1898. The librarian gives the following summary of the work for the year: To the shelf list completed one year ago, an author card catalogue will soon be added. The work is already well under way and we hope to report its completion before the end of another year. New shelving and book stacks have been provided for government publications and books purchased for the traveling library department. Minor changes have been made in the reading room for the comfort and convenience of patrons. Books and magazines have been sent to Ohio soldiers in camp. Five thousand two hundred and thirty-eight volumes have been accessioned, catalogued, and placed on the shelves since our last report-a record without parallel in the history of the library. The following comments are made on additions to the library: In the selection of books use has constantly been made of the advice and experience of those qualified to judge. Last year about five hundred volumes were purchased to complete the list named in the model A. L. A. Library exhibited at the World's Fair. This year more than twelve hundred volumes from the catalogue of the Teachers' Library of New York have been selected for the traveling library department. They have not yet been accessioned and are not included in the additions for this year. The list will appear in the next annual report. LOCAL HISTORY. An effort has been made to add to the department of Ohio local history. The successful prosecution of this work requires more time than the librarian finds at his disposal.. Something has been accomplished, however, through correspond ence. Oliver Johnson, in his admirable volume, "Garrison and His Times." names among the newspapers of the National Anti-Slavery Society, The Liberator, published in Boston; The National Anti-Slavery Standard, in New York; The Pennsylvania Freeman, in Philadelphia; The Anti-Slavery Bugle, in Salem, Ohio; and The Herald of Freedom, in Concord, N. H. "The last mentioned paper," he tells us, "was discontinued in 1846 or thereabouts; while The Freeman was united with the Standard in 1855. The Bugle was not discontinued till near the date of emancipation." The Liberator and the Standard continued in the field till the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution was adopted. It will be noted that the Anti-Slavery Bugle was the only Garrisonian paper west of the Alleghenies. It was published in the county that gave to "the cause" the Coppock brothers of Harper's Ferry fame. It at one time had a wide circulation. It made eastern Ohio a storm center of agitation in the ante bellum days. A diligent search was made recently for the files of the Bugle. The first six volumes were found, purchased, bound and placed in the library. They cover the period of 1845–51. Arrangements have been made to secure the publications of the "Firelands Pioneer" that have been issued since 1888. This will complete to date the set in the library. Seven Ohio county histories and atlases have been included among late additions, making this department almost complete. BOOKS ON SLAVERY. On the subject of slavery, eighteen volumes have been added, bearing dates from 1835 to 1862. Two of these are volumes of rare pamphlets. FOREIGN PERIODICALS. Prior to our last annual report there were no files of English newspapers in the Ohio State Library. Within the past year many valuable additions have been made to the department of foreign periodical literature. The list includes the following: Pall-Mall Gazette, 1865-66, 8 volumes; Illustrated London News, 1842-94, 105 volumes; Literary Gazette (London), 1825–42, 18 volumes; Cobbett's Political Register, 1817-30, 39 volumes;Annual Register, 1758-1849, 95 volumes; Caadian Magazine, 1893-97, 9 volumes; Friend of India (Serampore), 1859–63, 4 volumes; London Graphic, 1877-95, 36 volumes. Statistices indicating the continued growth of the traveling library department are given, and attention is directed to the pressing need for additional room for the library. The Appendix contains an article by J. A. Shawan, Superintendent of the Columbus Schools, on "The Public Library in Ohio; extracts from addresses, papers and reports at the Dayton meeting of the Ohio Library Association; library laws passed at the last session of the legila Of the additions to the General Library 230 were bound volumes of newspapers and 278 were bound volumes of magazines. Unbound pamphlets were no longer included in the list of additions, as the library had adopted the policy of binding such as were valuable for preservation and placing them on the shelves with the other books of the library. 1899. The Library commissioners commend the work of the librarian and close their report with the following recommendations: In conclusion, we wish to urge that more room be provided for the library. The substantial growth of the past year might have been materially augmented at practically no additional cost had shelf room been available. We wish also to recommend that an appropriation be made for the publication in book form, with appropriate illustrations, of the history and condition of the libraries in Ohio to the close of the century. Such publications have been issued in other states where they have greatly aided the work of library extension. The librarian speaks of the desirability of a new building, gives his own views and quotes others on "The Mission of a State Library," reports increased activity in the traveling library department, and notes Ohio's rank in the library field. The following extracts are made from his report: STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY. After collecting as far as possible, the official documents of the State and the general government, one of the first duties of the State Library is to place on its shelves books, periodicals and newspapers relating to the State. In previous reports I have called attention to the weakness of the Ohio State Library along these lines. A number of valuable additions have been made, but the work has been only fairly begun. The scarcity of early and valuable works and the lack of appropriations to make the personal research for this material make the task of collection tedious and difficult. Very little can be purchased through secondhand book-dealers. The chief sources of supply are in private collections made by pioneer families and still found within the borders of the State. These little libraries of rare books are, for the most part, in buildings that afford little or no protection against fire-the element that has swept away so many valuable collections. Owners in a number of instances seem eager to make provision for the preservation of these collections. If they could feel assured that these would be safe in the custody of the State, it would be comparatively easy to secure valuable donations. NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS IN OHIO LIBRARIES; OHIO NEWSPAPERS IN CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY. While it has been difficult to add many early newspapers to those on file in the library, I have undertaken, with the approval of the Board of Library Commissioners, a compilation of lists of newspapers in other libraries of the State. The material for this publication is practically all collected and it will be ready for the public printer in the near future. I take this opportunity to acknowledge my obligations to the librarians who so generously responded to my request for assistance in this work. The publication will also contain a list of newspapers in the State Library and a list of Ohio newspapers in the Congressional Library. NEWSPAPERS REMOVED FROM STATE LIBRARY. On strictly reliable authority, I have learned that about the year 1876 several volumes of bound newspapers, amounting, it is estimated, to "a number of wagonloads," were taken from the library and sold for waste paper. Many of these were local Ohio papers that could not now be replaced at any price. This loss to the State Library was most unfortunate. 34 COUNTY AND OTHER LOCAL LIBRARIES. One year ago I suggested that the friends of the library movement throughout the State should work to secure county and township traveling library systems to be operated from local centers of distribution. In our own State the experiment has been tried with gratifying results. Influential citizens of Columbus, aided by the county school examiners, now have in circulation among the rural schools of Franklin County, a number of traveling libraries. The continued demand for books has greatly encouraged the friends of the movement, and everything points to a steady growth and prosperous future. Those wishing to test the system in other localities will do well to correspond with the officers of the Franklin County Free Traveling Library. By special act of the General Assembly at its last session, Hamilton county was authorized to levy a tax for library purposes, and the public library of Cincinnati has been opened to all the citizens of the county. Delivery stations have been established, and the county plan has been successfully inaugurated. About two years ago Mr. J. S. Brumback made a bequest of $50,000 for the erection and equipment of a library in the city of Van Wert on condition that the county commissioners make a levy for its support. To the lasting credit of the county, the required levy was made, and the library will be open to all the people of the county. This action was made possible by a general law passed at the last session of the Legislature. There are many reasons why the county should be a unit and the county seat a center of library interest and administration. A library located at the "county capital" could be made a depository for the publications of the State and National Government. The documents collected through a number of years, if systematically aranged and classified, would make in themselves a valuable reference library. At the same place could be collected for preservation and reference manuscripts and printed matter relating to the history of the county. Local historical societies, where such organizations exist, would willingly aid in building up such a departIn addition to all this, such a library could be made a point from which traveling libraries could be distributed to different parts of the county. ment. Books added within the year, General Library Traveling Library Total 2,575 4,625 7,200 Of the additions to the General Library 146 were bound volumes of newspapers and 339 were bound volumes of magazines. EXPENDITURES. 1900. FROM REPORT OF LIBRARY COMMISSIONERS: The report of the librarian which follows gives in detail the work of the library during the past year and shows the growth of the collection which now numbers 68,750 volumes. Statistics of circulation in the traveling library department show a very substantial increase over that of any former year, emphasizing again the importance of this feature of the work of the library to the people of the state. Many small communities, and even larger towns, are still without any library facilities and are compelled to depend upon the State Library for books. These have been served, (whenever the request was properly made) by one or more traveling libraries and the demand for books has at times taxed the ability and skill of the librarian and his assistants. A serious drawback to the work has been a lack of room in which to properly handle the business of this department. The difficulty will be partially solved when the library can occupy the room to be vacated by the removal of the office of the Commissioner of Labor to new quarters in the Annex. This room will be available early in the coming year. The relief afforded by this additional room is, of course, but temporary and does not provide for the growth of the Library proper. The last report of the librarian called attention to the pressing need for more room for the general library, which, with the ordinary accessions, is becoming a serious matter. Much of the valuable property of the State, which has required years to collect and which could not now be duplicated, is in danger of loss and damage and is not properly available. The only solution in view of the impossibility of securing additional room in the Capitol building, is a Library Building. If the State Library is to perform its proper function and keep step with similar instiutions in older, and even in some of the newer western states, such a building becomes an absolute necessity, and it is hoped that the legislature may make a start in this direction. The Commission in its last report, recommended the publication in book form, of statistics and other information showing the condition of the libraries of the State to the close of 1900. A resolution passed by the Legislature authorizing the printing of fifteen hundred copies of such report, but no appropriation was made for the same or for the cost of its compilation. The State Librarian has, however, undertaken the work which will soon be ready for the press, and we believe will greatly aid library extension throughout the State. Its publication should be continued from time to time and proper appropriation made therefor. FROM THE REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN: Among the additions to which especial attention is called are the following: NEWSPAPERS. Delaware, O. Delaware Patron, Ohio State Gazette, Ohio Gazette, Olentangy Gazette, 18231838, bound in eight volumes. Harrison Flag, 1840, one volume. Worthington and Columbus, Ohio. The Western Intelligencer (odd numbers) 1813-1815. Chillicothe, Ohio. The Supporter, Dec. 8, 1808-Sept. 26, 1815; Oct. 29, 1816-Nov. 22, 1820 |