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Show CARNEGIE FREE LIBRARY REPORT The following report has been submitted sub-mitted to the board of directors of tho Carnegie Free Library by Miss Grace W. Harris, the librarian. To the Board of Directors of the Carnegie Car-negie Free Library, Ogden, Utah. Gentlemen: I submit herewith the -annual stat.s-tical stat.s-tical report of the-Hbrarv-for the year ending May 31, 1911. This includes a statement of receipts and expenditures, expendi-tures, together with a record of book accessions and of the use of books and such incidental facts in connection connec-tion with the events of the year as seem worth preserving. For the first time during the eight years of Its history, our statistics fa.l to show an increase in the circulation of books. Last year we circulated 3C.031 books, as compared with n circulation circu-lation of 34.1G0 this yoar However, we feel that, even If it has been Impossible Im-possible to follow our precedent, and "break our own record" this year as we have in past years, our statist.es still demonstrate that tlje work accomplished ac-complished by the library as compared with libraries in general is remarkable remark-able in Its extent, whether the size of the library is considered, or ..ne population ministered to, or the cost of maintenance. For a library of G.0C5 books, of which 5,104 are available avail-able for circulation, to have a circulation circula-tion of 31.1G9 volumes, that is, to circulate cir-culate each book .almost seven times, is, to sav the least, unusual. We now have 5.84S leaders, an Increase over last year of S51, and a net Increase of 24S volumes. We have 724 volumes in the chlldrens' room and 2,178 children holding reader's cards. In the fiction and Juvenile departments the more popular books are worn out so rapidly that patrons soon lose interest in the unattractive , .assortment of books available and cease to come to the library li-brary The fact that 201 books have been worn out during the year Is not caused by carelessness or abuse, but only furnishes aduitional proof that the library 1b doing the work for which it was created. We feel, however, that through the generosity of Mr Heywood and Mr. Pingree, who have recently given giv-en us $1,000 for the purchase of chl.u-ren's chl.u-ren's books, we have every prospect of increased usefulneps in the children's child-ren's department, at least, during the coming year The children's room Is well patronized patron-ized by the juvenile population of Ogden Og-den living near enough to come to the library, but a large number of children live too far away to make as much use of the library as we would wish. I should, therefore, recommend that during1 the next school year, wo send a small collection of books to each dip-vtant dip-vtant school where tho principal is will-, ing to be personally responsible for Ihe proper care cf books, tho collection collec-tion to be returned and exchanged at regular intervals. L'should also recommend recom-mend that an aBBialnnt bo employed for at least three hours a day to supervise sup-ervise tho work of the children's room to help the children In the sclectjop of books and to Instruct them in the proper prop-er care of books. We should algo be able to have a Btory hour for the children chil-dren once a week, as we did rogularly up to two years ago, whon a second assistant was employed. In the adult department we are at present In special need of books on science and the uspful arte. The II-. brnry should reach out and make It ' self manifest to the whole community Wo are falling to do this when we have practically nothing on our shelves to offer mon and boys who desire de-sire to perfect themselves In a chosen tratlo or profession. We are In need of shelving in every department of tno librarj The reading room contiues to bo well patronized On Sunday afternoons after-noons and occasionally during the evening eve-ning we do not have room enough for the accommodation of readers. The reference room is being used more and more by teachers and students stu-dents for essays, debates, program material, ma-terial, and supplementary reading. No record is kept of the books used here, but the work accomplished Is beyond be-yond question the moat valuable tho library is doing. During the past year the entire collection col-lection of government documents, consisting con-sisting of 1.745 bound volumes and many times this number of pamphlets. ha3 been catalogued. Over 200 volumes- have been rebound by the 11- ! brarian and assistant, making a sav- ' ing to the library of forty cents on each book. Lack of proper machinery and the press of other duties makes it ' impossible to devote more than a few hours a week to this1 work, so that 33 volumes have been sent to n local binder. One hundred and ninety-seven books have been donated during the year and grateful acknowledgements arc extended ex-tended to the donors. We have also been indebted to manv friends for magazine? mag-azine? to add to our files. With many thanks to the library board for its interest and consideration, considera-tion, this report Is respectfully submitted. sub-mitted. (Signed) GRACE W HARRIS. Librarian |