The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-02-26
AN ACT to enable the Proprie-
tors of Social, Military and Law
Libraries to manage the same.

SEC. |. BE II enacted by he Senate and House
That any seven or more persons, capable OF
contracting in any town IN this State, who
shall become proprieiors in common OF any
library. may form themselves into society or
body polite, for the express purpose OF hold
ing. increasing. preserving and using such il
brary and 10 that end, any five or more of
them, may, by an application in writing, BY
them signed, to any Justice Of the Peace
within the same county wherein the said town
may he stating the purposes OF their meeting,
and requesting him to issue his warrant for
calling meeting of the said proprietors ; and
the said Justice nav grant bis warrant to one
ofibem directing him to call meeting of
the said proprietors at The time and place and
for The purposes expressed in such warrant J;
and said meeting shall be called BY posting
up The purport of said warrant in some public
place in the saidtowR where the said library
shall be kept, seven DAYS At least before the
time Of said meeting and The propr'eiors he
ing thus me, and organized, they NAV then
agree,and determine upon a method OF calling
future meetings and in all cases votes shall
he determined by counting and allowing one
vote 10 each share. And The propristors Of
anv such library shall have power 10 possess
and hold. 10 them. their successors and assigns
real or personal estate, TO any amount not
exceeding FIVE thousand dollars, over and
above the value OF their books.
Seer. 2 Be Il further enacted, That any
seven or more of the proprietors OF such libra
~ met in pursuance of such notice, shall
hive mower to choose a Moderator. Clerk,
Librarian. Collector. Treasurer. and such other
Ulcers a. they NAV find necessary And the
Cltrk shall be sworn to the faithful perform
ance of his duties and The Treasurer shall
give bond, with sufficient surety or sureties,
faithfully TO account for all monies he may
receive bv virtue of this act And the said
nropriefors when so incorporated and orga.
nized. shall have power to raise monies by
assessments on the severalshares IN such libra
nv. ss they may Judge necessary tor preserv-
ing and increasing the same 10 make bye
laws for the due regulation of the concerns of
the said corporation, not repugnant to the
constitution and laws of this State, and TO an
mex and recover penalties for any breach OF
such bve-aws. not exceeding three dollars
for any one breach thereof
SEcT Be IL further enacted. That the
rronrieiors Of anv such library so incorpora-
ted shall he called and known by the name
Of the proprftors of The Social Library in the
town of -: and by that name shall sue
and be sued, prosecute and defend. plead and
be implicated. in all actions and processes In
law and when there shall be more than one
sncb library in any town, the proprieiors there
Of, shall be known and called by the name OF
the proprietors Of the second, third, fourth,
&C. fas the case may be) Social Library in the
Seer. 4. Be ii further enacted. That any
seven or more persons who are officers in any
division Of Militia Of this state, who shall, nv
writing. associate themselves for the purpose
Of forr ing Military Library Society within
the limits of their Division. NAV become a
body pohiic. by The name of the Nj llitary L.
brary Society. in the - Division. for the
express purpose of purchasing, heldng, in
creasipg. preserving, and using such Library ;
and h this end. any FIVE or more Of them NAV
make an application 10 writing 10 any Justice
Of the Peace within the limits OF he Division 10
which said applicants NAV belong, stating
The purposes of their meeting. and requesting
lin to call meeting of the said proprietor
Ard the said Justice NAV thereon grant his
warrant to any one Of then, directing him 10