To the Board of Library Commissioners: GENTLEMEN: Within the past year additions have been made to The number of volumes in the library at the close of last year was 68,750. This with the number since added makes a total of 75,699 volumes now in the library. The following figures show the rate of growth since the Library Commission was organized in 1896: For the year ending November 15, 1896. 1,049 volumes. The following additions within the past year are worthy of note: NEWSPAPERS. Massachusetts. Boston. Boston Evening Post and General Advertiser, Jan. 3, 1784. Columbian Centinel, Nov. 6, 1790-Nov. 20, 1790; March 2, 16, 19, Nov. 12, 1791. Herald of Freedom, Nov. 16, 1790. Independent Chronicle and Universal Advertiser, Nov. 4, 1790. New England Courant, Feb. 4-Feb. 11, 1723. (Facsimile.) New York. New York. National Anti-Slavery Standard, May 26, 1855-Dec. 30, 1865. Ohio. Cincinnati. EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS. Centinel of the Northwestern Territory, Nov. 9, 1793-Nov. 8, 1794. Cincinnati Chronicle and Literary Gazette, Jan. 3, 1829-Nov. 6, 1830. Daily Gazette, June 25, 1827-June 12, 1832. Freeman's Journal, Aug. 27, 1798. Inquisitor and Chronicle Advertiser, July 21-28, 1818. (Continued as Cincinnati Inquisitor Advertiser.) Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gazette, March 11, 1816-June 22, 1827. Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Mercury, Dec. 16, 1805-Nov. 19, 1808. Western Spy, May 24, 1816-Jan. 9, 1819. (Continued as Western Spy Western Spy and Cincinnati General Advertiser, Jan. 16, 1819-April 22, Western Spy and Literary Cadet, April 29, 1820-Dec. 28, 1822. Columbus Gazette, Dec. 1, 1817–Dec. 17, 1818; Jan. 7, 14, March 4, McConnellsville. Independent, Sept. 5, 1845—Oct. 24, 1845. (Continued as Morgan Herald.) Morgan County Herald, July 18, 1861-Dec. 25, 1863. (Continued as Morgan Herald, Oct. 31, 1845-July 11, 1861. (Continued as Morgan Ravenna. Campaign Democrat, Aug. 6-Oct. 15, 1855. Hickory Flail and Fusion Thresher, Sept. 19-Oct. 1, 1855. Western Courier and Western Public Advertiser, April 30, 1825-April 1, 1826; May 27, July 15, 22, Sept. 9, 30, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, 11, 28, Dec. 23, 30, 1826; Jan. 20, March 17, 1827; March 21, April 11-25, May 23, June 13, 19-July 17, Aug. 7, 21, 28, Sept. 4, 11, 25-Oct. 9, 30, Nov. 6, Dec. 11, 1829; Jan. 15, 1830; Sept. 8–29, Oct. 13-Dec. 25, 1836; Jan. 5-Feb. 23, April 6-20, May 4-25, June 8-Aug. 6, 17, Oct. 5-26, 1837. (Name changed to Western Courier, 1826; afterward changed to the Western Courier and Portage County Democrat; changed again to The Western Courier, Jan. 12, 1837.) Pennsylvania. Philadelphia. American Weekly Mercury, Dec. 1719-Dec. 1721. These additions are the result of persistent effort along lines advocated in previous reports. The first duty of a State Library is to collect the material that relates to the history of its own state. The early newspapers published within the borders of the state are an important part of that material. Very satisfactory additions of Ohio newspapers have been made within the past year, as the preceding list shows. The more generally it comes to be understood that this material will be properly used and carefully preserved in the State Library, the more readily will it be secured through donations and purchase. It was this faith, more than any other influence, that brought to the library these valuable collections. The list of Cincinnati newspapers is a long and interesting one. The file of the Centinel of the Northwestern Territory is especially valuable, as it contains what until recently was thought no longer to exist the first issue of the first newspaper published in the Northwestern Territory. A description of this paper, together with a brief sketch of its editor, will be found in the appendix of this report. The Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Mercury is a rare early paper. Of the Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gazette, with some change in name, the file added covers a period of forty years extending from 1816 to 1856, the year with which the file previously in the library commences. The other Cincinnati papers covering shorter periods are alike interesting to the student of newspaper evolution and early state history. The entire collection was purchased on very reasonable terms, from John H. James, Esq., of Urbana, Ohio, who personally visited the library and having satisfied himself that the files would be faithfully preserved, consented to part with them. The McConnellsville papers were presented by the heirs of the late John T. Wright, of Chester Hills, Ohio, through the kindly interest of Prof. W. T. Morrey, now of New York City. They complete the larger gift from the same source of which mention was made in our last report, and cover a period of thirty-eight years. The Ravenna papers were purchased from Mr. N. Collins, a venerable pioneer of Portage county, now of Doylestown, Ohio. The early Boston papers were presented by Antioch College. Two very valuable additions came from Mrs. Helen B. P. Cogswell, of Concord, N. H., the daughter of the later Parker Pillsbury, a well known anti-slavery advocate. In a letter Mrs. Cogswell states that she is especially gratified to transfer the papers to the state of Ohio, in which her father did much work for the cause dear to his heart, in the antebellum days. One of these papers is the Anti-Slavery Standard, edited at one time by Wendell Phillips; and the other is the Liberator, edited by William Lloyd Garrison. These papers, with the Anti-Slavery Bugle, added two years ago, fittingly supplement the collection of books and bound pamphlets on the subject of slavery. Two other newspapers that should be added are the Genius of Universal Emancipation, founded by Benjamin Lundy, and the Philanthropist, edited by G. Bailey, Jr. Only scattered numbers of the latter are in the library. Recently some special attention has been devoted to the collection of books and pamphlets relating to Ohio. The purchase of over two hundred volumes is now under consideration. These will substantially aug ment the already favorable showing in this department. JOURNALS OF THE TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE. A volume of unusual interest, accessioned within the past year, contains the following: Journal of the Legislative Council of the Territory of the United States Journal of the Legislative Council of the Territory of the United States Standing Rules and Orders of the House of Representatives of the Terri- Journal of the House of Representatives of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the river Ohio, Second Session of the First General Assembly, 1800. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the Ohio, First Session of the Second General Assembly, 1801. In early reports of the State Librarian frequent mention is made of efforts to get these journals. About 1860 the search for them seems to have been practically abandoned. The foregoing list recently added includes all of the territorial journals printed except those of the first session of the First General Assembly. They all bear the autograph of "J. Burnett," (Jacob Burnett), a member of the Territorial Council. Journals of the Territorial Legislature are extremely rare, but we hope to complete the set within the coming year. LOST COPIES OF OHIO CENSUS. In his report for 1860 the State Librarian says: "The duplicates of the Census return for 1850, deposited in the Secretary of State's office, were appropriately bound and are now preserved in the library, forming sixty-six volumes, which are of peculiar and important service as works of reference." These volumes of the Ohio Census evidently long ago disappeared from the State Library. No mention is made of them in the catalogue published in 1875. It is needless to say that they would now be of very great value. This reference to them is included in this report in the hope that it may lead to their recovery if they have not been destroyed. TRAVELING LIBRARIES. There is no abatement in the demand for traveling libraries. Following is a synopsis of the record since the introduction of the system: Issued 1 Traveling libraries issued within the past year have been distributed. Early in May the following circular letter was sent out to the women's clubs of the state and other organizations pursuing work of a special character: "It is our purpose to send out during the month of June large orders for new books for our Traveling Library Department. As far as possible we shall be pleased to make selections to suit the prospective needs of our patrons. After June our appropriations for this department will be practically exhausted. We very much desire to receive at this office, not later than June 10, club calendars, or lists of subjects to be studied, or lists of books desired, from all clubs expecting to use traveling libraries for the work of the coming year, beginning not earlier than September. We shall be glad to receive from your club a response to this request. It will aid us materially in serving you. Applications received later than June 10, must be filled from books now on the shelves in our Traveling Library Department. From these it may be very difficult to make a selection suited to your work. + Very truly yours, C. B. GALBREATH State Librarian.” About one hundred responses were received to this circular. These answers aided materially in making selections for purchases to meet the demands of the clubs. So successful was the plan that it will be followed in the future. The large number of independent study clubs among the patrons of this department is worthy of note. For the most part they were formed for the special purpose of receiving books from this department. They may therefore be said to be the result of the opportunity held forth by the Traveling Library system. There are now in the Traveling Library Department 16,388 volumes. The total expense of the system since its introduction in 1896, including the purchase of books, cataloguing, administration, labor and incidental expenses has been $17,369.85. This is a very small sum compared with what is expended in similar educational enterprises in other states. I regret to say that these results have been accomplished, in part, through the payment of salaries so low that they bear no just relation to the services rendered. |
