The morning call., 1890-11-12
OUR FREE LIBRARY.
Meeting of the Board of Trustees.
The Librarians Report.

An adjourned meeting Of the Board of
Trustees of the Free Public Library was
held last evening in the office of the Secre-
tary. Present, Messrs r. c. Harrison, E. d.
Sawyer, O'COnnor, Lilienthal, Morris and
Taylor, with Mr.. Terrill in the chair.
The Secretary presented his financial re-
port for October. which showed cash on
hand in the beginning of the month s9I52 c9,
out of which bills audited at the last meet
ing, amounting to S2655 Il (ncluding
SID % for salaries), had been paid, leaving
a balance of S7096 %. The October bills,
amounting to S5944 IS, were then presented
to the board and were approved and ordered
paid.
On motion Of Trustee Norris the board or
dered the setting aside of $1,000 for the pur-
chase of such new books as the Book Com
mittee should see fit to order.
Bids for binding were then opened and
that of L. X. Phillips being the lowest he
was awarded the contract for the coming
year.
The Librarians report for October showed
that is, 64 books had been used at the main
library during the month and that the rooms
had been attended by 10, 167 visitors. The
percentage of works of fiction called for was
.0526 Books and pamphlets to the number
of 767 had been added during the month
The librarian the read his report ON his
visit to the annual convention of the A meri-
can Library Association at Fabyan's, Sep
TENDER 9, 1890, his investigations into the
working of tile large Eastern libraries and
his conference with the booksellers Of New
York, Boston and Chicago. He first in
formed the meeting that he had conveyed
the boards invitation TO the national body
to make San Francisco the meeting place
of the association next year., and
that the invitation had been unanimously
accepted The librarian thought that their
meeting here would have the same stimu-
lating effect upon the wealthy classes that it
had elsewhere and would encourage the
hope OF a new library building. which is
very badly needed for the valuable col
lection of works in the control of the
board. From his conferences with the lead
ing booksellers in the East lie believed lie
had acquired knowledge which would effect
a great saving in future purchases. He
would be glad to give the Book Committee
the benefit of this knowledge from time to
time whenever they are pleased to considert.
The balance OF the report dwelt princi-
pally upon the value OF complete cata-
logue and suggestions for its compilation.
Trustee OConnor asked the librarian at
the conclusion of his report for more ex-
plicit Information on the points touched
upon in it. Mr.. Cheney stated that he was
perfectly willing to do go, but would prefer
to have the request postponed until the
meeting should go into executive sessi on.
At his suggestion this was done and the
uaLtci Wao uIoCuooSu pciihu SiooOu uooiS'
In relating his Eastern experiences out
side OF the board, Mr.. Cheney mentioned
the fact that readers of fiction formed far
smaller percentage of book-worms in this
city than in the Middle and Eastern States,
which proves that our people have higher
literary tastes than those Of other cities.
He also expressed his wonderment at the
number OF fine structures which were
springing into existence all over the coun-
try and being dedicated to use as free public
libraries by the wealthy citizens of those
parts. 1t IS something, he said, for the
public-spirited citizens of San Francisco to
consider and emulate.