, 1875-06-06
Third Annual Report Of the Board
Of Directors.
Humber Of Visitors During the Year
.. Books Circulated.
Protest Against the Proposition OF th'
Finance Committee.
Il Mua Hare Funds or It's Usefulness Be
Destroyed

Th6 Board OF directors OF the fuul1o L1plh1
met yesterday afternoon 1t their nav room
and adopted the following annual report whict
will bs submitted to the Council Monday even
ing. It will be raad With special interest in 7le'
Of the attempt OF the Finance Committee tt
leave the Library destitute OF the n1aaas to carr,
on operations. The report Is as follows
To kA4 Honorable tbs Mayor ard Common Council
| Chicago:
Tho undersigned, Directors Of the Chicago
| Public Library, in discharge OF the duty assumed
BY them under their appointment to tase charge
| Of this trust, in accordance with the pfovisions
| Of tho ' Free Library bill" respectfully beg
leaye to submit this their third annual 1eptrt.
| THE NEW QUARTERS.
| Since the report OF last roar. tbs Board have
| removed the Library to the Dickey Building, on
| tho southwest corner OF Lake and Dearborn
etreets. With view OF econoo1izlog in the
amount of annual rent, as we'll as to secure in
BY m increase OF the space and
light to he obtained, they have leased
the third and fourth stories OF said building,
with one large room On tho second doo1, for 3
term Of four years from the list day Of May,
1878, st an annual rent OF 90, 500. which is re-
ducsion OF 81, 500 per aunum On the amount of
rent paid for the ROOMS recently occupied. And,
upon careful estimate ma&to by the Committee
on Buildings and Grounds. it rs confidently be-
Hereo that further sum OF very consider able
amount will bo saved in heating aud lighting tho
new rooms BY economy ia tho difference o{
mode which IA intended to be applied, and the
better character Of the building in these respects
for that purpose.
Besides tho considerations already named-the
space afforded by the two stories which have
beeu finished under the contract made with the
owner Of the buidlng-she Library Will nov
place 1t the disposal Of all visitors
SPECIAL. ACCOMMODATIONS
for those who desire to read in the Library, with
q view to consulting all such works (of which
there is now }nsga collecnon} that are too
valuable for circulation, and may be used by
tho student or scholar, books OF reference in
connection with Whatever branches OF lo2rning,
in history, philosophy. science, and all he may
desire.
INCREASE IN VOLUMES.
It will be remembered that in March 1874,
this Library was removed from the "Iank,
where the nucleus OF the presen. library mas
tions made abroad numbered sumo 9.379 vol
umea. The Library WA opened to the public
May !, 1874, with II. .355 volumes; on the lst Of
December last it had 9217 volumes. and the
Considering tho ehortnsss OF the period
elapsed since the Library was first organ
lied in May, 1872, this would seem
d very rapid, > and, under somo cir
cnmhtances, very satisfactory, condition
Of progress. But when it is taken in connection
With tho extraordinary demands made By our
own people upon it's capabilities; the liberal
sympathy Of the people abroad and 1T home who
generously contributed towards its foundation;
tho ready cooperation which Immediately after
our great FIRE and during the year 1872 all our
public authorities, 6tate aud municipal, lent to
the Inauguration at the enterprise; this BoArf
conrehs to . feeling Of disappointment in the
lack OF financial means enabling them to realize
the just expectations Of the general public by
providing for their demands in the ratio Of tho
INcREAsB o1 HOOKS 10 BORROWERS
and readers.
This increase has been without parallel in the
history Of American Iibranes. Mr.. Poole, the
Librarian, IN recent circular to tho public,
makea the statement that
The other largo public Libraries Of the country have
been yeara In developing what has been done in Chfc
co IN = fow months Ihs Boston Public Library, at
tbe end Of s nfth year, had less number Of book
borTowcrn, and onc-fonTth many books fnken ont
Library hed a. tho end Of ts fifth month. Tho
Cincinnati Public Library, At the end Of lta sixth year.
ton Of the Chicago Public Library At the end Of its
sixth month.
And the Librarians report accompanying the
present document, exhibiting IN detail the con
of books taken out in circulation anco the LIST !
OF June 1S74-the date Of our last report-has
reached the total aggregate Of 3s9, 155 volumes.
while at the beginning Of the year there were on !
the shelves only about GOO volumes, which |
has been incteased by purchases during the |
year, until now tho whole number Of volumes Oh |
our shelves ia about 40, g0o, while tho number Of !
borrowers has increased to nearly q, 600.
It Was in view Of such progress as this that |
the Board solicited from your honorable body the |
which the Library bill provides may be levied on
the valuation Of property in all cities OF the !
State Of over 100000 inhabitants, In which the
City Council his established public library for
10 the credit ct tbs Library fund sum last year !
II nearly .e60, 900. Instead Of which the appro-
or1ation MAS limited to $25 900. 1t Was well un-
1dfstood that our operating expenses would ax-
iced that Bum- Tho Board had opened the Ii
orary to the public On the tst Of May, 1874, in
y law. but were greatly disappointed on finding
hat they were to receive less than half that anu1,
md that your honorable body refused your con-
'nrrencs in whist they conceded to be then an
1rEeut public demand
The ACCOMMODATING report Of the Library Com |
1it.se will show how
THIS D1sApPoIETMESr
ansed this Board to arrest the execution Of
'rderd already sent abroad, and che contract for
binding more than 5000 volumes Of the British
,ntent- Office Reporta, under contract made
n 1873 Sith Bell j. Co., OF London,
The Board also reduced the number Of news
'aPers and periodicals. in our readlng-room. and,
ccording to tho statement in the report Of the
AAAhtou EAu11 ~ lA4k 64uuE ku8 Huol6 |
- =, -, readers do not find what they expect
- raoant nhe,H;nscts-more especially in the lima
= = n,ss Pap1nesaon,we 1 should be permitted
II ths Comuou Council last yesf a.s r rei1nnsd aIe
,ur finances. 'o"seo
Aud here ws may also be excused for pleading
u behalf Of this trust, the injustice referred to |
4 the report OF the Library COMMITTEES. It now
ppears shst the
GAGE DEFALc4ToN,
Th1ca- against our repeated remonstrancss, wss
hA1ged in the Comptroller's Office to the extent
i over $6, 500 upou our library fund (tna pro-
'oEtion it is said the fund should bear), took
lace before the organization Of this Board, or
30 levy. and collsction OF any portion Of the
axes raised for its maintenance and support |
Ye again urge that in this respect our account
nth the CITY may have tho proper credit on the
ooks OF the corporation.
In connection with the present Comptso1ler, |
his Board, 1hile expressing their qualification |
t the liberal advance which ho has made on his
stimate last year, yet submit whether the liz
rary bill, in allowing you to levy not mora than
ne-hfth Of one mill Tor the support and MAIN
snaace OF free library, did not ntend aud re-
ulre that this Whole sum should always be !
zlsed Whenever it was headed
We RESPECTFULLY Es1sr
1&E fhfH ma dina o-;a it | ,