The Portland daily press., 1889-02-22
P0RTLAND'S LIBRARY.

5snaat;ng - ~ iioay, FEBRUARY %. At that
meeting number of persons were chosen
as as associate corporators, and Committees for
tEe preparation of bylaws. the nomination
OF officers, etc., selected.
lne discussion of the plan of organization
aau9ng tne friends of the library movement
sa,ns ffnulcated wide difference of opinion,
sonne layoring the formation of a public IL
oIary which should from the beginning de-
penu upon the city for its support. others a
MRuopIietary library receiving annual aid.
Inc proprietary plan with modification was
i ,as T py the majority and the plan which
was nnaily adopted provided for a private
corporation differing only from the propri-
eatary library CORPORATION, in that its colec-
lions were always open to the public for con-
suitatlon at the roUms, and that any citizen
could take books to their homes upon pay
ment Of small annual fee. The interest Of
the individual corporators lapsed with death
ana the membership in the corporation was
Tree to all citizens who paid the annual or
lie contribution without the formality of
election.
1867, and Portland's Historian, Hon. Will
liam Willis, was chosen president of the cor
president.
A circular was at once issued asking for
contributions of money and books, and a
ships from citizens. The organization was
completed in May by the election of Joseph
w. Symonds as treasurer and Edward "A.
Moves as clerk and librarian.
The committees and officers were active
and their vigorous work met with a prompt
response from citizens who contributed lib
orally in money and books. Publishers and
individuals in other cities presented MANY
valuable books TO the library and made lib
e era ana special discounts upon purchases.
use OF a suite of rooms in the City Building,
then in process of rebuilding after the fire.
when completed.
The year 1867 was busy one for the IL
brarian who had to provide temporary quar-
tiers in his house for the books and erect
temporary shelves in the room now occupied
by the directors of the Portland Savings
Bank, prior to their removal to the library
rooms in October, 1867
At the annual meeting in April 1869 Presi-
dent Willis reported 1904 volumes in the IL
brary, and pointed with pride to the beautiful
rooms, and the large collection of books, of
which 1174 volumes were purchased at a cost
of S1139.T.
$1S63.80, and the expenditure of $531 is for
furniture, freight and incidental EXPENSES
left balance of S199.91 in the treasury.
This small amount of money was supple
mented by much jealous work on the part of
the friends Of the library at home and
abroad.
All this seems poor to us now, but we
were poor in Portland then and the reaiiza-
ton of all that was involved in the whole
sale destruction Of the fire of 1866 had come
upon us with full force.
The collections of the Daily Argus. which
Col. Adams had saved at the sacrifice of all
the rest of his property in the Argus Office
and the gift Of W. E. Edwards of the files
of the Advertiser were the most Important
and priceless books in the collection; since
made quite complete by the gift of other col
lectors and is the .orly full record of daily
events in our city known to exist.
On MONDAY, June !, 1868, the Library was
opened for free consultation at the rooms
and an annual fee. of So 90 charged for all
citizens who should desire to take books 70
their homes. This was the first time in
Portland that a library had been opened
daily Tor consultation.
AT the annual meeting in April, 1869 the
president, Mr.. Willis, reported 1900 Volumes
In tine library and circulation of 14.SO2
volumes in the ten months the library had
been open. A"N
:, The city made an appropriation of $1,000
Ihls year, and the total receipts amounted to
S5,02O, and the expenditure for books
Sl.2oo "a. AT the meeting Of the directors
che free use of the library.
:. In June, 1863. the first catalogue of the
library was issued 1t was in the form of a
hnding list, similar in character to that is
sued by Prof: Jewett for the Public Library
Oh boston, with crossed reference to title,
logue and met with hearty approval from ex-
perts.
During the winter of 1S69-7O the strength
OF PRESIDENT Willis. never robust, failed very
rapidly, ana In February, 1870, he passed
quietly away. Though feeble in body. the
last months of his life were devoted to the
interests OF the Library; and our FREQUENT
and anxious consultations during those busy
first years of the Lihrary's life can never be
forgotten by me. remember in January,
Va q ia
mented on the sad plight we were in owing
70 an over expenditure of money in the year
1858, and, with twinkle in his eye, said.
rout have just been notified that Mr.. /. p.
harrington has given $780," and then with a
1t was boundless wealth then-it lifted
from off both mountain of care,
1t was my privilege to be with him fire.
Quently In his last sickness and to watch
with MIN through the. last night of his
paired the feeble fame of life flick
cred and went out. In his death the library
lost devoted friend whose untiring zeal
mad helped to accomplish great results. We
We're indeed fortunate in having for our first
PRESIDENT man whose literary tastes, high
social position, and unselfish devotion to our
cause lifted the Institute at once to a posi-
ton OF leadership. The will of Mr.. Willis
provided that his library should become the
property OF the Institute after the death Of
Il r
called the willis Room"
At the meeting in March, 1870, Mr.. John
Neal, one OF the most noted writers of the
past generation, was chosen president TO
succeed Mr.. Willis.
At the animal meeting in April, 1870. the
coliection OF books amounted to 10,430 vol
umes, and the circulation had already in
creased to 1884 volumes, and the collection
and arrangement of the books was quite
complete. In consequence of what seemed
70 be necessity for the active services of a
librarian who should always be present at
the Library, Mr., Noyes resigned and MT.
Isaac Is. Choate was elected librarian in his
place. The committee appointed met with
serious opposition in getting the appropria-
ton from the City. Council; meeting with
opposltion Doth before the City Council and
In the public prints, from some of the repre-
sentatlves OF the other library associations
In the city, and 1t was finally thought best to
meet their objections, which lit was alleged
were raised because the library was a pro-
prietary library belonging TO private indiyid-
uals, by tender of the Library to the citv
for the purpose of establishing free public
library, and again trying to unite all the
library institutions in the city for that pur-
pose. Ihe ightwas long and interesting
one, ana IL was not until the joint conyen-
ton OF the City Council In July that the full
force OF all the objections raised in regard
70 the Institute came publicly before the
City Government, the Institute as we'll as
al otner libraries being fully represented.
This discussion ended finally by an appro-
priation by the city of the usual sum and
the refusal Of the other libraries to unite
with the Institute in forming a public libra
ry. No such serious attack has been encoun
tered since; the founders of the Institute
having demonstrated to the public the hon
esly OF their Intention to apply whatever
volumes they collected to the founding of a
Tree pubic library as soon as the means in
their hands were sufficient to warrant it,
AT the annual meeting in April 1871, Mr..
ChOate resigned as librarian. and at a sub
sequent meeting, Mr.. Neal declining a re-
election. Hon: VIM. l.. Putnam was chosen
President, with Hon. Israel Washburn as
Vice President Mr.. Noyes was chosen
clerk, treasurer and librarian. The free list
was extended to the members of the City Gov
eminent and their families aud the teachers
Of the public schools, during their term OF
office.
AT the annual meeting in Arril 1871, the re-
port OF the number Of volumes collected in
dictated an increase of about 1895 during the
year and circulation of 33,697 volumes. In
November 1871 the library was increased by
the addition of the collection of the Portland
Girls High School Library OF some 1877 vol
umes. Such duplicate volumes belonging to
the united libraries as seemed desirable for
the use OF the Portland High School were
rendered TO the school committee and subse-
quently delivered.
AT the annual meeting in April 1872, the
librarian reported a circulation of 81, 53l vol
umes ana an addition of 2614 volumes, and
that the total number of books was 14.O79. A
committee was appointed at the subsequent
n 10 f.