subjects are technical and classical; and the plain man of the trades, who feels the need of a book on "Practical Wiring" or "How to Paint Your House." The following is a partial list of reference topics for the year: Farmers' Aid Bill; Open and Closed Shops; Difficulties in Ireland; Japanese Immigration; Government Ownership of Railroads; Western Union Cable; Decline in Prices; Congressional Districts of Massachusetts; Muensterberg; First Continental Congress; Bridges in the United States; The Norsemen; The Magna Charta; The Model Parliament; London in Shakespeare's Time; Gutenberg; Armistice Day; The Battle of Marathon; Manufacture of Cotton; Lewis Carroll; Names of Women Pilgrims; Democracy Free Trade Time Zones; Dante- Marco Polo Samoan Islands; Balance in Drawing; Indian Tribes - Wheat - Leather Carpets; Mary Mapes Dodge - Krupp- Harvard University; Tragedy and Comedy; Fire Prevention; Explorers of the Antarctic Regions; Christmas Greens; The City Council; Disarmament; Island of Yap; How to use a Dictionary; Agriculture in Germany.

This district offers many opportunities for Americanization work on account of the population, which consists largely of Russian Jews. There are several schools conducting classes in which the new American may learn English. The hours for these are so arranged that even the busy mothers may take advantage of the study offered. This Branch supplies much of the pupils' reading material. The Russian immigrant newly arrived in the neighborhood is soon introduced to the library by his interested relatives, and his first choice of a Russian or Yiddish book is followed by an English primer. With the idea of attaining such a result we have placed the Yiddish and Americanization books side by side. Although this class has shared in the distribution of new literature, additional copies are needed in order to meet the growing demand. Therefore, more book recommendations are now being considered.

SOUTH END BRANCH.

With the year ending January 15, 1922, the South End Branch completes the forty-fourth year of its existence, and presumably the last full year in the present building on Shawmut avenue, formerly known as the "Every Day Church." Before the close of the next year it will probably be housed in the new municipal building across the way. The branch library has a rather migratory history, having occupied since its opening in 1877 three different dwellings. The proposed change to the municipal building will make that its fourth home. In the years that the branch has lived and served the people here it has witnessed many changes in the character of the district. From a home and residential section of the city the South End has become largely a lodging house district with its changing

population of many and varying types. Yet perhaps now, more than in the old days, is the library a necessity in this community. For the people who come to us need the library more, having few, if any, books in their homes. To them the library extends a welcome that is friendly, encouraging, and sympathetic. Its doors are open to all, and here the native American and the foreign born stranger find a common ground and an equal share in the privileges it offers. It has been said, and truly, that statistics do not show the real work of a library, and that is especially true of the library here. No one viewing the crowded reading room at the branch on any day or evening during the fall and winter months could fail to realize what the branch library means to the people in this section. All sorts and conditions of men are to be found here; the laborer in his overalls, the business man seeking some special information, the student from college or high school, teachers, professors, clergymen, the Post Office clerk in his free time, the returned soldier, a large proportion of men out of employment, and others who have passed the working age. A constant procession through our doors. No records are kept, and no identification required for the large use of books, newspapers and periodicals in the building.

The erection of the new municipal building here has interested and delighted the entire neighborhood. During the fine weather the streets about the building were thronged with spectators who watched the progress of the work with eager interest. It is a really fine building, architecturally an ornament to the city, and perfect for the uses for which it was designed. The people of the South End may well be proud of its possession.

The future of the South End Branch Library is to be in this building. There seems every reason to hope that with the closer association which propinquity gives with all the other activities of the neighborhood, the branch library will fill an even more important place in the community, and each year will find it a stronger and more efficient agency for the intellectual and social betterment of the people it serves.

SOUTH BOSTON BRANCH.

There was a loss in every item of the daily issue from Central Library for the reason that this year there were more books on our own shelves to choose from.

There is a friendly spirit of cordial co-operation between the library and the schools. This is especially true of the Shurtleff School. Just a week after the schools reopened in the fall, Miss Carrigan (the new principal) invited me to come and talk about the public library and the many ways in which it can help the people who learn to use it. I gave this talk on September 21, and in the next three days we registered all the children

(for new and lost cards) who could not show a library card. Because Miss Carrigan believes in the co-operation of the school and the library, every teacher in the Shurtleff School has been supplied with a deposit of books.

ROXBURY BRANCH.

Detective stories and those of western life have been in great demand. The practice of requiring book reports from the pupils in the high schools has caused constant inquiries for the books in the approved list. Recently the contests in the newspapers have brought people to the branch to consult the reference books, especially the dictionaries, to obtain or verify their answers to questions. While this special use may not result in securing regular patrons it helps to advertise the library and extend knowledge of the reference books and the assistance that can be obtained here.

NORTH END BRANCH.

There are seven clubs connected with the North End Library, each one following different lines but with one purpose in view

to promote good reading. The total membership in the different clubs is 119 divided as follows: The Rossi Dramatic Club, 16; Women of History Club, 21; City Historical Club, 15; St. Anthony's Club, 15; Little Folks Club, 23; Kenney Junior Club, 16; Library Orchestra, 13.

The Rossi Dramatic Club membership is made up of boys in high school and a few who have gone to work. The boys study and present for the most part light farces. although at an exhibition of the clubs last year "The Tea Party" scene from Abraham Lincoln was given.

The City Historical Club's membership is made up of little girls in the sixth and seventh grades, who last year studied about the Pilgrims and took trips to historical places around Boston. This year they are studying a very modified form of "America's making," dressing paper dolls in the costumes of each country that has contributed towards its making.

St. Anthony's Club is a travel club. Imaginary trips are made to different countries and compositions are read at the meetings. Its membership is made up of boys in the eighth grade and junior high.

Little Folks Club is made up of very small girls under Miss Nazzaro's direction. Fairy plays are given and children's games played at the meetings.

The Kenney Juniors are bright young boys who have formed their club for the purpose of debating. They also have organized a basketball team and have the privilege of using the court at the North Bennet Industrial School.

The Library Orchestra needs no explanation. The boys have improved greatly in the past year and deserve much credit.

A very successful exhibition of all the library clubs was given at the Michael Angelo School Center last June. The children in the clubs appreciate the privilege of the club room and very seldom is there an absentee.

EAST BOSTON BRANCH.

The loss of 891 in the books issued through Central is the natural result following the placing of large numbers of new and attractive volumes on the shelves.

The reference work varies each year with school methods. Today it is the junior high and the project method; tomorrow it will be something else. With each change we begin our search for new material.

ROXBURY CROSSING READING ROOM.

A writer who uses the library daily in her work complimented us on the splendid collection of reference books that she found on the shelves. She had used many branches of different libraries, but the reference collections were inadequate.

CITY POINT READING ROOM.

Central circulation during the year 1921-22 represented 12,170 volumes received, with a percentage of 55 per cent unsuccessful cards. The current year 1921-22 shows a Central circulation of 12,800 volumes received or an increase of 53 over what seemed in the year past to have been a maximum Central issue.

Thus an analysis of the situation seems to indicate that a relatively free and unrestricted Central supply operates as a compensation for the reading room's inadequacy in serving a public whose diversified need is of a sort calculated to strain the resources of a typical reading room collection of books.

There is a demand for new titles, new authors, new points of view; a demand which through the Central issue is so fully supplied that even our fiction fanatics cannot complain that they do not get their share of Curwood, Galsworthy, Grey or Oppenheim while such delectable literary commodities as "Main Street" and "If Winter Comes" gradually meet the incessant demand.

Out of a population composed of Americans, Armenians, Italians, Lithuanians, Poles and Czecho-Slovaks - diversification of taste is to be expected. "A" wants Paine's "Age of Reason," "B" desires the "Lives of the Saints,"-"C" needs a book on Americanization Civics,-"D" must have either Wells' "Outline History of the World" or Van Loon's "Story of Mankind."

Interesting requests pour in from the schools; picture deposits representing winter scenes and sports; illustrations of

knights in armor, their steeds and crests; requests for dramatizations of school classics, fairy tales and rounds.

Pageants are now the mode. At present we are looking up pictorial matter to aid in the characterization of "Water," which is to be personified in a pageant connected with the Good Health Campaign conducted under the auspices of the local District Nursing Association Drive for funds.

Work with the Chamber of Commerce in connection with Americanization still progresses. Miss Agnes Morris, a local pioneer in this field, has been appointed secretary. Her work has had its reaction in increasing registration of adult Italians embarked towards the goal of citizenship.

PARKER HILL READING ROOM.

Our twenty-three magazines and three newspapers are undoubtedly a source of great pleasure and advantage to our patrons. Many times they are the only available sources of acquiring information on some current event or biography of present interest. They are indispensable to that class of readers who are anxious to know something, but not too much, about everything.

FANEUIL READING ROOM.

Evidence from all sides shows that this district is fast becoming a cosmopolitan one. This is noted as one glances about at the people gathered here of an evening eagerly scanning the magazines and papers. There are workers of all kinds among them, engineers, clerks, salesmen, mechanics, electricians and also professional people. The races represented here include besides Americans, Jews, Armenians, Scotch, French, Italian and Belgian. I cite this fact as, up to a few years ago, our patrons were chiefly Americans with the exception of a few Jewish families. These foreigners are mostly of the better class, men in business either here or in the city who have been in the country for some time, long enough to have bettered their condition. We have only a few uneducated ones who have need of the "English for Foreigners" books.

CHIEFS OF DEPARTMENTS AND LIBRARIANS OF BRANCHES AND READING ROOMS.

As at present organized, the various departments of the library and the branches and reading rooms are in charge of the following persons:

Otto Fleischner, Assistant Librarian.

Samuel A. Chevalier, Chief of Catalogue Department.
William G. T. Roffe, in charge of Shelf Department.

Theodosia E. Macurdy, Chief of Ordering Department.