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CHICAGO LIBRARY CLUB
THE CHICAGO LIBRARY CLUB
1905
JTlif Uakrsilir \3rcss
K. R. DONNEl.LEY & SONS COMPANY
CHICAGO
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CONTENTS
PAGE
A List of Libraries in Chicago - - - - 9
Ryerson Library, Art Institute - - - 19
Chicago Historical Society Library - - 27
The John Crerar Library ----- 37
Newberry Library - - - - - - - S^
Chicago Public Library ----- 61
The Chicago Library Club - - - - - 79
86;37 .~
V
A FOREWORD
This little volume is in nowise an attempt to give a com-
plete statement regarding libraries or library efforts in
Chicago. It is the result of the desire, long standing, of the
members of the Chicago Library Club to gather in one place
such data concerning the club, its history, its scope, and
•object as shall present a fairly adequate reason for its exist-
ence.
There are many more libraries in Chicago than are
enrolled here, but it has seemed inexpedient to wait longer
for responses to the several requests sent to them for data.
Moreover, as the Illinois Library Association is about to
publish a fairly complete statement concerning the libraries
of the state, including Chicago, the omission of some names
from this will not be so serious. The five libraries of which
extended notice is herein given have helped to make possible
the publication of this hand-book, and to them acknowledg-
ment is here given.
Mary Eileen Ahern,
C. W. Andrews,
John Vance Cheney,
F. H. HiLD,
H. A. Gould.
Committee.
LIBRARIES IN CHICAGO
Altrua Art Library, 1223 Masonic Temple. Miss Mary Calkins,
Librarian.
History. — Founded iSgy: supported from dues of the Altrua Circle.
Regul.^tions.— Open 9 a. M.-5 p. m.; reference and circulating; for tlie use
of all self-supporting girls and women.
Resources. — Art books 1,075, others 500; also several thousand photographs.
Armour Institute of Technology, 33d and Armour Ave. Mrs.
J. Beveridge, Librarian.
History.— Founded 1S93; supported by Armour Co.
Regulations.— Open S a. M.-5 p. m., and 7-9 p. m.; for the use of the
students of the Institute only; reference and circulating.
Resources.— 17,291 vols.
Chicago Bar Association, lOO Washington St. Carlos P.
Sawyer, Librarian. •
History. — founded 1S92: supported by membersliip dues. •
Regulations.— Open g a. M.-5 p. m., except Sunday; reference ; fur the use
of members.
Resources.— 7,500 vols.
Chicago Heights Free Library, Chicago Heights. Harriet Tay-
lor, Librarian.
History. — Founded 1902; general free library; supported by taxation.
Regulations.— Open 2:30 6 p. m.. 7-9 p. m.: reference and circulating.
Resources. — 2,100 vols.
Chicago Historical Society Library, Dearborn Ave. and Ontario
St. Caroline M. Mcllvaine, Librarian.
History. — It was founded in 1856; lor use of all students; its source of in-
come lies in dues of members and interest on legacies; reports of the library have
been printed.
RECiULATloNS. — It is open from 9 A. .M.-5 P. M.; it is a reference library oiil> .
Resources. — 140,000 vols.; its contents is made up of materials for history
particularly of the Northwestern .States; it has special collections of Karly Chicago
lo Chicago Libraries
imprints, Karly Illinois ni.nvs|>apcTs, Karlv l.iws of Northwestern territories and
states, and between fifteen and twenty thousand manuscripts 'mainly dealing with
this region; museums of relics of early days in the Northwest, portrait gallery
of oil-paintinKs, and marble busts including the explorers and settlers of the
Northwest and Mississippi Valley. (See historical sketch, page 27.1
Chicago Kent College of Law, 18 26 Van Buren St. Thomas
E. D. Bradley, Librarian.
History.— Founded i8Sf<; supporteil from tuition fee.s.
Kegul.ations.— Open during school hours; reference: lor the use of
students and members of the legal profession.
Kesources.— 2.^00 vols.
Chicago Law Institute, 414 Court House. William H. Holden,
Librarian.
History.— Founded 1^57; lor use of stockholders of the Institute (who
must be licensed attorneys); income is derived from the sale of memberships
and from annual dues levied on the memberships; issues annual reports of officers.
Reculations.— Open 8:30 A. m.-;:3o, p. m., 6-<j:3o p. m.; both reference and
circulating; not open to the general public.
Resources. -42,000 vols. *
Chicago Public Library, Randolph and Washington Sts.,
bounding Michigan Ave. Frederick H. Hild, Librarian.
History.— If was founded in 1S72: for use of the people of Chicago; it is
supported by ta.\ation; yearly reports ol the library have been printed.
Regul.ations.— The library is open from 9 .a. m.-io p. m. on week days, and
from q A. M.-6 p. M. on Sundays and holidays; the Tublic Library is both refer-
ence and circulating.
Resources.— Number of volumes in the library is 304--'o- (See historical
sketch, page 65.)
Chicago Theological Seminary, 43 Warren Ave. Herbert
Wright Gates, Librarian.
History. — Founded 1854; supported by endownient.
Re(;ll.\tions.— Open g 12 a. m. and iS and 7-10 p. m.; closed Saturday
evening and Sunday; reference and circulating; open to the public, though
preference is given to the needs of the students and faculty.
Resources.— 23,908 vols.; mainly theological and sociological; special col-
lections: Egyptology, Rise of Congregationalism, Missionary Intelligence.
Libraries in Chicago ii
Chicago Training School, 4949 Indiana Ave. Addie Grace
Wardle, Librarian.
History.— Fuiinded 1883; supported by contributions.
Regulations. Reference and circulating; for the use only of the s udents
of the school.
Resources.— .\bo:it 1,600 vols.; mostly along biblical, missionary, and
philanthropical lines.
Erring Woman's Refuge, 5024 Indiana Ave. Mary Taintor,
Librarian.
History. — Founded 1S88.
Regul.ations.— For the use only of the inmates of the home.
Resources.— About i.ooo volumes.
French Library of the Alliance Francaise, Fine Arts Building,
M. Ingres, Librarian.
History. — Founded 1904; supported by dues of members and donations.
Regulations.— Open g a. M.-5 p. m.; reference aid circulating.
Resources.— 3,000 vols.
Germania Mannenchor German American Library, 25 Germania
PI. Richard Wagenknecht, Librarian.
History.— Supported by the society.
Regulations. — Open during club hours; reference; for the use of club
members.
Resources.— 1,207 vols.
Hahnemann Medical College, 2817 Cottage Grove Ave. Joseph
P. Cobb, M. D., Librarian.
History. — Founded 1893: supported by becpiests and college appropria-
tions.
Regul.ations.— Reference; open to the public.
Resources.— ;, coo vols
Hering Medical College and Hospital, Wood and York Sts.
S. Gaswanis, Librarian.
History. Founded iSqS: supported by \oluntary ccintribi.tiuns.
Kkgul.ations. — Reference; tor the use ol uiedical students only; contains
mounted plates of medicinal plants.
12 Chicago Libraries
Illinois Commandery Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the
United States, 320 Ashland Block. Wm. Elliott Furness, Chairman
of the Library Committee.
. History.— Founded 1879; supported by appropriation and devise; reiiort
printed in June circular.
Regulations.— For the use of companions of the commandery, and the
public, with limitations.
Resources.— 2,800 vols.; Civil War 1861-6;; U. S. regimental histories and
army reunions.
John Crerar Library, Fifth and Sixth Floors, Marshall Field &
Co. Building, 87 Wabash Ave. Clement W. Andrews, Librarian.
History.— It was founded in 1894; for ihe use of the public; its source of
income lies in an endowment by the late John Crerar; first to tenth reports of
library have been printed.
Regul.ations. — It is open from q a. m.-io p. m.; reference only.
Resources. — 13). 194 vols.; scientific and technical. (See historical sketcii,
page 37.)
Lake View High School, Ashland Ave. and Irving Park Boule-
vard. Helen M. Sheldon, Librarian.
History. — Founded 1S74; school library.
Regul.ations.— Open 8:30 a. M.-4 p. m.; reference and circulating; lor
students of tlie school.
Resources.— 3,440 vols.
Lewis Institute Library, cor. Madison and Robey Sis. Frances
S. Talcott, Librarian.
History. — Founded iSgS; source of income (see page 11 of catalogue); re-
port printed in .'\nnual Register of Lewis Institute.
Regul.\tions.— Reference; for the use of the students of Lewis Institute
and the public.
Resources.— 12.000 vols.
Marshall High School, Adams and Kedzie.
History.— Founded iSg;; school library; supported by entertainments.
Regulations.— Open during school hours; reference; for the use of pupils
and teachers.
Resources.— 2,000 vols.
Libraries in Chicago 13
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 80 Institute Place. John H.
Hunter, Librarian.
History. — Founded i8qi; supported by the Institute.
Regulations. — Open one hour in the afternoon and one in the evening;
reference and circulating; for the use of the students of the Institute.
Resources. — i, 600 vols.; almost entirely theological.
Newberry Library, situated in Walton Place. J. V. Cheney,
Librarian.
History.— It was founded in 1887; for the use of the public; its source of
income is in an endowment; yearly reports of the library have been printed.
Regul.ations.— The library is open from 9 A. m.-io p. m.; closed two weeks,
beginning first Monday in August, and on the chief holidays; it is a reference
library entirely; open to the public.
Resources. — Number of volumes January i, 1905. 202,727, and 70,965 pam-
phlets; total, 273,692.
Char.acter of Contents. — General reference collection, excepting
books relating to Science and the Useful Arts.
Special Collections. — .Among the special collections may be named, the
Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte collection of philology; the Count Pio Resse col-
lection of music; the Clarke collection of works on fish, fish culture, and
angling; the Bailey collection of works on China; the Dr. Wilhelm B. Baum col-
lection of works on surgery; the Dr. Emil DuBois-Reymond collection of works
on phys'ology; the Schwarzlose .Arabic collection; the collection of Incunabula,
over 200 volumes; the collection of manuscripts, upwards of 150 in number; the
collection of English and American hymn books; the collection of genealogy,
inde.xed in 700 folio typewritten volumes.
OiHER Items of Interest.— The Museum, the special feature of which is
the Probasco collection of 1,200 volumes of masterpieces in the arts of calligraphy,
illumination, printing, illustration, and bindmg. (See historical sketch, page 51.)
Northwest Division High School Library, cor. Claremont and
Potomac Aves. C. L. Hooper, Librarian.
History.— Founded 1892; supported by the school dramatic and musical
societies and the Board of Education.
Regulations.— Open 8:30 a. M.-4 p. m. every school day; reference and
circulating; and for the use of:pupils, teachers, and alumni.
Resources.— .X bout 1,900 vols.
Northwestern University Medical School Alumni Association,
2431 Dearborn St. May T. Hillan, Librarian.
History.- Founded 1895; supported by proceeds from sale of te.vt-books
to students and part of librarian's salary paid by college.
14 Chicago Libraries
REi;ii.ATioNS.--Open 8:30 a. m.-6 p. m., Saturday to ?; rufeioiicc; not open
to the public.
Resources.— 4,000 vols. ; the library contains complete sets Sydenham So-
ciety publications. Virchow's .Archiv, Hoppa-Sayler'sZeitschrift fur Psychoioiifische
Chemie, Centralblatt fur Bakteriolo«:ie, Centralblatt (ur Mlgenieine Patholot'ie u.
Pathologische Anatoiiiie. .Mso complete tiles of the more important American
medical lournal;;.
Northwestern University School of Law, Northwestern Univer-
sity Building. F. B. Crosslcy, Librarian.
History.— Founded i8:g: supported by the rniversity and gi t.s.
Re<;li.ations. -Open 8:30 A. M.-9 i". M.: reference; for the use of law
students, members of the bar, and, under cert lin restrictions, all persons in-
terested in continental jurisprudence.
Resources.— i6,003 vols.; Gary collection on continental law.
Northwestern University School of Pharmacy, 87 Lake St.
History.— Founded 1SS7; supported by the sale ol text-books, and sritts.
Regulations.— Open during: school hours: reference; for the use ol phar-
maceutical students.
Resources.— 1,000 vols.; pharmaceutical, chemical, botanical.
Postal Telegraph Employes Library, Postal Telegraph Building,
J. E. Pettit, President.
History.— Founded i8g;; supported by a 10 cents monthly tee Iroiii its
members.
Regulations.— Open S a. m. 5 p. m.: circulatins,'; for the use of the em-
I)loyes of the Postal Telegraph Co.
Resources.— I, Soo vols.
Quine Library, College of Physicians and Surgeons, University
of Illinois, cor. Congress and Honore Sts. Metta M. Loomis,
Librarian.
History.— Founded 189;: supported by college.
RE(;ul.ations. — Open to all interested in medicine and the allied sciences.
Resources.— 7,952 vols.: and a perpetual loan collection ol i.Spo vols.,
mostly foreign journals.
Ryerson Library of the Art Institute of Chicago, Lake Front,
opposite Adams St. (Miss) Jessie L. Forrester, Librarian.
History.— It was founded in 1879; (or use of stutlents and members ol the
.\rt Institute, and all serious students of art: annual rei)ort.--_of tin- library luivc
been printed since 1892.
Libraries in Chicago 15
Regulations.— The library is open from g a. M.-5 p. m.; it is both a refer-
ence and circulating library; it is open to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays,
and public holidays. (See historical sketch, pag-e iq.)
St. Charles Borromeo Library, 12th and Cypress Sts. In charge
of a library board.
History.— Founded in iqoo; supported by the sodalities of the parish.
Regulations. — Open one afternoon and one evening of each week; circu-
lating; for the use of parish sodalities.
Resources.— I, goo vols.
St. Ignatius College Library, I2th St., nr. cor. Blue Island Ave.
James J. O'Meara, S. J., Librarian.
History.— Founded 1870.
Kegul.ations. — Open g .-v. M.-4 v. m.; reference; for the use of the college
faculty.
Resources.— .About 33,000 vols.
Being designed for the use of the Jesuit community and the college faculty,
the books purchased or donated from time to time, while indicating a broad plan
of learning, are mostly in the line of studi s useful for college training and sacer-
dotal functions. .Accordingly the best collections lie in the domain of theology,
history, scieiiiC, and literature, especially English and the ancient classics.
In theology, besides Bellarmine. Ripalda. Toletus, Petavius, and two score
celebrated authors, ancient and modern, there are six editions of the Summa of
Thomas Aquinas, including the latest folio edition of 11 vols., published under Leo
XIII.: Suarez. S. J., opera in 26 vols, quarto; Uuns Scotus in 26 vols., Paris; Vives;
Bonaventurs Opera in i; vols.; Bede, 6 vols.; Dionysius of Halicarnassus, 21
vols.
Dogmatic and moral theology, canon law, liturgy, patrology, bibliology,
sacred oratory, and controversial works are classified in this department under
the general title of Religion. In bibliology, besides a dozen concordances, many
le.xicons, and over 50 Bibles, some rare and ancient, the most precious is the
Biblia Polyglotta of Brian Walton, published in London, i6;7, in 6 large folios;
also CastelTs Lexicon Polyglotton, i66g, in two large folios. The bulk of Bible
literature consists of commentaries on the several books of the Bible, by A.
Lapide, Cornely, Hummelauer. and other authors approved by the Catholic
Church, and in line with Catholic interpretation.
In patrology, or the works of the Latin and Greek Fathers, there is Migne's
collection of 304 vols., published at Paris. Bearing on canon law is Mansi's Col-
lection of the Councils in 40 folio vols., and Bulls of the Popes in 50 folio vols.
In ecclesiastical history are the Annales Ecclesiastici of Cardinal Baronius;
Natalis Alexander: History of the Council of Trent, by Sforza Pallavicini, 1769;
the same by Soave Poiano. translated into English by Nicholas Brent, London,
1620. (1700) Giaici Scriptores hist, eccles., i. e., Eusebius, Socrates, etc., 6 folios.
Cave's Apostolic Fathers and Historia literaria scriptorum ecclesiasticoruin.
i6 Chicago Libraries
Among Knglish authors, there is Bacon's I.iber Regis; Bin^rham, Burnett, ?trvpe;
Laud's Conference witii Fisher.
In profane history, ancient and modern, England and the U. S. are best
represented. Among older works Rapin de Thoyras" History of England, pub-
lished 1732, and Clarendon's Rebellion, are worthy of mention, along with
Froissart's Chronicles and the Anglo-Saxon and Norman Chronicles. Histoire de
France, Velly, \'illarct, Garnier, 16 vols.; Charlevoix, I.echevaiier, Joinville,
Wrascall.
In art, Carrucci's " Storia dell'arte Christina " takes first place.
A curious and valuable work for its illustrations, is Ficart's " Religious cere-
monies and customs of all nations " in 7 folio vols.
There isa large and complete collection of the Latin and Greek classical
works, mostly old editions annotated by the best critics, comprising 400 volumes.
Graevius, Thesaurus Antiquitatum, Romanaruni in 12 vols., Gronovius, Thesaurus
Antiquitatum^Graecarum in 12 vols., folio, 1732, Venice, with supplement of 5 vols,
by Sallengre, and 3 vols, by Polenus, Venice, 1738, make a set of 32 vols.
Jesuit authors are conspicuous; 66 folio vols, of the Bollandist Acta Sanc-
torum and 21 vols, of supplementary notes, Analecta Bollandiana,' Jesuit Rela-
tions in 73 vols.; Hamy's Gallerie lllustre, S. J. 10 vols.; Monunienta Historica
S. J. 240; Sommervogel Library of Jesuit Authors, 9 vols, quarto. Some manu-
scripts of twelfth and thirteenth century and rare old books printed on vellum in
Gothic black-letter and bound in boards: e. g. Euclid of 1482, Pliny of 1473,
Boethius of 1491, Sunima of 1496.
Teachers' College Library, 68th St.' and Stewart Ave. Helene
Louise Dickey, Librarian.
History.— Founded about 18S3 as Cook County Normal School library;
supported by Board of Education.
Regulations.— Open 8:15 .a. m.-; p. m., except Saturdays and holidays.
Resources.— 17,750 vols.
Teachers' Reference Library, Board of Education Rooms,
Room 606, Tribune Bldg. Flora J. Bates, Librarian.
History. — Founded 1904; all the books now in the library were donated by
the publishers.
Regulations. — Open on Wednesdays from 3:45-6 p. m., and on Saturdays,
from 9 A. M.-3 p. M.; for the use of teachers.
Resources.— Contains about 2,050 volumes.
Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1301-
1311 Sheffield Ave. R. F. Weidner, President.
History.— Founded 1891 : supported by gifts.
Regulations.— Open 7 a. m.-io p. m.; reference: for the use of the stu-
dents and faculty of the seminary.
Resources.— 6,500 vols.
Libraries in Chicago 17
Theosophical Libraries Chicago Branch, 426 Van Buren St.
Harriet P. Hurlbut, Librarian.
History.— Founded ibSs; supported by donations and tines.
Regulations.— Open lo A M.-6 p. m., except Sunday; reference and circu-
lating; for the use of members of the Theosophical Society in Chicago.
Resources.— 470 vols.; theological and scientific.
Union League Club, E. E. Noyes, Librarian.
History.— Founded iS8o; supported by Club funds.
Regulations.— Reference; for the use of Club members.
Resources.— 3ooo vols.
University of Chicago Library, Ellis Ave. and 58th St. Zella
Allen Dixon, Librarian.
History.— Founded 1892 supported by the University and students' fees;
report in govt. Rept. on libraries in U. S. and in reports of the University.
Regul.\tions.— Open 8:30 a. m.-;:3o p. m.; reference and circulating; for
the use of members of the University and the public.
Resources.— 419,122 vols, (approximate'): special collections— Am. Bible
Union (early English tr. of the Bible); Howard collection (matrimonial institu-
tions); Emil-Hirsch-Bernays collection, German and French Classics.
University of Illinois School of Pharmacy, Michigan Ave. and
I2th St. W. B. Day, Librarian.
History.— Founded 1859; supported by the University.
Regul.\tions.— Reference; open to the public.
Resources.— About i,;oovols.
Virginia Library of the McCormick Theological Seminary, 1060
N. Halsted St. ; in care of a committee 01 the faculty.
History.- Founded 1894; supported by special and private funds.
Regulations.— Reference and circulating; open to scholars recommended.
Resources.— 31,000 vols.
"Waller High School, Orchard and Center Sts. O. L. Wescott,
Principal.
History.— P'ounded 1S74; school library; supported by Board of Education.
Regul.^tions.— Open 9 a. m.-2;3o p. m.; reference; for use of pupils and
teachers only.
Resources.— About 1,600 vols., exclusive of pamphlets.
i8 Chicago Libraries
Wendell Phillips High School Library, 39th St. and Prairie Ave.
His roKY.— Supported by t'itts.
Regulations.— Reference; fur tlic use of pupils ol the scliool.
Resources.— 1,423 vols.
Western New Church Union, 501 Masonic Temple. Sophie M.
Saul, Librarian.
History.— Founded 1S72; supiiorted by invested funds and annual dues.
Regul.ations.— Open 10 .a. m.-; p. m.; reference and circulating; privileges
obtained by the general public on payment of .^^i.oo annual dues.
Kf.soircks,— Reference, 1,14"; lending, 150; chiefly religious.
Western Society of Engineers, 1737 Monadnock Building. J. H.
Warder, Secy.
History.— Founded i86g.
Regul.ations.— Reference; primarily for the use of the members of the
Society, but now open and free to the public.
Resources.— 5,200 vols.: Engineering, Technical, and Scientific.
Western Theological Seminary, 11 13 Washington Boulevard.
Rev. Francis J. Hall, D. D., Librarian.
History.— Founded 1885; supi>orted by occasional small appropriations
from the general funds of the seminary.
Regulations.— Open for reference at all times ot the day and evening; for
the withdrawal of books by seminarians from 9 A. M.-12 m. The clergy and
religious people generally may consult the library where previous arrangements
have been made.
Resources.— 5,700 vols.; chiefly theological. Special collections— Jubilee
College and Bishop Hale.
Young Men's Christian Association — Central Department, 153
La Salle St. W. S. Sandford, Librarian.
History. — Founded 1S60; supported by the Association.
Regul.ATIONS.— Open q \. iM.-io p. m.; reference and circulating; open
to members of the Association.
Resources.— 1,000 vols.
Young Women's Christian Association, 288 Michigan Ave.
D. B. Crandall, Librarian.
History.— Founded 1S77; No special source of income.
Regul.ATIONS.— Open 8 \. m.-9:3o p. m.; Sundays, 1:30-9 p. m-; for the use
of the members of the home.
Resources.— About 3,000 vols.
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THE RYERSON LIBRARY
THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
The foundations of the library of the Art Institute were
laid in 1879, when a fee of $2 was imposed upon every
student entering the school, to be expended for the pur-
chase of books upon art, so that it is now about 26 years
since Mr. French, the Director of the Art Institute, bought
the first book for the library, namely, "The Grammar of
Painting," by Charles Blanc. In this way a library was
founded, which, until 1887, received no other help except a
few trilling gifts of books. In 1887, through a gift of
$1,250 from Mrs. A. M. H. Ellis, additions were made to
the Reference Department, proper cases and appliances
were provided, a card catalogue was begun, and it became
possible to devote a room to the uses of Library and Read-
ing-Room. The books purchased with Mrs. Ellis's gift
are all marked "Sumner Ellis Memorial." In 1894-95
this fund, although always expended with careful consider-
ation, became exhausted, and for several years the matricu-
lation fees of the students, amounting to something like
$700 annually, was the only regular source of income. Of
necessity, this sum has been expended for subscriptions to
periodicals, binding and repairs of books, library fittings,
and occasional small purchases of books.
In October, 1901, the Art Institute entered into pos-
session of the present library building, the munificent gift
of Mr. Martin A. Ryerson. The library was formally
opened by an afternoon reception (October 26th), attended
by many friends of the Art Institute, the librarians and
19
20 Chicago Libraries
other officers of sister institutions, who were invited to
meet Mr. and Mrs. Ryerson.
The Library occupies a room of generous proportions for
so special a library, sixty-five by seventy feet, situated in the
south court, and corresponding to Fullerton Memorial Hall in
the north court, designed by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, the
architects of the rest of the building. The general scheme
of decoration was designed and executed by Elmer E. Garii-
sey, of New York. The walls are a soft green, and the pillars
separating the alcoves have capitals of greenish bronze, while
above them are lunette-shaped windows. The skylight, of
translucent glass, sliglitly iridescent, and leaded in a graceful
pattern, was designed by Louis J. Millet. The frieze run-
ning below the lunettes bears in gilt letters the names of
writers on art from classic times to the present. The fur-
niture and fittings are of mahogany.
The Dewey Classification, subject to modifications made
by the librarian, is used, for which the alcoves are admirably
adapted, the student finding very readily what he wants, if
the alcove contains it. There is shelving space sufficient to
accommodate about eight thousand volumes, nearly half of
that number being already installed, and in constant use in the
Library. The stack room space underneath the Library is
almost unlimited, the wall space alone being sufficient for at
least 20,000 volumes. So far no stack room has been in
requisition, and the space assigned for it has been devoted
to offices, a Library Class Room, and school purposes. The
Library Class Room has been of great assistance to art classes
under teachers, since the photographs and books can be
taken to it, and conversation and discussion carried on in this
room, which of course is not permitted in the Library.
In connection with the Dewey Classification a dictionary
The Ryerson Library 21
catalogue is used, giving simply the author and title, supple-
mented, by a subject catalogue. An analytical catalogue of
the illustrations and text contained in the volumes is also
well advanced.
The Library of the Art Institute is a students' library,
embracing under that term teachers, lecturers, authors,
curators, etc., originally intended for students and members
of the Art Institute, but practically made free to any serious
student of art. It is exclusively an art library, but contains
also necessary reference books and dictionaries. Preference
has been given to works in English to suit the general reader,
although a good many volumes in foreign languages are
included, of which English translations do not exist.
To meet the wants of art students, more especially
students of the Art Institute, is the principal aim and desire,
and to them are issued certain books, which constitute a
circulating library. Books containing valuable plates are kept
in the Reference Department. The students of architecture
and decorative design are especially dependent upon books
of reference, and much attention has been given to their
needs. The collection is already respectable, but the costli-
ness of books of this class prevents their rapid accumulation.
Provision is made also for the needs of students pursuing
required or special courses, such as artistic anatomy, per-
spective, illustration, history of art, etc.
From time to time the Library has been the recipient of
very valuable gifts. Mrs. Ellis's generous and timely assist-
ance in 1887 was shortly followed by the accession of Muy-
bridge's great work on "Animal Locomotion," consisting of
eleven large volumes, costing $600, subscribed for and pre-
sented by friends of the Art Institute. This book demon-
strated not only something of what could be done in
22 Chicago Libraries
photography, but also revolutionized the work of the artist,
giving him almost any and every variety of pose. The dis-
covery was then made that many of the old pictures and
statues, particularly the equestrian, were untrue, as it would
be utterly impossible in life for the horse to occupy the
positions it is represented as occupying in earlier art. In
1900 Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Nickerson presented 125 vol-
umes, many of them "edition de luxe," all important works,
and a valuable addition to an art library. Special mention
should be made also of Mr. William G. Hibbard's gift
of "The Vanderbilt House and Collection," published by
George Barrie & Son, of Philadelphia, the reproductions
constituting a magnificent work of four volumes. Louis
Prang's wonderful reproductions of Mr. W. T. Walter's Col-
lection of Oriental Ceramics, with text by S. W. Bushell, is
in the department of Decoration and Design. The process
used in these reproductions is simple lithography, but carried
to such perfection that the result is remarkable. These ten
volumes were another gift from Mrs. Ellis, always the friend
of the library.
A short time ago Mr. Pierpont Morgan sent to the Library
the exquisite catalogue of his collection of Chinese porce-
lains, in which the process employed by Prang is followed,
but carried still further than in the Walters Collection. The
Pierpont Morgan catalogue was printed for private circula-
tion only, and is limited to something like 250 copies, one of
which the Library possesses.
The Library has many generous friends who have repeat-
edly remembered it, among them Mr. H. H. Getty, Mr. R.
Hall McCormick, Mr. J. E. Woodhead, Mr. A. H. Granger,
Mr. W. J. Onahan, etc. Time and space will not permit
the enumeration of their gifts.
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During the summer of 1903 the Librarian was asked to
prepare a bibliography of about 500 works on art, not al-
ready in the Ryerson Library, which would greatly enhance
its value. At his own request, this list was sent to Mr.
Ryerson, who responded with a check for $i,000, suggest-
ing that this sum be expended in the purchase of the more
inexpensive books mentioned in the list. The rule accord-
ingly adhered to has been an average price of about I3 a vol-
ume, occasionally including an $8 or $10 volume, but preserv-
ing the average. In February of this year Mr. Ryerson gave
another |i,ooo, suggesting an average price per book of
$12 or $15. In October, 1903, the Trustees voted that the
income from the John Quincy Adams fund, the Frances E.
Ogden fund, and the Huntington W. Jackson fund (the
interest of $ii,000) be appropriated for the year to the pur-
pose of buying books for the Ryerson Library. The Libra-
rian was thus enabled, during a visit to London in the sum-
mer of 1904, to select some important works on subjects in
which the Librai'y was lacking. It is hoped that the appro-
priation maybe continued.
A very important feature in the Library is the collection
of photographs. In 1893 Dr. D. K. Pearsons presented to
the Art Institute the collection of large carbon photographs,
commonly known as autotypes, published by Braun & Co.,
of Paris. The collection numbers 16,001 subjects, and at
the time of its presentation was nearly the complete pub-
lication of Braun & Co. Reproductions of the works in
several other museums and private collections have since
been published, to the number of 2,185, ^^'^^ the Libra-
rian is at present in correspondence with Braun & Co. in
regard to completing the collection. The photographs in
the Library include authentic reproductions of the paintings.
24 Chicago Libraries
drawings, and sculptures of the great masters, ancient and
modern, contained in the museums of Europe. There is
no other collection so large in America, and it constitutes
a feature of the library of the highest value. The place
formerly filled in art libraries by expensive collections of
engravings is now filled, and well filled, by photographs.
For the ordinary purposes of art study, photographs are
better than engravings, and vastly less expensive. Engrav-
ings have become chiefly valuable, not as reproductions of
the works from which they are taken, but as exemplifications
of the engraver's art. In a purely artistic light, therefore,
the Pearsons' Collection of Photographs is an excellent sub-
stitute for the great collections of engravings in some of the
older libraries. The value of this collection is estimated at
$30,000. It overshadows all other single acquisitions to the
Library, and is known as the "Mrs. D. K. Pearsons' Collec-
tion of Carbon Photographs." They are conveniently in-
stalled and alphabetically arranged in 38 cases, containing
each seven sliding drawers. A drawer holds between 60 and
70 photographs. The Old Masters are on one side of the
library, the works of Modern Masters and drawings from the
old masters on the opposite wall. Many miscellaneous pho-
tographs of minor importance are kept downstairs, as well
as "The Stickney Collection of Engravings," consisting of
275 prints, large, medium, small, mounted, and unmounted,
also 22 volumes, some of which are bound, others in port-
folios. The Stickney Collection is installed in a case which
does not correspond with the Library furniture, and for that
reason it is kept in the Library Class Room, where it is per-
fectly accessible.
The Library at present contains 3,947 volumes. This
does not include outstanding orders, nor does it include the
The Ryerson Library
volumes of binders containing catalogues, about 370 in num-
ber, on our shelves.
The number of volumes in the various departments is
approximately as follows: Architecture, 610; decoration and
design, 510; dravi^ing and painting, 775; sculpture, 160;
engraving and etching, 105; general history of art, illustrated
catalogues, and periodicals, 1,025. The remaining 762 vol-
umes comprise works on archaeology, encyclopaedias of art,
guide books, general encyclopaedias, and dictionaries. Our
periodical list comprises 56 of the leading art periodicals of
the day.
The Library is open daily, with the exception of Sundays,
from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
it remains open until seven for the benefit of the evening
students. Wednesdays and Saturdays, the open days of the
Museum, it is practically a free public library. The Libra-
rian's report for 1904 records an attendance during the year
of 51,882 visitors, of whom 31,851 were members of the
Art Institute School; 397 was the largest total attendance in
one day. The Library staff consists of one Librarian, one
Reference Librarian and Cataloguer, one Assistant Ref-
erence Librarian and Cataloguer, and three student Assist-
ants.
Jessie L. Forrester, Librarian.
CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY
Previous to the great Chicago fire of 1 87 1 there were but
two libraries in Chicago open to the public. One of these
was that of the Young Men's Association, organized in 1841.
The other v/as the Chicago Historical Society Library,
founded in 1856, which may be said to have had a continuous
existence of fifty years, for although the entire collection,
amounting to 100,000 volumes, manuscripts, and pamph-
lets, was destroyed October 9, 1 871, yet before the end
of November of that year, active steps had been taken
to resume the work. Sister societies in all parts of this
country, and even abroad, contributed their publications and
duplicates, and the New England Historic Genealogical
Society, of Boston, placed a room in its new fire-proof
building at the disposal of this Society, to which the vari-
ous donations were sent until a safe place of deposit
could be provided. Very considerable collections were soon
made and forwarded to Chicago, only to be consumed in the
fire of July, 1874. Undismayed by this second calamity, a
few enterprising and cultured men, true to the brave and
sterling qualities for which Chicago has become famous,
stood together and began again the work of the Society, at a
time when men of less exalted ideals would have felt justified
in turning their whole attention to the re-establishment of
their own homes. As the result of such heroic effort the
Society met for the first time in its temporary building,
October 16, 1877, with the nucleus of a third collection, and
with a prestige heightened by these vicissitudes. It was
27
28 Chicago Libraries
even possible to reassemble the greater portion of the rare
books and newspapers destroyed, for members of the Society
contributed their personal copies of these works, and hun-
dreds of volumes in the Library bear the autographs of pioneer
citizens.
An attempt to give a list of the prominent residents who
have been members of this organization and supporters of
its Library would result in naming almost every public-spirited
man who has aided in developing the commercial, artistic,
and literary growth of Chicago. The officers who have suc-
cessively served the Society are as follows:
Presidents.— Wilham H. Brown, Walter L. Newberry,
J. Young Scammon, Edwin H. Sheldon, Isaac N. Arnold,
E. B. Washburne, Edward G. Mason, John N. Jewett, A.
C. McClurg, and the present incumbent, Franklin H. Head.
Secretaries and Librarians. — Rev. William Barry (the
founder of the Society), assisted by Samuel Stone; Thomas
H. Armstrong, Lemuel G. Olmstead, J. W. Hoyt, William
Corkran, Belden F. Culver, Albert D. Hagar, assisted by
Charles Harpel; John Moses, Charles Evans, James W.
Fertig, present Secretary; Caroline M. Mcllvaine, present
Librarian.
Sources of Income. — Mr. Henry D. Gilpin, a public-
spirited citizen of Philadelphia, who died in i860, bequeathed
to the Society the sum of $45,000 to be invested and the
proceeds used for the erection and maintenance of a fire-
proof librarv building. Others who have made bequests to
the Society have been John Crerar, Lucretia Pond, George
M. Pullman, Elizabeth Hammond Stickney, Jonathan Burr,
Philo Carpenter, Mrs. J. Y. Scammon, Huntington W.
Jackson, Henry J. Willing, Elias T. Watkins, and T. Mauro
Garrett. The interest on these funds, together with the
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Chicago Historical Society Library 29
dues of its members, constitute the only sources of revenue
of the Society.
Buildings. — The Society has occupied successively the
following homes: 1856-68, Newberry Building, northeast
corner Wells and Kinzie streets; 1868-71, Society's Build-
ing (first). Dearborn Avenue and Ontario Street; 1872-74,
number 209 Michigan Avenue; 1877-92, Society's Building
(second). Dearborn Avenue and Ontario Street; 1892-96,
collections stored; since 1896 Society's Building (third),
Dearborn Avenue and Ontario Street. In 1892 the Henry
D. Gilpin fund, having by careful investment more than
trebled itself, and the legacy under the will of John Crerar
having become available, it was determined to solicit from
its members subscriptions for the erection of a permanent
fire-proof home for the Society, on the site at the corner of
Dearborn Avenue and Ontario Street so long identified with
its history. To this appeal the members responded with
their unfailing liberality. The temporary building being
cleared away, the corner-stone of the new structure was laid
with appropriate ceremonies, November 12, 1892, and on
the evening of December 15, 1896, in the presence of a
brilliant and representative gathering, the formal dedication
took place.
To the energy of its president, Edward G. Mason, who
was at once a man of affairs, an historian, and a bibliophile,
this consummation of the designs of the early founders is
due. Under his direction, and at a cost of $190,000, ex-
clusive of the land, a scheme of fire-proof construction and
furnishing was executed which in completeness has no equal
in a building used for similar purposes in the world. The
design is Romanesque and being carried out in Aberdeen
red granite, steel, and tile, the effect is one of massiveness,
3© Chicago Libraries
and great durability is secured. The absolute safety from
fire has aided to make this Library a repository for dona-
tions of valuable manuscripts, relics, and portraits.
After passing the outer doors of ornamental bronze one
enters the main hall, which extends two stories in height, and
is lighted from above by a sky-light. This hall is devoted to
portraits and relics of representatives of the French rc'gime
in the Mississippi Valley. Here is a fireplace built of relics
of the great fire — stones taken from the old Illinois Central
depot, Cook County Court House, and the Nixon Building.
At the left of the entrance is the Reading Room, the walls
of which are hung with portraits of historical characters
connected with the history of Illinois. Here, also, are kept
current periodicals, reference works, and the file of the
Chicago Tribune, which, with its predecessors, the Press
and the Democrat, goes back to 1833. Back of the Reading
Room is the Gilpin Library, which at night is shut off from
the rest of the building by sliding iron doors. Here the
books are all stored in iron cases with movable stone shelves.
On the right of the main entrance is the John Crerar
Hall, the lecture hall of the Society, where are placed marble
busts and oil-portraits of persons prominent in the history of
Chicago, who have been members of this Society.
Ascending the broad stairway from the main hall, one
passes a series of bronze relief portraits by Kemyss, of the
French explorers, Indians, and some of the famous hunters
and trappers of the Central West. On the second landing
hangs a full-length oil-portrait of Shabona, the well-known
Chicago Indian, painted from life by Webber. Scenes in
the life of Father Marquette, done in relief by McNeil,
occupy the gallery about the main hall on the second floor.
From this gallery open the Manuscript Room, the Stickney
Chicago Historical Society Library 31
Library, and the Museum, which latter contains objects
illustrating the development of the Chicago region from
prehistoric times to the present.
On the third floor are the Newspaper Room, the United
States Document Room, and the Duplicate Room.
Scope of the Library. — Contrary to popular belief the
Library does not consist mainly of works relating to Chicago,
although Its collection of Chicago material is probably more
extensive than that of any other library. As stated in its
constitution the Society was formed "to collect and preserve
the materials of history, and to spread historical information,
especially concerning the Northwestern states." By com-
mon consent this has been extended to include the Mississippi
Valley. With the above object in view the officers of the
Society have, through the years, watched the book-marts of
the world to purchase for the Library the source books, and
above all the manuscripts and documents, which would make
this collection a store-house for future writers and teachers
of history, where might be found all the materials for refer-
ence and original research relative to every line of interest
in the Middle West. In fact, "history" has been defined in
its broadest sense to include all that goes to make up the
development of this region along economic, social, political,
scientific, and artistic lines. The total number of volumes,
manuscripts, and pamphlets is 140,000.
Manuscripts.— The James Madison Papers, 1778- 1836,
purchased for the Society by Mr. Marshall Field, consist of
eight large volumes, containing some 1,400 letters and
papers, written during the time Madison was delegate
to the Continental Congress, member of the Constitutional
Convention, and of the first Congress, Secretary of State,
and President of the United States. Three volumes con-
32 Chicago Libraries
tain the letters of John Armstrong, Joseph Jones, and
Edmund Randolph to James Madison, and throw light upon
all tlie important occurrences of those times.
The James Wilkinson Papers, 1 779- 1 823, are contained
in four magnificent folio volumes, bound in full morocco,
and each manuscript is mounted separately. In this collec-
tion, besides letters written by Wilkinson, are letters from
Thomas Jefferson, Timothy Pickering, General Dearborn,
W. C. C. Claiborne, Governor of Louisiana; Marquis of
Casa Calvo, Spanish commandant at New Orleans; Morales,
Spanish commandant at Pensacola; Auguste Chouteau, of
St. Louis; and copies of letters from Aaron Burr and others
relating to Burr's movements and capture.
The Ninian Edwards Papers, consisting of the letters and
documents, public and private (i 800-32), of Illinois's terri-
torial governor, are an especially interesting commentary
upon the politics and manners of his day, particularly in the
Northwest. A portion of these papers form volume IIL of
the Society's Collections, for the publication of which the
Society is indebted to Mr. Marshall Field.
The Pierre Menard Papers comprise three quarto volumes,
largely official documents of the first lieutenant governor of
Illinois, who held almost every office in the power of the
people of Illinois to bestow.
The papers relating to the French r/gimc in Illinois and
in the Mississippi Valley, consist of original documents and
letters in the handwriting of Joliet, Allouez, La Salle, Tonty,
Frontenac, and other governors of New France, copies of
the parish registers of the early French missions, etc.
Among these documents is the letter of La Salle, dated at
Chicagou, September i, 1683, in which he gives his parting
directions to Tonty and the little band left at Fort St. Louis.
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Chicago Historical Society Library ^t,
Another document of even greater historic interest is the
deed, or bill of sale, given by Francois de la Forest, the
partner of Tonty, to Michel Acau, by which De la Forest's
share of the land that is now Starved Rock, was conveyed to
Acau. This is in all probability the first deed to real estate
within the present state of Illinois.
The Papers of President James K. Polk consist of the
Diary kept during his administration, 1845-48, and original
drafts of documents, 1826-48.
In addition to the above collection the Society has some
14,000 individual manuscripts bound and indexed. These
contain many documents, letters, and reminiscences of Illi-
nois pioneers, and additions are constantly being made by
early residents.
Gilpin Library — ^Leaving the Manuscript Room and
returning to the first floor, we come to the Library proper,
with its many dingy russet-colored volumes bearing on their
bindings the blind or gold tooling of a bygone epoch.
These are the original editions of the writings of the explor-
ers of the Mississippi Valley. First and foremost of these
rarities is Melchisedech Thevenot's Recueil de Voyages, in
which motley collection of pamphlets Marquette's narrative
of his voyage down the Mississippi first saw the light in
print, though in abridged form, and accompanied by a map
which Marquette never saw. Next to this little volume
stands the reprint made for Mr. Obadiah Rich in Paris in
1845, being number 64 of an edition of 125 numbered
copies. And next to this the Dutch translation of Pieter
vander Aa, Leyden, 1707. An opportunity to compare these
printed records with the manuscript originals occurred during
the winter of 1904-05 when those precious documents were
loaned to the Society and were on exhibition for several weeks.
34 Chicago Libraries
_ ^
together with other archives from the College of St. Mary's
at Montreal.
Here, also, is the Dernures dc'couvertes dans V Amc'rique
septentrionale de M. de la Sale, par Tonti, Paris, 1687,
which Tonti repudiated, and the English translation of the
faithful Joutel's Journal oj the Last Voyage perjormed by
Monsr. de la Sale, London, 17 14; here we may read Henne-
pin's version of affairs in French, Dutch, and English, like-
wise that of La Honton. Later we find Charlevoix, La
Potherie, the Jesuit Relations, Margry, etc.
The collection in the department of geography and travels
beginning with the nineteenth century lacks few if any works
of importance, and contains many volumes of the greatest
rarity. Here are numerous editions of Lewis and Clark,
Patrick Gass, and other early travelers.
The collection of maps, directories, gazetteers, and guides
to the Central West is remarkably rich, and among these latter
are many rare and curious emigrants' guides filled with direc-
tions and advice to prospective settlers. The collection of
county atlases and histories of Illinois and the surrounding
states is also large.
A great effort has been made to assemble examples of all
the early newspapers and periodicals published m Illinois,
with the result that over two hundred titles are catalogued,
forming an almost inexhaustible source of information as to
the politics, manners, and customs of bygone days.
The Library is a government repository for United States
documents, and also receives the publications of Illinois and
the surrounding states. Notable in this department are the
rare original editions of the statutes of the Northwest Terri-
tory, Indiana Territory, and Illinois Territory, 1788 to 1818,
comprising seventeen volumes.
Chicago Historical Society Library 35
Classification and Cataloguing. — Reclassification by the
Cutter Expansive plan for special collections is in progress.
A typewritten card-catalogue of the dictionary tvpe is in
course of preparation. The special catalogue of maps chrono-
logically arranged under localities contained 1,500 entries
January i. An Index of Portraits of residents of Illinois
and the adjacent states contains at date over 12,000 entries,
drawn entirely from oil-portraits, portrait busts, photographs,
and illustrated books in the possession of the Society.
Publications. — The series of Collections published by
the Society consists at present of the following: Volume I.,
History of the English Settlement in Edwards County, Illi-
nois, by George Flower, with notes by Honorable E. B.
Washburne, 1882, 408 p.; Volume II., Sketch of Enoch
Long, an Illinois Pioneer, by Harvey Reid, 1884, 112 p.,
the two preceding volumes being published at the expense
of the late Levi Z. Leiter; Volume III., The Edwards
Papers, edited by E. B. Washburne, 1884, 632 p.; Volume
IV., Early Chicago and Illinois, Sketches of Gurdon S.
Hubbard, and others, 1889, 400 p. In addition to the
above the Society has pubHshed some forty papers on his-
torical subjects presented at its meetings, and the Annual Re-
ports of the Executive Committee, which contain the Libra-
rian's reports.
Lectures. — Historical lectures are maintained during each
winter.
Regulations.— The Library, Museum, and collection of
paintings are open daily, except Sunday, from 9 a.m. to
5 P.M., and are free to visitors. Classes of pupils from the
schools, under fifteen years of age, must be accompanied by
their teachers.
Officers. — President, Franklin H. Head; vice-presidents,
36 Chicago Libraries
Thomas Dent and Lambert Tree; treasurer, Orson Smith;
secretary, J. W. Fertig; executive committee, Edward E.
Ayer, Joseph T. Bowen, William A. Fuller, Charles F.
Gunther, Samuel H. Kerfoot, Jr., George Merry weather,
Walter C. Newberry, and Otto L. Schmidt.
Caroline AL AIcIlvaixk, Librarian.
THE JOHN CRERAR LIBRARY
Foundation. — The John Crerar Library, the latest estab-
Hshed of the free pubHc hbraries of Chicago, owes its exist-
ence to the bequest of the late John Crerar.
Mr. Crerar, for many years a prominent citizen of
Chicago, was of Scotch ancestry, the son of John and Agnes
(Smeallie) Crerar. Born in New York in 1827, he was
educated in the schools of that city, and entered into busi-
ness there, becoming a member of the firm of Jessup, Ken-
nedy & Co. Coming to Chicago in 1862, he established the
firm of Crerar, Adams & Co., dealers in railroad supplies,
and accumulated a large fortune. At the time of his death
he was a director of the Pullman Palace Car Co., of the
Chicago and Alton Railroad Co., of the Illinois Trust and
Savings Bank, and president of the Chicago and Joliet Rail-
road Co. He was a member and trustee of the Second
Presbyterian Church, and gave liberally of his time and
money to the work of his church. He was greatly interested
in the charitable institutions of the city, being a director of
the Chicago Relief and Aid Society and of the Presbyterian
Hospital, and vice-president of the Chicago Orphan Asylum.
All of these and many others were remembered liberally in
his will. He was equally prominent socially, and was a
member of the Chicago, Calumet, Union, Commercial, and
Literary clubs.
Mr. Crerar died October 19, 1889. His will, dated
August 5, 1886, was admitted to probate November 14,
1889, and its validity was finally established by a decision of
the Supreme Court of Illinois, rendered June 19, 1893.
37
;;8 Chicago Libraries
Specific bequests of more than $600,000 were made to rela-
tives and friends, and of nearly $1,000,000 to charitable in-
stitutions and public purposes. The fiftieth section of the will
disposed of the remainder of the estate in the following words:
Recognizing the fact that I have been a resident of Chicago
since 1862, and that the greater part of my fortune has been accumu-
lated here, and acknowledging with hearty gratitude the kindness
that has always been extended to me by my many friends, and by my
business and social acquaintances and associates, I give, devise, and
bequeath all the rest, remainder, and residue of my estate, both real
and personal, for the erection, creation, maintenance, and endowment
of a free public library, to be called "The John Crerar Library," and
to be located in the city of Chicago, Illinois, a preference being
given to the South Division of the city, in as much as the Newberry
Library will be located in the North Division. I direct that my
executors and trustees cause an act of incorporation under the laws
of Illinois, to be procured to carry out the purpose of this bequest;
and I request that Norman Williams be made the first President
thereof; and that, in addition to my executors and trustees, the
following named friends of mine will act as the first Board of Direc-
tors in such corporation, and aid and assist my executors and trustees
therein, namely: Marshall Field, E. W. Blatchford, T. B. Blackstone,
Robert T. Lincoln, Henry W. Bishop, Edward G. Mason, Albert
Keep, Edson Keith, Simon J. McPherson, John M. Clark, and
George A. Armour, or tlieir survivors. I desire the building to be
tasteful, substantial, and fire-proof, and that a sufficient fund be
reserved over and above the cost of its construction to provide, main-
tain, and support a library for all time. I desire the books and
periodicals selected with a view to create and sustain a healthy moral
and Christian sentiment in the community, and that all nastiness
and immorality be excluded. I do not mean by this that there shall
not be anything but hymn books and sermons, but 1 mean that dirty
French novels and all skeptical trash and works of questionable
moral tone shall never be found in this Library.
I want its atmosphere that of Christian refinement, and its aim
and object the building up of character, and I rest content that the
friends I have named will carry out my wishes in ihese particulars.
JOHN CRERAR
The John Crerar Library
The amount thus bequeathed was estimated at the time
to be about $2,500,000, but it was hoped that improvement
in the business conditions of the country would materially
increase this sum. These hopes have been realized, and the
total endowment, on a most conservative estimate, is now
$3,400,000.
Development. — The administration of the estate in the
Probate Court was closed July 13, 1894. Meanwhile the
trustees of the estate had co-operated with the trustees of
the Newberry estate in securing legislation which seemed
needed for the better organization and administration of
endowed libraries, embodied in "An act to encourage and
promote the establishment of free public libraries," approved
June 17, 1891. Under this act the John Crerar Library was
incorporated on October 12, 1,894, and duly organized Janu-
ary 12, 1895. All of the directors named by Mr. Crerar
nine years before were living and present, and Norman
Williams was elected the first president, as Mr. Crerar
desired.
Mr. Williams gave much time and thought to the devel-
opment of the Library, and retained the presidency until his
death, in 1899. He was succeeded by Huntington W. Jack-
son, who, both as trustee of the estate and as chairman of the
committee on administration, had already proved his interest
in the Library, which was further manifested by a bequest of
$1,000, notable as the first bequest received by the institution
other than the one by which it was founded. His death
followed too soon, in January, 1901, and he was succeeded
by Honorable Peter Stenger Grosscup. Other deaths and
removals from the city have changed materially the consti-
tution of the Board of Directors, which in April, 1905,
consisted of the following gentlemen: Marshall Field, E.
40 Chicago Libraries
W. Blatchford, Robert T. Lincoln, Henry W. Bishop,
Albert Keep, John M. Clark, Frank S. Johnson, Peter
Stengcr Grosscup, Marvin Hughitt, Thomas D. Jones,
John J. Mitchell, Leonard A. Busby, Robert Forsyth, and
the mayor and comptroller of Chicago, ex officiis. The
Treasurer, William J. Louderback, and the Librarian, Clem-
ent W. Andrews, were appointed in 1895, and have served
to the present time.
The first act of the Directors, after organization, was to
declare that the whole amount of the bequest was not too
large for the sufficient fund which they were required to
reserve in order to provide, maintain, and support the library
for all time, and that therefore the endowment should not
be encroached upon either for land, building, or books, but
that a building fund should be accumulated from the income.
This fund in January, 1905, amounted to nearly $600,000.
Scope. — The second act of the Directors was to deter-
mine the character and scope of the Library. The trustees
of the estate had prepared a list of the public libraries of the
city, giving their character and size. The actual and pros-
pective development of the Chicago Public Library as a great
lending library, and of the Newberry Library as a great
reference library in certain fields, largely influenced the trus-
tees to suggest that the John Crerar Library be made a refer-
ence library, embracing such departments as were not fully
occupied by any other existing library in Chicago, and that
the number of departments be limited to such as the funds
of the Library could render complete and unique.
After a careful consideration of the whole subject the
directors unanimously decided to establish a free public
reference library of scientific and technical literature. This
decision seemed to them to accord with the particular busi-
The John Crerar Library 41
ness activities by which the greater part of Mr. Crerar's
fortune had been accumulated, to exclude naturally certain
questionable classes of books which his will distinctly pro-
hibits, and to favor the aim and object which it expressly
points out. As personal friends, who had been acquainted
with his wise and generous purposes, and with his civic
patriotism and gratitude, they believed that he would surely
have wished his gift to supplement, in the most effective
way, the existing and prospective library collections of
Chicago, and to be of the greatest possible value to the
whole city.
Accordingly, a series of conferences with the trustees of
the Chicago Public Library and the Newberry Library was
held, and an elastic scheme for the division of the field
was adopted. The special field of the John Crerar Library
may be defined as that of the natural, physical, and social
sciences, and their applications.
The administration of the Library is not organized into
departments, nor is there any difference of treatment of the
various subjects, but for convenience in dealing with appro-
priations, statistics, etc., the books are divided in five
classes. General Works, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences,
Natural Sciences, and Applied Sciences. The last named
class includes the applied fine arts, but not music, sculpture,
or painting". With four exceptions, theology, philology,
aw, and medicine, all the subjects comprehended by a broad
interpretation of its field as already defined, are to be found
n the Library. All these exceptions are well provided for
n other libraries in the city, but the omission of medicine
las always been regarded as anomalous, and has caused
much otherwise unnecessary duplication. It is hoped that
the erection of the permanent building will offer an oppor-
42 Chicago Libraries
tunity of correcting this, and of making the valuable collec-
tion of the Newberry Library, by a more central location,
even more useful to the medical profession.
While it is the purpose of the Directors to develop the
Library as symmetrically as possible within these limits,
they have not hesitated to take advantage of exceptional
opportunities, and have made several purchases which make
it notably strong in certain subjects. Unusual attention,
also, has been given to the collection of files of scientific and
technical periodicals, both American and foreign.
The years 1895 and 1896 were spent in the preliminary
work of organization. A Librarian was appointed, a staff
selected, and temporary quarters secured. The purchase of
books was begun, and when, on April i, 1897, the Library
was opened to the public, without formalities, there were
15,000 volumes ready for use and 7,000 more in the hands
of the cataloguers.
Administration. — The management of the Library is
controlled by a board of fifteen directors. Two, the mayor
and comptroller of Chicago, are ex officio members, the
others were appointed by Mr. Crerar or have been elected
by the Board to fill vacancies, such elections being subject,
by the act under which the Library is incorporated, to the
approval of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois.
The Directors hold quarterly meetings and usually act only
upon the recommendation of the standing committees, of
which there are four — on Finance, Administration, Buildings
and Grounds, and Books. The President and the Chairmen
of these committees form an Executive Committee. A care-
fully considered succession to the powers of President and
Chairman makes further provision for action in emergencies.
Besides the President, Vice-Presidents, and Secretary,
The John Crerar Library 43
who must be members of the Board, the Directors elect a
Treasurer and a Librarian, who may or may not be mem-
bers. They are the executive ofificers of the corporation,
and are entirely independent of each other. The Treas-
urer, under the supervision of the Committee on Finance,
has charge of the receipts and payments of the Library and
the investment of its funds. The Librarian, under the
supervision of the Committee on Administration, has charge
of the general management of the Library, and, under the
supervision of the Committee on Books, of the selection and
purchase of books. In the latter work he has the assistance
of several of the staff, who systematically read and summar-
ize book reviews. Suggestions from readers are welcomed
and given careful consideration.
Staff. — The work of the Library is carried on by a staff
of forty-three persons, consisting of a librarian, assistant
librarian, cataloguer, reference librarian, classifier, assistant
cataloguer, assistant reference librarian, six senior assistants,
fifteen junior assistants, six attendants, four pages, janitor,
assistant janitor, and three charwomen. Of the forty-three,
twenty-one are women. Appointments are made by the
Committee on Administration, subject to the approval of the
Directors. All applications are referred to the Librarian,
and the Committee act only upon report from him. On
account of the peculiar demands of a scientific library, they
will not consider applications for positions above the grade
of attendant from persons not having a reading knowledge of
French and German. The Committee also place great
weight on library training and experience, so that nearly all
the employees above the grade mentioned are graduates of
library schools or have entered the service from other
libraries. Of the attendants almost all in the evening ser-
44 Chicago Libraries
vice have been students at one or another of the educational
institutions of the city or vicinity.
Rooms. — Temporary quarters, pending the accumulation
of a building fund and the erection of a permanent building,
were obtained by leasing, in July, 1895, the sixth floor of
the Marshall Field & Co. Building, No. 87 Wabash Avenue.
In May, 1900, one half of the fifth floor was added, and in
January, 1906, the rest of that floor will be occupied.
The Reading Room, furnished in dark oak, is on the sixth
floor, and acconmiodates about one hundred readers. The
Society Room is on the fifth floor, with separate entrance.
It seats about fifty, and its use is granted by the Committee
on Administration without charge to meetings for scientific
and educational purposes, and can be secured for the stated
meetings of societies. The Stack Rooms are on both floors,
and have at present seats for about twenty readers engaged
in special research, and shelf room for one hundred thou-
sand volumes. The remainder of the collection has been
placed temporarily in a room kindly offered by the New-
berry Library. The Directors' Room, on the sixth floor,
contains life-size portraits of Mr. Crerar and of the Due
d'Aumale by the late G. P. A. Healy. Besides these the
suite contains several other rooms needed for the administra-
tion of the Library.
Collections. — On June i, 1905, the Library had entered
upon its books of record 134,194 volumes, and there were
still unrecorded, from recent purchases, some 10,000 vol-
umes and 20,000 pamphlets. It is a sood working col-
lection in most of the subjects within its scope, and, through
certain special purchases, much more than this in some. The
special purchases include about 8,000 volumes on science
and technology, bought of the Newberry Library in 1896;
o
o
Pi
<
Pi
><
<
Pi
Pi
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pi
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Pi
u
X
The John Crerar Library 45
some 300 volumes on ornithology, bought of the same
library in 1898; the private library of Professor R. T. Ely,
consisting of 6,000 volumes and 4,000 pamphlets, mostly
on American labor and social movements; the private library
of Mr. C. V. Gerritsen of Amsterdam; and considerable
purchases at auction of mathematical books from the libraries
of Boncompagni and Bierens de Haan, and of zoological
books from that of Milne-Edwards.
The Gerritsen collection is the largest and most important
of these special purchases. It consists of some 1 8,000
volumes and 15,000 pamphlets on social and economic sub-
jects, being especially full on finance, banking, labor, and
socialism. It includes a distinct collection of nearly 6,000
volumes and pamphlets on the social, political, and legal
status of woman.
Besides 2,000 current periodicals which are kept in the
Periodical Alcove of the Reading Room, the Library re-
ceives 4,000 other continuations, such as annual reports and
parts of books issued serially, w^iich are placed on the reg-
ular shelves as soon as received.
In public documents the Library is rather stronger than
might be expected, considering the short time it has been
established. It is a "designated depository" of the Con-
gressional Documents, a special depository of the publi-
C3tions of the United States Geological Survey, and a deposi-
tory of all bills, resolves, and acts of Congress since 1901.
Many state and "some city documents have been acquired.
Of foreign documents it has all the Parliamentary Papers of
Great Britain since 1896, and many earlier ones on economic
subjects; a nearly complete set of the Parliamentary Papers
of Canada; a very full set of those of the Netherlands; an
unusual collection of French documents of the fifteenth to
46 Chicago Libraries
tlie eighteenth centuries on economic subjects; and many
serial official publications of Austria, France, and Germany.
Catalogues. — Much time and care are given to the devel-
opment of the card catalogues, both public and official.
Nearly 6o per cent of the titles are printed especially for
the Library, and almost all the remainder are obtained from
the Library of Congress. The public card catalogue is in
three divisions: author, classed subject, and alphabetical
subject index. The author catalogue is the usual one, con-
taining besides the names of authors those of editors, trans-
lators, and the subjects of biographies, and also striking
titles. The classed subject catalogue is the one most con-
sulted and has been made as full as possible. It is arranged
according to the Decimal Classification with few alterations
but many expansions. Under each final subdivision the
arrangement of the titles is chronological, the latest being
put first. An unusual and important development has been
made in that part of the classification treating of history and
geography. Under each political unit (country, province or
state, and town) are given the titles of all works dealing
directly or chiefly with the place. These are subdivided
systematically in accordance with the first three figures of
the main classification. The result is not only that works
on adjacent places are brought together, for example, Illinois
next to Michigan; and works on part of a country immedi-
ately follow those on the whole country, for example, works
on Chicago following those on Illinois; but also under each
place related subjects are brought together, for example,
977-3 (570) Natural History of Illinois, 977.3 (581) Flora
of Illinois, 977.3 (591) Fauna of Illinois. The alphabetical
subject index is primarily an index to the classed catalogue,
and no entries are made in it which would duplicate exactly
The John Crerar Library 47
any collection in the latter, when a single reference gives
all the titles, and no others, on a specific subject. On the
other hand, entries are made under headings which collect
material separated in the classed catalogue because of its
relations to broader subjects and also under those which
separate material collected in the classed catalogue. It is
therefore an alphabetical subject catalogue of all material
more conveniently consulted through such a catalogue.
This triple catalogue is supplemented by a card catalogue
of serials, a printed list of current periodicals, printed lists of
dictionaries and biliographies, several card indexes on special
subjects, a considerable collection of bibliographies, and an
author catalogue of all books, so far as recatalogued, in the
Library of Congress.
The public catalogue contains the titles of all books in
the Library, and in addition the titles of articles in some
300 periodicals. Part of these latter are obtained by co-
operation with four other American libraries, part from the
Library of Congress, and part by the independent work
of The John Crerar Library. So far as the selection has
been made by the latter preference has been given to those
containing long articles likely to be reprinted and referred
to as independent works and to those with which a specialist
is not so apt to be familiar because of their general character.
Use. — The Library is open to readers from 9 a.m. to lO
P.M. every day in the year, excepting Sundays, but including
all holidays. A Cloak Room is provided where outer gar-
ments may be checked without charge, but its use is not
insisted upon, except in wet weather and when the Reading
Room is crowded. The Library, however, will not hold
itself responsible for articles taken into the Reading Room
or left in the Cloak Room over night.
48 Chicago Libraries
In the Reading Room is shelved a collection of four thou-
sand volumes, intended to include, besides general works of
reference, the best books, both advanced and popular, on
each important subject within the scope of the Library, and
a selection of other works either especially interesting or
much in demand. It is constantly revised and kept up to
date. This collection may be consulted without formality,
as also may the periodicals within the Periodical Alcove.
Books may be drawn from the Stack, and periodicals from
the Periodical Alcove, for use in the Reading Room, upon
presentation of call slips properly filled out. A few books,
on account of their character, may be consulted only upon
registration and statement of satisfactory reasons, and some
of great value or rarity only in the presence of an attendant.
As the Library is for reference use only, no book is
allowed to leave the Library except for special reasons other
than the convenience of the reader, and then only if it is one
not likely to be called for. Such loans are for a short time
and must be covered by a money deposit or satisfactory guar-
antee from another library. Persons making special
researches may be admitted to the Stacks at the discretion
of the Librarian upon registration with the Reference
Librarian, and passes admitting without registration may be
granted to those likely to make a prolonged use of the privi-
lege if they are personally known to the Directors or the
Librarian. The unauthorized removal, mutilation, or mark-
ing in any way of the property of the Library is absolutely
prohibited. The officials are authorized to exclude any per-
son of unseemly behavior or appearance, and any one who
wilfully violates the regulations.
The use of the Library by the public has fully justified
the decisions of the Directors as to its scope and character,
The John Crerar Library 49
Beginning with eighty, the average daily attendance has
increased to 279 in 1904, in spite of the fact that the
Library is so situated as to escape the notice of one seeking
it, ratlier than to attract the attention of the passer-by.
The recorded use, which does not include books from the
shelves in the Reading Room, those read in the Stack
Rooms, or periodicals read in the Periodical Alcove, has in-
creased even more rapidly, and for 1904 was 75,000 vol-
umes and periodicals. The total use is about three times
that number.
Publications. — The Library issues, usually in May, an
Annual Report covering the previous calendar year. Copies
are sent free. The bibliographical publications are in-
tended primarily for the readers, but it is hoped that as the
size of the Library increases they may become of use to
scholars and libraries elsewhere. They are not distributed
gratuitously, but in exchange or upon receipt of a nominal
price of about one-quarter the cost of paper and press work,
and the postage if sent by mail. A price-list will be sent
upon application.
Permanent Building. — In 1901 the Directors look up
the question of a permanent site, and decided that the
greatest usefulness of the Library could be secured only by
a central location. They therefore appealed to the state
legislature and to the city council for permission to erect a
building on what is commonly known as the Lake Front.
This permission was granted by the legislature in "An act
to authorize The John Crerar Library to erect and maintain
a free public library on Grant Park," approved March 29,
1901, and by the city council in an ordinance passed March
18, 1901. The act provided that the Library should procure
the consent of such abutting property owners as might have
50 Chicago Libraries
the right to object. Most of these gave their consent
readily, but a few refused through fear of losing their right
to object to the erection of other buildings in the park.
In January, 1 904, the Directors, under the provisions of
"An Act concerning free public libraries in public parks,"
approved May 14, 1903, requested permission of the South
Park Commissioners to erect and maintain a monumental
building in the classical style upon that part of Grant Park
between the Illinois Central Railroad and Michigan Avenue
and between Madison and Monroe streets, extended. The
question of granting the request was submitted to the voters
of the South Park District at the election of April 5, 1904,
and was favored by a vote of 50,960 to 9,329. An ordi-
nance passed by the Commissioners February 15, 1905, was
accepted by the Directors on February 23, 1905. They
propose to proceed with the construction of the building as
soon as possible. The site is about 400 by 310 feet, and the
length of the building will be about 300 feet. The sketch
plans provide for the storage of 1,000,000 volumes and the
accommodation of 600 readers, and for future extensions
doubling this capacity.
Clement W. Andrews, Librarian.
WALTER LOOMIS NF.WBERRY
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY
Walter Loomis Newberry. — Walter Looniis Newberry,
merchant, born September i8, 1804, in East Windsor, Con-
necticut, was educated at Clinton, New York, and fitted for
the West Point Military Academy; but, failing in the physi-
cal examination, entered commercial life (1822) with his
brother in Buffalo, New York. In 1828 he moved to Detroit,
Michigan, and there engaged in the dry- goods business.
During a successful period of five years he bought lands at
various points on the Great Lakes, notably at Chicago,
whither he came in 1833. Here he entered into business
with George W. Dole, Esq., as forwarding and commission
merchant and dealer in general merchandise; subsequently
he became a banker. In 1841 Mr. Newberry was president
of the Young Men's Association of Chicago, an organization
which he was active in founding, and to which he made the
first contribution of books. This association was the fore-
runner of the Chicago Public Library. In 1843 Mr. New-
berry served on the Board of Health. In 1846 he was a
member of the convention assembled in the interests of
common schools; he was many years on the School Board,
and twice its chairman. In 1847 h^ was a director in the
pioneer Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. In 185 1 he
was city comptroller, and, for a time, acting mayor. In 1857
he was one of the founders of the Merchants' Loan and
Trust Company, of which institution he was long a director.
The same year he became a member of the Chicago His-
torical Society. He was for six years president of the
society. His death occurred at sea, November 6, 1 868.
51
52 Chicago Libraries
Sucli, in brief outline, was the life of the founder of the
Newberry Library, a free reference library endowed and
maintained by the moiety of his estate.
The Building. --The trustees of the estate, Mr. Eliphalet
Wickes Blatchford and Mr. William Henry Bradley, made
partition, according to the terms of the will, in 1886 and the
early part of 1887; and in July, 1887, they appointed William
Frederick Poole, LL.D., then librarian of the Chicago Public
Library, librarian of the newly founded institution. Rooms
were leased at No. 90 La Salle Street, August i, 1887, and
the purchase of books began. These rooms were occupied
until April, 1888, when possession was taken of the three-
story-and-basement building. No. 338 Ontario Street.
There the collection remained until the completion. May I,
1890, of the temporary building on the northwest corner of
Oak and State streets. The site of the present building was
purchased June 28, 1889, for the sum of $175,000; being
a block with 318 feet frontage on Walton Place, 212.3
feet on Clark Street, 318 feet on Oak Street, and 213 feet
on Dearborn Avenue. Here stood the historic (Mahlon D.)
Ogden house, the only house in the fire district undestroyed
by the great fire of 1871. The foundation of the library
building was laid in the summer of 1890; the superstructure
was begun early in 1 891, and the building finished in No-
vember, 1893, ^t a cost of $545,429.28.
The plans were drawn by Mr. Henry Ives Cobb; the
plans of the book rooms, providing for departmental shelv-
ing, after sketches prepared by the librarian. Dr. Poole.
The style of architecture is Spanish Romanesque; the
material is Connecticut granite. The partition walls are
of brick and tile, the floors of red English tile and marble.
The present building, with its imposing fayade, looking south
The Newberry Library 53
on Washington Square, is but one face of the edifice called
for by the plans. When, in after years, the structure is
completed, it will occupy the entire square, leaving a central
court measuring approximately 180 by 60 feet.
On April 12, 1 892, Mr. Blatchford, sole surviving and
acting trustee, conveyed the Library property, estimated at
$2,624,918.48, to the following board of thirteen Trustees:
Honorable George E. Adams, Mr. Edward E. Ayer, Mr.
Eliphalet W. Blatchford, Mr. Edward S. Ishani, General
Alexander C. McClurg, Mr. Franklin MacVeagh, Mr.
William Harrison Bradley, Mr. Daniel Goodwin, Mr.
Franklin H. Head, General Walter C. Newberry, Judge
Lambert Tree, Mr. Henry J. Willing, Mr. John P. Wilson.
Since this date the Library has lost six of the original trus-
tees, Messrs. Isham, Willing, McClurg, Goodwin, deceased;
and Messrs. Bradley and MacVeagh, resigned. Their
places have been filled by Messrs. David B. Jones, Bryan
Lathrop, Horace H. Martin, George Manierre, John A.
Spoor, Moses J. Wentworth.
The original intent was to make the Newberry Library a
general reference collection; but the scheme of co-operation
entered into with the John Crerar Library in 1896, involving
the transfer of the Newberry books relating to Science and
the Useful Arts (7,800 volumes and pamphlets) to the
younger institution, modifies to this extent the initial design.
If the Newberry be now a class library, it is a class library
closed only against extensive collections devoted to certain
well-defined branches of learning grouped under the broad
and elastic term. Science. Naturally, if not necessarily,
the departments are at varying stages of development.
Department of Medicine The Newberry Library is
indebted to the medical profession of Chicago for generous
54 CiricAGO Libraries
aid in the form of advice and contributions of books and
pamphlets. Specially is it indebted to Dr. Nicholas Senn
for his munificent gift, the Senn Collection. The tirst gift
from Dr. Senn was the library — surgical works from the
Middle Ages down — of Dr. Wilhelm B. Baum, of G^ittin-
gen; the second was the famous collection — chiefly physio-
logical — of Dr. Emil Du Bois-Reymond, of Berlin. To
these collections Dr. Senn has added largely, from time to
time, including among his gifts the original manuscripts of
over one hundred works from his own hand.
Department of History. — The department of history,
including biography and travel, contains many of the great
collections, basic works and political documents requisite for
the study of universal history. In works relating to America
its strength is exceptional. As any '^ook in Mr. Edward E.
Ayer's collection of Americana can be consulted at the New-
berry Library, on twenty-four hours" notice, the entire Ayer
collection is at the disposition of students in this department.
While the Ayer collection is essentially ethnological, devoted
to the history, character, manners and customs, institutions,
arts and crafts, myths, religions and languages of the North
American Indians, it necessarily covers the principal sources
of information in regard to the discovery, exploration, con-
quest and colonization of the North American continent.
In Indian history, particularly the history of the relations
between the Indians and the Government of the United
States, the Ayer library is very strong, containing over
2,300 assorted Congressional Documents, as well as the
complete reports of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs and
of the Board of Indian Commissioners. The whole is sup-
plemented and illustrated by manuscript documents, treaties,
letters, Indian drawings on maguey paper and skins, and
PQ
I— I
Pi
w
r
The Newberry Library 55
by Indian portraits, — engravings, water-colors, oil-paintings,
and photographs. Since 1898 the scope of the collection
has been extended to include Hawaii and the Philippine
Islands. With reference to the Philippines, it already con-
tains most of the early and important works and a number
of unpublished manuscripts. It has also a good working col-
lection of linguistics, — grammars and dictionaries in both
the Hawaiian and Philippine dialects, as well as text-
books, religious treatises and a large number of Tagalog
corridas.
The genealogic division of the department of history is,
at present, noteworthy rather for the analysis of its contents
than for the size of the collection. It has a practically
exhaustive index, presented to the public in some 700
folio volumes of typewritten Indexer Books. This division
draws to it in considerable numbers patrons living at a dis-
tance.
Department of Philosophy. —The department of philos-
ophy, a good working collection, includes philosophy proper,
religion, sociology and education.
Art and Letters. — The art collection consists of works
on aesthetics and the history of art, including architecture,
painting and sculpture, together with biographies of artists.
Numismatics is classed here, also ceramics, the history of
costume and the various arts and crafts. The books deal
rather with completed work illustrating the history and
development of the several orders of art than with construc-
tive and technical processes. There are many periodicals
covering, as do the books, the wide field from archaeological
research to contemporary arts and crafts.
The department of letters is a well-equipped and efficient
collection of imaginative literature, and of history and criti-
56 Chicago Libraries
cism dealing with the periods and forms of its development.
The lives of authors' are shelved here, also periodicals and
the publications of learned societies devoted to the study of
literature. While most of the foreign books arc in German,
French, Spanish, or Italian, many other languages are repre-
sented.
Department of Philology. The department of philology
was suddenly brought into prommence, June, 1901, by the
acquisition of the famous library — 16,500 volumes and
pamphlets — of Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte; a collection of
basic data for the study of the nature and the history of man
as developed through speech. The primary aim was to
bring together specimens of all the languages and dialects
of Europe; but it was soon heightened to the acquisition of
some specimen of every known language possessing even the
most rudimentary literature.
Department of Music — In 1889 the Library secured the
musical collection of Count Pio Resse, of Florence, con-
sisting largely of works of Italian writers on the theory and
the history of music. To the Resse collection have been
added, from time to time, the orchestral and vocal scores of
the great composers, supplemental works on the history and
the theory of music and on musical instruments, together
with biographies of musicians, dictionaries, encyclopedias
and periodicals.
Other Collections. — To the foregoing collections are to
be added (l) the elegantly bound Clarke collection of works
— 1,453 volumes and 429 pamphlets — on fish, fish-culture
and angling; (2) the collection of works on Egypt; (3) the
Bailey collection of works on China; (4) the Blatchford col-
lection of works on libraries and library buildings; (5) the
collection of English and American hymn-books.
The Newberry Library 57
Department of Bibliography. — Of the department of
books about books it need be said only that it is, of neces-
sity, one of the strongest in the Library, adequate to the
stringent and continuous demand made upon its resources.
The Museum. — The Museum, opened January, 1897,
presents as its special feature the choicer items of the
Probasco collection, about 1,200 volumes of masterpieces in
the arts of calligraphy, illumination, printing, illustration
and binding. The arrangement is chronological, exhibiting
the origin and development of the book. The manuscripts,
numbering over 150, are written for the most part on vel-
lum or parchment, and are in a fine state of preservation.
To Greece belongs the oldest and rarest of the manuscripts,
the Evangelia Greece — probably of the twelfth century —
with its distinct black-lettered script, rubrications, and four
miniatures of the Evangelists. Among the modern manu-
scripts are poems of Burns, Bloomfield and Thomson, and
sermons of Cotton Mather and Increase Mather.
The Museum has the four Shakespeare folios, 1623,
1632, 1664, 1685.
Early Printing. — The Museum contains choice works of
the old m.asters of typography, including over three hundred
incunabula. Among these are the Latin Bible printed in
Strasburg, 1466, by Heinrich Eggestein, and Cicero's De
Amicitia of the same year, printed in Cologne by its first
typographer, Ulrich Zell.
Early Engraving. — Specimens of first attempts at
engraving are to be found in such books as the old German
volume, Theurdanck, the copy of Roswitha, the 1545
Aldine edition of H ypnerotomachia Poliphili, and the early
books of emblems.
Binding Many of the 1,200 volumes in the Museum
58 Chicago Libraries
are excellent specimens of bibliopegy, dating from the
fifteenth century to the present time. Among the books
from Italian binderies are: Plinius Secundus, Ilistoria
ihiluralc, Venetia, 1548, bound in brown calf after the style
of Thom. Maoli; two books from the library of Jean
Grolier, both having his motto on the cover, and one con-
taining a manuscript note and autograph.
Lecture-Rooms. — The Newberry Library has two lecture-
rooms, with a seating capacity of lOO persons each.
Bindery. — The Newberry Library maintains its own
bindery. The Rudolph method of pamphlet binding is pecu-
liar to the institution. Extracts from periodical publications,
fugitive essays, and other works presenting a variety of
subjects in one volume, are treated as collections of pam-
phlets. Scattered writings, properly falling under one head,
are bound securely and economically; and at the same time,
room is left for continuous interplacement. Single pam-
phlets are also inclosed in cardboard.
The Catalogue. — The catalogue also is a distinctive
feature. While it is a "dictionary" catalogue, the entries,
instead of being made on cards, are made on narrow slips of
pasteboard inserted in card-holders bound into expansive
Tndexer Books and in a series of card-holders revolving over
two drums. The Indexer Books, constructed on the same
principle as the Rudolph binder, are manufactured in the
bindery. The Indexer Books are used for the shelf-list,
duplicate copies of which serve as finding-lists of the various
departments. The classification used is Cutter's Expansive
Classification, adopted with some modifications, specially in
the notation of class and book numbers.
Shelving Capacity — The shelving capacity of the pres-
ent building is about one million volumes. When the build-
The Newberry Library 59
ing is completed it will hold, in round numbers, four million
volumes.
The Healy Portraits. — The forty-six portraits in oil, on
the walls, were painted by the late George Peter Alexander
Healy, and presented by him in 1886.
Inter-Library Loans. — While the Newberry Library is a
non-circulating library, exception is made in favor of univer-
sity professors and authors living at a distance. On their
request books are sent to librarians in charge of libraries near
the residence of the applicant.
On January i, 1905, the Library contained 202,727
volumes and 70,965 pamphlets, maps, manuscripts, etc., a
total of 273,692; the proportion of books in foreign Ian
guages to those in the English language being 56% as against
44%. The number of current periodicals on file was 1,182.
The patronage of the Library averaged, for the year 1904,
282 visitors per day. The Library is open from 9 a.m. to
10 F. M. every day in the year except Sundays, New Year's
Day, Decoration Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christ-
mas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year's Eve. Closed
also during the first two weeks in August.
Trustees of the Newberry Library, 1905. George E.
Adams, Second Vice-President, Edward E. Ayer, Elipha-
let W. Blatchford, President, Franklin H. Head, David
B. Jones, Bryan Lathrop, George Manierre, Horace H.
Martin, Walter C. Newberry, John A. Spoor, Lambert
Tree, First Vice-President, Moses Wentworth, John P.
Wilson.
Secretary of the Board of Trustees. — The present
Secretary, Mr. Jesse L. Moss, took office December, 1898.
The Librarians.— The first Librarian, William Frederick
Poole, LL.D., held office from 1887 until his death, in
6o Chicago Libraries
1894. Mr. John Vance Cheney, the present Librarian,
resigned the librarianship of the San Francisco Free Public
Library to take charge of the Newberry Library, December
I, 1894. Mr. Alexander Joseph Rudolph entered the service
of the Library on the same date, as First Assistant Libra-
rian. J. V. Cheney, Librarian.
THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Chicago Pubhc Library was estabhshed under the
lUinois Library Act in 1872. The Hbrary owes its origin to
a movement started in England after the great fire by
Thomas Hughes, the famous author of "Tom Brown's
School Days." Mr. Hughes and those associated with him
made an appeal to authors, publishers, scientific societies,
and literary institutions of Great Britain which resulted in
the donation of about 7,000 volumes. These books, each
of which bore a book-plate stating that it was presented
to the city of Chicago toward the formation of a free
Hbrary, after the great fire of 187 1, as a mark of English
sympathy, formed the nucleus of the Chicago Public
Library. When the donation was received in Chicago in
1872, the books were temporarily stored in the "Tank,"
which was attached to the temporary city hall building on
the corner of Adams and La Salle streets. On January I,
1873, a reading room was opened in the third story of the
City Hall, adjacent to and connected with the "Tank." Mr.
W. B. Wickersham, who had been appointed secretary on July
20, 1872, was placed in charge. On October 25, 1873, Dr.
William F. Poole was appointed librarian, which position
he held until August I, 1887, when he resigned to take
charge of the Newberry Library. Mr. Frederick H. Hild,
the present librarian, was appointed to succeed him on
October 15, 1887.
On March 16, 1874, the library was removed to the
southeast corner of Madison street and Wabash avenue,
where the circulating department was opened May r, 1874,
61
62 Chicago Libraries
with 17,355 volumes. On May 2-j , 1875, the library was
removed to the third and fourth floors of the Dickey build-
ing, on the southwest corner of Lake and Dearborn streets,
where it remained until May 24, 1886, when it again found
new quarters in the fourth story of the City Hall, to accom-
modate its 120,000 volumes. Here it remained until its re-
moval in September, 1897, to its permanent home in the
new building.
The Chicago Public Library building occupies the rec-
tangular site formerly known as Dearborn Park, bounded by
Michigan avenue, Washington street, Garland court, and
Randolph street, its longest fac;ade being on the avenue,
with a court in the rear for future extensions. Its extreme
dimensions are 3525^ by 1461/3 feet and the top of its cornice
is 90 feet above the sidewalk, exclusive of the crowning
balustrade. It contains three principal stories with two
intermediate floors and a basement.
The exterior is of Bedford limestone with a granite base.
The foundation rests on piles, the tops of which are driven
to an average depth of 74 feet below the sidewalk. The
walls are of solid masonry construction, and the floors are
of steel beams and hollow tile arches. The building is not
only fire-proof, but is practically incombustible.
The general treatment of the exterior of the building is a
harmonious combination of various styles of architecture,
the lower part being in the neo-Greek style with wide arched
windows, and the upper part in Grecian style, with pillars
and columns separated by windows. The entablature is of
pronounced Roman character, with heavy projecting garlands
and lions' heads sculptured on the frieze. The two entrances
to the building vary greatly in style, the Washington street
entrance being a wide arched portal leading directly to the
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The Chicago Public Library 63
grand staircase hall, while the Randolph street entrance is a
portico with massive Greek columns before the three door-
ways. The southern entrance to the building leads directly
to the grand staircase hall of nearly white statuary Carrara
marble, illuminated by sparkling inlays and panels of glass
mosaics, mother-of-pearl, and shells. The mosaic floors are
composed of light and dark green marble and a great bronze
relief of the seal of the city of Chicago is embedded in the
floor at the foot of the staircase. A massive elliptical arch
crowns the middle of the hall between two pillars that sup-
port the two branches of the upper staircase. The ascent
is by means of wide marble steps with balconies at easy
distances, and the delivery room is entered by three open
archways at the upper landing. The walls of the hallway
at this landing are of Carrara marble with inlaid lines of
glass mosaic and a frieze of the same mosaic fully six feet
high entirely around the room. Panels of rich mosaic design
with suitable inscriptions and the names of famous authors
are set in the walls.
The delivery room extends across the entire width of the
building with two great windows at each end, and is 48 by
134 feet. Over the center of the room rises a large dome
of richly colored glass. The wings of the delivery room are
wainscoted in white Carrara marble, above which extends a
frieze of glass mosaic containing large panels of green serpen-
tine marble inlaid with white inscriptions in ten different
languages from Egyptian hieroglyphics to modern charac-
ters. Four large stack rooms are located next to the de-
livery room. These have shelf room for about 350,000
volumes, and are equipped with book stacks of iron and
steel construction with glass floors. On this floor of the
building are also located the administrative rooms of the
64 Chicago Libraries
library. The cataloguers' rooms are on the entresol floor
below.
On the floor above the delivery room are located the
reference and reading rooms. The reference room is 38
by 138 feet, is 30 feet high, and will accommodate 225
readers. Adjoining this room on the south are the public
card catalogue room and the study room for special
students; also a three-story stack room for the storage of
bound periodicals. On the top floor at the south end of
the building are the directors' rooms and the rooms for
art books. The great reading room adjoins the refer-
ence room on the north and will accommodate 450 readers
at a time. Its dimensions are 55 by 142 feet.
The Grand Army Memorial Hall Association occupies
about 16,000 square feet of space on the second floor at
the north end of the building. Here are located Memorial
Hall and a large assembly room devoted to the use of the
Grand Army of the Republic; also a number of minor rooms
for various purposes of the organization.
The library building contains a most complete mechan-
ical equipment for the generation of light, heat, and power.
The devices for washing the air used in ventilating the
building and the apparatus for distributing the same are the
most modern and up to date. The elevators in the building
are operated by electricity generated on the premises, and
there is special provision for protection against damage from
fire which might brcTk out in the buildings west and north
of the library.
The cost of the building was about $2,000,000, which
includes th*e furniture, book stacks, and machinery. To
the resident member of the firm of Shepley, Rutan &
The Chicago Public Library 65
Coolidge, Mr. Charles A. Coolidge, is chiefly due the credit
for the design and construction of the building and for its
decorations.
On April I, 1905, the library contained 302,666 vol-
umes and about 50,000 unbound pamphlets. The annual
revenue from all sources for the maintenance and operation
of the library is about $260,000. The number of em-
ployees in all the departments is 173.
How to Become a Book-borrower. — The right of draw-
ing books from the Public Library belongs to all who reside
in the city of Chicago, and also to those who make their
homes in the suburbs within the limits of Cook County and
are regularly employed in the city. In order to become a
book-borrower it is only necessary to file an application giving
name and residence of the applicant and bearing the signa-
ture of a second person who must be an actual resident of
the city, appearing as such in the latest city directory. This
person becomes the "guarantor" to the library for the
proper observance of the library regulations on the part of
the applicant. These regulations merely provide that books
drawn for home use must be returned within the stated
period and must not be defaced or injured. It is therefore
a simple matter to find a friend, neighbor, or employer who
will co-operate to this extent with any one desirous of using
the Public Library.
""^ The card which is issued to the applicant, after due
examination of his application, entitles him to draw books,
which may be retained for two weeks, and may be renewed
for the same period. The card remains in effect for three
years from the date of registration, at the expiration of which
term a new application must be filed.
66
Chicago Lijiraries
What the Library has to Offer. The 300,000 vol-
umes which are contained in the Chicago Public Library may
be broadly classified as follows:
History, biography, and travels .
Fine and practical arts, and sciences .
Poetry, drama, essays
Mental and moral science, religion
Language, literature, bibliography
Political and social science
Dictionaries, encyclopedias, periodicals
Government and state publications
English prose fiction, and juvenile
Books in foreign languages
Books for the blind ....
40,000
30,000
11,000
11,000
13,000
8,000
43,000
21,000
70,000
50,000
1,000
A somewhat closer analysis will reveal the especial
strength of its collections in certain departments, developed
to a higher degree of completeness than the rest, without,
however, impairing the efficiency of the general library.
Foremost among these is the department of American
history, general and local, American travel and biography,
and the whole range of topics included in the term "Ameri-
cana," comprising accounts of early voyages of discovery
and exploration, narratives of early settlers, the history of
the American Indians, and the history of all sections of the
country, of states, counties, and cities, together with a very
large and complete collection of Civil War literature, includ-
ing the regimental histories of hundreds of the volunteer
regiments.
Another department to which particular attention has
been given is that of the fne and industrial arts, embracing
painting and sculpture, theory and practice of the ans,
architecture, design, decoration and ornament, tapestry,
furniture, costume, ceramics, photography, illumination of
The Chicago Public Library 67
manuscripts, printing, illustration and bookbinding, and
many other branches of the arts and crafts. Reproduced in
sumptuous volumes, preserving all their original beauty of
color and detail, the works of the masters are here made
available for the guidance of teacher and student, and the
inspiration of craftsman and amateur.
Almost equally strong are the resources of the Public
Library in the departments of the useful arts, technology,
natural science, and kindred subjects, particular attention
being given to the popular side of these studies, such as the
new field of "nature study," including the bird, flower, and
animal books at present so much in demand.
In English drama, also, the library is especially rich,
while its Shakespeare literature is so voluminous and impor-
tant that it was recently made the subject of a special
bulletin, no less than fifty editions of that author's complete
works being found in the library.
Worthy of mention, too, are the periodical section (30,-
000 volumes), comprising many volumes and complete sets
of great value and rarity, and the foreign section, with
its large and well-chosen collection of representative writers,
among which the literatures of eleven European peoples are
included.
It is unnecessary to add that in developing these special
collections, the symmetry and usefulness of the library as
a general repository has not been allowed to suffer. Keep-
ing abreast of the times and the latest literature in all depart-
ments, it aims to serve all its patrons impartially and to be
able to offer something to every one who comes in good
faith to use and profit by its treasures.
Drawing Books for Home Use. - Having obtained a card
after the manner described, it is necessary to become famil-
68 Chicago Libraries
iar with the method by whicli books may be (h'awn for liome
use. This is exceedingly simple, and requires little expla-
nation.
As guides to the literature on its shelves, the library
publishes finding lists, each embracing the works in a par-
ticular class or group of classes, e.g., History and Biog-
raphy, Fiction and Juvenile, German Literature, French
Literature, etc. These finding lists, which may be consulted
at the main library and at the stations, or may be purchased
at prices ranging from five to fifteen cents, give the authors
and titles of the books, in alphabetical order under each sub-
head, together with a letter and number annexed to each
title, which is the library shelf mark for the book in question.
Having made a selection of books which one desires to read,
it is only necessary to copy the letter and number (not the
author's name or title) on a slip, which is handed to a clerk
in the delivery room and from which the first book found
is brought, and charged to the borrower by means of his
borrower's card, which is stamped with the date of issue.
Books so drawn may be retained for fourteen days. If at
the end of that period the borrower desires the use of the
same book for a longer time, he may have it "renewed" by
presenting his card at the receiving desk or at the nearest
delivery station, and having it re-stamped, when the book
may be kept for a further period of two weeks. But a fine
of three cents per day is charged against every borrower
who retains a book longer than the stated period without
having secured a renewal. It should also be noted that
there are some books, recently purchased and in great
demand, which may be kept for seven days only, and may
not be renewed. They bear a label to this effect on the
front cover.
The Chicago Public Library 6g
The Delivery Stations.— Mention has been made of the
deUvery stations, by means of which the Hbrary reaches
many readers in remote sections of the city, who could
scarcely be supplied at the main library. These stations are
established in small shops, under the care of the shop-keep-
ers, who are paid for their services. The service is inter-
changeable; a borrower, having drawn a book at the main
library may return it at a station, and vice versa, or he may
draw books at one station and return them at another.
Order lists for books may be left at any delivery station by
any card-holder. These lists are sent to the library and
books are returned by wagons making daily deliveries. In
certain districts it is possible for a borrower to leave his
order list at the station nearest his home in the morning and
call for a book in the afternoon, and it is expected that, with
the development of the system, similar quick service shall
apply to all stations. New c^rds are also issued through the
stations, and finding lists are on file to aid patrons in making
their selections. There are at present seventy delivery
stations maintained at convenient points throughout the
city, from Rogers Park on the north, to South Chicago and
west to Austin. This service is of course entirely free to
card-holders.
The Reference Department. — Co-ordinate with the
delivery and stations departments, whose mission it is to
supply books for home reading, is the reference depart-
ment, designed to serve and assist readers who come to
pursue their studies within the library building. This
department controls the entire resources of the library.
No card or guaranty of any sort is required, the only con-
dition being that books shall not be taken from the room.
All books which circulate for home use may be used here,
yo Chicago Libraries
and in addition nianv thousands of volumes not adapted to
general circulation, by reason of their size, costliness, or
rarity, are at the free disposal of the patron of this depart-
ment. A staff of trained assistants is ready to lend him
aid, whether his wants involve the selection of a course of
reading", the preparation of an essay or thesis for the school,
the study-class or the club, or merely the answer to a single
question, the source of a quotation, or the portrait of a
celebrity. But most of all the reference department offers
opportunities to the enterprising student tor acquiring such
familiarity with books and with bibliographical tools and
"books about books" as will quickly render him independent
of the services of the staff, and inspire him with a degree of
self-confidence and satisfaction which will add greatly to
the pleasure and profit of his studies.
On the open shelves which line the entire west wall of
the reference room he will find, freely at his disposal, some
2,000 volumes of reference books, comprising the stand-
ard dictionaries and handbooks in all departments of
knowledge, general encyclopaedias in English, French, Ger-
man, Spanish, Scandinavian, and Bohemian, dictionaries of
the classical and of all the modern languages, guides to his-
tory, literature, science, art, and religion, biographical
dictionaries, directories of the principal cities, and many
other works of general information. In addition he will soon
learn to use and value the many bibliographies, readers'
aids, and indexes helpful to the student, which may here be
consulted. With the idea of directing his attention to this
most useful class of time and labor saving works, the titles
of a few of the most comprehensive may be mentioned.
The most inclusive are the annual lists of all books pub-
lished in various countries. The American. Catalogue and
The Chicago Public Library 71
its predecessors cover this field for American publications;
the United States Catalogaie gives a list of all American
books now in print. The English Catalogue, 1835 to date,
Kayser's Biicherlexicon, 1750-1900, and Lorenz's Catalogue
General de la Librarie Frangaise, 1840-1900, with their
continuations, are the corresponding publications for Eng-
land, Germany, and France, respectively. The immense
mass of valuable matter currently appearing in periodicals is
admirably indexed and digested in the well-known Poole's
Index, covering the period from 1802 to 1896, and continued
in the Annual Literary Index, the Cumulative Index, and
the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, which keeps the
index closely up to date. The A. L. A. Index to General
Literature is a useful key to books made uo of collections of
articles upon many subjects, and as a help in finding a fugi-
tive essay or sketch. It gives references to countless titles,
dealing with a variety of topics, hidden in the collected
works of writers or in volumes of miscellaneous essays.
Sonnenschein's "Best Books" and "A Reader's Guide"
are excellent aids in the choice of books. Larned's "Litera-
ture of American History" is a bibliography of American
historical literature, annotated and evaluated by a group of
experts, and published by the American Library Association.
Similar bibliographies, of varying excellence, exist for many
other branches of literature. A useful guide to these and
to reference books generally is the "Guide to the Study and
Use of Reference Books," by Alice B. Kroeger, librarian of
Drexel Institute, Philadelphia. This excellent manual will
give the student a very clear view of the best of the helps
ready to his hand, and will inevitably lead him to cultivate a
closer acquaintance with them. All of these works are to be
had in the reference department of this library.
72 Chicago Libraries
The Public Card Catalogue. One of the great and
indispensable aids to the iisefuhiess of a large library is a
complete and properly arranged catalogue. Printed finding-
lists, while possessing many advantages of economy and con-
venience, have distinct limitations; the new^est books can
never be included; each successive list is "out of date"
almost on the day of its issue, and a constantly multiplying
number of supplements becomes a hindrance rather than a
help. To overcome this difficulty libraries have for many
years availed themselves of the "card system" now^ so gener-
ally used in business, and the library card catalogue, easily
kept up by the addition of new cards for each nev^r book
added to the shelves, is always the final and most complete
key to its resources. The card catalogue of the Chicago
Public Library, which is open for use by the public, is situ-
ated in a room immediately adjoining the large reference
room, on the fourth floor. It is contained in two large
cases, aggregating over i,000 drawers, and comprises over
500,000 cards. It is arranged strictly in one alphabetical
sequence, from A to Z, and contains references to every
book in the library, (i) by its author's name, (2) by its
title, and (3) by the subjects of which it treats. A reader
who desires to find the number of a book entitled
"The Russian advance," without knowing the name of its
author, has but to look through the cards under "Russian,"
where he will find a card which tells him that this book bears
the shelf number I 8425 in this library, and that it is the
work of Albert J. Beveridge. In exactly similar manner the
reader who remembers that Senator Beveridge tias written a
book about Russian interests in the Far East, the title of
which he cannot recall, will find the card under Beveridge,
which gives him the information he is seeking. Again, the
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The Chicago Public Library 73
student of the Eastern question, or of the economic con-
ditions of Russia, will find cards under these headings for the
same book. In this manner the contents of the library have
been indexed, carefully and exhaustively, and withal so
simply that it requires no more skill to find an author, title,
or subject in the card catalogue than to find a name in a
directory or a word in a dictionary.
The Art Room. — This room, auxiliary to the reference
department, contains not only the books on "art," but
artistic books upon all subjects; elaborately illustrated works,
editions de luxe, and all books which by reason of their
rarity, their costliness, or their beauty require spec ial care
and somewhat closer supervision in their use than is exacted
in other departments of the library. Among the sumptu-
ous products of modern book-making there are many volumes,
indispensable to the equipment of a large public library, whose
use is necessarily surrounded with certain precautions, requir-
ing special facilities. For the accommodation of such the art
room was established. Here are portfolios of beautiful
engravings, copies of the treasures of the world's great gal-
leries, the finest products of t4ie modern graphic arts, costly
works on painting, pottery, costume, furniture, gold and
silver smithing, and many other departments of art work.
Here artist and student, designer and dilettante congregate
to derive instruction and inspiration from the splendid col-
lections assembled for their use. Excellently lighted, com-
modious, and quiet, this room is most admirably adapted to
its functions, and forms one of the most interesting depart-
ments of the library.
In connection with the art room accommodations have
been provided for those who desire to use cameras for the
purpose of copying pictures, or, as is frequently done, to
74 Chicac. () ].ii;r.\riks
secure fac-similes of printed pages of some of the rare
works in the Hbrary.
The Reading Room. — The reading room for current
periodicals is one of the largest rooms in the building, occu-
pying the entire north front on the fourth floor. Some twelve
hundred publications are regularly received and kept on file
here, comprising all the popular American and English peri-
odicals, reviews, and weeklies, a selection of the best publi-
cations in German, French, and other continental languages,
and daily newspapers from every important city in the United
States and from every capital and many other cities of
Europe. Trade and professional journals of many kinds are
also included. Files of all periodicals, dating back to the
beginning of the current year, may be consulted in this
department. The bound volumes of earlier years are kept
in the reference department. Files of bound newspapers
are stored in a special room on the first floor, and may be
had for reference in the patents and documents department.
Patents and Documents Department. —The contents of
this department, as its name implies, include the reports of
patents granted for inventions in the United States since
1790, in Great Britain since 161 7, Germany since the foun-
dation of the empire, France since the time of Napoleon I.,
and Canada since 1873. Copyright and trade-mark records
of the United States and Great Britain are also to be
found here. These publications, numbering thousands of
volumes, many of them scarce and costly, are of the highest
importance to inventors and patent solicitors in determining
priority of inventions or the state of the arts, and much of
the patronage of the department is composed of this class.
The Chicago Public Library is a "depository library"
designated to receive all government publications as issued.
The Chicago Public Library 75
They are available for use in the patents and documents
department.
The pubHcations of many of the states of the Union and
of foreign countries are also of great importance. The
mining reports of some of the Western states are veritable
text-books of mineralogy; the agricultural reports give at
first hand the results of experiments in the production of
crops and the conditions of climate, soil, and water in vari-
ous sections. The British government has issued several
splendid series of reprints from its historical archives, which
are invaluable to the student. All these, and many more,
are to be had in this department.
This room has also been made the repository of a valu-
able collection of early Chicago newspapers, dating back to
the days of small beginnings. Complete tiles of many of the
dailies of the city, of the London Times since 1873, with
partial sets of a few New York papers, containing such
interesting matter as the contemporary newspaper record of
the Civil War and other historical events, are included in
this collection.
Books for the Blind. — The library possesses an attrac-
tive collection of some 1,000 volumes of books for the
blind, printed in four systems of raised characters, known
as the Moon, Braille, American Line, and New York Point
systems. These books may be used in the patents and
documents department, and may be drawn for home read-
ing from the main library or through the delivery stations.
The Branch Reading Rooms. — In addition to the deliv-
ery station service the library maintains six branch reading
rooms in various sections of the city. These are established
in rented quarters, and are open to the public from i o'clock
I". M. until 9:45 p. -M. Each of them contains a collection
76 Chicago Libraries
of several thousand volumes and a number of current and
bound periodicals, selected with reference to the needs and
tastes of the patrons of the room. A delivery station is
maintained in connection with each branch reading room.
The T. B. Blackstone Memorial Branch Library. —
Erected as a memorial to the late T. B. Blackstone, and
presented to the city by his widow, to be used as a branch
of the Chicago Public Library, this beautiful structure is
worthy of particular mention, not only because it is the
finest and costliest library building of its size in the world,
but also because it marks the beginning of the branch library
system in Chicago. The location is a triangular lot at the
intersection of Lake and Washington avenues and Forty-ninth
street. The building covers a rectangular space of lOO by
45 feet, with entrance on Lake avenue. It is constructed
of white granite in pure Ionic-Grecian style, modeled after
the famous Erectheum at Athens. The interior comprises
a book-room on the left, with capacity of 20,000 vol-
umes, a reading room on the right, and a small reading
room for young people at the rear, all opening from a
rotunda which is finished in pure Italian statuary marble,
and is surmounted by a dome embellished with specially
designed decorative panels by Oliver Dannatt Grover. The
interior finish is of the finest mahogany and marble, the
book-stacks being constructed of bronze, with mahogany
shelves.
This little library, which has been temporarily conducted
on the lines of the branch reading rooms described above, is
now about to be fully equipped with a carefully chosen col-
lection of books and with all the aids and facilities necessary
to make it a model neighborhood library, which shall become
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The Chicago Public Library 77
a center of culture and progress, and shall cause its influence
to be felt throughout the community.
Direct connection with the main library is maintained by
means of a delivery station and telephone, so that books
required for special purposes, and not included in the Black-
stone collection, may be quickly secured from the central
library.
The Library and the Public Schools. — What the
library can do for the public schools depends largely upon
the degree of receptivity and interest manifested on the part
of principals, teachers, and pupils. The library now issues
special cards to teachers, upon which six books may be
drawn at one time. It also honors requisitions for large
numbers of books for use in the school-room, when made by
the principals of high, grammar, and primary schools. The
books so issued will be conveyed between the Public Library
and the respective school buildings at the expense of the
Board of Education. For the rules governing the issue of
books to the schools, see Rules of the Board of Education,
1904. pp. 51-52.
Through its reference department, the library is ready
to assist teachers and pupils engaged in collateral reading,
in preparing essays or debates, and in looking up references.
Teachers are invited and urged to avail themselves of the
resources of this departme:it at all times, and especially to
bring their classes whenever additional study or illustrative
matter upon a given topic is desired. Notification sent to
the library in advance of such a visit will insure the reserva-
tion ol specially assembled collections of books upon any
designated subject. The attention of the older pupils,
especially, should be called to the library and its resources.
78 Chicago Libraries
and the habit of independent research should be encouraged
and stimulated whenever possible. As the reference
department is open until lO o'clock p. m. on every week
day, the evening hours would seem especially convenient for
teachers and pupils of the higher grades, particularly as
other demands upon the staff are generally lighter at this
time, and more attention can be given to individual students.
Frederick 11. Hild, Librarian.
THE CHICAGO LIBRARY CLUB
The compiler of the following account of the Chicago Library Club wishes
to acknowledge his indebtedness to Miss Edith E. Clarke, of the University of
Vermont Library and to Dr. G. E. Wire, of the Worcester County Law Library,
for items of interest kindly contributed by them to this history; to Mr. Charles
H. Brown, the present secretary, for notes prepared from the minutes; to Miss
Renee B. Stern, former secretary and an active worker in the cause of home
libraries in Chicago, for information upon that subject and upon jail libraries;
and to Miss Jessie L. Sherk, for clerical assistance. W. S. M.
Origin and Organization. — The name of the person to
whose mind it first occurred to form a library club in Chi-
cago is not recorded in the minutes of the Club. We know
something of the initial movement which led to its forma-
tion, however, from the testimony of the first secretary, Dr.
G. E. Wire, and of Miss Edith E. Clarke, both of whom
were prime movers in the organization.
"I think it will be acknowledged," writes Miss Clarke,
"that the initiative and inception of the Club came from
newcomers in the Chicago library field at the Newberry
Library, who had learned the pleasures and profit of asso-
ciation and mutual discussion in the library schools or other
fields, although the veterans in the work in the city came in
cordially after the impetus had been given and the project
was under way. If it had not been started in 1892, it
would have sprung into existence from necessity when, in
1893, a host was needed to do the honors of the city to
visiting" librarians."
Dr. Wire, in response to inquiries, adds some further
details: "I know some of us talked it up after we came on
from New York City in 1890, and especially after the White
Mountain meeting of that year. We had been members of
the New York Library Club, and realized the good such an
79
8o Chicago Libraries
organization could tlo. With the startin-;- of the Newberry
Library and University of Chicago Library and smaller
libraries in the surrounding towns and villages, we saw
plenty of material for membership. I remember drawing up
the call, taking it around for signatures, and the first meet-
ing in the small lecture hall of the temporary building at
Oak and State streets."
The call, prepared December ii, i8qi, at the New-
berry Library, was issued on the following day, and read as
follows:
"In accordance with the general desire that a Library
Club be formed in Chicago, we propose to hold a meeting
for the organization of such a club in the auditorium of the
Newberry Library, December 17, 1891, at 7:30 o'clock
p. M. You are cordially invited to be present at this meet-
ing and join us in the work.
[signed] \\'- I'"- Poole,
Frederick H. Hild,
C. Alex. Nelson,
W. B. Wickersham,
John Moses,
Charles C. Pickett,
G. E. Wire,
Lydia a. Dexter."
Pursuant to this call, twenty persons assembled at the
Newberry Library on Thursday, December 17,* 1891, at
8 p. M. The proceedings as recorded in the secretary's
minutes were as follows:
"Dr. W. F. Poole was elected temporary chairman, and
Dr G. E. Wire temporary secretary. By request the secre-
tary explained the organization and work of the New York
Library Club. Mr. Hild moved, and Miss Young seconded,
The Ciiicac.o Library Club 8t
that we form a library club. Mr. Nelson, who had been
secretary of the New York Library Club, then spoke at
some length, giving details and history of the club. He
said it had increased its membership largely and had been a
success from the beginning. From it other clubs and organi-
zations had been formed for promotion of library interests.
Miss Clarke spoke of three benefits which she had observed
during the time she was a member: the first, acquaintance;
the second, co-operation; the third, an organized body to take
hold of any question relating to libraries.
"Mr. Pickett moved that a committee be appointed to
report on a constitution on the first Thursday in January.
Mr. Nelson seconded the motion, and then moved that the
chair appoint a committee of three to draw up a constitution
and by-laws. The chair appointed Mr. Nelson, Mr. Pickett,
and Mr. Gauss. A form of constitution modeled on that of
the New York Library Club was supplied to the committee
by the secretary, and they went into session. On motion
of Mr. Hild, the meeting took a recess until the committee
reported. After fifteen minutes, 8:15 to 8:30, the com-
mittee reported with a constitution ahered from that used
by the New York Library Club. Mr. Gauss moved, and
Mr. Hild seconded it, that the constitution as submitted by
the committee be taken up by paragraphs and be adopted
unless some objection be made. On motion of Mr. Pickett
the constitution as read paragraph by paragraph was formally
adopted."
Meetings. — The first regular meeting of the Club was
held in the following month (January 8th) and the number
of names (forty-seven) presented for membership is evidence
of the immediate response given by local library workers to
the new movement. The first regular paper was read by
82 Chicago Libraries
Miss Edith E. Clarke upon "Library Organizations." The
Lihrarv Joiinial was made the official organ of the Club, and
minutes of the meetings as well as many of the principal
papers have since appeared regularly in that periodical.
A motion to incorporate the Club was made by Mr. Hild
at the February meeting of 1893, and a petition to that effect,
signed by the members of the executive committee of that
year, was duly filed at Springfield. A charter was issued
to the Club by Honorable W. H. Hinrichsen, Secretary of
State, on February ii, 1893, a copy of which will be found
on another page of the present manual.
Meetings of the Club have been held at different libraries
of the city and suburbs and even at private houses. An
unsuccessful effort to secure permanent headquarters was
made in 1897-98. But the unfailing hospitality of the Public
Library has rendered it possible, especially in recent years,
to meet at a central spot and without expense to the
Club.
Constitutional History. — The constitution drawn up and
adopted so expeditiously at the preliminary meeting of
December 17, 1891, has served the Club with few amend-
ments down to the present day. Changes that have been
found necessary to make have concerned, first, the time of
meeting, and secondly, the status of members.
According to the constitution as first adopted, meetings
of the Club were held "on the Friday after the first Monday"
of the months from October to May inclusive. On November
3, 1892, the time was changed to "the first week" of the
months from October to March, thus dropping April and
May. Special meetings, however, were sometimes called in
the spring months by the executive committee. On October
6, 1898, the time of meeting was made "the second week"
The Chicago Library Club 83
of the months from October to April; and finally, on No-
vember 14, 1 90 1, the May meeting was made a part of the
club year.
The election of officers, in the early years of the Club,
was held in January, the new officers thus controlling the
programs during the calendar year rather than during the
club year. On December 6, 1894, tlie time of election was
made the final meeting of the club year.
At the October meeting of 1898, moreover, several
amendments were adopted defining the status of members
and the duties of the treasurer in reference thereto. The
dues were made payable at the first meeting of the club
year, instead of in January, as had hitherto been the tra-
dition. Members were to be notified by the treasurer of the
time for payment of dues, and the names of delinquents at
the beginning of the following club year were to be stricken
from the rolls by the secretary. On payment of past
indebtedness, however, they could be reinstated by the
executive committee.
On November 14, 1901, a number of further changes
were made in the constitution, and the whole was again read
in open meeting and adopted with the amendments. These
amendments are as follows: The scope of the Club is
widened to include all library interests; membership is
extended to "any person interested in library work," and
names must be acted upon promptly after they have been
presented by the secretary; the duties of both secretary and
treasurer are prescribed in detail; the proper auditing of the
treasurer's annual report is now made obligatory; the time
of meetings as again amended extends from October to May
inclusive, and the mode of calling special meetings of the
Club and of the executive committee is prescribed; the dis-
84 Chicago Libraries
tiihutiou of fiublications is to be in charge of the executive
committee.
The last amendment made to the constitution, adopted
February 1 8, 1904, permits the Club to confer honorary
membership on "persons who have done specially valuable
work in co-operation with the Club." The first person to be
honored by the Club under this clause was Mr. A. H. Hop-
kins, who was made honorary member on December 8, 1904.
Lines of Work — The policy of the Club has varied
somewhat according to the views of members composing the
executive committee, which has, as a rule, selected the
speakers and arranged the program of topics for the year.
It is rather curious to find, however, that three projects or
lines of policy, all of which were first suggested at the same
meeting, have never been lost sight of and have proved most
important features of the Club's work. At the November
meeting of 1893, Dr. Wire read a paper entitled "Sug-
gestions," in which he advocated, first, that the Club issue
a manual of the libraries in its district; and secondly, that
it should prepare and maintain "lists of serials that the
several libraries have, showing not only which serials may be
found at the different libraries, but also how complete they
are." To these suggestions, Mr. E. F. L. Gauss added a
third, that "Libraries ought also to hear from outsiders who
are connected with literature, such as authors, teachers of
literature, and professional men; and that these might be
asked to address the Club at its meetings." The first sug-
gestion has borne fruit in the Manual of 1895 and in the one
before the reader; the second suggestion has been realized in
the Union List with its triennial supplements; while the
third suggestion has been a settled point of policy with ex-
ecutive committees for the last five years. -
The Chicago Library Club 85
Topics Discussed. — The scope of topics discussed before
the Chib has been comprehensive, covering nearly every
problem arising in library administration or connected with
the mutual relations of the public library and the community.
Library buildings, their architecture, decoration, and furnish-
ings; qualifications of librarians and assistants, hours of ser-
vice, regulations, and salaries; work with specialists and with
children, as well as methods of reference attendance upon
the general public; branch libraries; co-operation; treatment
of maps and music in public libraries; book illustration and
printing — all these and other topics have formed the subjects
of papers read before the Club, or of addresses made to it.
Problems arising from efforts to extend the usefulness of the
library beyond its own walls have received special attention
from the Club, and in three directions have led to practical
and useful action by committees appointed to carry them out.
These three movements have been: i. Home and travel-
ing libraries; 2. Jail libraries; and 3. Co-operation with
schools, museums, and clubs.
Home Libraries. — Home libraries were first circulated in
Chicago by the Library School at Armour Listitute. After
the removal of that school to the University of Illinois in
1897, the work was left without direction, and at the March
meeting of the Club in 1898, a committee was appointed, on
motion of Mr. A. H. Hopkins, to report upon the feasibility
of continuing the work by the Club. In the following
October Miss Irene Warren, chairman of the committee,
reported that with a small expenditure the cases and books
in possession of the Armour Institute could be made avail-
able for circulation in the homes, under supervision of
students from the Chicago Normal School. In March,
1900, the distribution of libraries had become well organized
86 Chicago Libraries
and the demand for them was increasing. In October, 1 903,
an offer was made by the Chicago Bureau of Charities to
transfer to the Club the remains of some forty libraries
owned by the Bureau, and to aid in placing them in the
homes. This offer was accepted and the executive commit-
tee on November 14, 1903, appropriated I25 for the use of
the home libraries committee.
This committee now has entire management of the work,
selecting books and the homes in which to place them,
getting volunteer visitors — largely students in the Normal
School and School of Education — to take charge of the
groups of readers, and gathering funds to add new equip-
ment as the old wears out. The number of libraries in use
has varied from year to year, but at present there are fifteen
in active service, reaching over two hundred children who
for various reasons cannot obtain Public Library books.
Many of the books are literally read to pieces, and it is diffi-
cult, despite constant interchange of books in the various
little libraries, to get enough to supply the demand.
Jail Libraries.— At the March meeting of 1898 Judge
C. G. Neely, of the Cook County Circuit Court, made an
earnest plea for the circulation of good literature among
criminals and juvenile offenders. A committee was ap-
pointed to look into the matter, and at the meeting held in
the following October this committee reported that a begin-
ning had been made at the County Jail and at the Bridewell.
Mr. Hervey White stated that he would take personal charge
of the Jail Library if a small number of books could be col-
lected at once. A library of a hundred volumes was collected
within thirty days. An attorney, Mr. W. R. Moss, later
assumed general supervision of the work. The circulation of
The Chicago Library Club 87
the books, however, was entirely in the hands of the prison-
ers themselves, one of whom acted as librarian. The use
and value of these book to men, many of whom had abso-
lutely nothing to do with their days, became so evident that
Jailer Whitman took charge of the work, and the assistance
of the Chicago Library Club was no longer needed.
Libraries and Educational Institutions. — The relation
of libraries and schools was made the special topic at the
February meeting of 1900. A committee was appointed to
co-operate with a committee of teachers. At a later meet-
ing in January of 1901, Colonel Parker and Superintendent
Cooley dealt with the same topic from the educational side.
In June of that year the Club received an invitation from the
Special Park Commission of Chicago to delegate a member
to serve upon the school extension committee of that body.
Mr. C. R. Perry and Miss Irene Warren have served in that
capacity.
Library extension with reference to museums was dis-
cussed by Mr. A. H. Hopkins on the part of the library,
and by I. B. Meyers on the part of the museum, at the
January meeting of 1903. Mr. Hopkins, in an address at
the February meeting of the following year, spoke of co-ordi-
nating library, school, and museum, and urged closer inter-
relations.
The State Library Association and the Commission. —
The initiative in forming the Illinois State Library Asso-
ciation came from the Chicago Library Club, as did also an
unsuccessful movement to secure a state library commission
for Illinois. At a meeting of the executive committee, held
October 25, 1892, the project of forming a state library
association, referred to this committee at the previous meet-
88 Chicago Libraries
ing of the Club, was fully discussed, and a call was prepared
which was later sent out to one hundred and fifty libraries
of the state. This call read as follows:
Chicago Library Club
To the Librarians of Illinois:
The desire has been expressed by manv Librarians in the
State that an Illinois State Library Association be formed
for mutual improvement and for the promotion of library
interests — similar to those which have already been formed in
the States of New Hampshire, New York, Iowa, New
Jerse)', Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, etc.
The Chicago Library Club begs to take the initiative in
forming such an association, and under instructions passed
at the last meeting of the executive committee, invites all the
libraries of the state to co-operate in the formation of such
an association.
A copy of this circular is mailed to all known libraries of
the State, and the librarian of each is requested promptly to
advise the secretary, Dr. G. E. Wire, The Newberry
Library, Chicago, whether he or she approves the plan pro-
posed, and will become a member of the same. When these
responses are received and it appears that such an organiza-
tion is desired, a place of meeting and date will be fixed upon
for making the formal organization.
William F. Poole,
Frederick H. Hild,
C. C. Pickett, ^ Executive Committee.
G. E. Wire,
Lydia a. Dexter.
Chicago, November 5, 1892.
Replies, in every case favorable, were -received from
The Chicago Library Club 8g
thirty of the libraries addressed; but no further steps were
taken until January 2, 1896, when the matter came up
again for discussion, another call was sent out, and a meet-
ing was announced to be held at Springfield on the 23d of
the same month. The organization of the Illinois State
Library Association was effected at that meeting. Plans to
secure from the Legislature the appointment of a State
Library Commission were discussed in committee meeting
April 10, 1895, and by the Club on October 3, 1895, but
they proved unsuccessful.
The State Association undertook in the following year to
compile a statistical list of libraries in Illinois, and the Club
voted on December 2, 1897, to appoint a special committee
to co-operate with the Association in collecting statistics of
the libraries of Chicago and Cook County. Work upon the
list has proceeded rather slowly, and has since been taken
up by the Library of the University of Illinois.
Publications of the Club. — The first publication of the
Club was the "Constitution, Adopted December 17, 1891,"
a folder of six pages. In 1893 was issued a second folder
of six pages, containing a list of officers and members, con-
stitution, and a brief mention of the origin of the Club.
"The Chicago Library Club Manual, 1895," followed in
the autumn of that year, a neat booklet of twenty-six pages,
edited by the secretary, Edward L. Burchard. Besides the
lists of ofificers and members, the constitution, aim, and
history of the Club, the Manual contains brief accounts of
seventeen libraries of Chicago and vicinity, stating organi-
zation and location, hours and regulations, size, scope, and
administration.
Modest as was the little Manual of 1895, it prepared the
way for "A List of Serials in Public Libraries of Chicago and
go Chicago Libraries
Evanston," proposed by Dr. Wire as early as November 9,
1893, but not fully discussed until the meetings of 1896, and
linally issued in 1901. Two committees were appointed to
prepare and issue this publication, one on finance, F. H.
Hilcl, chairman, and one on editing, C. W. Andrews, chair-
man. The mode of preparation of this list was co-operative
as to both compilation and expense of printing. Each library
subscribed to a certain number of copies and sent to the
editor a list of its periodicals, serials, and society publica-
tions. Volunteers from the Club met on certain evenings at
the Chicago Public Library Building, and transferred the
records of each library to specially prepared blanks, which
were later combined and revised by the editor. The editorial
labor proved to be so heavy that under the strain of overwork
in connection with other duties, the chairman was obliged to
lay aside the work for several years. The postponement of
publication, however, allowed the libraries opportunity to
complete many broken sets, and so was rather an advantage.
When the list finally appeared it showed itself at once to be
not only the most important co-operative library enterprise
ever undertaken in Chicago, but it outstripped in extent and
scope every previously published union list not prepared
under governmental auspices. A supplement to it was
issued by the John Crerar Library in April, 1903, incor-
porating many new sets, and a second supplement, in which
all the entries of the first supplement are to be included, is
now (April, 1905) in preparation.
Prominent Speakers Before the Club. — The earlier
speakers before the Club were all members. But of late
years the Club has listened to addresses by visiting librari-
ans and by professional men of note whom it has invited to
The Chicago Library Club 9]
present various subjects of mutual interest from the point of
view of the public or of the professions that they represent.
Among the latter speakers mention may be made of a few,
while the list of all the principal papers read before the Club
will be found upon another page.
Librarian William H. Brett, of Cleveland, spoke in
February, 1 900, upon the relation of libraries and schools,
and in November of the same year Mrs. Salome Cutler Fair-
child read a paper, entitled, "A Perspective in Library
Movement." The co-operative plans of the Library of
Congress were explained by Librarian Herbert Putnam,
LL.D., on October ii, 1901. Professor James Westfall
Thompson, of the University of Chicago, told of "France
since the Dreyfus Case" at the February meeting of 1902,
and spoke again, on "The Collection, Preservation and Use
of Historical Material in our Libraries," on January 14, 1904.
The Club listened to a characteristic "talk" by Mr. Melvil
Dewey at the rooms of the Chicago Historical Society on
the evening of October 31, 1902. Miss Jane Addams of
Hull House spoke on branch libraries from the point of view
of the sociologist at the December meeting of 1902. At
a public meeting on April 2, 1902, Professor Charles Zueblin,
of the University of Chicago, made a stirring address on
"The Modern Library Movement." Dr. Emil G. Hirsch
delivered an address, entitled, "Libraries and Education,"
at a public meeting held February lO, 1903. A dinner
was given to Mr. A. H. Hopkins at the Albion Cafe on the
occasion of his visit to the city on February 18, 1904, when
he spoke upon "The Library, the School, and the Museum."
On January 30, 1905, the Club listened to an address from
Dr. James H. Cantield, on "The Library as an Educational
92 Chicago Libraries
Institution." On Friday evening, April 21, 1905, Arliuir
E. Bostwick addressed the Club on " Library Extension in
New York City."
Social Meetings and Entertainments The meetings
of the Club have not been entirely professional in character;
and an evening has been occasionally given up to music,
literature, and sociability, even including dancing". The first
evening wholly given over to sociability seems to have been the
Book Party held at the Library Bureau in January, 1899,
although music, vocal and instrumental, had been introduced
to enliven an election of officers on December 6, 1894, and
appears on the program of the February meeting of 1895.
Dr. Myra Reynolds- gave an illustrated lecture upon "The
English Lake Region and its Poets," on December 3, 1896,
and recently (January 13, 1905), Mr. John Vance Cheney
read some selections from his poems before the Club, and a
social evening followed.
The Club has acted as host to visiting librarians on
several occasions. The first was in 1893, when the World's
Fair Library Congress was held in Chicago. The new build-
ing of the Newberry Library was just nearing completion,
and was opened for the inspection of the visitors, who were
served with lunch there, and were then taken on a tally-ho
drive through the parks to Buffalo Bill's "Wild West
Show." The badges worn upon this occasion by the Club
were of orange, which at Mrs. Dixson's suggestion had been
adopted as the Club's color. Again, in the summer of 1901
the delegates to the A. L. A. convention at Waukesha
received courtesies from the Club. A special reception
committee was deputed to convoy visitors upon a tour of the
libraries of Chicago and vicinity. Similar courtesies were
The Chicago Library Club 93
extended to visiting librarians on their way to and from the
St. Louis convention in 1904.
Retrospect. — The record of the Chicago Library Club
for the past thirteen years has been that of an organization
of increasing importance and usefulness to the libraries of
Chicago and to the profession at large. The papers con-
tributed by its members to library periodicals have been of
high grade. The Club has proved itself a factor of practical
value alike to library administrators and to the general
public, and it is now rapidly widening its scope to include
educational and sociological movements of the first impor-
tance to the community.
William Stetson Merrill.
ACT OF INCORPORATION
State of Illinois. Department of State. William H. Hin-
richsen, Secretary of State. To all to whom these
presents shall come. Greeting:
Whereas, a certificate duly signed and acknowledged
having been filed in the office of the Secretary of State, on
the nth day of February, A. D. 1893, for the organization
of the Chicago Library Club, under and in accordance with
the provisions of "An Act Concerning Corporations,"
approved April 18, 1872, and in force July I, 1872, and all
acts amendatory thereof, a copy of which certificate is hereto
attached.
Now, therefore, I, William H. Hinrichsen, Secretary of
State of Illinois, by virtue of the powers and duties vested
in me by law, do hereby certify, that the said The Chicago
Library Club is a legally organized corporation under the
laws of this State.
In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and cause to
be affixed the great Seal of State, done at the City of Spring-
field, this nth day of February, in the year of our Lord,
one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three, and of the
Independence of the United States the one hundred and
seventeenth.
[seal] W. H. Hinrichsen.
95
CONSTITUTION
Of the Chicago Library Club, as Amended at a
Regular Meeting of the Club Held November
14, 1901.
ARTICLE 1
NAME
The name of this organization is The Chicago Libiary
Club.
ARTICLE II
OBJECT
The object of the Club is to increase, by consultation and
co-operation, the usefulness of the libraries of Chicago and
vicinity, to promote library interests and work, and to encour-
age good fellowship among those engaged in such work.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERS
Any person interested in library work may be elected to
membership by the Club. Applications for membership
shall be made to the Secretary, who shall present them to
the Executive Committee. The Committee must report
them with its approval or disapproval at the next regular
meeting of the Club.
[Honorary membership may be conferred, upon recom-
mendation of the Executive Committee and unanimous vote
of the Club, on persons who have done specially valuable
work in co-operation with the Club.*]
*Amendment passed February 18, 1904.
97
gS Chicago Libraries
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
This Club shall elect at the annual meeting in May a
President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, and a Treas-
urer. These officers shall constitute the Executive Commit-
tee. This Committee shall appoint such special and standing
committees as may be needed, and shall have power to act
for the Club on all matters on which the Committee is unani-
mously agreed.
The President shall preside at the meetings of the Club
and of the Executive Committee; in his absence or at his
request a Vice-President shall take his place.
The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the
Club and of the Executive Committee; shall give due notice
of any election, appointment, meeting, or any other business
requiring the personal attention of any member; shall have
charge of books, papers, and correspondence; shall keep the
roll of active members, a list of delinquent members stricken
from the roll, and a list of members resigned or removed
from the city.
The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the
Club; shall keep a full and accurate record of all receipts and
disbursements with dates, purposes, and amounts; shall pay
no money except by order of the Club or of the Executive
Committee; shall submit a complete report properly audited
by a special committee at the annual meeting in May; shall
promptly notify the Secretary when delinquents should be
stricken from the roll; shall transmit to each member by
mail or otherwise proper notification of the time when club
dues are payable, and shall notify delinquents of their indebt-
edness in accordance with the provisions of -Article VL
COXSTITL'TIOX 9Q
ARTICLE V
MEETINGS
The regular meetings of the Club shall be held in the
second week of the months of October to May inclusive, at
such time and place as may be approved by the Executive
Committee.
Special meetings of the Club may be called by the Presi-
dent or at the request of ten (lo) members; notices shall be
sent to each member stating the purpose of such meeting,
and no other business shall be transacted at the meeting.
Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by
the President or at the request of two members.
ARTICLE VI
DUES AND DEBTS
Annual dues shall be one dollar, payable at the October
meeting.
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to send notice
within thirty days after the said meeting to such members as
have not paid their dues; and in April he shall send a second
notice to such members as may be still in arrears.
The names of such members as are still in arrears at the
opening" of the following club year shall be stricken from the
roll by the Secretary without further action; but such mem-
bers may be reinstated by the Executive Committee on pay-
ment of all indebtedness to the Club.
No debt or obligation of any kind shall be contracted by
the Club or by any committee, officer, or member thereof in
its behalf, but the Executive Committee shall have power to
expend money for the ordinary running expenses of the Club.
loo Chicago Libraries
ARTICLE VII
IH'BI.lCAriONS
The Executive Committee shall arrange for the distribu-
tion of all publications of the Club.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended by a three-fourths
vote at any regular meeting of the Club, provided that each
member shall have been notified of the proposed amendment
at least two weeks before the meeting.
ARTICLE IX
ORGAN
The Library Journal shall be the official organ of the
Club, and records of all Club meetings and of important
actions of the Executive Committee shall be promptly sub-
mitted to it by the Secretary.
OFFICERS OF THE CHICAGO LIBRARY CLUB
1892-1905
PRESIDENTS
William F. Poole, LL.D. - 1892.
W. B. WiCKERSHAM - - 1 893.
E. F. L. Gauss - - - 1894.
Miss Lydia A. Dexter, Jan-March, 1895.
E. F. L. Gauss - - - 1895/6.
Anderson H. Hopkins - 1896/7-1897/8 (two terms).
Herbert W. Gates - - 1898/9.
C. B. RoDEN - - . 1899/1900.
W. B. WiCKERSHAM - - 1900/1.
A. G. S. JOSEPHSON - - 1901/2.
Miss Irene Warren - - 1902/3-1903/4 (two terms).
Miss M. E. Ahern - - 1904/5 .
FIRST VICE-PRESIDENTS
Frederick H. Hild - - 1892.
Chas. Alex. Nelson - - 1893.
Miss Edith E. Clarke - 1894.
Miss Theresa West, Jan.-March, 1895.
Miss Katharine L. Sharp 1895/6.
Alex. J. Rudolph, elected March, 1896; resigned May, 1896.
Miss Mary B. Lindsay - 1896/7.
W. W. Bishop - - - 1897/8.
Miss Jessie Van Vliet - 1898/9.
Wm. Stetson Merrill - 1899/1900.
Miss Irene Warren - - 1900/1-1901/2 (two terms).
Earl G. Swem, May-Oct., 1902 (resigned).
lOI
I02 Chicago Libraries
Miss Mary K. Hawi.i:y, Oct., i(;o2-Ma\-, 1Q03.
Herbert A. Gould - - 1903/4.
Miss ("aroiim: W. M( Iiaaixk, 1904/5.
SKCONl) \ U'll-PKKSIDKNTS
C. C. Pkkf.tt - - - 1892.
Mrs. Zella A. Dixsox - 1893.
G. B. Meleney - - - 1894.
Miss Mary B. Lixdsay, Jan. -March, 1895.
G. E. Wire, M.D. - - 1895/6.
Mrs. Zella A. Dixsox - 1896/7.
W.M. Stetson Merrill - 1897/8.
H. T. SuDDUTH - - - 1898/9.
Miss ]Mary B. Lixdsay - 1899/ 1900.
R. P. Hayes - - - 1 900/1.
Miss Evva Moore - - 1901/2.
Miss Mary E. Hawley, May-Oct., 1902; became I'irst
Vice-President.
Wm. Stetson Merrill, elected Oct., 1902; resigned Nov.,
1902.
Herbert A. Gould, Nov., 1902-Mav, 1903.
Miss Caroline M. McIl\'aixe, 1903/4.
Miss Mary B. Lindsay - 1904/5.
SECRETARIES
G. E. Wire, M.D. - - 1892.
E. F. L. Gauss - - - 1893.
Miss Carrie L. Elliott - 1894.
Miss Katharine L. Sh.\rp, elected Dec, 1894; resigned Jan.,
1895.
Edward L. Burchari:), Jan.-Dec, 1895. (Part of two terms;
resigned.)
Ofiickrs of thk Chi (A CO Library Club 103
Miss M. L. Bennett, Dec, 1895-Jan., 1897. (I'^n'l <>t two
terms; resigned.)
Miss Margaret Mann, Jan.-Oct., 1897. (Part of two terms;
resigned.)
C. B. RoDEN, Oct., i897-A])ril, 1899. (Part of two terms.)
Miss Irene Warren - - 1899/1900.
Miss Margaret Zimmerman, i 900/1.
Chesley R. Perry, April, i9oi-()ct., 1902. (Part of two
terms; resigned.)
Miss Renf.e B. Stern, Oct., 1902-May, 1904. (Part of two
terms.)
Charles H. Bro\vn - - 1904/5.
TREASURERS
Miss Lydia A. Dexter - 1892.
Miss Lodilla Ambrose - 1893.
Wm. Stetson Merrill - 1894.
Miss Elizabeth A. Young, elected Dec, 1894; resigned
Jan., 1895.
\\\i. Stetson Merrill, Jan., 1895-March, 1896 (two terms).
W. \V. Bishop - - - 1896/7.
Miss M. E. Ahern - - i897/8-i899/i9oo(threetcrms).
C. A. Torrey - - - [900/1-1902/3 (three terms).
C. A. Larson - - - 1903/4-1904/5 (two terms).
PRINCIPAL PAPERS READ AND ADDRESSES
GIVEN BEFORE THE CHICAGO
LIBRARY CLUB
1892-1905
"Library Organizations," Edith E. Clarke, January 8, 1892.
"The Probasco Collection," Chas. A. Nelson, January 8,
1892.
"How TO Read and How Not to Read," William F. Poole,
LL.D., March 10, 1892.
"Subjective Review of the American Catalogue, 1884-
90," Mary Imogen Crandall, October 6, 1892.
"Institute Libraries and their Work," Edith E. Clarke,
November 3, 1892.
"Some Popular Errors in Entering and Cataloguing
Books," E. F. L. Gauss, December i, 1892. Printed in
L. J. 18:5-8.
"Broad Lines on which a Reference Library should -
be Established and Maintain'ed," William E. Poole,
LL.D., February 2, 1893.
"On Pal/eography," Karl Pietsch, Ph.D., February 2, 1893.
"A , Study of College Libraries," Lodilla Ambrose,
March 4, 1893. Printed in L. J. 18:113-118.
"The Public Library in its Relation to Education,"
Emil G. Hirsch, LL.D., April 6, 1893.
"Some of the Ancestors of the Modern Book,", if r^.
Zella A. Dixson, April 6, 1893.
"John Gutenberg and the Early Printers," William F.
Poole, LL.D., October 5, 1893.
."The Cataloguing of Incunabula," Haakon A^yhttiis,
October 5, 1893.
105
io6 (' II ic AC. (I 1. 1 i; K A K 1 1: s
"Sl'GCKSTIONS TO S IIMT I, All; 1 )lS( TSSIO.N," (/'. /•". Wire, .!/./>.,
November g, 1893.
"Tin: T^RKPARATioN OF Printed Lists for Circti.a itxc.
Libraries," Kate M. Henneherry, December 7, 1893.
"Woman in Literature at the Fair, from the Stand-
point OF a Librarian and Cataloguer," FAiith R.
Clarke, Januar_\' 4, i8g4. PrinU'd in L. J. 19:47-49.
"An Lvening with Old Books," Kev. /•'. IT. Ciuusaiiliis,
D.D., Noveml)er 2, 1894.
"Departmental Libraries," Mrs. Zrlht A. Dixson, Fel)-
ruary 8, 1895.
"A Brief History of Some of the Libraries ix Chkwgo,"
ir. B. Wickersliani, March 8, 1895. Printed in L. J.
20:274-279.
"Historical Sketch of the Library Commissions of the
LTnited States," G. E. ]]lre, M.D., October 3, 1895.
"The Wisconsin Library Commission — How It was
Created and Organized," F. A. JIulchius, October 3,
1895.
"Library Extension," /. O. Thompson, Novemljer 7, 1895.
"Specialization in Libraries," C. \V. Andrews, January 2,
1896.
"Library Organizations, their [Need and Benefits,"
Wm. Stetson Merrill, ^Lircli 5, 1896.
"The Librarian, Assistants, and the Public," Lutie E.
Stearns, October 7, 1896. Printed in L. J. 21:489-495.
"The English Lake Region," 1/yn/ Reynolds, Ph.D.,
December 3, 1896.
"Libraries from the Outside," //. 7\ Snddii/h, jaiuiar\- 7,
1897.
"New Devices in Library Appliances," G. B. Meleney,
February 4, 1897.
PaI'KRS AXI) a DDK KSS KS
"Decorative Illustration OF Books," 11'. 7'. Way, March 4,
1897.
"A Day with a Reference Librarian," Hervey While,
October 7, 1897.
"The Problem of Classifying the Library of a The-
ological School," IV. IV. Bishop, November 4, 1897.
"Post-Conference Trip of the A. L. A. in England,"
M. E. Ahem, December 2, 1897.
"Some Recent Plans for Co-Operative Bibliography,"
C. IF. Andrews, December 2, 1897.
"Library Progress in Germany," A. G. S. Josephson.
January 6, 1898 Printed in P. L. 3:126-128.
"Home Libraries in Chicago," Cornelia Marvin, January 6,
1898.
"Character and Writings of Heinrich Heine," R. F. L.
Gauss, February 2, 1898.
"Possibilities of Library Work in Jails and Among
Criminals," Hon. C. G. Neely, March 2, i8q8.
"The Royal Society's Proposed Classification in
Science," C. IF. Andreivs, Nov. 10, 1898.
"A New Classific.a.tion of Anthropology," ////// Dieseriid,
November 10, 1898.
"The Library Movement in the Dark Ages," Mrs.
Zella A. Dixson, December 8, 1898.
"The Relation of Libraries and Schools," IF. U. Brell,
February 8, 1900. Printed in P. L. 6:84-85.
"Preparation for Librarianship," A. fi. S. .fosephson,
April 8, 190G. Printed in L. J. 25:226-228.
"A Perspective in Library Movement," Mrs. Salome
Culler Fair child, November 15, 1900.
"Some Beginnings" (of co-()[)erati()n between libraries and
.schools), Col. F. IF. Parker, January 10, iqoi.
io8 Chicago Lihrariks
"How May the Library Help the Public School?" E. G.
Cooley, January lo, 1901.
"State Supervision of Public Libraries," C. A. Torrey,
February 14, igoi. Printed in P. L. 6:271-273.
"Library Architecture," Normand S. Patton, Marcli 14,
iQOi. Printed in P. L. 6:200-204.
"Hook L-LUSTKAtion," IF. .1/. Chile, April 11, igor.
"Color Printing as Illustrated by Modern Color
Photography," F. S. Osgood, April tr, 1901.
" Co-Operative Plans of the Library of Congress,"
Herbert Putnam, LL.D., October 11, igoi.
"Chicago Library Club; Its Founding and Early His-
tory," Mrs. Zella A. Dixson, January 9, 1902.
"The Chicago Library Club; Its Present and Future,"
C. B. Roden, January 9, 1902.
"France Since the Dreyfus Case," James Westjall Thomp-
son, Ph.D., February 13, 1902.
"The Modern Library Movement," Charles Ziiehlin,
April 2, 1902.
"Home Libraries," Harriot E. Hassler, April 10, 1902.
"The Sanitary Construction, Heating, and Ventila-
tion OF Library Buildings," Charles Wilkes, October 8,
1902.
"The Place of the Library in the Community," Melvil
Dewey, October 31, 1902.
"Maps and the Reading of Maps," Zonia Baber, Novem-
ber 13, 1902.
"The Making of a Map," R. H. Allin, November 13, 1902.
"Branch Libraries and their Relation to the Com-
munity," Jane Addams, December 10, 1902.
''Libraries .and Education," Emil G. Hirsch, D.D., Feb-
ruary 10, 1903.
Papers and Addresses
lOQ
"The Booklovers and the Tabard Inn Libraries,"
F. H. Gill, March 12, 1903.
"Mural Decorations in Public Buildings," O. L. Triggs,
April 9, 1903.
"The Sanitary Construction and Care of a Library
Building," Mrs. Ellen H. Richards, October 15, 1903.
"The Sanitary Care of Books and Libraries," Dr.
Adolph Gehrmann, October 15, 1903.
"Reference Work in Public Libraries," M. E. Ahem,
November 12, 1903. Printed in P. L. 9:55-65.
"The Place of Music in Libraries," Thomas Delaney,
December 10, 1903.
"The Collection, Preservation, and Use of Historical
Material in our Libraries," James Westjall Thomp-
son, Ph.D., January 14, 1904.
"The Library, the School, and the Museum," A. H.
Hopkins, February 18, 1904.
"The Problem of Children's Literature," Mrs. Giidrun
Thorne-Thomsen, April 14, 1904.
"The Library from the Viewpoint of the Trustee,"
Dr. F. S. Johnson, Franklin H. Head, Dr. B. J. Cigrand,
December 8, 1904.
"The Yellowstone Park" (stereopticon), Capt. E. C.
Culver, January 26, 1905.
"The Library as an Educational Institution," /. H.
Canfield, LL.D., January 30, 1905.
"Library Extension in New York City," Arthur E.
Bostwick, April 21, 1905.
UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
AA 000 338 381
New York
State
Library School
Class work collection
This book should be charged in the
Library School.
Lsj-Si 1-3000 (7-7916)
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