lars, have been provided for by a special municipal fund. The current expenses are met for the most part by annual appropriations made by the city council.

The library opens its doors to the public with an operating force of one librarian and several assistants, whose duty and pleasure will be to serve its patrons and make all welcome who may enter its doors.

MARIETTA.

MARIETTA COLLEGE LIBRARY.

The date of the incorporation of Marietta College, 1835, may serve as the date of the birth of Marietta College Library. In truth, however, even as the College was the inheritor and conservator of two or more educational institutions, so the Library inherited from these institutions a goodly beginning. In the first college catalogue, issued in 1838, the statement is found that the library consisted of 3,000 volumes including an "extensive and choice selection of philological works procured by the professor of languages while on a visit to Europe." It is interesting to note that the money, $1,000, which was used in the purchase of these works, came from the estate of a hardworking farmer, Samuel Stone, by name.

It is evident that the "powers" of those early days had advanced ideas regarding the use of a college library, for, in the catalogue referred to above we find that certain of the books were placed in a convenient room which was "open to students a part of each day for reference and study."

Through the wise provision of the trustees and through gifts from various sources the library grew slowly, until, at the time of the 25th anniversary of the college, 17,000 volumes were reported as belonging to the libraries under college control. At the 50th anniversary there were 33,000 volumes. At the present we have about 65,000.

The library has been enriched from time to time by gifts from many individuals. Noteworthy among them are three collections which, according to the wish of the donors, are kept as units.

First, the "Hildreth Library." In 1850, Dr. Samuel P. Hildreth, a prominent physician of Marietta, presented to the college his large and valuable collections in various departments of Natural History. With this gift he also gave some hundreds of scientific books. To these he made additions, at one time and another, of scientific and historical works and a number of manuscript volumes of his own correspondence with scientific men in this country and abroad. There are also several volumes of manuscript letters relating to early times in Ohio, collected and bound by Dr. Hildreth, which are exceedingly valuable in the study of pioneer history of the N. W. Territory.

The second collection, of over 1,300 volumes, is the gift of a graduate of Marietta College. It consists of books pertaining to philosophy, psychology, science and literature. Every volume is of value and the aggregate forms a most desirable section of the library. The donor, who is a man of high literary judgment, is still adding to his gift.

The last collection of note is the magnificent gift received at Commencement, 1900, from the Hon. Rodney Metcalf Stimson (Librarian 1881-1890, and treasurer 1881-1900) consisting of 18,712 volumes. This collection, while embracing various departments, is peculiarly rich in matter pertaining to American history. It is said by some who are probably qualified to judge, that in this respect it is second to none west of the Allegheny mountains except that of the Wisconsin Historical Society. The collection is the result of many years' careful work by a man who knows and loves books well.

Some of Marietta's former presidents have kindly remembered the library in substantial manner. From the estate of Dr. Henry Smith, the second president, came several hundreds of classical and other books. Through the influence of Dr. John Eaton, the fourth president, a large number of valuable educational works found their way to our shelves.

In addition to ordinary sources of increase, Marietta College is a U. S. Government depository and annually receives many volumes and pamphlets which, in the eyes of the uninitiated, are merely so many yards of sheep and paper specially designed to cumber the earth, but which in the estimation of the more enlightened, furnish well nigh inexhaustible stores of information.

For the study of southeastern Ohio history, or indeed of the history of the N. W. Territory, ruch valuable material is to be found in the records of the Ohio Company, and in a large number of manuscript letters and records of Marietta's colonial days. Many of these came to us from the estate of Col. William R. Putnam, a lineal descendent of General Rufus Putnam, whose name is a household word in Marietta history. Among these manuscripts are several journals written by General Putnam, and many autograph letters from him and from other prominent men of the time, together with a number of "civil and military commissions. dating back to 1760."

For a library of its size that of Marietta College is remarkably well supplied with files of bound magazines which with Poole's and the Cumulative Indexes give invaluable aid to the student.

The library serves also as reading room for the students and supplies. much of the periodical literature of the day.

Although the library is primarily a college institution, its stores are thrown freely open to the reading public of Marietta, with only the reservation that the students must have first consideration.

As to classification, the library is in a transition state from an old and unsatisfactory card catalogue with fixed location and uncertain clas

sification, to the Dewey system. The work goes on slowly owing to the fact that while Marietta College owes no man anything she yet has no superabundance of means.

In its early days the library was moved from one room to another as convenience or necessity demanded, having no permanent abiding place of its own. Its present home is in a building expressly designed for the purpose and is a gift of Marietta alumni. Some thirty-two or thirtythree years ago the college president was spending the Sabbath in an eastern city. A Marietta alumnus walking with him spoke of his wish that the alumni should contribute to the support of the college. The president suggested the need of a library building and his desire that the alumni should undertake its erection. The next morning brought a check for $500 for that purpose. With such a beginning the effort could but succeed and for thirty years we have occupied this building provided by Marietta's loyal alumni. Half the lower floor is taken up by the museum and the other half by the literary society libraries. The second floor, with its gallery, amounting to a third floor, accommodates the college library proper, with an overflow into the attic of some thousands of volumes. When first erected there were many vacant alcoves; now it is only by the "doubling up" process and many other makeshifts that our books are housed. We still have an abundance of light and air, but like Oliver Twist we are unsatisfied and hope some day in the future to have a new fire proof building or at least a fire proof addition.

The library is also the college picture gallery, in lack of a better, and on almost every available foot of wall space and along the gallery railing are hung pictures, some of them paintings by the old masters, willed to the college by Dr. Henry Smith, our second president.

During seven hours of every school day the visitor to the library will find busy students poring over their books or searching for additional help in their work; and it is a matter of common report that many a graduate feels his intercourse with the silent teachers met in library alcoves to have been the better part of his college days.

MINNIE M. ORR, Acting Librarian.

MARYSVILLE.

MARYSVILLE LIBRARY.

The Marysville Library Association was formed by a majority of the members of a woman's club, called "Woman's Parliament," in June, 1897. We had nothing to begin with but energy. We succeeded, however, in the following six months, in persuading the town council to give us the use of two rooms in the Town Building. One we use as a public free reading room, the other is the library, open to all as far as books of