The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-07-12

ii
To he seoesiolders Of the EuansgiI1e Library
Association
In pursuance of the Constitution, the
Board of Directors, by its President, hereby
submit their Annual Report.
The affairs of the Association have, during
the past year, been conducted, as far as the
Directors were able to control them, &C.
ing to the rules and regulations of the As
ISOLATION, in a manner generally satisfac-
tory to the Board and they leave It's az
fairs in as good condition as when they en-
tered upon its duties. They had hoped to
be able to say at the close of the year that
they had increased its. revenue, enlarged the
Library and Reading Room, and extended
its usefulness But during the greater part
of the year they have been greatly embar-
assed ia their efforts by the disturbed con-
dition of the community, and the difficulty
and delay in the collection of Dues until at
the close of the year it has been found /
impossible to collect the entire amount due
from the stockholders. Yet, notwithstand |
ing these difficulties the Board can congratu-
ulate the stockholders on bringing the AS
ISOLATION through the past year of so great
financial embarrassment, almost entirely free /
from debt, while we have, during the same
time added quite number Of books to the
Library If the stockholders had promptly
seconded the efforts of the Directors, we
might have been able to report much
larger increase in the Library.
During the past winter the usual course
of Public Lectures was omitted. This was
done by the unanimous vote of the Board,
and we believe with the full appreciation of
the stockholders. 1t was believed that the
political and financial troubles of the coun-
try would very greatly affect their success,
/ and the difficulty and expense of obtaining
the services of distinguished lecturers with
out the cooperation of neighboring associa-
tions, rendered it still more inadmissable.
At the request of numerous stockholders
/ and to supply long existing want of the
Association, the Board have with the as
sistance of the Librarian, prepared and had
published by the Evansville Journal Com
pany. the Constitution. Bylaws, Regula-
/ lions of the Reading Room, aid Catalogue,
making neat pamphlet of more than sixty
pages, which is now ready for distribution
among the stockholders. A copy should he
in the hands of every one of them.
The Reports of the Treasurer and Libra
rian are hereby submitted, showing fully
the transactions of the Association. 1t will
be seen by the Treasurer's Report that
the expenditures for the past year are
S9o6.40s that there is now remaining in
the Treasury $28 !; and that there is still
due the Association for Stock contribution,
&C., three hundred and ninety nine dollars.
The Board has used more than the usual
diligence and labor in the attempt to reduce
to much smaller amount the delinquent
dues, but the Indifference of many mem
; bers and the financial troubles have render
ed this impossible.
M raaart If will he caau
that one hundred and sixty volumes have
been added to the Library, and that the
: whole number of volumes in the Library il
4 two thousand eight hundred and thirty-two
The annual circulation has been 324s.
The Reading Room has been supplied
with sixteen Magazines and Reviews, twelve
daily, FIVE tri-weekly, and nineteen weekly
: newspapers, making in all total of thirty
: six papers.
The Association is indebted to the liber
ality of the publishers of the following pa
7 pers for the donation of copy during tn
2 tifsFlaPbIfs raffya egtittfneP ana Da1Ty Jour
: nal, Yincennes Tri-Weekly Gazette AM
, Weekly Sun, Princeton Clarion and South
: ern Indianian, Boonville Democrat, Olne,
: Times, Mt. Vernon Advocate, Kansas Stat
4 Record, American Agriculturist and Ameri
can Stock Journal.
} This report will not justly close withou
= bearing testimony to the faithful manner il
!. which the Librarian, John F. Crisp, ha
II discharged his duties. He has been actin,
:, in his present capacity, with a short inter
Il mission, since the first organization of tn
e Association, and it is in a great measur
i owing to his care and attention that the in
= stitution has been so successful and usefu
In closing, the Board of Directors woul
;, earnestly recommend the interests of tn
ID Association to the attention, sympathy, an
10 liberality of the stockholders, and to th
. citizens of Evansville. A commercial com
" munity, such as ours, can build few NOR
= worthy or useful monuments of its liberal
IS ity and intelligence, than large and we
selected public library. And in order tina
this institution should prosper and be ben
Y eft and honor to the city, it should have
as it urgently demands the personal inter
a est and attention of every stockholder.-
a Let US remember, especially in this perio
q, Of civil commotion and financial embarass
N ment, that it is one of our first public du
ties, as citizens of Evansville to continu
u the existence and increase the Usefulness {
OF the Evansville Library Association.
Of JNo. w. FosToR.
To the President and Board Of Directors Q
the EUGnsviIte Library Association
p. GENTLEMEN Your Librarian has but