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CITY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 



Better Business", ''Books on the War", ''Books for Christmas for the 

 Children", "Books for the Business Man", "Books Boys Like Best", 

 "The Best Books of the Year", etc. The revival of interest in poetry 

 has been noteworthy; and an attractive catalogue, "Recent Poetry", 

 which was enriched with numerous quotations and critical notes, was 

 not only appreciated by readers here who obtain it free, but was bought 

 by persons in twenty-five different states as well as in Canada, Hono- 

 lulu, and Austraha. 



Art Department 



Many of the exhibitions held each month in the art room last winter 

 were rather unusual in character. Among them were designs by the 

 commercial artists of the city; drawings and paintings from the school 

 of the Art Society in Hartford; photographs by the Springfield Photo- 

 graphic Society; original caricatures by Mr. Gluyas WilHams; treas- 

 ures of olden time, such as shawls, coverlets, samplers, laces, embroid- 

 eries, and chintzes, lent by various interested persons, which proved 

 so exceptionally popular that a second exhibition was arranged contain- 

 ing also bead bags, silhouettes, old jewelry, snuff boxes, and other 

 objects handed down from Colonial days. Accessions to the extensive 

 picture collections included about 1,400 more stereographs, which have 

 been in great demand. Arrangements have been made to post or keep 

 on file advance notices of musical events, noteworthy lectures, etc., 

 in Springfield, New York, and Boston. 



Branch Libraries 



All three of the branch Hbraries have been active, and report larger 

 circulations than in any previous year. The Indian Orchard Branch 

 has been repaired and repainted. The Forest Park Branch has required 

 new shelving, and the Hbrarian is looking forward to the time when 

 an addition to the building can be made to accommodate the very large 

 patronage. At the Memorial Square Branch, the children's quarters 

 are already so overcrowded that it is hoped to fit up the basement, 

 thus enlarging the space on the main floor available for adults. There 

 is httle doubt but that the removal of the swarms of children will 

 greatly increase the adult patronage. 



Children's Department 



The library took part in the nation-wide celebration of "good book 

 week" last December which was promoted by the National Association 

 of Boy Scouts of America. Various Hsts of good reading for children 

 were distributed, a model collection of juvenile books was exhibited, 

 and an informal conference was arranged for mothers on the importance 

 of children's reading and the selection of suitable books. Occasional 

 story hours have been held at the main library and at the branch libra- 

 ries, conducted for the most part by pupils taking the course in story- 

 teUing at the Technical High School. The so-called parents' collection 

 has been enlarged, including stories to read and tell the children, illus- 

 trated editions of the juvenile classics, and good picture books. The 



