4 



CITY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 



Mt. Tom; and that the books charged and discharged in the circulating 

 departments of the main Hbrary and the branches would, if placed end 

 to end, form a continuous line stretching from Springfield to Montreal. 



Owing to the greatly increased circulation, and to unexpected ad- 

 vances in the cost of books, in binding, and, above all, in fuel, it was 

 foreseen early in the winter that it would be necessary either to restrict 

 the service of the library or to incur a deficit in the maintenance ac- 

 counts, the deficit being estimated at $2,700. After consultation with 

 the Mayor and Finance Committee, it was decided to be unwise to 

 curtail the usefulness of the library, especially when large numbers of 

 people out of employment were making practical use of books to improve 

 their earning capacity. Owing to the very mild weather and consequent 

 reduction of fuel consumed, the anticipated deficit was reduced to 

 $1,129. The work is conducted at an extremely low cost per book cir- 

 culated, yet the very large volume of the work for a city of this size 

 necessarily involves a considerable maintenance item. As a consequence, 

 no effort has been made to extend the work in directions even where 

 there is obvious need, as we hesitate to ask the city at this time for 

 largely increased appropriations. For example, the Forest Park Branch 

 is crowded and in urgent need of an addition. Branch libraries at Win- 

 chester Square and in some of the remoter parts of the city are much 

 desired, Americanization work with foreigners has reached a stage where 

 it would be greatly advanced by placing it in a separate room with 

 special assistants; but these and numerous other extensions of work 

 must apparently wait until the city is better able to provide for them, 

 or until our means are increased by further endowments. 



The pictures, books, art objects, etc., of the late Everett H. Barney 

 have been placed in the custody of the Association by the trustees of 

 his estate; and we have been especially glad to hang in Rice Hall an 

 excellent portrait of Mr. Barney, who was so generous a benefactor of 

 the city. A residuary bequest of $2,500, the income of which is to be 

 used for the purchase of books, has been received under the will of the 

 late John L. King, president of the Association from 1860 to 1872, whose 

 interest and activity in raising funds for the original building two gen- 

 erations ago earned him the title of ''father of the city library". The 

 vacancy in the Board of Directors caused by the death of Stanford L. 

 Haynes, which was noted in the last report, was filled by the unanimous 

 election of Henry L. Bowles. 



As the years pass, a great institution like the City Library Associa- 

 tion, with its Art Museum, its Museum of Natural History, its library 

 and branches, gains a certain momentum which leads the public to 

 make greater and greater drafts on its services. Its opportunities for 

 practical usefulness are limited only by the funds available for its 

 support. 



NATHAN D. BILL, President 



