Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-11-21
The Fletcher Library Question.

Tbn i,r...rt tr,u1,I,. il. ,,,,, mat ,,,lil,,1vt,
o,i., ,,.bnr, ihn care. and ro..i,,,,.ibiIitv f,r
tDo.,ul,,,t. ,r,n iu..itrti,, r..t. 81, t,yn
..,,,r.,tn l,udios Tbo c,r. NJ ,i,o I .r,ror,
rns,. 81, tho Trust,ns -. rn.,,,d. nil maj.
t,,. nr I.tnl but in tbn ,nry iinnn,tuut
nottor nfth, sunuI,. nf ruul. fan. ,.rrr.,,t
rvucnsps thr Library i wholly Jnupndnnt
mn rho Rn,rd of A1dor,,,u t.nlo.. thnsa
t,yn hndins work i'm bormorv thn Library,
,n1 tbn rnndin, ,r,1lic n,ust .utrnr ma
,,,.n,,t f,ictinu arr,o,s tu IA, i.r,,ol,, ttn
r,u..uurncn nr ,vnnt. of ,,r,t,.r conference
and rousrournt MISUNDERSTANDING, lac.
t.v.o, thn rru.tao. and tina lldnr,,o,,
THE Bunrl of Trr.tpc.. coupo.al ~, il is
of -, I,odin,r ndrr,tnr - lnodiu,, l,,vvnr
an n..nnr,.1 c1nr,rv,,o,, , rrnrtirnI Ln,k
d.olnr and fine ,nnvnr nf thn CITY and
rn,utrisiu,, schor,rshiu cultiyuttnr aud
businr,s capocfty yonld seem to he nd
n,iroblv constituted for its purpose. And
thn Tr,i.t,as b,yn ,nur ,yrnllnntlv we'll in
many wnys Thoy purchased thr library
with rn,nnrl,ohly Good Indictment and rruu-
|o,n,-. hoya added to if with euit,l wisdnu
and RIM if in the motn ,nrcpssful1v yhrv
have made some mistakrs-a, in sending
thr coto1n.,1ntoosor second rate nriutinuoiIirr
in another state to he uriutr1 wien if
cnuld ho,a brnu better and much moro
rhpaply printed i'm this State But tn err
j. human Eyrrvbodv and every bnnrd
make mistakes. Possibly one mistake an
fine Dnrt of the Trustees has been am insutIi-
cent apprcciation of the fncts that the rem
arnl public REGARD the Library u, forthrm.
rather than for the scholars. and men and
women of letters. who form but a por,ion
of the public that for the convenience of
many. who have little leisure. the Library
should be open as many hours in the day
and as many days in the week as possible
for the giving out and return afbooks and
that the majority of taX-pavers regard the
irving ont and care of the books rs the
first and main business of the librarian and
his assistants, and are WILLING TO pny for
that, while they do not care much to pav
for supplying information on special
tO0icS and directing the literary Studies of
people who have considerable time and
money of their own. But it should never
be forgotten that the Trustees serve with
ont pay: that they have given care and
time and thought Cworth great deal of
money to themselves without stint to this
Library. not for their own qualification.
Dilt Tor the dement, OF the DuDllt ana tllill
the money they have asked for. they hay,
asked not for themselves. but in order TINT
/ they miuht return il to the public in SIM
plying means of mental Improvement
worth more than money to our commun
itv
On the other hand the Aldermen
= having the charge of the CITY purse
= must consider closely the matter
of the expense of the Library. City take
have been exceedingly heavy The de.
> mand for close economy in every depart
f mpnt has been IMPERATIVE. The Aldermen
e have no right to disregard it. When the,
t deliberately fix n limit beyond which the,
{ do NOT think if wise or riuht to 90 for th
/ currput exneusps of the Library thrr, i
+ no WAY but for the Trustees TO WELD. An,
t the proDrr WAY to Weld plainly is not toey
G hnrlst the augmentation in EIGHT or min
y months. and close the Library tn
=. rest of the year: but to spread the appro
a priatiou over the whole wear. pruning TN
p expenses to the necessary limit. and kecI
II inc the I.ibrDlv omen rs many hour, enc
oay ms is possible for the money.
In saving this. we do not mean to sa
/ that the Trustees were wholly without e>
Z cllsr for closing the Iibrarv They SUI
Il po.cd. they say. for half the wear, tina
Il they were tohave a, much money as ,I,ua
When they found that sucn was not tn
case. they would have reduced the e.,
', peusrs. but the Summer school had iu-
y opened: the town was full of stranger
+ who were freely using the library and
Il ,.. ,l,,,,rl,, hast T., l.,.o,,,,, maj, ~. -,
> va, ,,l',, ,,' ,.l'',.,>.,
: lHIll- SV'Ic' III lIlc i"Pc ''l''' 'uPPl'll'C'
|, tary appropriation might be made. 1t b'
+, coming plain that that would not be made
'e thr Trustee. Thought they had no WA
=. 49,, aI''-,', ,t,a :, iI',,,,. rl,,
10 l" u" "u' " 'i'9' 'io y "'
/ ran 1t up to the limit OF the appr'
; pration. The librarian was employed fC
A. two weeks afterthe closing ofthc I.ibrar.
L. !" 7''''''7 ~ ~, ,.,r ., wy
: ACCOMPLISHING ms salary lor "He mont
m was paid 10y the City Treasurer The la
If circumstance would seem to Indicate thu