ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMRAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Brittle Books Project, 2015.COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION In Public Domain. Published prior to 1923. This digital copy was made from the printed version held by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was made in compliance with copyright law. Prepared for the Brittle Books Project, Main Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by Northern Micrographics Brookhaven Bindery La Crosse, Wisconsin 2015Uttiv, oi Illinois, Hale Library School, Urbarm. (^XVWUA,CL| * . yc^ojv JIAAAA^C^ ^vaaA (A^lflXAnnual Report of Free Public Library MAY J, m\ TO JUNE \, 1912 FINANCE ACCOUNT Unexpended balance from preceeding year...........-.................................................$ 25 00 Receipts—Amount received from tax levy ($700.00, 2 per cent) ............................... 6S6 00 -Gifts................................................................................................. ......... —Special funds.................................................................................................. Total Receipts..........................-..................................—.........~ ' ^11 00 EXPENDITURES 91 00 8 25 9 72 9 30 1 27 104 59 Rent ................-..........................-................................................................-..... Janitor service........................................................................• .................- -......... Salaries ....................................................................................................................... 38i> 00 Repairs and improvements ............................................................................. Furniture and fixtures ................................................................................... Printing1 ......................................-.................................................................. Stationery and supplies.................................................................................. Postage and express.................................................................. Books...................-.....................................................-........ Periodicals.............................................................................. .i. ...................... Binding...................................................................-.......................... Insurance -............................ .......................................................................... Miscellaneous .................................................................................................. Total Expenditures...................................-................... Balance on hand................................................................................-.............. JENNIE SCHWERDTFEGER, Secretary, BOOK ACCOUNT Number of volumes at beginning of the year................................................. 9 40 19 17 $637 70 73 30 ..1305 volumes ADDITIONS Books purchased...........................................127 Books donated ——.....................................259 Magazines bound .......................................... . 386 WITHDRAWALS Books lost by borrower .................. Books cond emnfcd............- Books sold (2 ordered for patrons) Books missing ............................... Total additions........................... Net increase during the year...............-....................................... Actual number of volumes in library..at close of year.....*.......... ^ ~ SPECIAL EXPENSE FUND • * « (Collected from fines, etc.) Total Withdrawals - ...385 volumes ..1690 volumes RECEIPTS Balance on hand May 1, 1911 ...................SI 52 Petty cash collected by librarian: Fines on overdue books .......................... 21 14 Damaged or lost books......... .................... 85 Cax*ds to non-residents.............................. 1 50 Sale of old or duplicate books.................. 3 00 Total ...-.............................-..........- $28 01 DISBURSEMENTS By librarian from cash receipts: Postage.............--.....................................$ 3 50 Special cleaning and care of room......................70 Freight, express and drayage........................................4 62 Slight repairs and binding material - - --- 2 51 Incidentals ....................................•......- 7 45 Teledhone —..............................................................5 50 Total Balance on hand . $24 31 .. 3 70 SUMMARY (Compiled from monthly reports) Tolal number of volumes .........-.............-............................................1691 Number of volumes added during the year.............................................386 Visitors....'.—...........-..............................................................................124:49 Total circulation during year............................................................... 7636 Largest daily circulation, 60 volumes. Smallest, 6 volumes Average daily circulation.........................................................24 volumes Class in which gain is largest.......................................................Class 900 Percentage of all children's books circulated approximately 40 per cent Percentage of adult fiction circulated .....................................45 per cent Number of books rebound ..........------.....-.......... ~ ivTumber ot uooks repaired Number of newspapers and periodicals currently received Average number of borrowers each month ................-...... Number of cards held by country borrowers ...................... Number of days open during the 13 months.............-........... Hours open each week .........•—................... .......... " BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES T. E. Hogan 4. Mrs. H. Stein W. A. Albers Fred Naumer Miss Jennie Schwerdtfeger 6. Mrs. G. C. Dial ........,,,. OOO 22 ............518 ............. 3 ............322 ........... 36 MRS. 7. Charles Alwert 8. W. H. Harris 9. Charles Klitzing MABEL JEWELL, Librarian. Dated June 8,1912 siAJULSUls ^ DOES THE LIBRARY PAY? The Answer to This Question Is Found in the Following Sketch—What the Library Is Doing for the People of Altamont aod Surrounding Communities--Its Work for the Year The Altamont iFree Public Library is supported by taxation and is free to all people living in Altamont. It was established as a public library, March io, 1908, by subscription and was made a free public library in 1909. In 1908 there were just 265 volumes and the library now has 1950 volumes, of which about 40 per cent are fiction. Most of the class books are history, biography and reference but the library has a few volumes on the questions of the day. By means of the twenty-seven periodi- cals and newspapers the latest in- vention or the latest thought on any subject can generally be found. Many people visit the library, each month, over five hundred books being loaned on an average and the questions asked at the desk show a variety of wants. One will ask for the writings of some philosopher; another, the latest book on enter- taining and so on down to picture books for children not yet able to read. Often books are asked for that the library does not have, in which case it is the librarian's duty to try to get them or find out where and how to get them. The system in use is the one most generally used in public libraries. Rules are few and simple,— the work of keeping records of books loanded is so simple that the public is not often kept waiting. Soin^im^s a^uestion is asked and ans^red'ln^Fthe telephone. The library has a German collection of about eighty volumes, the greater part being fiction. On the juvenile shelves will be found wholesome books to suit all tastes, for the children are the library's best patrons. With the best books before them they are learning the value of books—they are learning how good it is to know something of the best things men have thought and said and done in the world. Through the public schools of our town the library is doing some of its best work,—it may supply a book to illustrate some lesson, loan a collection of books for special study, collect material for a debate or instruct a class in the use of reference books. The library also supplies most of the volumes of standard literature which are used by the pupils for supplementary reading and tends to make the children of Altamont good readers. Give children the ability to read well and the library, when they have left school, gives them the opportunity to continue their education through life. For the library is the college to many; and to others it is a means of in- creased earning power. Books will be found here which will increase their efficiency—no matter in what line of work they are engaged. In general, it may be said that those who seek information on practical subjects will find it at the library; those who seek learning and culture will find the writings of the master minds of the past ages. And those who are tired and worn out from their day's toil will find the lighter works of ad- venture and imagination, which will transport them from the worries and troubles of every day liie txFlT land of fancy and enchantment. J 6 t / f / 3,This book is a preservation facsimile produced for the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. It is made in compliance with copyright law and produced on acid-free archival 60# book weight paper which meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper). Preservation facsimile printing and binding by Northern Micrographics Brookhaven Bindery La Crosse, Wisconsin 2015