permanent collection of from 12,000 to 17,000 volumes, and includes a reference department and a reading room. They are kept open during the same hours as the Main library.

In addition to these branches the work of the library has been extended by means of sub-branches, deposit stations and delivery stations.

Of sub-branches, there are four in operation, as follows: Central High School, opened January 6, 1896; Detroit, opened January 2, 1900; Hiram, occupying rooms in the Hiram House, a social settlement, opened February 3, 1900; Alliance, occupying rooms in the Educational Alliance Building of the Jewish Women's Council, opened March 10, 1900. Each of these has a deposit of books from the Main library for circulation, a few reference books, and a reading room with periodicals. They are

CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY-MILES PARK BRANCH.

kept open six hours daily. Of deposit stations there are nineteen, operated in schools, social settlements and manufactories, having deposits of books numbering from 125 to 1,350, and open two to four hours, two or four times each week. Of delivery stations, to which books are sent when asked for, there are thirteen.

This rapid development from a single library to an extensive system may best be shown by the following comparison:

Until 1889 all the public library work of the city was done at the Main library. In 1892, as noted above, the first branch was opened. In 1895 the library system consisted of:

The Main library.

Two branch libraries.

Seventy-two collections averaging fifty volumes each, deposited with teachers for the use of their schools.

It now comprises:

The Main library, which, in addition to its Reference and Circulating departments, includes the Administrative and Catalog departments for the whole library system, and the loan of books to the various other library agencies.

Four branch libraries, occupying buildings devoted exclusively to their use.

Four sub-branch libraries.
Nineteen deposit stations.

Thirteen delivery stations.

Forty-seven collections averaging fifty volumes each, deposited with teachers for the use of their schools.

Twenty-six engine houses having collections of books.

A total, aside from the Main library, of 113 library agencies in operation during the year 1900.

The most important change in the method of the library was the opening of the shelves to the public access in 1890, as already noted. Other plans for increasing the usefulness of the library worthy of mention are the placing of duplicate magazines in the Circulating department to be issued for home use, the issue of an additional number of volumes to teachers for use in their work, and the plan of permitting reserve cards. to be left for books, all of which were begun in the winter of 1884-5. Collections of pictures have also been made which are issued for home and school use, and exhibits of pictures and of other collections of interest have been made in the library. Attention has been paid to the work of study clubs, an alcove has for several years been set aside for their use, their programs have been obtained and references looked up in advance. In connction with the work in the schools, neighborhood mothers' clubs have been organized and books provided for their special use.

The Children's Library League was founded in the Cleveland Public Library in March, 1897, by Miss L. A. Eastman, the vice librarian, with the assistance of Miss M. G. Pierce, the loan librarian. Its purpose was to enlist the interest of the children to take proper care of the books and to use their influence with others to this end. A pledge was drawn, badges provided, and bookmarks distributed. It met with immediate and great success, and within a few months the membership numbered more than 14,000. The interest continues, and its good effects in the care of the books has been marked.

A special room for the children was opened in February, 1898, by partitioning off one of the alcoves of the Circulating department. It was entirely inadequate in size, but as noted above, a larger room is provided in the new temporary building.

In addition to the juvenile stories, this department also contains the best books, written especially for children or suitable for them, and

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.

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. 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.