Hamilton Library Association: Annual Report for 1900

At the meeting of the Hamilton Library Association, Tuesday evening Jan. 15th, 1901, the reports of the executive officers were quite encouraging, and we here give them in full.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT.

According to a provision of the bylaws the following “statement of the affairs of the association’’ Is made in behalf of the Board of Directors at this the regular annual meeting of the association.

Whilst the work of accumulation of material of local historical interest, begun at the organization of the association, has been continued without Intermission, the possibility of rendering the historical collections and library more readily accessible to the public have been matters of earnest consideration by the board. At the last of a series of meetings held to consider plans proposed by a committee appointed for the purpose, at which it was hoped that final action might be taken, the cheering announcement was made that a public library was about to be erected, equipped and endowed. It was deemed wise and proper to defer action of any kind on the part of this association until after the full development of the plans of such a library. The J. Herman Boiler Memorial Library has more than met all the expectations created by the announcement. This noble gift to the town of a public library of which It may well be proud, and of a character and upon a scale that this association could have had no hope of, in any wise, approximating, may farther Incidentally benefit the town not only by permitting this association to continue its efforts exclusively along lines upon which it has already accomplished so much, but by encouraging and stimulating it to increased activity as well.

In the absence of any fund for the accumulation and maintenance of a library, the association has been dependent almost entirely upon the generosity of those Interested in the work It has attempted. By the unflagging efforts, largely of a few connected with the association, the exceedingly valuable collection has been formed. This consists for the most part of matter of high historical value of great local interest. It Includes files of newspapers, principally local, running back to the beginning of the last century, and measurably complete, historical monographs, records published by the state, etc., etc. It is proper to state, however, that whilst many of these have been presented to the association, others of great value have only been deposited, by the owners, with the association, for safe keeping, with the privilege of such use, and such precautions, as the association allows of its own collection There is every reason to believe that these will be allowed to remain as long as they are properly cared for. Such a collection, it is plain, from its very nature cannot be made as readily accessible to the public as a library of books, and must be safeguarded by rules and regulations for its use, peculiar to and necessary for Its unimpaired preservation. It has how ever been frequently used under such requirements as have seemed necessary and has been pronounced by experts highly creditable to the borough and county This work of the systematic collection and preservation of material of local historical Interest, comparative neglected every where a few years ago, is today recognized as of the highest importance In fixing and verifying facts of local history; and It is a matter of congratulation that this association at its very organization recognized in its constitution the value to the community of efforts in this direction, and has thereby secured and preserved much that might otherwise have been destroyed It is equally all matter of congratulation that the association has a building so well adapted to such purposes and so favorably located. It might he well to inquire in this connection and whilst soliciting further accessions to this portion of the library, whether the present regulations governing its use are as well adapted to its certain preservation as well as to convenience in use as they ought to be, and also whether some modifications of the mode of storing parts of it, might not be advisable for the same reasons, especially if plans for freer access of the public should be adopted.

In addition to the historical collection there is a limited number of books of more general character up shelves, also obtained by gift. Among these there are doubtless some that might be of general interest if some plan were devised by which they could be rendered more accessible or be put into circulation. But in view of what the association has already done in the direction alluded to, and of what may yet be done by it, and by no other agency at present organized, and with the full provision made by the J. Herman Bosler Memorial library for the general reader, to which it could hope to add nothing it would seem unwise to adopt any plan for the use of the limited number of books of general character, that would in any way involve relaxation of safeguards necessary for the preservation of the other valuable material already secured or interfere with the further accumulation of such material naturally gravitating to it.

Among the plans suggested for increasing the usefulness of the library may be mentioned at this time:

First. Opening the library to the public one evening of the week, and permission to use the books under suitable regulations. This might be feasible, especially if members of the association would take charge in turn, and it would involve but little expense, and might be of considerable service for reference. It would not, however well carried out, promote the fullest utilization of the resources of the association, or make a just impression of its real work and character. It is, however, worth consideration.

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