REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN 



7 



latter are especially difficult for the parent to find unaided, owing to 

 the prevalent notion among many publishers that the grotesque makes 

 a special appeal to young children. 



Reading Circle for the Blind 



The reading circle for the blind has held the meetings for its third 

 season in the library's basement room directly accessible from the 

 street. Busy men and women have given generously of their time 

 on Saturday afternoons reading or discussing a wide variety of sub- 

 jects, and the circle had the pleasure of hearing two speakers of note 

 from outside the city when Dr. C. D. Ussher related his experiences 

 during the siege of Van, and Professor E. B. Read of Yale talked on 

 German university hfe. Messrs. Forbes and Wallace lent a victrola 

 for two of the meetings, and Dr. Newton M. Hall, records; the Young 

 Men's Christian Association provided tickets for their Sunday after- 

 noon gatherings, and the directors of the Music Festival presented 

 tickets for one of the concerts. For the blind people it is often difficult 

 to find persons with spare time to conduct them to the meetings. Mr. 

 Arthur A. Adams, Mr. A. H. Rogers, and Mrs. Stephen Kellogg have 

 generously given the use of their automobiles for those who had no 

 guides; and if there are other citizens who can spare their automobiles 

 for an hour or two on Saturday afternoons next season, their service 

 will be greatly appreciated. 



The library has aided the university extension work of the state, 

 providing all the books listed in their courses, furnishing the library 

 hall for a meeting, and affording quarters to the agents of the Board 

 of Education who have come to Springfield to confer with prospective 

 students. 



The Staff 



Resignations from the staff include Miss Helen M. Hastings, Miss 

 Dorothy A. Hill, Miss Mary E. Hyde, Miss Flora F. Prince, Miss S. 

 May Robinson, Miss Mildred E. White, Miss NelKe L. Chase, and Mr. 

 James A. Lowell. In one instance, matrimony is the cause; in most, a 

 better library position elsewhere. All of the resignations were received 

 with regret, and cordial recognition is due for loyal and faithful service. 

 Two of the above persons had been members of the staff for more than 

 a dozen years: Miss Chase as head of the children's department or- 

 ganized the work with marked success; and Mr. Lowell, whose special 

 charge was the shelves and public documents, has also rendered excel- 

 lent and important service in other capacities. He has been called by 

 Amherst College as assistant librarian. All of these people take with 

 them to their new fields the best wishes of the Ubrarian and staff. 

 Miss Alice Shepard, assistant librarian, has had the warm sympathy 

 of all her associates during the prolonged illness which has incapacitated 

 her for the past year, and they rejoice at the improvement in health 

 which gives hope of her return in the not distant future. 



Respectfully submitted, 



HILLER C. WELLMAN, Librarian. 



