The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-30
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
A Few Interesting Facts.

The following communication from MIR.
Z. d. Sweeney, one of the Library Direc-
tors, concerning our free library will be in
teresting at this time, when both political
parties proposes the proceeds OF the best
township office shall be devoted to its i'm
provement:
To the Editors of The Argus:
Permit me to state few facts concern
ing the Library
When the Free Library Act of our
State went into operation in July, 1872,
the Young Mems Literary Association do
mated to the city its entire library, consist
ing of 1000 volumes, with all its book
cases, tables, chairs, pictures, mineral cab
met, papers, etc., property which had cost,
originally, between five or six thousand
dollars. Coupled with this donation was
a condition that the city would keep and
maintain a free public library in accord
ance with the law; the city accepted the
donation, the Council appointed the Board
of Directors, and the Library went into
operation Nov. lst, 1872, and it is a fact
worthy of note that it was the first free
public library opened in the State, under
the law
There has been purchased, by the d.
rectors, since they have had control of the
library, l,437 volumes During the same
time tn ere has been donated SO volumes,
and withdrawn from the shelves, as worn
out, $50 volumes, making the library now
to consist of $3.50 volumes.
About 900 volumes of these are refer
ence books, public documents and other
works, which are never taken from the IL
brary, leaving for calculation $50 vol
umes.
During the year ending January LIST,
1874. there were Al COS visits to the libra
ry rooms, and during the same time II, 67C
books taken from the library, each book OF
the $50 in circulation, being taken, on an
average, from the library, seven times
during the year.
During the month of February, 1874,
twenty-eight days there were 4.547 visits
to the library rooms, and 1907 books taker
| from the library, the fact being that not
withstanding the great wants of books the
use of the library is steadily on the increase
and is greater now than it ever has been
From the foregoing all must recognize the
fact that the demand upon the library far
exceeds its capacity.
Among the many pressing wants of the
| library are five hundred volumes of read
ing matter especially adapted to youths
from ten to sixteens years of age. ON
thousand volumes of standard literatur,
and two hundred volumes of recent Amer
lean and English publications these alto
gether would cost about 1000, with thes
wants met, the library could get along yer!
well for another year.
The City Council appropriated for IT,
support of the library this year $4,000
The directors have expended all they dar
of this amount for books, leaving balanc,
hardly sufficient to pay the running ex
press of the library for the remainder o
the year.
The many generous offers made by gen
tlemen within a few days in connection
with the Office of the Township Collecto
shows a general recognition of the benefit
of the library, and promises that sui
stantial sum will be realized in this way
for the relief of the library.
March 90, 1874.
EDWARD d. SWEENEY.