REPORT OF TRUSTEES
Another year has gone by and the trustees give an account of their stewardship. The year has been one of advance, although nothing dramatic has happened. The equipment of the Library has been increased and the usual number of new books purchased. In the selection of books we endeavor to strike a balance and not give too much preference to any one class. While fiction predominates, as in every public library, juveniles, biography, history, science, poetry, travel. and works of reference, are well represented. The fiction and juveniles come in reinforced bindings, which, while adding to the original cost, greatly prolongs the life of each volume.
In this connection it may not be out of place to urge upon adults and children greater care in the handling of books. The books are purchased with the taxpayers’ money, and we want them to last as long as possible. A book is a good friend and should be treated with courtesy. If the hands are soiled when a book is read, the covers and pages become disfigured. Children should be taught to respect books and to treat them carefully. When books are returned to the Library by children, they should be wrapped in paper, especially if the weather is rainy or snowy.
In the reading room there is a good representation of the leading American magazines as well as the latest and most authoritative works of reference. It pleases us to see the school children and pupils of the Academy seated around the tables with these books before them, busy as bees. It may not be generally known that periodicals can be taken from the reading room for home reading, when they have been in the Library two weeks. The librarian will charge them to you as she does books.
Because we close the year with an unexpended balance it may seem to some, on first thought, that the Library is receiving too large an appropriation. But a moment’s reflection will convince them that such is not the case. The town’s financial year closes January 31. After that the trustees can draw no more money until a week or ten days after town meeting, when the selectmen have borrowed from the bank money “in anticipation of taxes.” In other words, there are the expenditures of nearly two months to provide for. To meet these expenditures there should be a balance on hand at the close of the fiscal year of at least three hundred dollars.
While the trustees are naturally gratified at the great advance the Library has made, they have by no means reached their goal. They still see many things ahead which they would like to do. The Library might well he kept open three days a week, instead of two, during the winter months, did funds permit. The basement should be fitted up for the overflow of books and thus relieve the pressure on the stacks in the upper room. Books that are in little demand could be kept in the basement. Indeed, there are about a thousand books there now, mostly reports of various kinds. The public may rest assured that the Library trustees appreciate their responsibility, moral and financial, and will do their best to see that they measure up to that responsibility.
| |
REV. EDGAR WARREN,
SARAH M. LANE,
OTIS RAYMOND GARLAND. |
LIBRARY TREASURER’S REPORT
RECEIPTS
| Cash on hand, Feb. 1, 1934: |
$ 253.74 |
| Received from Town: |
1,800.00 |
| Currier fund: |
+ 70.00 |
| |
$ 2,123.74 |
|
EXPENDITURES
| Margaret S. Noyes, Librarian |
$ 360.00 |
| W. S. Noyes, Janitor |
52.00 |
| Edgar Warren, Treasurer |
25.00 |
| Paid for new books |
862.12 |
| Periodicals for reading room |
85.50 |
| Electric Lights |
63.33 |
| Fuel Oil |
80.28 |
| W. S. Noyes, labor on lawn |
25.00 |
| Filing Cabinets |
78.50 |
| Hat Tree |
14.00 |
| Typewriter for Librarian's use |
60.00 |
| Andirons and fire set |
19.98 |
| Letter Files |
1.62 |
| Hampton Water Works |
2.24 |
| Binding Books |
3.00 |
| New Hampshire Library Ass'n |
3.00 |
| E. M. Leavitt, 1/2 cord loam |
2.00 |
| L. E. Williams, shrubs for lawn |
6.00 |
| Miscellaneous |
10.00 |
| C. H. Brown, fertilizer for lawn |
+ 10.00 |
| |
-$ 1,763.57 |
| Balance on hand: |
$ 360.17 |
|
NOTE -- The treasurer's report has been examined, checked and certified by Sanford D. York, public accountant. Interest on the Lydia A. Lane fund, $15.11, was received too late to be credited to the 1935 account, but will be entered in the account for 1936.
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
I hereby submit the following report of Hampton Public Library from February 1, 1934 to January 31, 1935:
| Number of volumes added by purchase: |
427 |
| Adult Fiction: |
199 |
| Adult Non-Fiction: |
112 |
| Juvenile Fiction: |
85 |
| Juvenile Non-Fiction: |
31 |
| Number of volumes added by gift: |
2 |
|
CIRCULATION ACCORDING TO CLASSES
| |
| |
Adult
Fiction |
Adult
Non-Fiction |
Juvenile
Fiction |
Juvenile
Non-Fiction |
Totals |
| Feb. |
1,188 |
169 |
271 |
63 |
1,691 |
| Mar. |
1,145 |
180 |
345 |
75 |
1,745 |
| Apr. |
1,006 |
146 |
288 |
58 |
1,498 |
| May |
801 |
125 |
225 |
62 |
1,213 |
| June |
743 |
95 |
223 |
61 |
1,122 |
| July |
685 |
81 |
137 |
46 |
949 |
| Aug |
901 |
129 |
215 |
42 |
1,287 |
| Sept. |
807 |
139 |
155 |
67 |
1,168 |
| Oct. |
783 |
157 |
238 |
84 |
1,262 |
| Nov. |
780 |
146 |
292 |
84 |
1,302 |
| Dec. |
870 |
166 |
291 |
69 |
1,396 |
| Jan. |
1,109 |
231 |
313 |
68 |
1,721 |
| Totals: |
10,818 |
1,764 |
2,993 |
779 |
16,354 |
|
| TOTAL CIRCULATION: |
16,354 |
| Largest number books in one day: |
248 |
| Smallest number in one day: |
81 |
| Magazine Circulation: |
780 |
|
Twenty-four books have been rebound.
The decrease in the circulation this year comes mainly in the adult fiction. This may be accounted for by the fact that there has been more opportunity for work, thus lessening the leisure hours for reading. This is proved by the increased circulation in January and February, when work on some projects was either finished or suspended for a time.
The Library co-operates with the schools in furnishing material for reference work, book reports, magazine articles, etc.
The list of periodicals is as follows:
American Magazine. American Boy, American Girl, Atlantic Monthly, Baseball, Bird Lore, Child Life, Christian Century. Christian Herald, Current History, Delineator, Exeter News-Letter, Flower Grower, Fortune, Forum. Good Housekeeping, Hampton Union, Harper’s, House and Garden, Hygeia, Life, Literary Digest, Nation, Natonal Geographic, New England Poultryman, New Outlook, News Week, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Radioland, Reader’s Digest, Review of Reviews, Rural New Yorker, Scientific American, Scribner’s, Union Signal.
The following are gift subscriptions:
Christian Science Sentinel.
American Builder, donated by Mr. John A. Janvrin.
National Parent-Teacher Magazine donated by the P. T. A. of Hampton.
We are grateful for these subscriptions and are happy to serve the public through the kindness of the donors.
| February 1, 1934: |
|
| Balance of Fine Money: |
$ 32.60 |
| Received for Fines: |
51.40 |
| Necessary Expenses: |
59.97 |
| Balance: |
$24.03 |
|
| |
Respectfully submitted,
MARGARET S. NOYES,
Librarian. |
