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ing at Franklin Park, which had been opened by the Park Commissioners. Since then the deposit has been enlarged and a delivery of books from the Central Library three times a week has been established. The methods are those of the Library, though the expense has been borne by the Park Commissioners.

CENTRAL LIBRARY ACTIVITIES.

IDE POSIT WORIK.

The various Library agencies have received oil deposit this year from the Central Library 31,382 volumes, as against 28,228 volumes in 1901, a gain of 11 per cent. The deposit collection has gained 4,776 volumes, and at present consists of 21,221 volumes, of which 49* per cent. are fiction, as against 16,445 volumes, of which 63 per cent. were fiction, a year ago.

About half the accessions for the year are included in the Anna Ticknor Library of more than 2,500 volumes — formerly that of the Society to Encourage Studies at Home — which was given by the directors of the Anna Ticknor Library Association to form a part of the deposit collection, for the benefit of schools, study-clubs and other educational institutions. This is a finely selected collection of books, planned and excellently adapted for educational purposes.

THE DAILY ISSUE.

The daily issue of books on borrowers’ cards sent in from the branches and stations amounted this year to 108,554 volumes, 2,878 volumes, or 21% per cent., less than the year before. The proportion of unsuccessful cards was 46 per cent., as against 45 per cent. in 1901. The percentage of fiction is 71.4% per cent., against 80 per cent:

The smaller total issue is to be attributed to several causes, among which are probably a much smaller supply of current fiction and a greatly increased supply of standard books at the outlying agencies. The percentage of fiction has been considerably diminished, and this improvement in quality more than offsets the loss in quantity.

Since July 14 last the fiction and juvenile books have been sent to the Library bindery instead of to an outside bindery.

SHIPPING ROOM.

On July 1 last a third wagon was engaged for regular work. This wagon enables us to care directly for the West Roxbury route — that is, the West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain Branches and Stations B and C — where the transportation was formerly done by a local express. It also enables us to provide for most of the bundle work and the transportation between the Bindery and Printing Departments and the Central Library, and to deliver directly at many schools and places of deposit which it was not possible to reach before.

EXAMINATIONS.

The following examinations have been held for the graded service of the Library, namely: February 15, Grade B (33 applicants); February 15, Grade C (64 applicants); May 10, Grade E (57 applicants); September 23, Grade E (50 applicants); October 14, Grade B (18 applicants); January 3, Grade E (40 applicants).

Respectfully submitted, JAMES L. WHITNEY. APRIL 10, 1903.

DEATHS AND RESIGNATIONS.

The following table shows the deaths and resignations

affecting the service during the year: * NAME. Department. §o. Discontinued.

Martin H. Tirrell........ Ralph E. Hall.... . . . . . . . Clara P. Folsom......... N. Josephine Bullard. .. Thomas F. J. Kennedy. John B. Fitch, Jr.. . . . . . . Mrs. G. P. Sheffield. .... Nellie L. Connolly . . . . . . John T. Collins.......... C. Thomas Hogan....... Harold Clarke. . . . . . . . . . . Grace A. Hitchcock..... William Weidman. . . . . . Ernest M. Beck . . . . . . . . . F. M. A. Cunningham... Worthington C. Ford.... Raymond H. Young... . Edward A. Warren. .... Nina M. Stetson . . . . . . . . . Bertha P. Richmond.... Grace M. Cutting . . . . . . . Helen Rex Keller.......

John E. Gorman. . . . . . . Henry C. McKenna. . . . . Daniel Fitzgerald....... Joseph H. D. Barbour...

Fernald Hutchins. . . . . . .

Jamaica Plain... . . . DOrchester ......... Catalogue......... South Boston. . . . . . . Engineer. . . . . . . . . . . Station P. . . . . . . . . . . Children’s . . . .

Periodical . . . . . . . Bates Hall.......... Special Libraries... Special Libraries... Bates Hall.........

Special Libraries...

Registration ........

Bates Hall.......... Special Libraries...

Ordering . . . . . . . . . . .

May 18, 1900... Dec. 20, 1901. . . June 1, 1900.... June 1, 1883.... March 8, 1901.. Jan. 4, 1902..... May 4, 1896.... April 29, 1895.. March 8, 1901. Nov. 7, 1899.... Sept. 15, 1900... Nov. 11, 1895... June 27, 1902 .. Feb. 15, 1900... June 27, 1902... July 15, 1898. . . June 27, 1902... July 1, 1898.... Nov. 3, 1896 ... Nov. 21, 1895... May 1, 1899..... Oct. 14, 1901.... Nov. 11, 1895. . . Aug. 16, 1895... Nov. 30, 1900... Sept. 26, 1902... Oct. 18, 1901 ... July 16, 1896. ..

Resigned Feb. 6, 1902. Resigned Feb. 12, 1902. Died March 20, 1902. Resigned Apr. 11, 1902. Resigned Apr. 12, 1902. Resigned May 5, 1902. Resigned May 16, 1902. Resigned May 31, 1902. Resigned May 31, 1902. Resigned May 31, 1902. Resigned June 12, 1902. Resigned Aug. 6, 1902. Resigned Aug. 23, 1902. Resigned Aug. 29, 1902. Resigned Aug. 30, 1902. Resigned Sept. 1, 1902. Resigned Sept. 8, 1902. Resigned Sept. 11, 1902. Resigned Sept. 27, 1902. Resigned Sept. 29, 1902. Resigned Sept. 29, 1902. Resigned Sept. 30, 1902. Resigned Sept. 30, 1902. Died Oct. 1, 1902. Resigned Oct. 30, 1902. Resigned Nov. 20, 1902. Resigned Nov. 22, 1902. Resigned Dec. 13, 1902.

REPORT OF THE EXAMINING COMMITTEE FOR 1902–1903.

BosTon, MAss., February 6, 1903. The Board of Trustees of the Boston Public Library:

GENTLEMEN, - I enclose herewith my report as Chairman of the Examining Committee for the last fiscal year. The report naturally divides itself into the following subjects:

Administration.
Branches and new modes of distribution.
Catalogues, bulletins and finding lists.
Finance.

Printing and binding.

i

1. Administration. — The Committee hope that some further efforts be made to obtain a wider circle of readers, and to this end would suggest, if possible, some form of advertising, not, of course, too obtrusive. For example, stations might be more prominently placed and fitted on the outside with signs that will attract the passers by. Perhaps excerpts from the Monthly Bulletin might be advertised in the papers. A conference between school supervisors and library authorities is also recommended, and the advisability of mailing Monthly Bulletins to the heads of all educational institutions in the city should be considered. 2. Branches and Wew Modes of Distribution. — The general scheme of coöperation between the Library and the schools is successful. The Finding List of books common to the branches, which has recently been published, has proved most successful. The Committee recommend that the number of reading rooms be increased, and that more books suitable to children be placed in the branches and reading rooms. Foreign newspapers, after having served their purpose in the Central Library, it is recommended be sent to those reading rooms which may find use for them. 3. Catalogues, Bulletins, and Finding Lists. – The Committee have no suggestion to make on this subject. The work seems to be most satisfactorily performed. 4. Finance. — The Committee deem it advisable and accordingly recommend that some means be taken of bringing the Library to the attention of persons of wealth, with the hope that they will contribute to it. Of the largest gifts to the Library nearly all were made years ago, and for the most part the donors were non-residents. These bequests, however, have been steadily dwindling. The Public Library, while primarily owned by the people of Boston, yet serves the cause of scholarship, and might be said in a sense to belong to scholars of every land, and it should be the recipient of gifts and bequests from benevolent testators, as are the great public charities of the city and vicinity. The Committee believe that the Trustees should always have in hand a fund with which to take immediate advantage of any offering for sale of rare books, particularly such as relate to Boston. While it might be difficult at the present time to secure a special appropriation for this purpose, yet the Committee see no reason why the Trustees should not, temporarily at least, set aside, out of the current general appropriation for the purchase of books, a fund of five thousand dollars or more, and hold the same until the end of the fiscal year for the purchase of such rare and desirable books as may be offered. 5. Printing and Binding. — The Printing Office and Bindery were moved during the past summer to commodious quarters at 42 Stanhope street. The Bindery has a force nearly one-half larger than before, and is now able to do nearly all the bookbinding required by the Library, and do it in a superior manner. It seems probable that the increased capacity of the Printing Department will involve either the employment of a new pressman or the purchase of an automatic rotary press.

Respectfully submitted,

(Signed) C. S. HAMLIN,
Chairman.

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