the public school system, we add materially to the advantages that may be afforded to the pupils. Although our library is supported by the village, we make it absolutely free to any one who desires to use it. Those outside the village or township are required to put up a nominal deposit, merely for the safe return of the book. We made this the ideal toward which we were working that the friendship of books is like the friendship of men, it is worth nothing and avails nothing unless it is used constantly and improved constantly.

JAMES R. GARFIELD.

NEWARK.

NEWARK CIRCULATING LIBRARY.

A lady who has for years been interested in this library writes substantially as follows in regard to it:

I cannot give very accurately answers to some of your questions, and 'really our library is such a small one that I think it hardly worth while to mention it at all. It is the only one in town except the school library which is also small. Our library was started by a few ladies who formed a little society, bought a few books, and exchanged them among themselves. When the books had accumulated, they kept them in a small room and issued them to any one paying a small subscription. After nearly twenty-five years we have reached the number of only sixty subscribers. We have made efforts to get some help in various ways but have not succeeded. We think, in a city of nearly 20,000 inhabitants, it is rather a poor showing that there are only sixty subscribers. We pay no rent and no salaries, so all our money is spent for books.

OBERLIN.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF OBERLIN COLLEGE LIBRARY.

Oberlin College was established in 1833- Immediately after an attempt was made to gather together a library. The soliciting agent, Rev. John J. Shipherd, in a tour trough New England secured from the libraries of New England clergymen such books as could be spared, and these formed the nucleus of the College Library. Occasionally a publisher was found who would contribute his publications and more rarely still money was given for the purchase of books. In this way the collection gradually increased until in 1849 it numbered four thousand volumes. A short time prior to this, in 1846, the Library seemed of enough importance so that one of the professors of the institution, Mr. Henry E. Whipple, was made librarian, which position he held until 1853. It was then placed in charge of Professor James Dascomb, who retained the position until 1873. The Library received in the years '51 and '52 a large addition of valuable books, the result of solicitation by a deputation which had gone to England to solicit aid for the College from anti-slavery friends in that country. Therefore, in 1858 the Library was able to report 6,908 volumes as being in its possession. During the remainder of Professor Dascomb's administration as Librarian, the only event of note was the transfer of the Library from the quarters which it originally occupied, a large room at the west of the first floor of the Chapel, to newer and more commodious rooms in the newly erected Society Hall. This transfer occurred in the year 1867. In the year 1873 Dr. Dascomb sought relief from the library, and for the first time a Librarian was apponinted whose entire time was given to the work of the Library. For this place the