Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-07-14

The Trustees of the Cleveland Library As
sociation, having resolved to call meeting
| Of the members on the 18th inst, in explain
alton of this step would submit the follow
/ ing statement Of facts At the date of the
last annual report in the month of April
last, the Association found itself in debt in
about the sum of of $3.50. In addition to
this tn e revenue; of the current year had |
been anticipated by selling large number
of memberships by an extra effort on the |
part of the retiring board, and applying the |
proceeds towards paying the debts of the last
year. When the present Board came into
Office, in April last, the number Of mem
berships was sos and during the past three
months 246 of these have expired, of which
| only "a have been renewed, notwithstanding
the most strenuous efforts and personal ap-
plication by the present officers of the Asso-
citation. Our members are now reduced TO
4O3-a loss of nearly 80 per cent. in three
5 months. Our current expenses cannot,
with the utmost economy, be reduced below
1900 dollars per annum, and our lOnly GER
tain source of revenue is from the sale Of
q memberships at two dollars each 1t will
: thus be seen that to continue the expenses Of
the Association, as matters now stand, is in
evitably to reach the end of the current year
, april 1861 with a large increase of the debt,
/ and kind of debt, too, extremely difficult
to raise funds to hquidate.
Il We regret to be compelled to state that
!. in view of the importance Of the Library
IN and Reading Rooms of the Association, es-
peeially to the younger class of the eOmmu-
nity, there is an unaccountsble apathy and
!, want of interest manifested in its success by
very many of the citizens of Cleveland i
l. is not priuate but a public Institution, an'
it seems to us that every citizen should fee
nd direct interest in its welfare.
n The Association has now about 4, 200 vol
i'll unes in its Library, and in its Reading Room
are found Al daily and weekly Newspapers
cir and 2I American and Foreign Reviews an
- Magazines. During the current year end
No ing last April, about 10000 volumes wer
mn drawn out, and the average daily attendane
NO at the Reading Room was about 125.
h We would further state that an effort hs
la- been made to secure 100 subscribers who wi
of give $40 each year for two years, to be al
piled exclusively to the purchase Of ne
books, and that this number about secures
~. But unless the number Of annual subscr
vii bers shall be increased so as to guaranty q
ers payment of the current expenses, or else 4
lew rate of annual assessment be raised so that
nus smaller number will furnish the requisi
,ea- funds, the trustees have only the aftermath
lese of contracting debt, which by the eons'
All lion they are prohibited from doing unle
the authorized by vote of the members Of q
Ia Association, or Of closing its doors until SUI
lo5 time as the public will come forward TO
81 support.
the In view Of these facts the Undersign
cen hope to see present at the special meett
n ls called for the 14th inst, every member W
50 feels the least interest in the welfare Of one
lgeF the most honorable and useful Of our pub
ON Tnatitutions VIZ. SLADR,
VIZ. P. FOes
A. V. Oar,
IrOn r. II. HERRIc