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CITY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. 



Special Collections and Exhibits. 



For several years, attention has been paid to arranging material 

 bearing on some particular phase of nature study. Advantage is 

 taken of the changing phases of popular interest. Some time ago, 

 when there was much discussion of mushrooms, an exhibit of edible 

 and poisonous varieties was made. Throughout the year, the migrant 

 birds for each current month are displayed on a table near the main 

 entrance, and attract much attention besides stimulating the outdoor 

 study of bird life. In like fashion, the flowers of this region are 

 collected and exhibited with marked results in an increased attention 

 to botanical study. 



Much more might be done in the way of special exhibits if there 

 were ample time and space at the disposal of the officials. Thus there 

 could be assembled a collection of specimens showing the formation 

 of coal — from the decaying vegetable matter in a stagnant pond, 

 through peat, lignite, bituminous and anthracite coal. A collateral 

 exhibit would contain various fossils found in connection with coal 

 beds. Abundant material is on hand for such a collection. 



There is also a wide field as yet untouched in the demonstration 

 of the activities of plants and animals. Physiological Botany is es- 

 pecially rich in opportunity, while the life processes of insects can 

 be shown with great vividness. 



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Work on Collections. 



Attention has been given during the year to the material in the 

 basement. This has now been rearranged and labeled in systematic 

 manner. A special set of cabinets, twenty-three in number, have been 

 made up for the use of schools from duplicates in the Booth collection. 

 Each cabinet contains eighteen compartments with the following 

 minerals: magnetite, massive calcite, calcite crystal, satin spar, Ice- 

 land spar, marble, shell marble, oolite, stalactite, stalagmite, calc marl, 

 :geode, quartz crystals, lithographic stone, massive limestone, coral, 

 coquina; fossil shells, small and large. Each cabinet bears this in- 

 scription: "The Samuel Colton Booth School Collections. Gift of Miss 

 Mary A. Booth." These cabinets have now been placed in the grammar 

 schools, where they will be an aid in the study of mineralogy. There 

 is under consideration the extension of the botanical section by adding 

 cases wherein can be shown the several parts of important trees. 



