Issued bi-monthly by the Rosenberg Library for free distribution VOL. II MARCH 1917 No. 37 Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Galveston, Texas By the will of Henry Rosenberg, merchant and banker of Galveston, who died in 1893, the residue of his estate was bequeathed to his executors in trust for the organization and endowment of a free public library, under such conditions as to be "most conducive to the improvement, instruction, and elevation of the citizens of Galveston.' To carry out the provisions of the will, the Rosenberg Library Association was chartered under the laws of Texas, July 10, 1900. This is a self-perpetuating body of twenty trustees, who meet annually to choose from their own number the managing board of seven directors, receive reports, etc. It is the purpose of the library trustees to build an institution in Galveston under this noble legacy worthy to be considered an important educational center for the intellectual life and the higher interests of the community. The beautiful and stately library building, 87x134 feet in size, wellbuilt and thoroughly fire-proof, is devoted exclusively to library purposes. Its location is central and convenient, in the residence section of the city, but near the high school and near the business district. Designed in the late Italian renaissance style of architecture, situated on spacious grounds elevated several feet above the street, this dignified and massive structure presents an appearance of great stability and distinction as well as beauty. The building was dedicated and the library opened to the public in 1904. The cost of the library site, building, equipment, and books has been about $260,000 (building alone $155,000). The permanent endowment fund is about $635,000 and the total assets are about $895,000. The Rosenberg Library (59,000 volumes) includes both a lending library, with 29,000 volumes, and a reference library, with 30,000 volumes, 35,000 pamphlets, and 385 current periodicals. There are the usual departments (lending, children's, periodical, reference, etc.) with the many activities of the modern progressive library, and also a lecture department, which is being conducted in the belief that this work is a very important educational service to the city. The library is open 12 hours a day and all its privileges are free. Library property-site, building and contents, and branch library The endowment fund .$ 26,440.39 260,964.62 634,958.02 895,922.64 29,159.43 H. O. STEIN, Treasurer Total assets of Rosenberg Library Association. Librarian's Report for the Year Ending 31 December 1916 There have been added to the library during the year about 3,000 volumes. We now have a valuable library of over 59,000 volumes. This includes our reference collection of government documents and also the books belonging to the Colored Branch. It is an interesting fact that 487 volumes of valuable books were donated this year. Most of these were received from residents of Galveston, an evidence of growing appreciation of the service we are trying to render to the people of our city and of the growing disposition to help the Rosenberg Library to be still more serviceable. We have had this year a larger number of loans for home use than ever before, numbering over 80,000. This has been an average of 265 loans per day for the whole year. The total number of loans since the opening of the library in 1904 has been very nearly 900,000. The new borrowers registered number 1,462, and of this number 773 are children under 16 years registered in the Children's Department. Over 13,300 borrowers' cards are now in force. The need for reprinting the information and rules for borrowers gave opportunity for a third edition of the library Handbook which was issued in October in revised and somewhat extended form. Besides the increasing use of the library as shown by the loans for home use, there is also an increasing use of the library in the building. The reading-rooms for current periodicals in the front part of the building have large use. This department is supplied with nearly 200 periodicals for which we subscribe, and nearly as many others which are donations. Some of these donations come from the publishers and others from residents of our own city. The periodicals of this department are carefully selected to represent not only the best general magazines and newspapers, but also to represent all subjects, the list in the educational field for the use of teachers being especially full and valuable. Notwithstanding the broadly representative character of our list of current periodicals, we frequently have calls for others that we do not have. These intelligent calls are indeed gratifying. The increasing and intelligent use of the library is again shown in the use of our reference room facilities. There is more and more call upon the reference department every year for helpful service in connection with the study clubs of the city. For the use of these clubs collections of books are often put out in the reference room on special shelves in order to facilitate study by members. The members of the Wednesday Club, the Temple Society, the Irving Club, the Girls' Musical Club, and the Art League have made large use of these special collections. Similar service has been rendered to the students of the High School and Night School, to the Sunday School workers, and others. Every year there is an increasing call upon us by the business men of the city in order to get answers to questions that arise in the daily business life of commercial men, merchants, bankers, engineers, and others. As the library grows in size and in use, we are gratified to feel that there is in the city a growing appreciation of our facilities. The evidences before us indicate that the library has, during these 13 years of service, grown into a place of high standing in the estimation of our people. One of the features of the work of the library is that of exhibits. For years it has been our practice to have these temporary exhibits in show-cases and on screens in the library corridor, and in the swinging frames of our large exhibit stand. The exhibits of the last year have been of special interest, and have received more favorable attention and comment than ever before. An especially valuable exhibit of pictures was that of the Chateaux of Normandy. Other picture exhibits related to our national parks, Texas birds, and the history of the art of writing. A fine show-case exhibit has been that of some beautiful editions of books. In the spring there was a good exhibit connected with the Shakespeare Tercentenary. Part of this exhibit was kindly loaned to us by Mrs. George Sealy for the purpose. A Texas historical exhibit was installed in March in the show-cases on the second floor, with the intention of maintaining the exhibit for one or two months. This proved of so much interest that we have allowed it to remain in the cases ever since. A part of the material of this exhibit belongs to the library, but the larger part consists of material kindly loaned to us by numerous friends of the library. The branch library maintained for the use of colored people and kept open about six hours a day, has now about 2,800 volumes. The loans for home use for the year were 4,357, which is a considerable increase over the number of loans for the year previous. The total number of these loans from the time of opening the branch library in 1905 has been 38,410. New borrowers to the number of 199 were registered, and there is now a total registration of 1,288. During the year 31 free public lectures were provided, and the attendance at these lectures was over 19,000. This is a larger number of lectures and a considerably larger attendance than in any previous year. During the 12 years of our public lectures, there have been given 255 lectures with an attendance of over 117,000. That these lectures are highly valued is abundantly shown by the well sustained interest in them from year to year. Our lectures are intended to be both popular and instructive, but it will be noticed that we never call them entertainments. We try to make sure that all our lectures shall be of a high order of educational merit, and it is our intention to announce these lectures to the public in such a way that they will be taken seriously and studiously. Books are bought whenever needed for use in connection with the subjects of our lectures, and a brief suggestive reading list is printed in connection with our announcements. A very valuable feature in connection with these public lectures that has been gradually developed with us is that of a conference for questions and discussion immediately after the lecture. Dr. |