The Ladies' Library

To the ladies of the Ladies' Library assDciation of Ann Arbor, I would present the following report for the year endiüg April 12, 1897: In bringing before yon briefly a record of the doings of the Library association for the past year, your secretary is cognizant of the fact tliat she will uot be ahle to teil yon things witb which you are not already familiar, vet, inasmuch as in a nuraber of respects the association bas departed from itsfaccustomed course and has thus, we believe, been able to further the interest of all concerned, it may be interesting, at the beginniug of this new year, to review in a few words some of these departures and to recall the benefits tliat have accrued therefrom. The efficiency oí a library certainly dependa to :i great degree on the ease with which tlie books may be obtained. Your board of directors have alwaya feit that the books of our library should be accessible oftener than once or twice a week, and have long cherished the desire cf having the library open every day. This desire has been in part fulfilled and this year, tor the first time in its history, I believe, the library has been open a portion of each day. The Board decided to try opening the library for two hours every morning during the warm montlis beginning with May lst, and the trial was so successful that when winter caine we determined it must be continued. ïhis daily use of the library lias been made possible by the fact that the members of tlie board have in turn taken charge of the room and aeted as librarían one day in the week. That this has added greatly to the usefulness of the library inay be shown by the fact that many readers have availed themselves of these opportuuities for obtaining books. The additional expense incurred for heating, etc., has been met by the income derived from the club. This income has furthermore enabled us to meet all necessary expenses of the library without appealing to our friends by entertainment as we have ordinarily been compeJled to do. And this brings me to another innovation. Some of the members of the association have feit that a club organized in connection with the library would be a benefit to the association as well as to the members of the club. Accordingly, after much agitation of the subject, and the careful ation of different suggestions, a plan was adopted for the formation of the Ladies' Library Club, and early in November a meeting was called, to which all members of the association and anv other ladies who would desire to identify themselves with such a club, were invited. At this meeting a section for the study of painters and their work was arranged for, kuown as the Ladies' Library Art Club. It being the hope, a hope that still exists, that at some future time other sections would be formed for the study of different subjects. Mrs. Lombard very kindly consented to take up the duties of leaders of the art club, and under her efficiënt leadership the club meetings have proved extremely pleasant and interesting as well as profitable to all the members. If the club were an experiment in the start, all doubts as to its success have long since vanished. A subject which has been mentioned in previous reports must ngain be orought before you: the new catalogue. I refer to it at this time only to assure you that a new card catalogue is nearly completed and will soon be ready for use. It is a dictionary catalogue, that is, a catalogue of authors and of titles both, and you will flnd it a very full and convenient one we are confident. The board of directors have placed the re-cataloguing and re-arranging of the books in the hands of a committee consisting of Mrs. Lombard, Mrs. Zimmerman, Miss Douglass and Mrs. Clarkson, and these ladies certainly deserve the sincere gratitude of the entire association for the many, many hours of labor they have devoted to the work. And now, after all these years our little library seems about to become famous amoung libraries. Some weeks ago it was diecovered that our bound volumes of magazines were being ruined by a small worm; that was feasting on the leather backs and other delicacies it found in the makeup of the volumes. A number of these small creatures have been taken to Prof. Reighard for examination, and pronounced the "real worm." You will appreciate our claim to farne when you hear that only three other libraries in ;the United States are the favored possessors of book-worms. One of the ladies of the board has suggested the possibility of putting our library on a firm financial basis by openiug a supply bureau of specimens of these exclusive creatures at reasonable rates for the benefit of the various scientific institutions of the country. Seriously, the book-worms are here, but Mrs. Clarkson has them in charge and is quite confident of soon exterminating them. So far tliey seem to have workèd only in some of the bound magazines. Early in the year our Ladies' Library Association lost a inuch esteenied friend and a kind supporter in the death of the Hon. Ex-Goveruor Alpheus Felch. During bis life he was ilwnys among the friends who aided us in our need and he lias left us an enduring remembrance in the form of i legaey of $300.00, which we have recently received and which will aid us inaterially iu the purchasing of#new xioks, to which purpose it is to be devoted. Again this year, as in every year aast, there are many friends and members of the association to wlioni tlumks should be returned at this time :or kiudnesses received and for books presented to the library. Among our friends the editora and proprietors of the city newspapers should be particuiaily mentioned for their unfailing kinduess in printing our many notices and anuouucements and the lists of new books as they are purchased. Among those who have given books are Mrs. Carrow, Mrs. Herdman, Mrs. Lombard, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Root, Mr. Clark and George Wahr. And dow in looking forward to a new year's work we can only hope bat our 32d birthday shall find us iooking back on as prosperous and encouraging a record as we have today. Respectfully submitted,