, 1874-06-07
Negotiations for the Old Post.0tflce'-"
The Present Location.
The Financial Requirements Of the
Library---An Appeal for Its
Own Funds.
It Cannot Subsist on The Amount Pro-
posed to Be Allowed.
No Disagreements in the Board.

Tbs Board OF Directors of the Public Library
met Yesterday afternoon. President Hoyne oc-
cupicd tho chair, aud submitted the following
ANNUAL REPORT:
GENrLEMEs: The Board Of Directors Of the Chi
cago Public Library beg leave 70 LAY oeiofe
SECOND ANNUAL, REPORT.
In accordance with the provisions Of the Free
Library bill this report ia required to show
l. Tho condition Of this trust the lst day Of June
IT the year when 1t iB made.
2 The various Of money received from the
Library fund.- and from other sources, and how such
moneys are expended, and for what purposes.
). Tbs humber Of books and periodicals on baud;
during the year, and the number lost or missing. .
l. The number Of visitors attending, tho number OF
books loaned out and the general character and lind
Of such books with such oher statistics, information,
aud suggestions they may deem Of general interest,"
CONDITION OF TIE Trust.
And first in regard to the general conditions OF the
trust the Board beg leave to say: Tha. this Board, bT
unanimous vote expressed especial and urgent re-
guest in the fern OF IN invitation to youI
and realing-room at such time Ae you might think
proper. This invitation, it hoped would secure
nation for tho respective members Of your honorable
body, to observe the efficiency OF the arrange
nleuts ade to secure all the advantages Of thls
great trust the general public. This request WIS
made, not with view to the exercise OF the su-
porrisiou rcpoeed in you by law than the voting Of
which taxation for this special object is restcted
is absolutely necessary to the support, II not the
progress Of this youngcsthe least costly, but GER
tainly not the least bcuecent or promising-aInong
:ha several other departments Of your Municipal Gov
tEuulc1t.
she gratifying evidences OF tie SUCCESS which las
10 far crowned the eorta to esabIish this Library in
The fxc that since the Library has been opened
sith Vi M tbe m tie = number Of visitors has
increased and the number OF borrowers has reached,
within month, 273 persons while tho rcgate
ouber of visitors in the rcadingroom during eleven
months Of the first year has been 119, ,447 persons
THEN AND NOW.
The Common Council will remember that wien the
1ast-beiCg the drst-auou1l report made,
this department was still occupying the temporary
quarters assigned to it by the city the
city ordinance under the Library bill We tAen had
on the shelves Of tho Tank some 5,sA volumes Of
boola. of these, $3.50 volumes had been received
fzum the English German, and other douators abroad,
while 500 volumes been placed had upon the shelves
by our own citizens.
1t will now be found that the number OF boohs alone
cals and newspapers 347,-whiie the number ordered
abroad Of foreign publications Will increase this mum
Der OF books aggregate Of COO volumes, not
Including the British Patent Office Reports being some
2,600 volumes more.
One year since, when our first annual report
:nade this Board had not opened the Library. The
readingroon had been formally opened Jan. 1878,
IN the presence Of tins Common Council ald the
Mayor, and large number Of citizens. Tho number
Of sY,ors had reached the large daily averaGe Of $751;
The visitors only furnished reading matter from
the large number, some 25o Of European and Ameri
st that time Secretary and four assistants at eg
grcgsto annual cost Of some 5000, willie the list Of
o M 1s asor ~
- then stlted by this Eoxrd, left upon their hands
the substantial objects Of this trusts tho organization
TO be set accomplished. This Board then
rendored m account Of the large English
aud German contributions which had come
Of sympathy, ] memorial Of Of the Kind feeling Which
had been embodied By all classes Of al countries in
many forms and tokens of good ~l towards chca-
SO After the great fire Of 1871; and among Ill
huch tokens there not which bore CRATE
full Significance to the public heart mind than did
ths effort towards the foundation Of great free H.
brary such tho which the City Of Chicago has
established It will certainly remain OF the
sympathy TINT no less distinguished the mankind Of
this Century than the calamity itself distinguished the
city which becasne the occasion Of calling it torth
oIFT-BooEs
from abroad have, ve believe, all now reached our
sheves With the exception Of the 800 volumes of the
British Patent Office Reports and Specifications. which
will now be coming forward fGst ss, ths book
binders. Bell Co., in London, with WHOM the Board
contracted can execute their contract of binding It
will be remembered that in tho few instances where
the English Pxtentohce Commissioners make such
donation they required condition the binding OF
these copies before leaving England
THE ros.-oFI1CE.
The Board OF Directors found very soon after enter
Ing upon the discharge o1 this trust that, in order
accommodations Of library, open to the whole city
population to borrow out and return books, there
must bo ample room and convenient than
It Tas possible to provide or find over the City Hall
Tie former Mayor, A1r. MeGil aided by your ready
cooperation together with that Of this Board and the
Board Of Education, sought an exchange of proper
tes which would place under The control Of the city
the former United States PostOice building, enough
of which WIS spared in the walls left standing after
The fire. to be finished up and occupied the pe1ma
neut Public Library building.
A detailed account OF tha several stepe teken-the
law enacted BY Congress ind the law Of the Illinois
General Assembly together with the proceedings tke1
By Commission appointed in behalf Of the General
Government Of the United States together with the
our first annual report. But ali thcse proceedings
with the labor involved resulted in future Of
CONTROL and for which 1t ie IN no wso responsible,
This one thing only seemed obvious and inevitable to
charged upon ~homsoerer might be Directors Of tho
Library. To discharge that trust faithfully required
that tho public should have the of the books donate
ana received aud vol the application Of the funds
ooeeted By tho city its usc Il the earliest possible
moment Delays Of uncertain donations would not be
long patiently ~ endured And the nature Of tho nego
form Ii that any certain time to be specified Tor
plactng the building in sufficient state Of 10
abandoned. Tho Board Of Education, Wills express
ing their desice to accomplish what seemed to be
Ebrary brectora ase @ an ODER Of o.ooo On @ aecoun NJ
OF rent in advance payment, to supply the want o.
money At length the only solution Of the difficult,
Of the Library to the Of the people, which tht
public voice then dcluA.ded 60 forward at once II
supply this demand leaving al othar questions ope1
for future discrimination
THE NEW RooMs.
And this was the policy ndop;ed The future site
~eli rs building both OF principal well u braucf
A1anes are open questions: while the Committee o
this Board having the matter in Charge are continued
70 negotiate with the Board of Education for
1ola terms - well IS permanent occupation Of the
tte United states building according to al
fha conditions implied by the exchange made between
the City of Chicago and the General Government
In the meantime, and until the condition Of this
trust admits Of the Use Of funds erect co1n1nodoue
and proper buildings, the Board think tlev Aayc been
fortunate in 1udiug ample spsce, well lighted .nd
conveniently located the grrat centres Of street.
railroad transit at the southeast corrcs Of Madison
and Wabash avenue. For rental Of S 100 ne,
anuum, and with privilege after sear Of three
years ore they heye tccuTed the whole OF the
fory. 96 feet front Wabash by 14o feet IL
depth on Madison street, in the Herxick Block. Be
rides these are included tho half Of the third and
fourth stories Of tha block. Oue-haH Of tht
second door, lighted the whole length OF Madison
street, Il assigned and httsd up for visitors to tlt
zeadinc-roou. The othtr haE contains the shelving
and alcoyes Of the Public Library. It il equal to
convenient arrangement upon shelves Of upwards O
Toeo0 volumes. And the assistants and visitors are
dividad by Igh' I2il into two separate con1pArt-
fnsnts-ona for gentlemen and the other for 4dies
Thesa auxTter8 were frat occupied about the 16tt
1Af df hs3 MARCH, Tia hhratJ aepattm<t1t