Home 331,426 472,718 551,059 647,171 698,339 707,823 740,179 778,507 902,768 939,623 962,538 1,084,344 1,124,716 REFERENCE DEPARTMENT. 1906-1907. The total recorded issue of reference books for the year was 71,522, not so large as in recent years. Contrary to the record of former years January proved the busiest month, and January 12th showed the largest issue for one day, 603 volumes. Although the result of the recent inventory is not known, it is safe to state that the reference collection has grown rapidly during the past four years, there being practically no loss through withdrawal or other cause. Large additions have been made to the magazine files, the Poole set now being nearly complete. The collection of government and state documents has grown steadily, and the various hand-books and yearbooks have been added as they have appeared. The year has seen many notable acquisitions, of which it is impossible to make full mention here. Of particular interest perhaps, is the strengthening of the genealogical collection through the addition of the followregular publications: Maryland Historical Magazine, Genealogical Magazine, New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Connecticut Magazine, Essex Antiquarian, Mayflower Descendant and Virginia Magazine. These together with the Pennsylvania Magazine and New England Historical and Genealogical Register, already on our list, make a fair working collection. An index to the genealogical material in the Library, arranged by locality, is being prepared for those interested in this subject. Attention is also called to the following new and important acquisitions: Allegemeine Deutsche Biographie, 52 volumes; Nelson's encyclopedia, 12 volumes; Gue's History of Iowa, 4 volumes; Cambridge natural history, 9 volumes; Annals of Albany, 10 volumes. In addition to its books and pamphlets, this department has gradually become the depository for some two hundred current periodicals-the overflow from the magazine reading room-which are now catalogued and shelved regularly as part of the pamphlet collection. They cover chiefly the fields of art, genealogy, medicine and trade. Publications of every description are secured through gift by the reference librarian, who is constantly in communication with societies and institutions of many kinds. Over 1,000 letters, principally to labor unions and educational institutions were written during the past year. This department also takes charge of the exchanges with other libraries. In addition to the Monthly Bulletin, which goes to about 300 of the larger libraries of the world, the year recorded the exchange of 51 pamphlets and 9 volumes. The donations to the library during the year number 1,437 volumes, 7,656 pamphlets, 10 pictures, 2 casts, 2 portraits and 33 maps. Particularly noteworthy were the gifts of Miss Laura Perry, Mr. W. K. Bixby, Mr. J. W. Buel, Mr. W. M. Reedy, Miss Maude E. Endicott, Dr. G. Baumgarten, The Royal Commissioners of Great Britain to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and The Civic League of St. Louis. DELIVERY STATIONS DEPARTMENT. The number of books issued through the delivery stations this year was 260,313, a decrease of 38,198 compared with 1905-6. This loss may be ascribed to the opening of the Barr Branch, which displaced four excellent stations, and to the exceptionally mild weather of the early spring. In December the library altered its method of supplying the high schools with books which are on the list of required reading in the English courses. It had previously been the custom to withdraw many copies from the regular shelves, and send them in depositories to the high school principals, who issued them to the pupils for one night. This method was unsatisfactory both to the library and to the schools. Many times books were reported out at the library, when they were lying unused at the schools. As a substitute for the old method, therefore, the library adopted the supplementary reading idea, followed so successfully for some years with the grammar schools. Sets of from ten to thirty copies of the most popular books on the list were bought (in a few cases they were made up from a surplus on the shelves) and sent to the Central and McKinley High Schools. Though at this time the principals have not expressed themselves concerning this experiment, and though it is too soon to declare it the best plan yet devised, one advantage is clear-the library no longer refuses to the general public standard novels like Ivanhoe, Henry Esmond, Tale of Two Cities, and Harold, because its shelves have been temporarily emptied by an overwhelming high school call. Depository libraries were distributed as usual by this department, wherever it was thought they would receive steady use. The most important was that sent to the Barr Branch in its early months, before its collection could be properly increased by new orders. The Central and Yeatman High Schools received generous loans of books in the fiction, history, poetry, essay and biography classes, and miscellaneous collections were sent to the Y. W. C. A. and to the Sunlight Factory. The very useful school station work was continued. Library assistants, spending one or two afternoons a week during the winter and spring, issued at six schools 32,760 books. A table follows. The Emerson and Dozier Schools were selected because of their proximity to the Cabanne Branch, which will be completed before the opening of another school year. The following changes in delivery stations were made during the year: Stations discontinued: Station 25, Lafayette and California Aves. The first four, 24, 25, 26 and 46, were displaced by the Barr Branch. New Stations: Station 24, Russell and Vandeventer Aves. Station 25, 2752 Chippewa St. Station 46, Grand and St. Louis Aves. Station 52, 11th and Madison Sts. Station 61, Taylor Ave. and Olive St. |