Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-08
THE LIBRARY ASSOCIA-
TION.F
Its Past Work and Future
Prospects.


prospects.
rho Rsoalss oDsaAaeA.
Few thiogs wssk osss Ter gesd thaa .
veil regulated public libeasy. II stsrds
peerer Glasses facilities for infsr0iog then
selves 10 shs eurSeas literature q the dsy
which they essld nes sthsrwiss have. uaisss
pssssssd ss . library Of their swn. and
that privilege 10 sojsysd snly By the
wsalthiss s.ass Of the community. Fer .
trifng sum . man has full range in coed
library than any private one. par.
haps, in the city where be lives. He 10, in
one scnsc, ~ well eff - his mere proper
Gus neighboc. II is then, An established
fact that an institutisn sf this kind, rightly
conducted. 10 an insstimabls bosn to those
who. By the fsrcs Of Circumstances, do not
pos ,sss we'll filled shelves. The association
whose name appears as the head Of this
article 10 the only circulating library in the
city, and attempts to supply the wants Of
citizens, In that direction. Iss grewth ffeu
an obscure sseisty to its prsssst pssitisa
has been nsosssarily slew. Although ws
have here city Of over 10000, still ws are
young yet, and, up to his time. no great
amount Of money has bsen subscribed, ~
personal encouragement given. - the sup
port Of any publie improvement. Il may
perhaps. be . pardonabls failing with the
dsnissns Of this place that, before they pay
any attention to proposed enterprise, they
must sss esat for cent in plain figures starr
ing them 10 the face and an assured return
for the amount Of monsy invested. Hence
the association has, with but few sxssp.
items Of help rsesivsd, grown up uaaidsd.
Several ysars ago, when many Of our solid
ysung business men we're esllseians, there
wss ssnpsny Of teung men who net To-
gsthes every Saturday night, in enc sf Ne
rooms ever what vas thsa Geek . Sargsnt's
Bank, nov The First Natissal. This was,
ws believe, 10 lsS7-s. OF Ne many grave
discussions On the state efths ssuatry,
and the gesd advice s6srsd Csngrsss, In
the shsps Of ssadsy rssolutiens and bills On
the tariff, State sovereignty. bleeding Kan.
sas, 10, the record rsmaiasth elsewhere.
This was the foundation Of . literary %.
eisty in Davsspsrt. The ysung men whe
composed Il did not allow Il 70 die out in
time, but continued 10 held msstings. Their
efforts were attended with varied Sssulti
until about four years age the Debating So
cis:y Was merged int the Davenport Ii.
brsry Association. Rooms were subss-
qusntly engaged 10 Farrand's Block, whsr
that building wss completed. Additien'
we're made to the library, . munidesn'
donation WAS made By Jehn L. Swits
Esq. and the association placed On 4
substantial basis. This point ws'
rssehsd . library wss founded, sni
the society orgsnizsd - : cooperate body
But 70 make il self lfsustaining, some plsa
that would bring in revsnss must bs adsp-
tsd. The lecture system was proposed,
and carried into effect. Oas season resul &
ID successfully, aud aside from this, and
from the .smbsr Of Library Cssti6eatss
sold, there Was no other messy received
for the current expenses sf the society. Il
was found after runnisg course oflsctures
for two or three years, that il IVES some
what uncertain source from which to look
for aid. With the excsptisn Of one lsctur
Or, there WAS not any 10 the whole course
Of twelve, that could BE- depended or
70 draw house. This ,is about the
condition eftns ssciety to-day. but Of that
hereafter.
There are now, in round numbers, about
$500 volumes On the shelves, and addi-
lions are made, 40 sftsn - the 6naness vii
psrmi A costly item 10 that Of rsbindisl
and rspairing books, which have become
damaged BY % much wear aud tear. Still
BY earsfull Management, they are susblsd
10 add few new books occasionally. Las
year the number Of books ciroulatsd among
ticket holders was near 10000. Thil
year the number 10 somswhat less.
It 10 impossible at this time to give any
tabular statistics showing the working
Of the Asseeiatien-this will b smbonis<
in the reports Of the Library Committee
Lecture Committee, and ether eflcsrs
which will Be- presented In May.
| The society are trying sucs more Il
raise money BY course Of lsetsrss. Al
has been before remarked, This. in ssunse
tita With the sole ei Library tickets, 10 hi
only means Of support available. Ant
new the qussties arises, can an Assesiatios
Of this mature. b sappestsd in this city.
II certainly ought to b.. The ysung mes
interested in the sseisty have borne tn,
ossrsus burden Of "sssing Il threush shiel
and thin" for many years. They dsserv'
grsas credit at the hands ef this public, for
their grit snd dstssninatien 10 this matter
Il weull ~ ssssy day fer this city, vhe'
u seuld - said hat ~ hsve no Library .
any kisd. - psbsie sssding rsso. Il 10 4
b suppsssd shst there sfs people sneugl
here. Who desire ts have gsod ssesst 6
fessh Of sur efswisg city, snd whs ssssid
sr Library On ornament end . benefit 4
plass. II there ~ sny sscA. vs wsul'
say - then, nsv 10 ths tine y cone fss
ward and aid the institution. Let eur tus
iness nsa take held Of the matter, %,
take shares sf stssk. Go up iats The rosm
sftsn-you will not aad any rsssrt in Ii
. city mere pleasant. or whore IN svsn
! ing can b spsnt moro plsassatly
With sush aid - can b bestowed, create
results could ~ ebssissd, and the Assecia
, ten be pushed forward T. . mere promi
} nsnt place, % more substantial basil
J smeng the Institutions that the city 10 jusl
" proud 81.
YeuSe HsN's Canas9iAR ASeociAroH-
ELscrloN ~ OsSIcsas.-The eecesd q
n1sl meeting efths Young Msa's Chsistial