History of North Adams, Mass.

Charles H. Williams, then a student in the office, was elected the, first president, Frank Shephard first librarian and A. G. Potter, first clerk of the association. The library was placed in a room in Thayer’s block, which was the same building as the Adams house described in these sketches. The first object of the association was to form a reading room in connection with the library, but this idea was given up after a time. When this building was burned on the 9th of February, 1867, the books of the library were all saved by members of the association. A room was immediately engaged in the old Burlingame block, and Charles D. Sanford became librarian. He took great interest in the work, classified and arranged the books, and issued the first catalogue. The Organization became very prosperous, having at one time several hundred members. The library remained here until about 1870, when it was removed to a room in Martins block, against considerable opposition from the older members. It prospered and flourished here until about 1880, when the membership began to decrease, and during 1882 and ’83 the decrease was quite alarming. About this time the subject of a free public library and reading room was talked of, and during the winter of 1883 and ’84 the present quarters were engaged, and the books of the old association moved in. In the spring of 1884 at the annual meeting, of the town, the library was accepted by the town as a gift from the association, and a sum appropriated for its maintenance. The wisdom of this course was very apparent the first year, as will be seen from the following facts taken from the report of the manager at the end of the first year of the maintenance of the free public library in town. The number of persons registered as takers of books up to the first of March 1885, was 2629. The number of books drawn during the year, as shown by the records of the librarian was 42,562; an average of 3547 per month, or 136 per day, allowing 26 days to the month. At this time there were but 4000 volumes belonging to the circulating department, and the above figures would indicate that books equal in number to the whole number of volumes admitted to circulation, were drawn once in each month of the year. This fact is of importance, not only in showing the demand on the library, but as disclosing also, to, some extent, the labor, the constant care and watchfulness of the librarians, in keeping proper records of the books drawn and returned, and in seeing that none were lost or destroyed. The librarians, who have had charge of the books at different times as near as can be ascertained, are Frank Shephard, Charles Sanford, E. S. Wilkinson, A. B. Wright, S. H. Fairfield E. A. Wright, E. D. Tyler, and Arthur Witherell. All these before the library became free after this Miss Augusta C. Dunton was placed in charge and still continues. On the first of March 1885, the library contained 4750 volumes, of which 4129 were for circulation and 621 for reference. Of these 988 were purchased from the receipts of a fair for the benefit of the library and 787 were purchased with money appropriated by the town. During the first year were some donations of books one of special value by William L. Brown, comprised 77 bound volumes of the “London Illustrated News,” and 133 volumes of the “London Quarterly Review.”

The benefit of a reading room so far as they go are essentially the same as those of a library. As now conducted, the reading room is a source of little expense aside from the cost of reading matter and lights. It has been orderly, well kept, frequented by large numbers of people in the day time and evening and furnishes a kind and variety of reading not easily obtained elsewhere. That the library and reading room are held in high esteem by the voters of the town is evinced from the fact that at the town meeting in 1885, $3000 was appropriated for its maintenance.

History of North Adams.