REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN 



7 



Square Branch 212,830 volumes, and from the Indian Orchard Branch 

 49,302 volumes, representing increases of 14%, 24% and 30% re- 

 spectively. As illustrating the varying conditions to be met in different 

 districts, it is noteworthy that at the Memorial Square and Indian 

 Orchard branches slightly more than half the books drawn are juvenile; 

 at the Forest Park Branch less than one-third are juvenile, and more 

 than two-thirds are for adults; while at the main library, as would be 

 expected, three-quarters of the books drawn are for adults. The Forest 

 Park Branch works closely with the large grammar school nearby, 

 and has started a useful file of current ephemeral material for teachers, 

 has kept them informed of books adapted to their special work, and 

 has arranged to receive notice of their plans in advance so as to prepare 

 the needed material. It has lent more than 55,000 pictures, largely 

 for the use of the schools, but also for clubs, Sunday School workers, 

 and others. The Indian Orchard Branch, being the most distant from 

 the main library, has made a point of borrowing from it for short periods 

 the more notable current books of special interest to individuals or 

 groups in the branch's constituency. It has conducted occasional 

 story hours for children, has given classes from the schools instruction 

 in the use of the library, and as shown above has recorded the largest in- 

 crease in circulation of any department. The librarian and members 

 of the staff of the Memorial Square Branch have visited the school 

 rooms in an endeavor to have every child acquire the library habit. 

 Library clubs for boys and girls have been conducted on Saturday 

 mornings when books and reading have been discussed, and lists of 

 systematic reading for self-improvement have been supplied to numerous 

 inquirers, both children and adults. At all the branches, interest 

 has been aroused by timely exhibits, not infrequently lent by the people 

 of the neighborhood; books on special topics have been displayed; and 

 in a multitude of other ways the reading of good books has been stim- 

 ulated. 



Publications 



The library has been able to print the past year only one new list — 

 that entitled ''Good English," noting books of practical help in correct 

 writing and speaking. The continuing demand made it seem advisable 

 to reprint the lists, ''Out-door sports," "Mental science," "More non- 

 sense and humor," and "Memories of childhood and youth," all of 

 which have been very popular. Upon request the library compiled 

 a list of books on building construction to be issued by the United States 

 Bureau of Education as one of its after-war reading courses; and also 

 prepared a catalogue for the Springfield Hospital branch, which was 

 printed by the hospital so that copies could be placed in every room. 

 The dearth of our own lists has been compensated for to some extent 

 by an unusually large variety of attractive catalogues and pamphlets, 

 obtained in quantity by gift from publishers and others, with such 

 titles as "About poets and poetry," "The new poetry," "The best auto- 

 mobile and aviation books," "The best practical and mechanical books," 

 "Books for the house and its garden," "Farm and garden books," etc. 



