In the ten years of its separate existence the Webster library developed two very characteristic features, one its hearty and intimate cooperation with the schools of the neighborhood; the other an emphasis of the principle that books are happily complemented by objects, or, in other words, that certain phases of museum work may very properly be joined to the ordinary library routine. These two developments were due, in very large measure, to Mr. Edwin White Gaillard who took up his residence in the house and became librarian in March, 1897. The necessity and advisability of close contact with the schools became apparent at an early day, the report for 1896 pointing out that as it was the only library on the East Side between 60th and 110th Streets, with a population of 600,000, cooperation with three nearby schools had brought the library to the limit of its capacity; at least half a dozen schools within easy walking distance had to be passed by until personnel and stock of books were increased. In 1897 a reading room was established, the open shelf system introduced, two books at a time were allowed to be taken home, and a Bohemian branch was begun. Year after year came a fuller and more intimate contact with principals, teachers, pupils in the schools. An effort was made to bring the library home to each school in a rather wideflung neighborhood. Many of the methods then used seem to-day somewhat obvious, but it must be remembered that those very methods and the manner of their application were at that time new and untried. The Library served indeed as a sort of laboratory for trial, study, and experiment, and to its pioneer work in this regard must be given much credit for the more liberal administrative conception held by the public library of to-day. The printed reports tell of cooperation in class room work, of visits from pupils interested in topics illustrated by books, bulletins, and objects. More than usual efforts were made to help teachers who were pursuing special courses of study, attending courses of lectures, or preparing for examinations for promotion. This cooperation with the schools resulted in the establishment of a Teacher's Department during the last few years of the separate existence of the library, its motto being "the books needed, to be retained as long as necessary." Its success is indicated by the fact that of the 574 teachers in the 12 public schools in the district between Madison Avenue and the East River, 68th and 91st Streets, 377, or 65 per cent., used the library in one way or another during 1902. It is not a long step, after getting a teacher or pupil to the library to examine a book, to supplement or complement the book by showing some of the objects the book treats about. It was not long until it became necessary to establish a Department of Practical Illustration. The report for 1902 sets forth at some length the ideals and accom plishments of this scheme. "In this Library" - it says "was started the plan of illustrating books with the things about which the books are written. It is a plan that can be carried out in practice to a certain extent. It is not proposed to turn the library into a museum, but to gather small, representative and typical collections of objects to broadly illustrate the departments of Natural Science and Useful Arts. The library has been collecting all manner of objects which may serve to make clear some of the things in books. So far has been started the foundation of collections of the following: "Birds, nests and eggs; butterflies and other insects; minerals, ores, metals, rocks, soils and fossils; reptiles; physical apparatus; maps, charts, photographs and prints; corals and shells; anatomical models; seeds, roots, barks and leaves; cotton, silk and linen; globe, tellurian and orrery. "If the Library confined itself to collecting and placing behind glass various objects, it would perhaps be a source of regret. When it is possible to replace specimens at reasonable cost or with only reasonable trouble, the Library is glad to lend them when and where they may be of use. This lending of specimens has been mainly to the teachers of the public schools for their class room work. They send here for everything from a prism to a set of colonial flags, even cocoanuts and sugar cane. The flags seemed a stumbling block, but the class agreed to make them if the Library would provide material.” By this time the question of consolidation with The New York Public Library had come sharply to the front. In the summer of 1900 Dr. Billings had, at the request of Comptroller Coler, made a survey of the various circulation systems. The New York Free Circulating Library had given up its corporate life in January, 1901. The Carnegie gift was announced in March, 1901. In the next two years several of the smaller libraries had joined the larger system, and those that remained outside the fold saw the handwriting on the wall. Whether willing to join or not the necessity of joining was practically forced upon them when the comptroller announced that in future city money for library purposes would be paid only to The New York Public Library so far as the boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx, and Richmond were concerned. The change was not relished by Webster. It was felt that the intimate relationship between librarian and reader could be more successfully cherished in a small collection like this than as part of a large collection. Rules, of course, are necessary for the conduct of any enterprise, but the Webster library had tried to make its rules as elastic and unobtrusive as possible. In the report for 1902 the Librarian set forth a portion of his creed, as follows: The result of one year's systematic efforts to ascertain the extent to which public libraries would be used for serious study, would tend to confirm the opinion that they are not more so used on account of restrictive rules. Had it not been for the change in the Library policy of the City, precisely the same sort of plans tried for teachers would have been attempted for the general public. The Committee in charge of this Library had approved a plan to open in 1903 a new room, which was designed to contain books and periodicals that would advance ambitious boys and girls, men and women, in their several walks of life. At first books on the following subjects would have been provided: Architecture, building, carpentry, joinery and cabinet making; complete commercial courses; chemistry; electrical engineering, electric light plants and electric railways; locomotive running; mining; mechanical engineering; sheet metal work; sanitary plumbing, heating and ventilation; telegraph, telephone, steam and gas engineering; refrigeration and mechanical drawing. The books have been selected in part and some have been purchased. As soon as possible after the opening of that room it would have been announced to the neighborhood. A man thoroughly familiar with the district had been selected for that purpose. In every elevated railway station, church, political club, trade union and lodge room, saloon, barber shop, drug store and factory in the neighborhood, not only would announcement placards have been posted, which would tell of the general policy, but lists of the new books were to have been included, and these lists would have been kept up to date. Wherever two or three people should meet together who would be interested in a particular subject it would have been the effort of the Library to provide suitable books on that subject. If the theory of libraries is right, it would seem that they should not only provide the books that are needed and allow them to be properly used; but also see that every man, woman and child thoroughly understands that policy. Even shoe stores endeavor to do that much. Some, if not all, of these dreams were to come true at a later day and within other walls. It was, to be sure, nothing more than natural that a library that had developed in such characteristic fashion should object to losing its identity as part of a larger system. On the other hand it was certain that help from the city would come only as part of the larger system, and that the Carnegie offer held forth the only hope of much-needed expansion. After mature deliberation, and with some reluctance and misgiving, it was finally decided to join The New York Public Library. Formal expression of this decision was made at a meeting of the executive committee of the settlement on December 18, 1903, when the following resolution was adopted: Resolved: That the books contained in the library of the East Side House Settlement be transferred to The New York Public Library, provided that organization shall continue to maintain a library in the building of the Settlement until the opening of a Carnegie Library in the immediate vicinity. Resolved: That the Chairman (or the proper official) be authorized on behalf of the Settlement to execute such deed of gift or other paper as may be necessary to carry the foregoing Resolution into effect. Resolved: That The New York Public Library be authorized to conduct a free lending library in the building until the new library is completed. It is the understanding that The New York Public Library will make a request for a site in the immediate vicinity of the East Side House Settlement. and will proceed to erect, as expeditiously as possible, and thereafter maintain a branch library there. It is the wish of the Trustees of the East Side House Settlement that they be permitted, if possible, to retain certain of the books, to a limited extent, for their own reading room. The hopes expressed above were promptly fulfilled. A new site for the Webster branch of The New York Public Library, 38′ 8′′ × 94′, at 1465– 1467 Avenue A was approved by the city on May 27, 1904. Title was taken January 6, 1905; Babb, Cook & Willard were chosen as architects, and the new building was opened for use on October 24, 1906. Mr. Gaillard remained as branch librarian until January, 1906, when he was taken to circulation department headquarters, being succeeded as branch librarian by Miss Clara S. Sackett, who served as acting librarian until November 1, 1906, when she was succeeded by Miss Zaidee C. Griffin. CHAPTER XI St. Agnes Free Library St. Agnes' Free Library was the child of the Rev. Dr. Edward A. Bradley, vicar of St. Agnes' Chapel, 121 West 91st Street. The vestry of Trinity Church appropriated $500 for a parish library at this chapel in 1893. The demand for books was so great that by the end of the year Dr. Bradley was emboldened to expand his field from his parish to the neighborhood and community. At that day there was no public library nearer than the George Bruce of the New York Free Circulating Library at 226 West 42nd Street to the south and the Harlem branch of that Library at 1943 Madison Avenue, near 125th Street to the north. The Harlem Library had but lately moved into its new home at 123rd Street and Lenox Avenue, but use of its collections was restricted to members or subscribers. Dr. Bradley asked Trinity vestry to allow him room in St. Agnes' parish house for a free public library, to be chartered by the University of the State of New York. At a meeting of the vestry held May 14, 1894, it was resolved "That the consent of the Vestry be and is hereby given to the Rev. Dr. Bradley to appropriate for the use of a Library to be organized under arrangement with the University Board of Regents, according to the regulations of said board, any rooms in the Parish building connected with St. Agnes Chapel, provided that such use shall not interfere with the parochial purposes of such building, and provided that no expense for the organization or maintenance of such Library shall be imposed upon the Vestry, that the name of the Trinity |