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IIIIjE no boast can properly be made tbat
the Omaha Publlo library ii notable in
any particular way1, or for any particular
feature, yet the citizens can afford to
take a reasonable pride In what Is being
done for publlo enlightenment and edu
cation through this medium. It may
be admitted that the library is not used as liberally
as Its capacity warrants. It is not called on as the
people's dally university extension course to anything
like the measure of its promise or possessions. Its
location is bsd, If we Judge by results, and Its work
ought to be broadened by some means, if the library
board can manage it. The appropriation is small,
compared to similar appropriations in other cities of
Omaha's class. . Still, the good things that may hon
estly be said about the institution are not a few. First
and foremost, perhaps, is the fact that, in a compara
tively new western city of 115,000 population, some
thing over 93,000 volumes are issued to the people to
a total of 275,811 volumes la a year. This fact, ac
cording to statistics, puts It ahead of some eastern
cities which have many private and subscription
libraries.
The general publlo is, It appears certain, unin
formed about many of the collections and readily
available helps to be found In the library. Depart
ments which are of a superficial nature, broadly
speaking, are well known and rather extensively used;
but the really educational and solidly helpful features
are not In this category. These neglected depart
ments are not In any sense unusual, and the portion
of the citizenship which needs what they contain, and
which could profit most liberally from their use, seems
to be overlooking chances for easily increased effi
ciency "by a freer use of the material provided. It
follows that some way Is yet to be found by which
the library board can make these better known and
popularise their use. For instance, while text books
are not made a feature of the library, It should be
more widely known that many other volumes are kept,
on every live subject, that will supplement the text
hook of the student in any line.
Some Helpful Features.
Take the question of music. No effort is made
by he library to carry a line of elementary books on
, " g. music, but a very decided effort is made to keep on
f. the lists those books which will be of practical benefit
ai m a . . . . . . ....
io me advanced iuueai. Anyooay wun amDitkon 10
studr and progress may have the use of these books.
Interested people know that the Omaha library
has oa Its list, and open to public use, art books of a
high class; but how many know that there are ald
the very best volumes touching sign painting and let
tering? Such a collection seems of the kind that
would be popular and much in demand, since tali
branch of craftsmanship has been elaborated to an
astonishing extent in recent years. The publlo library
can be of very material aid to painters and decorators
if they will but become acquainted with its capablll
ties, and then use them.
The same remark can be applied to the groups of
books on home building, plumbing, engineering, wood
working and slmllar lines. If a man have need of
such things and will make his desires known Librarian
Tobltt and her assistants will gladly give advice and
co-operation In finding, or buying if necessary, the
right thing.
In architecture, too, a reasonably wide range Is
covered. Raguenet, in ten volumes, little used, is
among the best helps to the person studying architec
ture. Many other standard and current publications
are kept for the use of architects and students in that
line.
As a matter of fact, the Reference room of the
library could be used much more extensively than it
Is, by students and artisans, and by teachers and other
professional people in many lines. It is a part of the
library that deserves investigation and consistent ad
vertising because of Us excellence; and, necessarily,
a more busy life for Its component volumes would
give very definite pointers On whatever weakness it
may have.
Volumes On Mechanics.
More books have been purchased during 1910 per
taining to mechanics and engineering than to any
other branch of latter-day activity, proportionately.
And the Omaha Public library holds membership in
many of the best societies in the country, such as
American Society of Mechanical Engineering, Amer
ican Society of Civil Engineering, American Railway
Master Mechanlps' association and Master Car Build
ers' association.
Omaha is a railroad town, a town of workers, of
builders, of practical things and useful endeavor in
every active line of life, which makes It seem a trifle
strange that the units In the various classes of popula
tion do not take a fuller advantage of the things
offered for their advancement and profit at the public
library, free of cost. The unhandy location of the
building and the lack of proper branch libraries is
probably to a large extent responsible for non-use of
such excellent opportunities.
In another field it will probably surprise a good
many readers of The Bee to learn that a collection of
stereopticon pictures, up to date, Js kept for general
use by the Omaha library. In the Christmas season
Just ended considerable use was made of this collec
tion by Sunday schools, Indicating that a much more
extensive end varied collection of such pictures would
very likely prove a very popular feature If widely
known and kept up to the mlDute as to esentials.
At present the most profitable department of tho
Omaha library, In the matter of creating a taste for
healthy reading, is the Children's room. Naturally,
too, the very widest scope Is offered here for popular
izing use of the solid treasures of the Institution as
the years pass.
Books in Foreign Languages.
Of the books added to the library during the last
year, aside from fiction, the greatest number was in
the class of foreign languages. Foreign-speaking peo
ple now living in Omaha can find In the library a very
good collection of books In all languages, and the pol
icy ! to keep this department to the front, if the use
made of the material in band warrants it.
Almost 7,000 volumes have been added to the lists
of books in the year, which is above the average. The
primary object has been to gsther here the best and
latest material on aU subjects in which the public In
general Is interested. Msny of the books, of course,
may seem quite valueless to the people who read fic
tion alone, but. as Miss Tobitt says, "They all have
their place far in advance of the fiction collection."
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The belief held in some minds that the library ettsti
for the fiction reader almost solely is to be dispelled.
Falling branch libraries in outlying sections now
quite heavily populated, distribution of books is mad
through the public schools as' far as possible, through
some of the factories, the Old People's Home, the
Young Men's Christian association, the Park Wilde
home, the Social Settlement and Westminster chapel.
But the distribution thus effected Is limited and the
means are not at all satisfactory.
Gifts and Public Documents.
The library has received as gifts during the year
1,478 volumes, of which 444 are from the United
States government.
A department which Is not sufficiently well
known Is the publlo documents department. The
publlo Is not generally aware that the books and
pamphlets Issued by the government contain valuable
material on almost every subject within the province
of the government.
The public also is not aware, seemingly, that the
library attempts to carry the publications of many of
the learned societies of this country and England.
These publications contain the best material published
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License for Servants
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.F A MOVEMENT now being started In
New Rochelle, N. Y., succeeds, servant
girls in that state may have to secure a
sta.'e or city license. Mrs. ' Aubrey
Beattle, head of the new organization,
says:
"The new plan of dealing with the
servant problem will provide for a bureau which shall
Inspect the references of servants when they are appli
cants for employment. Registry cards bearing the pho
tographs and 'pedigrees' of these persons, it Is sug
gested, should contain a brief reference by the last
employer, the reason for the servant leaving or for dis
charge and wages paid. Through such means when a
servant asks for employment ' his or ber capabilities
and responsibility can be established at once and the
worry over the possibility of the new employe enter
ing upon duties which he or she is Incompetent to
perform or the probability of dishonesty would be
practically eliminated.
"If a law can be passed making it a misdemeanor
for a servant to draw up a fraudulent registry card
or alter one that has been prepared by the proper au
thorities, the likelihood of deception will be reduced
to a minimum.
"The adoption by the city of a plan of this kind
would not only be a protection for the housewives,
but for the honest and capable servants as well, be
cause it would give them an incentive to live up to the
set standard.
"Hardly a day goes by that you do not read in the
newspapers of a maid who has decamped with Jewels
or other valuables belonging to her employer, when
only a few days previously she was engaged on the
best of references supposed to have been bona fide.
Municipal control of the situation would practically
eliminate the danger of such an evil. If a servant
can prove by the registry card that she has satisfied a
former employer as to her competency the security of
the new mistress Is all the more assured."
on the subject with which they have to deal.
Ical, numismatic, dramatic, archaelogical and geolog
leal specimens of more than ordinary significance are
to be seen, as in the Reed, the Savage, the Glider, the
Morris, the Cleburne and other collections. But there
are, besides, old articles, precious antiques, of many;
different kinds, from spinning wheels to pianos, house
hold utensils, manuscripts, books, ornaments of var
ious sorts, carvings, curiosities, statues, queer pieces
of apparel, mechanical contrivances, ancient imple
ments of war and of peace.
George Washington has laid his competent
fingers on the keys of the old time piano pictured
above, according to authenticated records. This in
strument bears an inscription, "Square piano manu
factured by W. T. Collard, London, 1798, formerly
owned by James L. Cathcart, U. 8. consul to Tripoli,
the bearer of messages, May 6, 1796, from Vizier
Hassan, Bashaw of Algiers, to George Washington,
President of U. 8.'.'
Dr. Peabody, who gave the piano and the spinet
to the library, was a nephew of the woman who, as a
child, sat on the knee of the first president as he
strummed on the piano long ago; and the doctor waa
also a grandson of the Cathcart mentioned. ' The
ancient spinet was made in Holland In 1620 and was
decorated with hand painted pictures on both box and
cover. These pictures have now almost faded away,
and the spinet gives every indication of having beeq
made many generations since.
Armor of Ancient Warriors. "1
Investigation proves the two suits of armor that
stand guard at one of the musoum doors could not
have been made later than the end of fifteenth or
beginning of the sixteenth century; and they show
wear. The armor is of heavy plate inlaid with repre
sentations of St. George and the dragon. In the iron
gauntlet of one rests a long cross-handled sword, while
the other carries a lance and shield. There are shaped
guards for the feet.
The library has recently acquired, by gift, two
very handsome vases of Sevres, which have a high
value. They are about four feet high and of propor
tionate diameter, bearing reproductions of famous
pictures in the Louvre gallery.
Another recent acquisition is a life-size marble
statue of "Jael, the wife of Hcber the Kenite." Jael it
was who enticed into her tent Slsera, the captain of
the hosts of Jabln, king of Canaan, and after she had
given him drink, covered him with a robe, as he sup
posed with intent to hide him from his enemies. Then,
wben he slept, Jael took a nail and a hammer and
killed Slsera by driving the nail through his temples.
The account of this tragedy can be found in the fourth
chapter of Judges.
Several very good pictures are the property of the
library, but the art gallery is yet in Its Infancy. It
may be that. In years to come, the few pieces of real
art In the library will form the nucleus for an art
gallery of liberal proportions. Minneapolis is today
moving, through certain public spirited citizens, to
'An unusually fine collection of law books was
received from Judge John D. Howe of this city and
many valuable art books from C. N. Diets. The physi
cians of the city have given generously to the medical
department. The Bohemian societies of the city have
presented books In the Bohemian language and the
Danish society has presented books in the Danish lan
guage. The Daughters of the American Revolution have
united with the library in the purchase of books re
lating to genealogy. It is the custom of the daughters
to make an annual appropriation for this purpose.
Museum Has Attractions.
Omaha folks who have not yet made the ac
quaintance of the old young-looking Chinese God of
the Smiling Countenance should do so with the. open
ing of the new year. He holds forth on the museum
floor of the library, close by the mummy cases and
his beaming smile Is a sure antidote for grouchlsess.
This god of the ancient nation Is youthful, as Chinese
annals go, since he dates back only about 600 years;
and alongside him stands a pagoda supposed to be of
the same age. Unlike the ancient Egyptians, who keep
him company in the long nights, this cheerful China
man is unwrapped, stands erect, and Bret Harte could
have done worse than pick him out as a slmon pure
example of the smile that is "childlike and bland."
Ills real name has been forgotten, but the library
people say, he represents the god of plenty, of the
bounteous harvest, and one can tyell believe it. He is
distinctly cheerful, bright and polished, clad In close
fitting clothes of beautiful colors. He Is, in fact, the
Beau Brummel of the Omaha museum. Wben he took
form the land in which he n jw finds himself was an
undiscovered, savage wilderness, and If anybody had
mentioned Omaha be would most likely have lifted his
eyebrows in polite astonishment.
Coyly peeking over her left shoulder at the an
cient effigy of the gladsome piece of chlnaware is a
marble maiden of the great days of Pompeii, probably.
Her countenance is cast in serious mold, but is beau
tiful, withal, as beauty goes In art.
Close by the two sharply contrasting figures is a
sarcophagus old enough, in all likelihood, to tell most
remarkable things, could its story be properly inter
preted. A conversation between the former occupant
of this stone coffin and the two persons now reposing
in the mummy cloths, with their burial boxes near at
hand, would be entrsnclng to modern ears, could tbey
but hear understanding. And yet the vanished per
sonalities would very likely have as much difficulty
understanding each other as the moderns would In
understsndlng either of them.
Interesting Subjects for Study.
In the museum of tbe Omaha public library are
dozens and scores of the most interesting subjects secure funds, by bonding and otherwise, for the ereo-
for study that spare hours could be given to. Hlator- tlon of such an institution under city control.
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