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THE LIBRARY 
 OF THE 
 
 tMHV£R$lfV ftf ILUIWS 
 
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY, 
 
 WORCESTER, MASS. 
 
 I 
 
SPECIAL REPORT 
 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REE PUBLIC LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CITY OF WORCESTER, 
 
 Prepared for use at the International Exhibition of 1876. 
 
 THE iJfeftAKY OF THE 
 
 APR 9 1942 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 WORCESTER : 
 
 PRINTED BY CHARLES HAMILTON, 
 CENTRAL EXCHANGE. 
 
 1876 . 
 
DIRECTORS IN 1876 
 
 THOMAS L. NELSON, - 
 
 PRESIDENT. 
 
 NATHANIEL PAINE, 
 
 SECRETARY AND TREASURER. 
 
 CHARLES 0. THOMPSON, 
 THOMAS E. ST. JOHN, 
 JOHN J. POWER, 
 EDWARD EARLE, 
 EDWARD H. HALL, 
 
 CHARLES H. MORGAN, 
 CHARLES H. DOE, 
 GEORGE E. FRANCIS, 
 PETER C. BACON, 
 
 J. EVARTS GREENE. 
 
 LIBRARIAN, 
 
 SAMUEL S. GREEN. 
 
 s.u.s. 
 
 poS-T.V- 
 

 0 
 
 j 
 
 APPENDIX NO. 2 
 
 TO THE 
 
 REPORT OF T FI E LIBRARIAN 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 City of Worcester, Massachusetts, U. S. A. 
 
 The following paper has been written by the Librarian, in response to a 
 vote of the Board of Directors, requesting him to prepare a brief account of 
 the history and distinctive features of the institution under our charge. It 
 has been prepared for use at the International Exhibition to be held in Phila- 
 delphia next Summer. 
 
 On the twenty-seventh day of December, Anno Domini, 1859, 
 by a deed of gift, bearing date of that day, the late John Green, 
 M. D., gave to the City of Worcester a library of about 7,000 
 volumes “ in trust for the free use of the citizens and the public 
 forever, as a library of consultation and reference, but to be used 
 only in the library building.” 
 
 This library had been collected from time to time, during a 
 long professional career, at a cost of not less than $10,000, with 
 the purpose of sometime devoting it to public uses. 
 
 Among the terms and conditions of gift were the following : 
 
 “ First ; The management of the Library, the custody of the 
 books, and the regulations under which they may be used shall 
 be vested in a board of Directors, who shall be citizens of Wor- 
 cester, to be chosen by the City Council in a convention of the 
 
 i 
 
4 
 
 two branches thereof, two of whom shall, after the first election, 
 be chosen annually and shall hold their offices sik years each.” 
 ********** 
 
 “ Third; The City of Worcester shall forever pay the salary 
 of a competent Librarian, to be chosen by the Directors, and 
 shall furnish a suitable Library building for the books to be secure 
 against fire, and to be constructed with reference to the future 
 increase of the Library, and this building shall be kept warmed 
 and lighted at the expense of the city and shall be provided with 
 suitable accommodations for the convenience of those using the 
 books and shall be kept open at all proper hours, according to 
 the regulations of the Directors, for the use of the public. 
 
 Fourth ; No plan for a Library building shall be adopted 
 without the concurrence of the Board of Directors. 
 
 Fifth ; The foregoing provisions may, during my life, be 
 changed by the joint action of myself and the Directors in any 
 manner which shall not impair the value and public utility of the 
 Library, but they shall not be altered after my decease, nor shall 
 any books, once added to the department established by me, ever 
 be transferred to any other.” 
 
 At a special meeting of the Worcester Lyceum and Library 
 Association, holden December 16, 1859, it was voted; that 
 whereas Dr. John Green has indicated a desire to give his library 
 to the city, that the library of the association also be transferred 
 to the city, provided suitable appropriations and arrangements 
 are made for the reception of the two libraries. 
 
 The library offered to the city* by the Library Association con- 
 sisted of abouL4,50()L volumes. Dr. Green gave his books to the 
 city to be used as a reference library. The Library Association 
 contemplated the use of most of those given by it as the nucleus 
 of a circulating library. 
 
 The City Council passed an ordinance, dated December 23, 
 1859, of which the following is the first section : 
 
 “The City of Worcester hereby accept the donations of Dr. 
 John Green and of the Worcester Lyceum and Library Associa- 
 tion, and establish the Free Public Library of the City of Wor- 
 cester.” 
 
 The ordinance, as originally adopted and in its subsequent re- 
 visions, carries out, in provisions for the whole institution, the 
 
 i 
 
spirit of the conditions which Dr. Green imposed in regard to 
 the library given by him. 
 
 In the First Annual Report of the Directors of the Library, 
 presented to the City government in January, 1861, it is stated 
 that “the building is now far advanced in the stages of erec- 
 tion.” 
 
 It will be noticed that, by the terms in the deed of Dr. Green's 
 gift, the spirit of which was embodied in the city ordinance also, 
 the whole management of the library is placed in the hands of a 
 board of directors, and not interfered with by the city govern- 
 ment. This will be regarded as a wise provision, as the members 
 of the board are chosen with reference to their fitness for the 
 especial work to be performed. Sufficient supervision of the city 
 council is implied in the facts that it chooses the directors, and 
 that it has wholly within its control the regulation of the amount 
 of money it will appropriate yearly for the use of the library. 
 
 The conditions in the deed of gift require, also, it will be seen, 
 the city to put up a building secure against fire, to keep the 
 rooms frequented by users comfortable, and to pay the salary oi 
 the librarian and other running expenses. In inducing the city 
 to make heavy expenditures in carrying out the object he had in 
 view in giving his library to the city, Dr. Green greatly added to 
 the value of his gift. He may property be regarded, not only as 
 a public benefactor, but also what he is called in the fourth sec- 
 tion of the original ordinance, by which he is made an Honorary 
 Life Director, as the “principal founder” of the library. 
 
 The board of directors, as constituted by the deed of gift and 
 the city ordinance, is a conservative body. For several years, 
 however, it has been a custom, or rule almost universally ob- 
 served, that no person shall be eligible to fill a vacancy in the 
 board of directors arising from the expiration of his term of office. 
 The observance of this rule, while aiding to secure a progressive 
 administration of the library, has also been useful in widen- 
 ing the interest of citizens in the institution, by introducing 
 into its board of direction, representatives of various occupations 
 and tastes prevailing in the community for which it was estab 
 lished. 
 
6 
 
 The year 1865 is memorable in the history of the library for 
 the foundation of the Heading-rooms. A fund of between $10,- 
 000 and $11,000 was raised for their endowment by subscription 
 among the citizens of Worcester, chiefly through the exertions of 
 Honorable George F. Hoar, at that time an influential member 
 of the board of directors. The money thus raised was carefully in- 
 vested, and the income of the investment has since been spent in 
 furnishing the rooms with American and foreign newspapers and 
 periodicals. This income, a few gifts, and $200 taken from the city 
 appropriation, now enable us to place in the rooms, current numbers 
 of 189 journals, magazines and reviews. It is proper to remark 
 here, considering the purpose for which this paper is written, that 
 where a reading-room is joined to a library it may be of great bene- 
 fit to it. Besides the more obvious advantages which accrue from 
 reading-rooms considered by themselves, it is noteworthy, that in 
 combination with libraries, they serve, as do well supplied circu- 
 lating departments, to bring the institutions with which they are 
 connected into contact with large portions of the community which 
 would not otherwise see that they are getting benefit enough 
 from them to make them willing to contribute liberally towards 
 their support. A public library is dependent upon popular favor 
 for its existence. It must be so administered as to secure this 
 favor. The expenditure of large sums of money, raised by taxa- 
 tion, upon an educational institution, can only be justified by 
 showing that it exerts a wide influence. This does not mean 
 that you must lower the standard of periodicals and books 
 bought. Keep the standard high. Books and papers may be 
 popular without being trashy or immoral. 
 
 It mp.y be remarked, for encouragement, that it is compara- 
 tively easy to raise money for the establishment of a reading- 
 room. 
 
 With the foundation of the reading-rooms, the library came 
 into its present form. The Green or reference library, the Cir- 
 culating library, and the Beading-rooms, constitute the Free 
 Public Library of the City of Worcester. 
 
 Hr. Green died in the fall of 1865. According to the sixth 
 annual report of the directors, he, from time to time, between the 
 
7 
 
 date of the deed of his original gift and that of his death, gave 
 to the library 4,968 volumes, in addition to the 7,000 contributed 
 at the start. He also remembered the library generously in his 
 will. The main provision of this instrument, for the benefit of 
 the library, is described concisely and clearly in the report to 
 which reference has just been made. This report was written by 
 Honorable Stephen Salisbury, the much respected president of 
 the board of directors in the year 1865. I make the following 
 quotation : 
 
 “The probate of the last Will and Testament of Dr. Green, 
 has made known his bequest to this City of Thirty thousand 
 dollars, to be paid within one year after his decease, to the officer 
 of the City authorized to receive it, and to be held with its future 
 accumulations as a separate fund, designated in the Hooks of this 
 City as the ‘Green Library Fund ;’ and the Testator states that he 
 ‘aim’s not to gratify any personal feeling of his own, but to set 
 apart and designate the Fund in a manner which shall forever 
 keep it distinct from all others,’ ‘and which shall enable the people 
 of Worcester at all times clearly to perceive its amount and con- 
 dition.’ He requires that the fund shall be kept, and that the in- 
 come shall be collected by the authorized officer of the city ; and 
 he provides that the investment and management of said Fund 
 shall be under the direction of a Financial Committee of three 
 directors of this Library, annually to be chosen by ballot, 
 and that said Committee shall annually report to the Board 
 of Directors, and their report shall make a part of the annual Re- 
 port of this Board to the City Council. It is required that three- 
 fourths of the investments shall be made in ‘real estate mortgage 
 securities,’ and one-fourth in Bank stock ; and in taking landed 
 securities, it is the ‘desire and request’ of the Testator, ‘that in 
 every instance first mortgages shall be taken for no larger loan 
 than one-third of the value’ of the security ; and as to the use 
 and expenditure of the income of said fund, it is directed that 
 one-fourth part of said income shall be added annually to said 
 fund, and that the remaining three-fourths of said income, after 
 repairing any accidental loss that may happen to the principal, 
 shall be expended by said Directors in the purchase of books, to 
 be added to that department of said Free Public Library which 
 was instituted by the Testator, and in repairing and re-binding the 
 books of that department. Provided that when the invested 
 fund shall reach the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars, one- 
 fourth part of the income thereof, shall continue to be forever 
 
8 
 
 annually added to the principal, and three-fourths of the income 
 of $100,000, after replacing any losses of the principal, and 
 neither more nor less, shall be applied to the increase and support 
 of the Department of said Library instituted by the Testator ; and 
 the remaining part of the income of said fund, shall be applied 
 and expended by said Directors for the benefit of the whole of 
 said Free Public Library, as well for that part which is kept for 
 circulating or lending, as for that part which was instituted by 
 the testator.” 
 
 The principal of the Green Library Fund has met with no loss. 
 It has been increased by the addition of a quarter of every year’s 
 income. Five hundred and fifty dollars and eighty-five cents, 
 the proceeds of a trust instituted by Dr. Green during his life, 
 has also been added to the fund. This now amounts to 
 thirty-five thousand, seven hundred and twenty-four dollars and 
 twenty-three cents. Fifty shares of bank stock, now held 
 by trustees, will eventually come into the possession of the city, 
 to be applied, besides his other bequests, in accordance with the 
 testator’s will, for the benefit of the library. 
 
 Honorable George F. Hoar, President of the board of Direct- 
 ors in 1867, in writing the annual report for that year, after 
 reciting provisions of Dr. Green’s will in regard to the library, 
 remarks that, u Upon these provisions a grave, and until within 
 a few years what would have been deemed a quite doubtful ques- 
 tion of law arose, growing out of the policy of the law which 
 prohibits perpetuities.” He then proceeds, in an able argument, 
 to quiet our fears. He speaks of the hesitation of the executors 
 of the will of Dr. Green to pass over his bequest to the city, and 
 narrates the action of the city and board of directors of the 
 library. He compliments the family of Dr. Green for just and 
 honorable conduct in facilitating the carrying of his wishes into 
 effect, and states that the Supreme Judicial Court, upon applica- 
 tion, rendered a judgment so far establishing the validity of 
 the will as to order the fund to be paid over to the city. 
 Mr. Hoar then cites two recent decisions of the Supreme 
 Judicial Court of Massachusetts, and after a discussion of the 
 points at issue, announces his belief “ that the city may right- 
 fully and lawfully obey the direction of the will until a fund is 
 
9 
 
 accumulated, ample enough to defray all the expenses of the 
 library, and so fulfil the beneficent purpose of the donor.” 
 It is well understood that when Mr. Hoar speaks of an ample 
 provision for a library like ours, he does not mean a paltry few 
 hundred thousand dollars, but a much larger sum. It is worthy 
 of remark, before leaving the consideration of Dr. Green’s will, 
 that he is careful to reiterate in it the terms and conditions 
 contained in the original deed of his gift to the city, executed 
 in 1859. 
 
 Here, then, we have in the city of Worcester a reference 
 library, founded and endowed by Dr. Green. It is important to 
 inquire whether the citizens of Worcester use the library which has 
 been provided for them. Reports of the directors show that it was 
 but little used for several years. They express regret that this was 
 so, and it appears from their fifth annual report that the establish- 
 ment of the reading-room resulted from a movement to increase 
 the usefulness of the Green Library. It was thought that a reading- 
 room would add to and bring out its value. Many of the news- 
 papers and periodicals taken are bound, and the volumes placed on 
 the shelves of the reference library. They thus add to its value. 
 Readers of magazines and papers have curiosity awakened which 
 they seek to satisfy by the use. of atlases, encyclopaedias and other 
 works of reference. A taste for reading and the habit of reading 
 are promoted by a reading-room. A desire to study often 
 follows. A reading-room, in this way, brings out the value of a 
 reference library. At the start, the Green Library reading-room 
 was not properly heated. This defect was remedied by the intro- 
 duction of a steam heating apparatus. The building is now kept 
 well warmed. 
 
 A step in the right direction was made by the directors in pro- 
 curing a large collection of the best dictionaries, encyclopaedias, Ac. 
 It was impossible for them to do all that they wished, for they 
 could not get money enough in the earlier days of the library, to 
 enable them to carry out their plans. They did what they could 
 with the means at their disposal. Still, the reference library was 
 not much used. About five years ago there came a sudden 
 growth in its use. This use has increased rapidly every succeeding 
 
10 
 
 year. It is now very large. How has this increase been effected? 
 It has been brought about by the use of very simple means. It 
 was thought that the reason why people did not use the library 
 was that they needed assistance in using it. A new librarian was 
 appointed, and he was allowed to render such aid as was desired 
 by frequenters of the library. Then, all persons in the city who 
 had questions to ask to which they might hope to find answers in 
 books were cordially invited to come to the library and propound 
 them. It was made a rule that every body should be received 
 with courtesy and made to feel that he is an owner of the library, 
 and that its officers are bound to give a reasonable amount of time 
 to finding answers to his questions. The youngest school children, 
 the humblest citizens, were to be received cordially, and an im- 
 partial courtesy extended to all. The plan has worked admirably. 
 It has been a cardinal principle with us that the officers should mani- 
 fest a persistent determination not to allow an inquirer to leave the 
 building without getting, if a possible thing to find it, an answer 
 to his question. When books needed in answering questions are 
 not found in the library, efforts are at once made to buy them. 
 If they are expensive and their purchase cannot be afforded, 
 pains are taken to find out whether they do not belong to some 
 other library or to some individual accessible to the questioner. 
 Time is spent in doing such work as this ; the time, too, of 
 persons whose service is somewhat costly. But this time is well 
 spent. The personal relations of an accomplished librarian with 
 users of a library are productive of great advantage. Few users 
 of a reference library know what books to go to to get answers 
 to questions which they have to ask. Many need help in finding 
 out and stating the exact question which they wish to have 
 answered. The librarian steps forward and helps them to give a 
 definite shape to their inquiries, and then refers them to some 
 master of the subject to which their inquiries relate, lie gives 
 them the best books, and keeps them from the productions of 
 dabblers in knowledge. 
 
 When the reading-room of the reference library is not filled 
 with persons who resort to it for instruction, as will often happen 
 certain hours in the day, the entertainment is sometimes offered 
 
11 
 
 to such as desire it in the form of stories and bound volumes of 
 illustrated papers. That our efforts to build up a large use of the 
 reference department have been successful is evidenced by the 
 statistics given in the report. From this, it appears that 7,321, 
 12,408, 15,672, 20,550, and 22,833 persons, respectively, have had 
 books given them during the last five years, or have helped them- 
 selves to books to be used in answering their inquiries, or to give 
 them enjoyment. A very large proportion of these recipients of 
 information and enjoyment have received answers to serious inqui- 
 ries. While, too, we are careful to supply the wants of humble 
 inquirers, we are equally solicitous not to neglect the demands of 
 more advanced students. While a half hour is readily spent in 
 finding out for a curious boy how dates can be plucked from the 
 top of the tall palm tree, whatever time is needed is cheerfully 
 given to the scholar whose questions require reference to Philo- 
 sophical Transactions or a Greek Anthology, or to the public 
 instructor in preparation for a lecture or review article. A refer- 
 ence library that is not used becomes very unpopular. Where 
 such a library is so administered that a large constituency 
 gets advantage from it all will recognize it as a public benefit, and 
 citizens unskilled in the niceties of scholarship will, in considera- 
 tion of the benefit they themselves derive from the institution, be 
 willing that money should be spent in supplying the wants of 
 scholars. 
 
 It will be remembered that among the “ terms and conditions ” 
 imposed by Dr. Green in the deed by which he transferred his 
 library to the city, is one which provides that the books shall “ be 
 used only in the library building.” This provision was extended 
 in his will to the use of all books bought with money left by 
 him and placed in the department which bears his name. 
 It has sometimes been thought that the reference library would 
 be more useful if the books in it could be taken to the homes of 
 users. Now, however, the restrictive provision is, I think, gen- 
 erally believed to be a wise one by persons who have thought 
 much about the matter. There was more reason formerly than 
 exists now for anxiety on the part of citizens to have the books 
 put in circulation. In the earlier days of the library the additions 
 
12 
 
 of books made to the circulating department were wholly in- 
 adequate to supply reasonable demands of users. The directors 
 knew that this was so, and bought as many books as they could 
 with the money at their command. Now the circulating depart- 
 ment is generously cared for, and it is very seldom that a citizen 
 feels it a hardship not to be able to take home books belonging 
 to the Green Library. There are two weighty reasons why these 
 books should not be taken away from the library building. 
 First, it is desirable that investigators should always lind them 
 at hand for consultation. Second, books which we put in cir- 
 culation become dirty and mutilated. Mr. Salisbury speaks 
 forcibly on this head in the fifth annual report of the Directors. 
 He says of the measure of allowing books in the Green Library 
 to be taken to the homes of users, that it “ would be like 
 killing the goose that laid the golden egg. For a time the use 
 of the books would be stimulated and increased, but when 
 they should become defaced and worn out by use, it would 
 require to keep the library interesting and attractive, a larger 
 expenditure than the majority of citizens would approve and 
 the most liberal givers might hesitate to place valuable books in a 
 heap of rubbish.” 
 
 The Free Public Library is mainly dependent for its support 
 upon an annual appropriation made by the City Council from 
 money raised by taxation. This appropriation was very small at first. 
 It continued small for several years. The directors saw that it 
 was very important that more money should be placed at their 
 disposal, and persistently urged the claims of the library for 
 liberal support. Their efforts gradually bore fruit. The city 
 began to grow also, and a greater readiness to spend money on 
 improvements to manifest itself. With increased expenditures in 
 other departments of the government, the annual appropriation of 
 the library began to grow. For the few past years, a generous 
 sum of money has been put into the hands of the directors. In 
 no one of the last three years has the appropriation been less 
 than $11,000 and the Dog fund. This fund amounted last year 
 to $3,019.53. 
 
 It will interest some persons to know that the dog law may be 
 found in the volumes which contain the u Acts and Resolves 
 
13 
 
 passed by the General Court of Massachusetts ” in the years 
 1867 and 1869. The volume for the former year gives, in chapter 
 130, “An Act concerning -Dogs, &c.,” and the one of 1869 con- 
 tains, in chapter 250, “ An Act in addition to an Act concerning 
 Dogs.” Under the provisions of this law, in all the counties of 
 the state except Suffolk county, the money raised in towns by 
 payments for licenses issued to owners of dogs, after certain 
 deductions have been made to cover the depredations of dogs 
 among sheep and other domestic animals, must be appropriated 
 by the towns to the support either of the common schools or of 
 public libraries. With such appropriations $4,000 a year can be 
 spent for books. For the purchase of books we have also avail- 
 able, it will be remembered, the income of the Green Library 
 Fund. The income of the Reading-room Fund, likewise, swells 
 our resources and gives us the means of buying periodicals and 
 papers. 
 
 Worcester has a population of about 50,000. The statement 
 just made shows that it furnishes a good example to hold up 
 to other communities ot the same size with itself, for emulation 
 in the support of a public library. These expenditures have 
 proved very beneficial to the inhabitants of the city. The 
 number of volumes taken -out from the circulating library has 
 increased, as stated in the report, 55,604, in two years. The 
 reports of the last few years show also, as has been stated before, 
 great growth in the use of the reference department. The 
 growth in the use of these two departments of the library is not 
 owing wholly to increased expenditures upon it, but it is largely 
 owing to this cause. 
 
 This library was the first public library in New England to 
 open its doors to visitors on Sunday. It is proper, therefore, in 
 ending this paper to say a single word in regard to our ex- 
 perience respecting this custom. The Reading-rooms of the 
 library are open from two to nine P. M. No books are given 
 out in the circulating department to be taken home. The periodi- 
 cals and papers can be freely used. Books are procurable also 
 for use within the building from either department of the library. 
 The experiment has now been tried for three years. It appears 
 
from the early reports of the librarian, that the number of per- 
 sons who used the reading-rooms Sundays, in the year 1872-3, — 
 for one Sunday less than the whole year, and yet for fifty-two 
 Sundays, — is 5706, for 1873-4,7179, and -for 1874-5, 10,142. 
 The librarian is present for two hours in the afternoon to ren- 
 der assistance to inquirers seeking information from books. One 
 attendant in summer, and two attendants in winter, remain in the 
 rooms during the hours they are open, to see that they are kept 
 comfortable, to preserve quiet, and to aid readers. These attend- 
 ants are persons who do not serve the library on secular days, 
 but who come to us only on Sunday. In regard to the character 
 of the reading done on Sundays, it may be stated that it is gen- 
 erally of the lighter kinds. Some persons, however, engage in 
 study every Sunday. 
 
 I have now stated briefly what I regard the distinctive features 
 of this library, and have mentioned such facts in its history as 
 seem to be of general interest. Having, therefore, performed 
 the duty set me by the Board of Directors, I now close this 
 paper. 
 
 SAMUEL S. GREEN, 
 
 Librarian. 
 
 January 18 , 1876 . 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOI9-URBANA 
 
 3 0112 0483058G