History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

Places of Interest 245
to May, 1888, and has often rendered valuable service in the
running of the library.
Mrs. Thomas C. Chase, another devoted patron and
helper, has given much care and labor towards the success of
this good cause.
Miss Julia R. Wellington, the first and only Secretary of
the Association, was elected librarian June 2, 1888, and has
continued to serve in that important office to the present time.
The catalogues, old and new, have been made by her, the
later after the Gutter system. Miss Wellington has labored
with enthusiasm and intelligent zeal to make the library of
practical use to the teachers and pupils of the public schools
and it is only justice to her to say that the success of the
Swansea Free Public Library is largely the fruit of her faithful
and inestimable services.
It ought to be recorded in this connection that Miss
Mary A. Case, who has taken a deep interest in this work from
first to last, has also counted it a privilege and a pleasure to
make a painstaking study of the selection of suitable books,
and has done a large share of that laborious service, in these
eighteen years of the library's growth.
The first officers elected under town management were as
follows: Chairman, Henry O. Wood; Secretary, James E.
Easterbrooks, and the Rev. F. E. Rixby.
Mr. Easterbrooks died previous to the opening of the
Free Public Library, and Job Gardner was chosen Trustee in
his place.
In 1896, the officers were: Trustees, Job Gardner, Chairman;
Henry O. Wood, Frank G. Arnold, Miss Mary Case,
Mrs. Mary E. Greene, and Mrs. Esther M. Gardner. Librarian,
Miss Julia R. Wellington.
A few comparative statistics and this sketch is concluded.
The first report of the librarian of the Association, 1883,
shows that there were then 229 volumes on the fist bound in
cloth, and 31 volumes in paper covers not entered. At that
time there were two life members, and twenty annual members.
The circulation of books was 407.
The final report of the librarian of the Association, 1896,
recorded 40 members, and it was estimated that there were
103 readers. There were 1733 volumes, including books in
paper covers and magazines, and the total circulation was
2,378.
The first report of the librarian under Town management
refers to 1,495 bound volumes, and shows that 230 cards had
been issued for the drawing of books, and that the circulation
was 2,241.
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