including most of the important subjects, and a small collection of reference books. These are classified, numbered and arranged on the shelves in the same order as the main collection, and from these classes nearly half of the books issued are drawn. These books serve the double purpose of furnishing the children with instructive reading and giving them opportunity to begin their acquaintance with good literature; and, by familiarizing them with the arrangement of the books and the use of catalogues, prepares them for the use of the larger library.

The library has maintained its own book bindery since 1894, in which from seven to fifteen persons have been employed, with satisfactory results as to the quality and economy of the work.

In the winter of 1890-91, a series of informal talks was given in the library on literary subjects for the benefit of the members of the staff, and a library club has been maintained by the assistants for several years for the discussion of library subjects and for social intercourse.

In December, 1896, Miss Katherine L. Sharp, director of the Illinois. State Library School, gave a course of twelve lectures in library methods. to a class of thirty-nine members of the library staff. These lectures were a decided stimulus and benefit.

Summer library schools, mainly for the benefit of the library staff, were conducted in 1898 and in 1900.

Since 1890 appointments to the regular library staff have been made only from those who pass the library examinations.

The presidents of the Library Board since its organization have been as follows:

HON. SHERLOCK J. ANDREWS.

REV. JOHN W. BROWN.

GEN. M. D. LEGGETT.

JOHN G. WHITE.

DR. H. C. BRAINERD.

H. W. S. WOOD.

HON. JOHN C. HUTCHINS.
WM. R. PALMER.

The present organization of the Board is as follows:

The library was in the charge of L. M. Oviatt as librarian from its opening to 1875; I. L. Beardsley, 1875 to 1884; and W. H. Brett, 1884 to date.

The library publications are as follows:

Annual reports, Nos. 1-9, 1869-1877, published as part of the reports of the Board of Education.

Annual reports, Nos. 10, 1878 to date, published separately.

Classified catalogue of the Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland, 1875-1881. Subject catalogue of the books in the reference department of the Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland, 1883.

Katalog der Deutschen Buecher in der oeffentlichen Bibliothek, zu Cleveland, Ohio, 1885.

Alphabetic catalogue of the English books in the circulating department of the Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland, 1889.

Open shelf, Vol. 1, monthly, 1884.

Vol. 2, quarterly, 1885.

Vol. 3, quarterly, 1900.

Cumulative Index to a selected list of periodicals,

Vol. 1, 1896.

Vol. 2, 1897.

Vol. 1, n s., 1900.

Beginning with 1898 this was transferred to the Helman-Taylor Com

References for third grade teachers, comp., by May H. Prentice, 1898.

Historical sketches may be found in the Report of 1879, the Magazine of Western History, November, 1887, and also articles in the files of the Library Journal and Public Libraries.

W. H. BRETT, Librarian.

We are under obligation to W. H. Brett, Librarian of the Cleveland Public Library, for notice of the following libraries in the city of Cleveland:

CLEVELAND LIBRARIES OF OVER 1,000 VOLUMES EACH APPEARING IN THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION FOR 1900.

A PARTIAL LIST OF CLEVELAND LIBRARIES AND READING ROOMS CONTAINING LESS THAN 1,000 VOLUMES.

LIBRARY OF THE OHIO INSTITUTION FOR EDUCATION OF THE BLIND.

The library of the State School for the Blind at Columbus, Ohio, being adapted for its special pupose, necessarily stands somewhat alone in character and management when compared with others.

This library forms a part of the school to which it belongs. It occupies a large double room, the two parts of equal size, square and connected by two arches, one at each end of the dividing wall. The rooms are light and sunny, and the walls alone are lined with cases, leaving the center open. Raised and dissected maps, writing appliances, small desks and chairs compose the furnishings.

All reference books, such as encyclopædias, dictionaries and statistics are in seeing print; also the current magazines and papers taken by the school. These are read to the pupils by the Librarian.

There are over three and a half thousand volumes in the raised print. Two systems of print are used, the Line and the New York Point. The Line System is identical with the seeing print, only raised. The Point System consists of six points the combination and arrangement of which form the letters of the alphabet and certain word-signs which abridge space and save time. The books are large, being uniformly fourteen

*These libraries are operated as stations of the Cleveland Public Library, but so much of their success is due to the hearty cooperation of the firms that they are included here †A station of the Cleveland Public Library is also operated in connection with this library.

inches long and thirteen inches wide, and averaging four inches in thickness. It requires eleven volumes of this size to contain one copy of the Bible in the Point System. They are printed on one side of the page only. While bulky, they are not heavy, as the volumes are bound after the manner of a scrap-book having extra blocks in the binding to hold the leaves apart and prevent crushing the raised print.

Being a school library, the department of text-books is important and follows the scale of progression in the several branches taught in the school. Besides the common school books, it has high school text-books, including German, Latin and Higher Mathematics. The list of musical works and reference books in that line is especially good. The department of children's books is well selected and most used. The other departments follow very closely the lines of other libraries, excepting that Bibles are an important feature.

This library dates from the founding of the school but has been a department of itself only since 1874. It is both a reference and a circulating library, as the books are used in the room, in the school, and are sent throughout the city and state upon application. The use of the books is free, but the borrower must pay transportation when such is necessary.

The books are bought by a National appropriation which is divided pro rata among the schools for the blind in the United States, and in this case amounts to about eight hundred dollars annually. The appropriation comes through the American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, Ky., from which firm all books are purchased excepting the Bibles. These are bought by the school outside the appropriation.

PAULINE G. GRAY, Librarian.

COLUMBUS.

LIBRARY OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.

The growth of the University Library has of late years kept pace approximately with the expansion of the institution as a whole; but for a long time it was slow-almost imperceptible. Its history falls naturally into three periods, suggested by the three locations in which the collection of books has been kept. These are:

I. Room on first floor, University Hall, 1873-1884.

2. Rooms on third floor, University Hall, 1884-1893.

3. Rooms in Orton Hall, east side, 1893.

Besides these, it is interesting to note that there was a sort of prehistoric period, the first proffer of books (or money to buy books) having come from Mr. John G. Deshler, of Columbus, on April 23, 1872, more than a year before the college was opened for instruction. The first

purchases seem to have been a collection of entomological works from the library of the late Mr. Fay, of Columbus, and a set of reports on the Natural History of New York. These were supplemented somewhat later by donations of books from Hon. H. C. Noble and Mr. W. S. Sullivant, the eminent botanist. With these and a few books contributed by individuals in and out of the college, the students and professors were forced to be not content, but resigned to a policy of "requests" and waiting. The little assemblage of volumes were stored behind glass doors in walnut cases in Room 1 of University Hall, and placed in charge of the Professor of English and Modern Languages, Joseph Millikin, of gracious memory. Students had access to the shelves under simple regulations; and on certain days the library was open for the withdrawal of books. In 1876, Professor J. R. Smith, of the Department of Ancient Languages, became the librarian, and held the position until 1881, when he was succeeded by Professor S. C. Derby, of the Department of Latin, during whose incumbency the library outgrew its quarters, and entered upon the second stage of its growth, being removed to the third floor of University Hall in the summer of 1884.

The annual reports of those early years vividly suggest the precarious condition of the infant library, in the absence of a regular appropriation; a condition shared, of course, with the institution as a whole, but recognized and deplored by the President and most of the Faculty. In 1874, Hon. Joseph Sullivant, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, urged an appropriation for books; and repeated the recommendation in several succeeding reports. The same note was struck with varying degrees of emphasis, by Presidents Orton, W. Q. Scott and W. H. Scott, and by Librarians Millikin, Smith and Derby.

President Orton (8th annual report) says: "I trust that the needs of the library will not be overlooked," and makes another plea for an. appropriation in his 9th report (1879).

President W. Q. Scott, in his two annual reports of 1881 and 1882 calls attention to the requests from all sides for books for the library as "reasonable."

President W. H. Scott (annual report, 1883) complains of contracted space: "No room on the shelves for the books, nor on the floor for the students who come to consult them;" and yet "the cry for more books comes from every direction."

These requests had been heeded by the Board of Trustees; and appropriations, probably as liberal as circumstances warranted, were made from year to year, ranging from $200 to $600. In 1883, Librarian Derby made a very strong report on the condition and needs of the library; the result of which was that in June, 1884, a committee was appointed to estimate the cost of cases, shelving and furniture, and of the removal of the books; and to suggest a proper sum to be appropriated. In pursuance of the recommendation of this committee, the library was