ter terms of the Supreme Court, the Library shall be kept open from 8 A. M. to 12 M., and from 2 P. M. to 6 P. M. During the summer terms of the Supreme Court, the Library shall open half an hour earlier. At all other times, the hours shall be from 9 A. M. to 12 M., and from 2 P. M. to 5 P. M. 2. The State Library is one of reference, and not a circulating library; no books can be taken from it, except as authorized by law. 3. All persons of proper age are permitted to visit the Library and examine and read the books, periodicals, etc. Children under fifteen years of age, unaccompanied by parent or guardian, are not entitled to the privileges of the Library, except at the discretion of the Librarian. 4. Any person wishing to obtain any book in the general library, for perusal or reference, must make application at the desk of the Librarian. The books thus received must be returned to the Librarian's desk. The Librarian will exercise a proper discrimination as to the delivery of such books as she may think liable to be injured. 5. No person, except the Librarian or assistants, shall be permitted to replace upon the shelf any book or other publication. 6. No person allowed in any of the galleries without holding a permit from the Librarian. 7. Writing in or marking books or periodicals, tearing or turning down leaves, and all other defacements, are strictly forbidden. Any person defacing a book or periodical shall pay to the Librarian the price of the book injured. 8. No talking above a whisper in any part of the Library. 9. No smoking will be permitted, and it is respectfully requested that gentlemen will abstain from chewing tobacco in the Library. 10. There shall be no lunching or refreshments of any kind taken in the Library. 11. Copying from books, other than law books, must be done in pencil. 12. During the sessions of the Supreme Court or of the General Assembly, the Governor, Attorney-General, and members of the General Assembly may take to any room in the Capitol, any law book; and lawyers in attendance on the Supreme Court in the Capitol will be permitted to take such books as they may desire, into the Supreme Court room. 13. State officers and their deputies may take to their respective offices such books as they may require for reference in the discharge of their duties; the same to be returned within three days. 14. No person shall be allowed access to the Library at any time except in the presence of the Librarian or assistants. 15 Any person violating the rules of the State Library, may be prohibited by the Librarian from the use and privileges of the Library; and for misbehavior and willful violation of the rules relating to good order in the Library and the preservation of the books, may be summarily ejected from the Library. By section 1, chapter 191, acts of the Twentieth General Assembly, there was appropriated the sum of $6,000, for the purchase of miscellaneous books. A carefully prepared list was submitted to and approved by a committee appointed by the Board of Trustees to examine said list. The books have been purchased, and most of them catalogued and placed upon the shelves, ready for use. Vouchers for the money thus expended are filed with the Governor, and a statement and catalogue of the books, appended to this report. Before the meeting of the next General Assembly the balance of the new books will have been catalogued and a shelf catalogue of all the books in the general library made. There is now such a list of the law text books. A valuable collection of autographs and photographs, known as the "Aldrich Collection," has been donated to the Library by the Hon. Charles Aldrich, of Webster City, and a handsome and substantial case for its preservation, has been provided by the State. A place has been provided for memorial volumes and donations solicited. Mr. Aldrich has responded in a handsome set of Bunyan's complete works in 3 volumes, by Geo. Offer; and a handsomely bound copy of Baxter's Saints' Rest, edition of 1658, all of which are dedicated to his father and mother. Another valuable donation-50 copies of "A Record of the Commemoration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Settlement of Iowa, held at Burlington, June 1, 1883," has been made by the Hons. Jno. G. Foote and the late Gen. A. C. Dodge. Copies have been sent to the State and Territorial libraries. Hon. F. D. Jackson, Secretary of State, has kindly aided in completing as far as possible, some of our duplicate sets of State publications, and has also provided the Library with a number of Mr. Bushnell's "Iowa Resources" for exchange with other libraries. Several donations have been received since the appended catalogue was put in type, among them a complete set of the constitution, digests, laws and proceedings of the Supreme Lodge A. Q. U. W., from its organization to date, from Supreme Recorder M. W. Sackett, of Meadville, Pa.; an acquisition to the Iowa department by the author Mr. Nicholas Baylies, of "Political Controversies between the United States and Great Britain"; The Northwestern Journal of Education, from the publishers, and to the list of newspapers have been added: The Cedar Rapids Daily Republican; The Daily Hawkeye Blade and the Signet (weekly), published at Grinnell. By an over sight the Hancock County Tribune; Morning Sun Herald and Spirit Lake Democrat were omitted from the printed list. A number of old, out of print laws of several of the States has been obtained by exchange of duplicate volumes, which have been accumulating and were useless except as exchanges. At date of my last report, the whole number of books in the Library, exclusive of duplicates and pamphlets, was. Additions made since are: By purchase... By donation and exchange... Total additions.. Whole number in the library. Number of law books added... Number in all other classes added... 22,554 4,487 1,119 5,606 28,160 1,642 3,964 The term has been one of unusual hard work, and it will require several more years of extra hard labor to put the library in harmony with its surroundings. A catalogue should be printed, and I respectfully suggest that the coming legislature, make the necessary order and appropriation for the same; also an appropriation for the rebinding of some of the old books which by the unavoidable extraordinary wear and tear consequent upon being crowded into the very close quarters in the old building, if not soon attended to will be past saving. I would also suggest, that since the publication of Poole's index to periodical literature, the periodicals indexed make a most valuable addition to any library and especially so to a reference library, such as ours, and that they ought to be placed upon our shelves. It was supposed that after our "settlement" in the new rooms less assistance would be required than at first, but trial proves this to have been an erroneous supposition. The constant accumulation of books; their care from the time of ordering until placed upon the shelves; the large files of newspapers and periodicals to be kept unbroken; the preparation for binding; the constantly increasing number of seekers after information, besides the thousands of sightseers; in short the innumerable details appreciated only by librarians, require the constant and unceasing labor of every member of the Library Force, and I respectfully suggest that the same number of assistants be allowed the Librarian, especially during the printing of the catalogue. I have taken the liberty to append a short historical sketch of the State Library, and a list of libraries in the State, with some statistics, and will also take the liberty to suggest to the Twenty-first General Assembly that our State publications might be better preserved by the formation in every county, of a county library to be in the custody of the county auditor, or other county officer, the board of supervisors to constitute a board of trustees of such library. To these libraries complete sets of the State publications (including the Supreme Court Reports, which are now sent to the county auditors), should be sent and preserved. Under the present law for the distribution of public documents, very few complete sets are to be found in the State. I append as usual, the financial statement, with other appendixes as indicated in the table of contents. Very respectfully, MRS. S. B. MAXWELL, MRS. S. B. MAXWELL, LIBRARIAN, In account with State Library—Appropriation and Miscellaneoas Fund: Special Appropriation as per Section 1, Chapter 191, Acts of the Twentieth Gen June 23 Books purchased as per voucher filed with the Governor. $4,500.00 June 30 By freight.. 21.45 July 2 By books purchased 1,200.00 July 8 By expenses in purchasing books. 1885. March By books purchased 42.00 236.55 $ 6,000.00 $ 6,000.00 |