, 1877-06-10
THE LIBRARY.

Annual Meeting Uf tito Hoard az DIRECTORS
The Board Of Directors Of the Chicago Public
Library held their annual mcctmg yesterday
afternoon in thnt institutIon. There were pres
ent Mesars. ahorcy FrcsidcntA Loewenthal.
Mason, Onahan, Scranton, and Walker, and
Secretary Wickersha,n.
The Committee on Buildings and Grounds
recommended that tho Insurance be increased
from $4,000 " $4,000, aud the Board con.
CURED.
Tie Librarian stated that the Library was
worth eso, 900. and there wss an Insurance OF
$4,000 upon II.
Mr.. Onahan, fropl the Library Committee, re-
ported several bulls, aggregatfug $3a3.11, and
they were ordered to be paid.
From special committee, Mr.. Scrnuton re-
ported In favor Of the appointment Ut ah assist.
aut janftor at $40 per mouth, aud the Board
concusrel.
The President read tte fifth annual report Of
tho Hoard OF Directors, which Is for prcscnta-
tlon 10 tho City Council, " required by law.
Tbs expenses Of tho Llbrury for the past year
wcse so5. 5.059.4+ Expended for hooks. g., 504.l7,
an,i for newspapers and periodicals, $l,it6.1s.
Tie number Of books now belonging to tic II.
hrary Is bl,4os There have been added to the
Library, duripR the year, 0,399 volumcs, Of
which 85a ware donations. Tho number Of
books lost or missing will b. given before tho
rcport ia printed In pamphlet form, the assist
ber. There wcro now on tbe registry ne names
Of +0,030 book.bosrowers. The number OF yls-
ito,s attending tho Library atsa NsailiaE l'oo1a
Tho Library had now been in full operation
lMtse more than THREE years. -.
Tho frport says that under the most fayora-
bio circumstances It requires q long time 70
build up Ersst library, and. considarinR Tho
an excellent beginning had been made. 1t has
selection OF buoks probably not SURPASSED in
quality by any library OF its magnitude In tho
Aiter expattating on tho benefits arising 10
thu community f1otn the establishment Of tho
Library the report says that the general cirr1lla
tlon Of books among the people WAS matnt Aimed
as thehlgh average reached last }sar. ana could
arr called for. Much remained t0 be done;
nevertheless, Il VIA bit ]ust to sas that already
tho wf,ola standard OF culture In the cpmmuni.
~ hna obviously bccn ratstd by tho influence OF
| tho Library. There Ind been from tho n1bt
general unanlmity Of opinion In favor OF sup
porting tho Library BY tA1ation.
The report A.INts at sou!t length Ii favor OK
tho snpi@rt " Libraries BY taxation, on ths
tosnnon education atlopted in thts country at.lee
Colonial times. In support Of his argument. Mr..
8horcy quoted Mill, FaTcctt, and AmasA
Maser That e,sn e ~ 's;s ss'sns ~ oMa,
that ho is OPPOSED to the support OF education.
| nj tnatituttoht by the State.
In concluding, The report states that m op!n.
tGu &ewdcrry Library becomes .ral1aIla, there
| Will no longer be need Of the present Public
Library. According " experience 10 similar
cases, It would bc mose. rsther thsu !tss, need
been established. Tbere was, however, great
uncertainty ~ 10 the time when tue Trustees
under tic Ncsbcrzy viii xotl have ths auti.or-
ity 10 establish that Library. But, when It
SHOULD be established. there would he IN ample
ae!A tn tt.ts ueseo!Hlltaa city for tho opeEattou
of both libraries. Each would help aud supple
inent tho other. ...
Reference u made to the fact that the OLD
Post .O!iIrc building was exchanged for tho old
| DrtdewelI lot hY tho Goye.nmsnt Tor tho pur-
w.e Of ptoyt1ae : neEtusaeut plaea fot taa
Public Library, au!s the memorial tsas 70 tho
Council, B,ard of Education, aud Public Library
Board, was attached to the Ftiort Is reminder
OF the pledge made to the people.
Tae laek Of tastltsie. u supply ths public de-.
were expended fo! boots,-not enough u keep
up good village library, aud not sufficient 70
repair the wear Of great public library. ln
ths coming yrar tho DLsetors ~oula % ap!e 70 70
the reasonable demands Of the people.
The fund available for, the purchase
ot books ought tsvcE 70 !ull hslox $ao,a0
generous donations Of bDoks by the English
y,eUpls were referred to, aud the Council asked
10 Elye Wnlto.sn sup,art 70 lhs Institution.
coLc4rrrl tu tho report and siyne4 It.. That
gentieman preferred ~ eonssuer more fu'l7 that
iostlon Of tie document which he thought
might comproailse him II be signed 1t without
| trst placing hIu,sef upon record by Hlakipg II
Known that be eonculreu onay tu that whIsh re-
lated to tho Library aui its utility.
Accompanying the repoSt u = detailed state.
mrnt OF llr Publlc Library Fund, from which 4
J viii require = collection ot taxes amounting K