DAYTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, This Catalogue was compiled by Misses M. I. DRYDEN and E. C. DOREN, assisted by Miss LIZZIE BUTTERFIELD. W. J. CONKLIN. A. JUNIKL. J. A. MARLAY. Com. on Library. HISTORICAL SKETCH. BY ROBERT W. STEELE. AYTON may claim the honor of having obtained from the Legislature the DAY first act of incorporation for a public library granted by the State of Ohio. The act was passed February 1, 1805, and the library formed under it contained an excellent selection of books and existed for many years. In January, 1847, at a public meeting of citizens called for the purpose, the Dayton Library Association was organized. A large sum of money was raised by subscription and a choice collection of books purchased. The library was opened in a room on Main Street, opposite the court-house, but in 1854 was removed to the new Phillips building, on the corner of Main and Second streets, where rooms had been expressly prepared and elegantly fitted up for its reception. This library, in connection with a reading-room and with its winter course of lectures, was sustained for many years, and was one of the marked features of our city. It was supported by an annual fee from its members; and as a free public library had been established, it was believed that the public interests would be best served by a union of the two. In 1860 the stockholders of the Library Association, by a vote, transferred their valuable library and furniture to the Board of Education. By the school-law of 1853, a tax of one tenth of a mill on the dollar was levied for library purposes; but this tax was not available until 1855. At that time the city of Dayton was entitled to fourteen hundred dollars of the fund, to be expended under the direction of the state superintendent of schools. Authority was given by him to a committee of the Board of Education to purchase the books. The first purchase consisted of twelve hundred and fifty volumes. Great care was taken in the selection of the books to meet the popular wants, and the library, small as it was, was extensively used. The library was opened in the fall of 1855, in a viii HISTORICAL SKETCH. rented room on the north-east corner of Main and Fourth streets. At this time it was accessible only on Saturdays, from 10:00 to 12:00 A. M., and from 2:00 to 5:00 P. M. In 1856 the legislature suspended the tax of one tenth of a mill on the dollar, and from that time until 1866 the library was sustained by appropriations made by the Board of Education, from the contingent fund. In 1866 the legislature passed an act empowering boards of education in cities of the first and second class to levy a tax of one tenth of a mill for library purposes, and under this law the library is at present conducted. This tax, so insignificant to the individual tax-payer, amounting to only ten cents on one thousand dollars' valuation, will yield in Dayton, in 1883, over $2,400. As this sum is exclusively devoted to the purchase of books, all other expenses of the library being paid out of the contingent fund, the increase of books each year is large and valuable. After the union in 1860, the public library was removed to the rooms of the Library Association, where it remained until 1867. In 1867 a room was prepared for its reception in the City Hall, where it was located until that building was torn down, in 1875. While the new City Hall was building, it was removed to rooms in the house on Main Street, north of the court-house. In 1876 the present rooms were occupied, which, although handsomely fitted up, are not well adapted to the purpose. A movement has been made toward the erection of a new library-building, which is greatly needed. The present catalogue has been made from books on the shelves, and accurately represents the volumes now belonging to the library. The number of volumes is nineteen thousand. It has been said that a good library is "a growth, and not a creation." Each library has special features which if lost can not be replaced. The only complete files in existence of Dayton newspapers, dating back to the first published, in 1808, may be found on our shelves. These are invaluable as material for history, and are of great use in establishing dates and facts in cases before the courts, and are constantly resorted to for this purpose. Especial effort has been made to collect the best old English classics, and many rare books have been procured after long search. Lists of books have been solicited from experts in every branch of science and art, and it is believed that in the purchases, all departments have been fairly represented. The works of reference number three thousand seven hundred and eighty-one volumes, and many of them are expensive and of great value. To make the books available, an alphabetical catalogue, giving the title of the book, the name of the author, and subject, is indispensable. The present catalogue fully covers this ground, and its usefulness will justify the heavy expenditure involved in its publication. It has been compiled by the librarians, Misses M. I. DRYDEN and E. C. DOREN, and is highly creditable to their skill and industry. Only those familiar with the labor and difficulty of such work can properly appreciate the credit due them. The circulation of books during the year commencing September 1, 1882, and ending September 1, 1883, was, average daily, two hundred and one; average monthly, five thousand one hundred and sixty-one; and for the year, sixty-one thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine volumes. Number of volumes consulted in rooms, five thousand eight hundred and forty. The library is under the control of the Board of Education; is managed by a committee of three of its members appointed annually, and is free to all citizens. |