Lectures, Public: 25 years ago, the lecture system was a feature of the evening schools, and continued as such, until 1906, when it was decided to have the lectures for the people given in school buildings, designated as lecture centers. In 1907 there were 15 lecture centers, including the First Presbyterian Church, the Free Public Library and 13 school buildings.
During the season of 1907-08 there were 245 lectures with a total attendance of 105,210. For the season 1915-16 there were 30 centers and 400 lectures, with an aggregate attendance of 160,890. During the war period, 1917-18, the attendance decreased.
Subjects treated in the lectures are history, patriotism, art, music, literature and geography. Many are illustrated by stereopticon views and a few by motion pictures. Musical programs have always proved popular.
Library, Public: Building completed, March, 1901. Cost of building, $315,000; cost of land, $100,000. Architects, Rankin & Kellogg, Philadelphia.
Number of books lent in 1904, 465,674. In 1911 the number passed the million mark and held it until, in 1918, the library's income was found to be inadequate, branch libraries were closed, and the number of books lent dropped, accordingly, 37%.
Art Department and Picture Collection, which were getting well under way in 1904 and lent 3,000 pictures that year, now lend over 100,000 small pictures, photographs, lithographs and prints. These pictures are used by teachers in 36 different schools for classroom work; also by artists, designers, jewelers, newspapers and journals, advertising men and others in trades and professions, needing illustrative material.
Barringer High School Branch. Opened, 1900, under management of Public Library. Management taken over by Bd. of Education and books purchased from the Public Library, 1915.
Business Branch. First opened in 1904 at 16 Academy St., with a collection of directories and a general book collection. First public library of business literature and information for business men ever established. Similar branches have since been established by libraries of other large cities. During the 15 years it moved 4 times, always near the business center at Broad and Market Streets, and special development along business lines has been steadily carried on.
Branch Libraries, General. Delivery stations were the Library's first attempt to reach people in sections distant from the main building. They were opened in drug stores at various centers as early as 1891 and were intended only for the collection and delivery of books borrowed by people in the neighborhood. Readers left their cards with a list of call numbers, taken from the old "finding list" or printed catalog. Requests were filled at the Library and books delivered to the station daily.
In 1906, because of increased use, delivery stations were replaced by deposit stations. At these deposit stations, still operated in stores, the Library placed collections of several hundred books and continued the delivery system. When the lending of books outgrew deposit stations, branch libraries were the natural result. After branches were established, deposit stations were discontinued, Nov., 1914.