Handbook of the Maine Library Association 1915 Maine Library Association
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Maine State Library Maine State Documents Maine Library Association Special Collections 1915 Handbook of the Maine Library Association 1915 Maine Library Association Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalmaine.com/mla Recommended Citation Maine Library Association, "Handbook of the Maine Library Association 1915" (1915). Maine Library Association. Book 1. http://digitalmaine.com/mla/1 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections at Maine State Documents. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Library Association by an authorized administrator of Maine State Documents. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HANDBOOK OF THE Maine Library Association 1915 = HANDBOOK OF THE MAINE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 1915 \ BANGOR, MAINE 1915 MAINE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 1914-15 PRESIDENT CHARLES A. FLAGG, Bangor Public Library, Bangor VICE PRESIDENTS .ANNIE PRESCOTT, Auburn Public Library, Auburn MARY G. GILMAN, Curtis l'4emorial Library, Brunswick SECRETARY RALPH K. JONES, University of Maine Library, Orono TREASURER HATTIE MABEL LEACH, Portland Public Library, Portland PREFACE The Handbook of the Maine Library Association for 1915 has been prepared by direction of the executive committee and is published with the hope that it may stimulate the interest of members in the work of the association. It contains a chronology of Maine library history, a list of members of the association in 1891, the year of its organization, a list of members from 1891 to 1915, and statistics of Maine libraries. The names of those who are active members in 1915 are italicized. An asterisk is preiL'{ed to the names of those who are deceased. The list of libraries includes those which appear in the list of public libraries published in the Bulletin of the Maine State Library for July, 1914, and from data in the Maine Register for 1915-16, with such additions as could be supplied by the secretary. The list is arranged under the towns in which the libraries are located, and the num ber of volumes, the amount expended for books in the last fiscal year, and the names of the li.brarians are given when replies were received to the inquiries made of each library. The number of volumes is given when no reply was received if figures were given in the Bulletin or the Maine Register. It was not the intention to include commercial lending libraries maintained for personal profit, but in some cases they may have slipped in. Omissions or errors should be reported to the officers of the association. This first Handbook has been made as inexpensive as seemed expedient. It is hoped that in later issues it may be possible to supply much additional information. 3 1854 First free public library law. (Third state to enact such law, preceded by New Hamp shire, 1849, and Massachusetts, 1851.) Towns allowed to establish and maintain libraries, to receive bequests and gifts, and to appropriate for organization one dollar for each rateable poll (increased to two dollars in 1893), and for annual maintenance 25 cents for each such poll (increased to 50 cents in 1887, to one dollar in 1893, and to two dollars in 1909). 1859 First important statistics of Maine libraries in Rhees's "Manual of public libraries, institutions, and societies in the United States." 114 libraries enumerated. 1861 State Library made a separate department, having previously been in charge of the Secre tary of State. A State Librarian was ap pointed. In 1913 the Library contained 80,000 bound volumes, ranking 19th in the country. It is the center of the Maine library system. 1876 The famous Bureau of Education report on U. S. libraries. of 300 or more volumes. 85 Maine libraries covered, including 26 academy and school, 10 college and college society, 1 Y. M. C. A., 4 government, 13 law, medical, theological, scientific, and historical, 17 social, 8 public (only three free, in Biddeford, Cas tine, and Searsport), ~ix circulating. 1885 A new report of the Bureau of Education covering same points as preceding. Maine libraries now numbered 136. While the other classes were practically stationary or diminishing, public libraries had increased from 8 to 45, and 13 of them were free. S 1891 Organization of the Maine Library Associa tion at the State Library, Augusta, March 19. State Librarian Leonard D. Carver and Prof. George T. Little, Librarian of Bowdoin College, the prime movers. 25 members en rolled within a few weeks. 1893 Passage of the new public library law, not merely permitting, but encourag;ing public libraries. It made them legal recipients and custodians of state documents, granted them a stipend of 10 per cent of the amount appro priated by the municipality for books (changed in 1895 to ten per cent of municipal appropriation for the library), and in case of a new library in a town having less than 1500 population gave new books to the value of half the appropriation for starting the library (up to the value of $100). The older association, i. e. proprietary and social, libraries were given the benefits of the act when made entirely free as a result of muni cipal appropriation. Librarians aI:!d others were allowed to apply to the State Library for advice and instruction in library matters. As . illustrative of the extension of public libraries under this act, the State Library report of 1894 enumerated 34 free public libraries, and 44 not free. Twenty of the free public libraries had local aid, 12 of them receiving the state stipend. In 1906, the date of the last printed State Library report, there were 108 Free public libraries and 32 public libraries not free. 68 free public libraries drew stipends to the amount of over $4500 the previous year. In 1915 there were 109 free public libraries and 125 public libraries not free. 102 free public libraries drew stipends to the amount of $7,359.12. 6 1899 Traveling library system established by law through the efforts of the Maine Federation of Women's Clubs. Traveling libraries of . 50 or 25 volumes sent out for 6 months hom State library to any free library or associa tion of five persons, on payment of 10 cents a volume to cover transportation, etc. (re duced to five cents a volume in 1901). A Library Commission of five members (in cluding the State Librarian) authorized in the same act to carry out its provisions and encourage free public libraries. 42 traveling libraries were prepared the first year. As time went on old libraries were broken up and new ones formed; and in 1912 there were 268 traveling libraries reported, 210 in circula tion at the time of the report. The Legisla ture of 1915 granted $3500 for the extension of this work, and appropriated $1000 for the / purchase of traveling libraries suitable for high schools in towns having no public li braries. 1901 Eastern Maine Library Club organized at Orono in January (now inactive). At this meeting the Maine Library Association, which had held but one real meeting since 1891, was reorganized, and has been active ever since, usually meeting annually at con venient points in the state on invitation of the local libraries. In 1913 it tentatively adopted the policy of meeting at the same time and place with 'the Maine Teachers' Association. 1904 Under a clause in the Act of 1893 the Library Commission began to give a regular course of instruction in library work. Summer schools were held annually at Augusta or 7 CHRONOLOGY OF MAINE LIBRARY HISTORY 1751 "The Revolving Library" established for three adjoining parishes in Kittery and York. (Still in existence in Community House at Kittery Point, in charge of the First Congre gational Church of that place.) 1765 The "Library Society" of Falmouth Neck, founded by 26 gentlemen. (It lasted till 1826 when the Portland Athenaeum succeed ed it, until that in time was merged into the Portland Public Library. 1794 Bowdoin College established, and its library started soon after. (Oldest active library in the state.) 1798 First library legislation in Massachusetts covering proprietary and soci.al libraries. (Supplementary legislation regarding law and militia libraries passed in 1806, 1807, and 1815.) 1798-1820 This period saw the founding of libraries Qf Waterville (now Colby) College, the Athenaean and Peucinian Societies of Bow doin, and Gorham and N orth Yarmouth Academies; also proprietary or social li braries in Bangor, Belfast, Bucksport, Cam den, Castine, Gorham, Machias, Portland, Saco, Union, Warren, Westbrook, Winthrop, Wiscasset, and probably other places. 1821 The first Maine Legislature enacted the Massachusetts library laws of 1798-1815. 1844 Law allowing any school district to use five per cent (increased in 1850 to ten per cent) of its funds for purchase of a library. Very little done under this act. 4 Orono, free to Maine library workers. In 1914 a substitute plan was tried in a series of library institutes for instruction and con ference held at five important points in the state and lasting two days. 8 MEMBERS, 1891 Names of members in 1915 are in italics Hubbard W. Bryant. Librarian, Maine Historical Society, Port- land *Leonard Dwight Carver. Librarian, State Library, August *Oren Burbank Cheney. President, Bates College, Lewiston Julia M. Clapp, Librarian, Lithgow Library, Augusta Mary H. Curran. Librarian, Bangor Public Library, Bangor John E. Dinsmore. Principal Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg Harriet Converse Fernald. Librarian, State College, Orono Merritt Caldwell Fernald. President, State College, Orono *Edward Winslow Hall. Librarian, Colby University, Waterville William DeWitt Hyde. President, Bowdoin College, Brunswick Henry Johnson. Longfellow Professor of Romance Languages, Bowdoin College, Brunswick "Marquis F. King. Trustee, Portland Public Library, Portland *George Tlwmas Little. Librarian, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, *H.