Hamilton Library Association: Annual Report for 1905

The report of last year was brief and made verbally, and consequently not printed, so that the present report may include matters belonging to the previous year without calling especial attention to that fact.

MEMBERSHIP.

 The membership has continued about the same in numbers, the accessions of new members about making up the losses from usual causes. This stationary condition is due to the fact that the accessions in the previous year had been unusually large. It is especially desirable that citizens of the County should connect themselves with this Association, officially recognized as the Historical Society of Cumberland County, and take part in its work by participating in its meetings by their presence, or, what is almost equally desirable, by communications to be read. Programs of meetings and annual reports will be sent to members, and they will have not only the privilege of attendance, with their friends, upon all the historical meetings of the Association, but also have the privilege of -consulting the library under the regulations adopted.

Members are elected by the Directors at any stated or called meeting of the Board, upon application made through a member of the Board. A membership fee of two dollars is required before enrollment, the receipt of which is acknowledged by a Certificate of Membership. Annual dues thereafter will be one dollar.

FINANCIAL CONDITION. The Association has fortunately a building of its own, very suitable for its purposes, favorably located, well arranged, substantial and in good repair, and large enough for all present needs, with room for enlargement as it may become necessary. Any increase of its revenues, therefore, from membership fees or other sources, can be directly applied to the increase of its efficiency and its usefulness to its members.

Its regular revenue however is contingent upon its annual membership fee of one dollar. The amount from this source has been supplemented during the past two years by an appropriation of $150.00 a year by the Commissioners of the County to the Association as the Historical Society of the County, the careful and judicious expenditure of which, according to a provision of its charter, for the “elucidation and preservation of the history of Cumberland County” has enabled it to accomplish work in this direction creditable to the County. Financially, however, the possession of a building of its own is no advantage, as compared with the historical societies of neighboring counties, which have ample rooms provided for them by the county, and are thus relieved from all expense incidental to heating, lighting, janitor’s services, repairs of buildings and care of grounds, which absorb a large portion of the regular income of our Association.

The fixed policy of the Association, however, has been not to incur debt, and the report of this year shows all bills paid or provided for, and a small balance in the hands of the treasurer. After the current expenses, above enumerated, the expendi­tures have been for binding, principally of newspapers of the County, of earlier and present date, purchase of books and of some objects of historic interest, as opportunity offers, printing, including papers read before the Association, stationery, postage, etc.

LIBRARY.

As expenditure for the Library is restricted by other necessary expenses, accessions by purchase cannot be numerous. A number of valuable books have, however, been presented by individuals. The State Librarian, Hon. Thomas L. Montgomery, has supplied a number of works of historic interest. The Library has also received valuable publications of Historical Societies of other counties of the State, and of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania of Philadelphia. Constant attention has been given to the increase and keeping up of the already valuable files of the newspapers of the County. In some cases the files of a paper for a number of years have been received. These, as a rule are unbound, and the Association has had them bound in volumes suitable for convenience in reference with the least wear and tear.

A unique collection of books of local interest was commenced under a resolution of the Directors requesting books for the Library, of which the author, publisher or printer was resident in Cumberland County at the time. These three factors in the production of a book were sometimes at an early date combined in the same individual, and more generally the two latter. Of these the one of most direct local interest is likely to be the author, who intermingled with the citizens, was one of them and participant in their social life and history, and all the duties of citizenship. Of such Carlisle has had, perhaps, more than the usual share. The establishment at an early date of the second college in the State at Carlisle, brought to it in the very first faculties of the college men of the highest reputation for scholarship and ability, who unquestionably exerted an influence on the community at that formative period. Many of these authors doubtless found their publishers and printers beyond the limits of the borough, but if they lived their life among its people, and perhaps took draughts from the old Market House pump, at the time they produced their literary work, their literary productions should be included in a collection of Cumberland County books, as well as those having a Cumberland County publisher’s or printer’s imprint. Some of these books have acquired a high value. Every one knows of "Loudon’s Indian Wars”, two insignificant little volumes, less than seven inches high, that have sold for $100.00 apiece. Whilst the Association might not expect, as a gift, books having such a value, it would be glad to have the complete titles of such books, with the author’s real name, if the title bears a nom de plume, if the real name can be ascertained. The publisher’s imprint and the printer’s imprint are desired in each case with the title. If these differ, one of them, generally the printer’s, may be found on the second page, or on the last page of the book. It is well, therefore, in examining old books to look for imprints on other than the title page.

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