Lantern Slides for Schools 55 



The loan collections prepared for the public libraries of New 

 York have been in constant circulation. They have been dis- 

 played in children's rooms and in reference 

 The Museum and departments, and have not only added inter- 

 Libraries est to tne rea ding of books on natural his- 

 tory and geography, but have stimulated 

 cooperation between libraries, the public schools and the Mu- 

 seum. They include specimens, models, mounted prints, labels 

 and maps, and have been placed on exhibition largely through 

 the cooperation of the Department of Anthropology. The ma- 

 terial is loaned for a period of one or two months, and is car- 

 ried to the library and returned by the Museum messenger. It 

 is installed, however, by the librarian in charge. 



Five of the libraries of the City that have not heretofore 

 been in touch with the Museum have borrowed circulating ex- 

 hibits during the year 1917. The library of San Antonio, 

 Texas, and the Utica, New York, Public Library have also re- 

 ceived loans of photographs and specimens. In all, 26,802 chil- 

 dren and 2,578 adults have studied the exhibits. 



During this year, the lending of lantern slides to the public 

 schools has increased more than 66 per cent. 



Lending of ^his encouraging result is doubtless partly due 



to the equipment of more schools for the use 



of the slides. 



1916 1917 



Number of Lantern Slide Loans made to 



Public Schools 491 935 



Number of Public Schools Borrowing 



Lantern Slides 63 84 



Number of Lantern Slides Circulated. . . . 38,912 63,111 



The file of lantern slides available for teachers contains 20,- 

 900 slides. The slides in greatest demand during the past year 

 illustrated (1) Industrial subjects, (2) Natural History, (3) 

 Historical subjects, (4) Geographical subjects. Those which 

 we have prepared in regular sets, each accompanied by a book- 

 let of notes, were much more in demand than individual slides 

 or slides in groups. There are now fourteen of these prepared 

 lectures available. 



