The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-07-20
cHApTER cXx.

An Act to authorize the establishment of
free public libraries III the towns, town
ships OF any other municipality OF this
state.
L Be it enacted by the Senate and Cen
eral Assembly of the State Of New jersey,
That any town, township or other fnuli-
cipality in this state be aud It is hereby
authorized IN the manner hereinafter
provided. to establish free public library
within its corporate limits.
2 And be it enacted, That the provis-
ions of this act shall remain imperative
in any tosn. township or other munich
pality in this state until assented TO by
majority of the legal voters thereof Tot-
ing on this act. at any election at which
the question of its adoption shall be sub
mitted to vote By direction of the legisla-
tive body OF such town, township or other
municipality, either ut the time fixed bv
law for the election OF the municipal Off
GERS or at a special election to be held for
that purpose, of the time and place OF
holding which election the clerk OF the
said town, township or other municipal
ity shall cause public notice 10 be given
by advertisement. signed By himself.
and set up in ut least i've public places IN
said town, township or other municipaf-
ity for at least five days previous to the
day of such election. and published for
the same period in Two newspapers cir
culating in said town, township or other
Tile DdltDtS 05tN HI SuGH
election shall be printed or written, and
the same may be printed or written on
the general ballots used at such election,
on which may be either the words .'for a
free public library or against q free
public library and the election officers
of the said town, township or other
municipality shall return to the clerk of
the town, township or other municipality
a true and correct statement, in writing,
under their hands. result Of the sald
election.
8. And be it enacted, That If at such
election aforesaid g majority of all the
ballots cast shall be '-for free public
library" it shall become the duty Of the
Legislative body of said town, township
or other municipality annually thereafter
TO appropriate and raise by tax in the
same manner as other taxes are assessed,
levied and collected in said town, town
ship or other municipality, u sum equal
to one-third of mill on every dollar of
assessable property returned BIZ the
assessor of said town, township or other
municipality for the purpose Of taxa
ton therein. which sum. when so appro-
priated shall be used for no other pur-
pose than that of free public library,
and the treasurer or other dlsbursing
officer of each town, township or other
municipality shall, upon warrant signed
by the president and clerk of the hoard OF
trustees as hereinafter provided for, pay
all bills ordered by them to be paid.
+ And be it enacted, That board of
trustees of the free public library shall
be Immediately formed in any town,
township or other municipality, when
majority of the votes cast shall be s'for q
free public library consisting of five
members. one of whom shall be the chair
man of the legislative body of such town,
tow nshlp or other municipality, ex ofIicio,
and one the president OF the BOARD of
education, and three TO be appointed by
the chairman of the town, township or
other municipality from among the citi-
zens OF the said town, township or other
municipality, by and with the consent OF
the legislative body thereof, to serve for
the terms of one, two and three years re-
spectively; and upon the expiration of
the term OF Office of any trustee, the chair
man of the town, township or other
municipality, by and with the consent of
the legislative body, shall appoint to the
vacancy for a term Of i've years, and If
any vacancies occur they shall be Tiled as
aforesaid, but for the une3pired term
only.
.. And be it enacted, That the board of
trustees shall be body corporate under
the name of the trustees of the free pub
lie library of the town, township or other
municipality, naming the town, town
ship OF other municipality wherein said
library shall be established, with corpor-
ate powers OF succession, to sue and be
sued and TO adopt a corporate seal; such
board shall meet at some convenient time
and place in such town, townshlpor other
municipality within ten days from the
time of their appointment; they shall i'm
mediately proceed to organize by the
election of one of their members to be the
president and one 10 be the clerk OF the
board; they shall also make and execute
under their hands and seals a certificate
setting forth their appointment, their or,
ganization and the names of the officer
elect and appointed, which certificate
shall be acknowledged in the same man
ner that conveyanees OF real estate are
required to be acknowledged and recorded
in the clerks Office of the county in which
such city is located; they shallalSo cause
a certified copy of such certificate to be
filed in tho Office OF the secre
tary of state. but shall hot be re-
quired TO pay any fee for such
recording and fling; the said certificate
or copy thereof, duly certsti4d by said
clerk or secretary, shalt be evidence III all
courts aud places Of the incorporation OF
of said board; il shall hold II trust and
manage all the property Of sid library
it shah have the power to rent rooms, or
when proper to construct Buildings for
the use Of said library, 70 purchase books.