HIL LINQI SUNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

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University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign LibraryBrittle Books Project, 2012.

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In Public Domain.Published 1923-1977 in the U.S.without printed copyright notice.

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Prepared for the Brittle Books Project, Main Library,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

byNorthern Micrographics

Brookhaven BinderyLa Crosse, Wisconsin

2012

I qo30131tY/ROYAL OAK PUBLIC LIBRARY"

ge w NINTH ANNUAL REPORTof the Librarian1U

June 1930 -- May 1931 tu

To the Library Board of the City of Royal Oak . .

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The year's activity has centered round the endeavor to give tothe people the very best service possible with a reduced income.The motive power of any library lies in strength of book collectionand efficiency of personnel.

The personnel of the Royal Oak Public Library staff has beencarefully selected and is composed of people trained for the work,and with good educational qualificationsa Their whole effort iscentered on making those qualifications effective in giving expertservice. Users of the library sometimes apologize for what theyfeel is the trouble they have caused in asking for information.That is. an entirely mistaken attitude, and is deplored by all rightminded librarians. The only reason for which library assistantsare employed- is to give service, and they are happiest when theycan feel that their services have been helpful. Much statisticaland technical work must be done, but it is always consideredsecondary to work with the people.

Next in importance to the efficiency of the workers is thebook collection. The effectiveess of a library is largely determin-ed by the adequacy of its book supply. Books are the sinews withoutwhich library service must surely suffer. A book collection needscontinually to be kept up to date. A radio expert recently statedthat all books on that subject published before 1926 should be dis-carded as useless. This statement could be made with equal truth inregard to most technical and scientific subjects. Out of date refer-ence books in all lines must be replaced by newer editions if thelibrary is to maintain its position as a reliable source of infor-mation. The latest material in economics and politics, the newerpoints of view in history and sociology are necessary to a modernup-to-date library, to say nothing of the always insistant demandfor the latest books of fiction on the part of the public. In belleslettres alone are the standard books of past years the indispensablerequisites of to-day. Uith this in mind it is unfortunate that thebudget for 1930 necessitated a 40% decrease in the book fund, and thebudget for the coming year carries a still further decrease.

A more cheerful outlook is the indubitable fact that the libraryhas been a source of helpfulness and enjoyment to an ever increasingnumber of people during these times of stress and of anxiety. Menand women visit the library not for a casual moment but to spendlong hours in reading or study-. Students in colleges and extensioncourses depend more and more upon the library's resources. The

-2-

reference work increased 44;'' this year. The circulation of booksrose from 9.7 books per capita of population in 1929/30 to 10.4 in1930/31. This is a record of circulation rarely achieved. Theaverage per capita circulation for 34 cities of Michigan which fallin the same class as Royal Oak is 4.9 books. An average of 37 smallpublic libraries throughout the country as surveyed by the AmericanLibrary Association gives 5.2 "book per capita.

The following graph shows the record of adult circulation andexpense of operation of the Royal Oak Public Library during thepast three years.

186,000

15, 000

14, 00 0i-

13,000

12,000

11,000

S Monthly adult,10,oo I ciraculatio

9,000'

80,000 I '-------

7,000 .

6, ..... 00 0i ..

5, 0001 I 4- -t- -[2,000 2 F I -- - -,. .

The juvenile statistics are not included in the graph as the seasonalwork of the school stations and their dependance upon various localconditions makes any fair comparison difficult. Could they be in-cluded it would increase the monthly circulation by an average of7,600. Careful management has made possible an increased volume ofoperation with a decrease in expenditure. To a certain extent thisis a legitimate saving. It has resulted, however, in increasing theload on each assistant. It is generally conceded that a yearlycirculation of sixteen to eighteen thousand books per assistant isall that can be done without dtnger that reference work will be over-whelmed by a flood of routine incidental to circulation. Royal Oakcirculated 23,000 books per assistant last year. Beyond a certainpoint there is danger that a library may lose its educational purposeand become a mere factory for the circulation of books. Mass pro-duction applied to library work would make a sorry failure of whatshould be discriminating helpfulness for the citizens in the choiceof reading and in the search for information, enlightenment andculture.

Notwithstanding the heavy calls on the strength of the staffdue to the increased circulation the work of serving the public hasopened out in several new directions. Heretofore very little hadbeen done to develop the music collection. With two conservatories,four choral societies, several church choirs and many music teachersthis city offers a challenge for better service in this direction.During the last two months music for the cornet, saxaphone, cello,flute and clarinet has been added for the first time. In the fallit is expected that music scores will be available for the use ofchoirs and music societies. Already the library has complimentarycopies of published <and unpublished music which will aid choirloeaders in selecting music for their groups. The library is indebtedto choir loeaders and heads of conservatories for their aid and co-operation in starting this work.

Another activity which seems to be meeting a public need is themoving picture information service,--an effort to evaluate forparents the films that are being shown in locl thectres. The FilmEstimate Service of Chicago and the reviews appearing in the Prent'sMagazino are used as reliable authorities in this field. They featurethe suitability of films for children, young people and adults. TheParent Teacher's Association and directors of the theatres are co-operating in the work. Information is given by telephone to manypeople while others come in and look over the file,of moving picturetitles kept in the reference room. This file gives under each play Ia brief description, the names of the leading actors, and its suit-ability for children, young people and adults. The library is alsofurnishing the articles which appear each week in the Monday issueof the Daily Tribune under the heading "Movie Corner."

CHILDREN' S WORK

The routine work of the Children's Department including thesupervision of the school stations has occupied the entire time ofthe Children's Librarian and left little opportunity for specialactivities. The school reference work has increased appreciably.Some projects already started have been brought to completion.Through the kind assistance of Mr. LaVorne Brown a purchase planfor a music collection for the children has been prepared. It ishoped that at least a part of the books may be secured in the fall.The need for them has boon felt for some time.

An unusual set of posters for the bulletin boards were designedby one of the young patrons, Donna Boyette. She has made with cutpaper twenty six characters from children's literature, enough forthe thirteen bulletin boards. Those wore lottored with legends fromthe various stories and make a unique set.

Reading matter for the adolescent boy and girl has long been aproblem. There seemed to be no room to house a special collectionfor them. At last we "took" space which we did not have and pro-vided a "Young People's INook" for this group of readers. The sectioneontains books from both adult and juvenile departments. The experi-ment has thus far proved successful and won the approval of both theyoung people and their parents.

The vacation reading club is once more functioning with about100 members.

STATIONS

Books are now circulated through ten agencies aside from themain library. Five school stations open during the school year, twoschool stations open for twelve months, and three deposit stations.Of the latter one is in Carpenter's Drug Store, one at the MichiganBell Telephone Company and one at the Oakridge-school. These agenciesserve to bring books to people who do not live near the main library.

The value of a library is axiomatic to all who are engaged ineducational work,--to librarians, to students and to regular librarypatrons. That the modern library is a vital influence in the intel-lectual development of a cormmunity is recognized by all who come intouch with it. It is an indispensable concomitant of all moderneducational work. In these times of economic depression its valuecan scarcely be over emphasized. Mr. R. B. House of North Carlinain speaking of the value of books and reading and the significanceof increased library circulation says:

"I don't believe increased expenditure in business will overgive us better brains. But I do believe increased expenditure onbrains will give us better business.., for after all vwealth mustbe created by intelligence... But business or no business I believemore expenditure on brains will deepen and enrich the quality of life."

Respectfully submitted,

ibrrian

STATISTICAL TABLES

TABLE I

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Balance on hand June 1, 1930....................

Receipts.

City tax ...................... ........ .......

Fines, fees and refunds...............(Transferred from petty cash)

Total..........

374.74

$29,545.001,210.00

.... ........ $31,129.74

Disbursements:

Books................................. ,....1 6 ] i n - 1 n F,• a 0 0 it -0 a - 0 a 0 0 0 0 a a v 0 a 0 . 0 0 0 0 v 0 •

Rent..... ......... ......... ......Janitor service ...........................Ligh t... .. ... ... ..*. ... . ... .. ...Periodicals...............................Permanent improvements..... ........Postage, freight and cartage. 0.............Printing............... ............ ...........

Salaries................. .......Supplies............. 0 0................ .....Insurance .................................Sundries..............................

$ 3,994.891,413.684,575.00

900.00322.94339.60297.61128.3026.00

16,837.86571.96237.76263.78

Total....9...... ........... 29,909.38

Balance on hand June 1, 1931.............................. 1,220.36

TABLE II

PETTY CASH REPORT

Cash on hand June 1, 1930.......................

Receipts:

Fines .............. ... . .........Prental collection................Book refunds..................Non-resident fees...... ..........Reserve post-cards ................Miscellaneous refunmds.*........... .

1,397.01143.84192.93250.0026.8763.64

Total ............ $2,074.29

Disbursements:

Postage 'and freight ............Supplies...........................Books....................

Periodicals.......................Refunds............................Telephone....................Messenger ..........................Laundry.................... ........ .

Sundries...................... .......Transferred to' budget account.....

141.57111.4593.59

161.9424.20

129.5754.533.00

175.531,210.00

Total............

Balance on hand June 1, 191 ........ .........

$2,105,38

$ 34.31

65.40

TABLE III

RENTAL COLLECTION 'C I'UN'DS

Balance on hand June l, 1930.................Receipts by rental...............................

Total.........

S8.36143.84

W....,,..... $152.20

Applied on book fund............................. 01.19Applied on binding fund........................ 41.60

Total.... ................. 1l42.79

Balance on hand June 1, 1931........ ............. .......... $ 9.41

TABLE IV

BOOK ACCESS IONS

Number of volumes June I, 130... ..................... 25,094

AddedBy purchase. .. ...............By gift........................By binding.....................From duplicate pay collection..To school collections ..........

Total accessions.....

WithdrawnWorn out.................. ....Lost and paid for..............Not returned by borrower.......IMissing at inventory..........From school collection........

Total wi thdrawals....

2,15419513496

451....... 3,030

36381

100122278

...... i 944

Net gain.................. ......... .. 2,086

Number of volumes in library June 1, 1931............. 27,180

Miscellaneous material

No. on handJune 1,1930

Added Discarded No. on handJune 1,1931

Pamphlets..........Clippings.........Pictures ...........IMaps...............

5,0823,3776,840

227

676697

1,11330

7649

9

5,6824,0257.,953

248

TABLE V

BOOK ACCESSIONS AND WITHDRAJLS BY CLASSES AND COST

MAIN L IBRARY

Accessions Withdrawals Net gain

ADULT

General works...Philosophy ..... .Religion........Sociology.......Philology........Science..........Useful arts.....Fine arts.......Literature......Travel..........Biography.......History..........Foreign books...Fiction.........

No,,

42''30'177

746

131226124

93938219

724

Value625.4666.4946,28

256.3412.10

114.21273.62417.96

.211.23.309.81257.70179.08

3.*40907.59

No.2

.35

4421.14

636

549

Value$ .50

8.60. 75

13.742.36

12.0294.3833.2215.9217.3510.339-.70

383.25

Total...........1,962 $3,681.27

Ac ce ss ions

JUVENILE

General works...Philosophy......Religion........Sociology......Folklore... ... ,Philology.......Science.........Useful arts.....Fine arts,.....Literature......Travel..........Biography......,History.........Fiction.........

Total...........

No.95239

292624273727172124

362 ;

617 $

Value28.902.574.03-15.8140.1814.9129.6241.3.550.8335.8430.4729.4944.71476.60

478 $ 609.12

Withdrawals

No,1Sa w

111514

12312

134

Value$ 6.00

13.518.821.206.104.01

13.934.541.801.34

$ 153.33

845.31 188 $ 214.58

1,484 $3,072.15

Net gain

No.8239

181123233315142022

228

Value22.902.574.03

15.8126.67

6.0928.4235.2546.8221.9125.9327.6943.37

323.27

429 $ 630.73

td

S-No.

34-27163

441

S87205-11087907619

375

,Value617.9657.8945.53

242.609.74

102.19179.24384.74195.31292.46247.37169.38

3.40524.34

TABLE V (Continued)

OOK ACCESSIONS AND JWITHDRAWALS BY CLASSES AND COST

SCHOOL STATIONS /

JUVENILE

General works...Philosophy......Religion........Sociology.......Folklore ........Philology.......Science.........Useful arts.....Fine arts.......Literature......Travel.........Biography ......History.........Fiction. .....

Total............

Accessions

No.

11095

923

1512

6276

Value

1.75

9.759.75

52.228.5529.054n..1315.3214.14

6. 64282.96

451 $ 425.26

Wi thdrawal s

No. Value

239

78952

5

.3147

2.201.719.16

44.817.332.732.70

13.533.23

21 68113. 73

'278 $ 203.81

Net gpin

No.--- $

1

-2* I'17

18

129

7

173 $

Value

1.75- 2 20

- .96.59

7.411.22

26.321,431.79

10.91

3.96169.23

221i 45

SUMMARY

Accessions

No. Value

Wi thdra wal s

No. Value

Net gain

No.

Adult........Juvenile........Schools ........

1,962617451

$3,681.27845.31425.26

478 $ 609.12188 214.58278 203.81

944 $1,02 7.51

1,484 $3,072.15429173

630.73221.45

Grand Total..... 3,030 $4,951.8,4

Value

22086 "'32924*333

TABLE VI

NUMBER AiD VALUE OF BOOKS BY CLASSES

ADULT

General works...Philosophy......Religion........Sociology......Philology.......Science.........Useful arts.....Fine arts..q....Literature......Travel. .........Biography.......History.........Foreign books...Fiction.........

Books & ValueJune 1, 1930

No.1,065

392306

1 ,173136443

1,272999.

1,661708594873104

6,071

Value$ 3,580.67

638.88472.08

2,189.60226.17854.60

2,522.452,080.472, 55.031,780.001, 548. 291,804.49

44.208,182.31

Net gain

1663427

1634

4187

20511087907619

375

Value617.9657.8945.53

242.609.74

102.19179.24384.74195.31292.46247.37169.38

3.40524.34

S Books & ValueJune 1, 1931

No.1,231

426333

1,336140484

1,3591,2041,771

795684949123

6,446

Value$ 4,198.63

696.77517.61

2,432.2Q235. 91956.70

2,701.692,465.2*2,710.342,052.461,795.601,973.87

47.698,706.6

Total...........15,797

Books &

JUVENILE

General Works...Philosophy......Religion........Sociology.......Folklore........Philology.......Science...... ...Useful arts.....Fine arts.......Literature......Travel........ .Biography.......History..... i..Fiction.........

$28,419.24 1,484 $3,072.15

Value Net gainJune 1, 1930

No.S981893

110688562475351305730440297487

4,643

$pValue302.0117.24123.71138.72763.40334.12503.63431.793986.94

1,079.66453.14347.55549.83

5,578.83

No.8317192823413415212025

357

$Value22.904.321.83

14.8527.2613.3529.6461.5748.2523.7036.8427.6947.33

492.50

17,281 $31,491.39

Books & ValueJune 1, 1951

No.1062194

117707590498392339745461317512

5,000

Value$ 324.9

21.5125.54153.57790. 6347.4533.27493.3447.1 p

1,103.36489.9p375.24597.1

6,071.3)

Total........... 9,297

Grand Total.....25,094

$11,022.57 602 $ 852.03

$39,441.81 2,086 $3,924.18

9,899 $11,874.60

27,180 $43,365.9p

TABLE VI I

IBooks (repNVENORYacement valu ....................... 43,365,99

Books (replacement value)......................... 43,3599

Furniture and fixtures:Shelving....... .................Tables and chairs.............Office desks.. .. . . .Charging desk..........Filing cabinets................Other furniture and fixtures....

$2,927.46816.0493.27

589.63943.75

1,313.18

Total... ................... .... 6,683.33

Card catalogs and shelf list:Material........................ 1,629.14Labor. . ...... ............... . .. ,077.00

Information file................. ............ .....

Picture collection ..............................

$ 5,706.14

730.55

238.59

Total valuation June i, 1931............................ 56,724.60

TABLE VIII

CIRCULATION STATISTICSAdult Juvenile

General works....... 3,417Philosophy........... 1,989Religion............ 4 904Sociology & folklore 2,614Philology........... 360Science ............. 1,555Useful arts.......... 4,337Fine arts. .......... 4,040Literature ......... 4,416Travel...... ....... 3,060Biography. .......... 1,985History............. 2,942Fiction. .......... 104,266Foreign books....... 183Pamphlets...... ..... 888

Total................ 136,956

47046

2422,9893,0741,1661,2901,6371,3681,114

8001,250

29.,011

12

44,474

BY CLASSESSchools Deposit

Stations333 -

20 8181 16

3,140 265,5931,154 61,024 12

714 241,711 241,314 102

524 411,146 13528,752 9,288

1I- -

45,607 9,682

Pictures............Sheet music.........-Trade exhibits......

OTHER CIRCULATION585 ---..

21 ------- BaB 5

15

REFERENCE STAT I ST I CSReading room attendance............... 50,778Reference questions ....,.......... , 9,611Aids in book selection ................. 15,060

Total

4,2202,0631,3438,7699,0273,8816,6636,4157,5195,5903,3505,473

171,317184900

236,719

60021

5

TABLE IX

CIRCULATION STLTISTICS 3Y MONTHS

June.... .... .. .

August...... .September......October........November. .....December.....January........February.......March.,........April .........May.. .. ........

Adult8,309

10,14610,08510,44711,92411,39812,18414,74513,06213,74511,1269,785

Total........,. 136,956

Juvonile4,2054,5974,321

2,6393,2913,5733,5783,8813,8463,9833,3273,433

44,EI474

Schools743462579

3,5946,1775,2414,1884,9425,4356,2236,001,923

45, 07

-DepositStations

779880873744867721824833721766898776

9,682 236,719

TABLE X

REGISTRATIONAdul t

Number of borrowers regis-tored during year......... 2,298

Total number of registeredborrowers.... . . . . . . . . . .. .. 5,419

Jv enile

1,,369

4,275

TABLE XL

CLERI CAL WORK

Books cataloged....................Cards written.....................L.aC, ards use .............Reserve cards sent.....,,.,....Overtime cards sent................Letters written,.............. ....Books mended.... .................Bulletins distributed.....,,.....Lists mimeographed..,,,.,,..... ...

1,7476,0763,8771,2909,1171,4125,98130oo6,000

Total.14,03616,08515,85817,42422,25920,93320,77424,40122,86424,71721,45115,917

Total

3,067

9,694

This book is a preservation facsimile produced forthe University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

It is made in compliance with copyright lawand produced on acid-free archival

60# book weight paperwhich meets the'requirements of

ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper).

Preservation facsimile printing and bindingby

Northern MicrographicsBrookhaven BinderyLa Crosse, Wisconsin

2012