The Portland daily press., 1870-07-18
Portland Public Library.

To the Editor oftbe Press:
Your CORES ponlent &c. L. j., having made
several statement in his communication of
the 14th silence upon which might be constru-
ed into tacit admission, permit me to say to
his first statement ''that the Mercantile Libra
ry is as public as the Institute LIST, That the
act of incorporation obliges the Institute to
omen its rooms to the public for the use of lis
library on the premises so long as the city shall
appropriate sum not exceeding one dollar for
each ra:able poll in the preceding year. This
privilege is all that the public enjoy in either
of the great European Libraries, as the British
Museum, the Imperial Library at Paris, SC.
Sc.
I'd, The laws of The corporation permit the
city to be represented in the Board of Direc-
tors by one Director for every one thousand
dollars of aid so granted CAT present thecity
has two drectors.)
81. Any citizen who chooses to tender the
price of yearly subscription (now $2) can
take two books at q time to his home.
4th. Any person on payment of $50 for lif,
| membership becomes a member of the corpor-
alton for lie without election.
These privileges are all that the Springfield
Public Library gives to its citizens, and the city
| appropriates $500 towards its maintenance
| 1t was thought that these privileges of unre-
| stricted membership in the corporation of
| representation by the city in the government;
and of perfect freedom 10 all citizens to use the
| library seven hours a day without charge
| would enable the Directors of the Institute to
build up library worthy Of the city, without
| serious opposition from any one, but this hope
proved to be Elusive. 1t was found that some
prominent friends of education in our midst
were unfriendly to the Institute, and the di-
| rectors early in the present year voted to ask
the cooperation of all of the libraries Of the
city in establishing free library The Port
land Athen@um alone responded to this re-
quest and after waiting some months hear
| ing was granted on Thursday of last week. At
that hearing the Institute rendered its library,
and the Athen@um its real estate, which cost
about $21 900, encountered with $40, 900 mort
gage, the net income from which real estate af-
ter paying the interest and insurance would
amount to over $500 per year.
The arguments presented against the accep-
lance of these propositions were, 1st "that the
proposal is without a precedent" no public lib
l AaiJ AdNids3 UOOA oS-CplCu Wy q ClVy VIII SS
small an endowment Citing one of many in
stances that can be adduced, reply that the
New Bedford Free Public Library was started
in June, 1852, by the acceptance of library Of
but 5000 volumes, offered as basis of Free
Public Library, and an appropriation Of 1880
for its maintenance.
I'd. That after its acceptance by the city g
public library ceases to be a charity, and would
receive few gifts. This has not been the case
in Boston; the foundation of which libra1!
was begun in 1919 by Mr.. Everetts gift of loci
volumes, followed by M. Bigelow's gift o
$1,000 in 1850. The library had four Thousand
volumes in July, 1852. Mr.. Bates made hi
first donation in October, 1852, Mr.. Phillips il
| July, 1853, Mr.. Bates his second about 1855
followed by Abbott Lawrence with $40, 1000 il
1856; by a second donation frem Mr.. Phillips il
1851 of $40, 900; the Bowditch Mathematica
collection of 2900 volumes in 1858; the Theodor
Parker Library of II 800 volumes in 1860; Gee
Ticknor's collection in 1860; the Prince Libra
| ry in 1866; and the Wheelwright collection
| in 1868; and to return to New Bedford. tina
library has within year (its 18th year, receiv
ed bequest of $4,000.
ou IL luNOlVcS INC dppIoprlduOu VI yer
large sum of money without legal authority.
For the legal authority L would refer &C. E
J.' to the Rev. Stat. of Maine, chap 80, sects
9, 10 and II, where he will flnd the necessar
authority. AS to the requiring an appropria
ton of a very large sum, reply that Their
are 55 public libraries in Massachusetts,; tina
outside of Boston no city appropriates owe
$4,000, and but one city that sum. That Spring
field appropriates $1,000, Taunton $500, Lowell
$780, Fall River $780, Waltham $4,000 ant
, New Bedford $4,000. The average cost pc
|, year of the New Bedford Library has beel
5000, and it has library of $4,000 volumes.
The Portland Institute rendered it's librar
to the city, with view to uniting all the libra
| ry interests of the city under one head for til
benefit of all the citizens, not with desire t.
press upon the city the acceptance of its libra
ry, and thereby relieve its friends of a burden
; they were tired of; but they did ask the city t
either assume the whole burden, or else gran
such aid as would enable the Institute to con
tinue on in its allotted work of furnishing tn
citizens, at no far distant day, with free read
i ing and plenty of it. E. A. MOVES.