The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-06-01
READING FOR ALL
A Part Of the New Library Thrown
Open to the Public.


The reading room OF the Free Public
Library Of Jersey City was thrown open
to the public at ten o'clock this morning.
The Library viii not be formally opened
for two weeks. But the trustees are
ready to receive applications for borro W.
ers' privileges, and for the next two
weeks expect to be kept busy registering
the names Of applicants and searching
the standing Of the referees.
There Is no red tape about the proceed
ings. Applicants over twelve years Of
years residing within the corporate limits
Of Jersey City, or paying taxes therein,
who comply with the rules and regula-
tious OF the Board Of Trustees, are en-
titled 70 draw books for home use.
Each must fill out the blank card
and return IL at his convenience with
the signature of q satisfactory referee
who fills out the blank on the opposite
card certifying that the applicant Is fit
The referee is then asked IL he
signed the applicants card. His
written answer Is compared with his
signature on the applicants card.
That's all the red tape there is
about 1t. Aud this Is merely to protect
the library from the rava9es OF irrespon-
sible borrowers. It is as free to the poor
as to the millionaire.
IN THE READING ROOM.
The reading room is open TO everybody.
Trustee X. j. Mcmillan was busy attend
ing to applicants for library privileges
when l entered the cozy retreat
this morning. A number Of ladies
were sauntering leisurelv through the
rooms, adjoining the arrangements, in
specting the hundreds of magazines and
periodicals, and one by one signing APP
plicatlons.
Several young men who looked as If
they might be students sat at tables por-
ing over magazines Of science. For the
equipment Of the reading room, ,iudepend-
ent OF fifteen thousand volumes cleaning o
with gilt and morocco upon tho shelves
of the library adjoining, covers every
phase OF literature.
The devotee Of fashion, the lawyer, the
physician, the chemist, the politician, the
theologian, the students of the arts and
the sciences, the tradesman and the me-
cbanic, the architect and the engineer. the
lovers OF sport: even the leisurely saun-
terer In search of light reading for amuse-
ment VIII all find in this public reading
literature congenial to their tastes.
A number of foreign magazines that
deal with literature, politics, art and
science are also spread out upon the
tables. All are so arranged that one has
but TO cast his eye along the list Of titles
to find precisely what he ls in search of.
The room is large, airy and cheerful
Circulars announcing the opening of
the reading room were sent out to the
churches and schools last week.
EACH MUST HAVE HIS CARD.
Several Of the applicants for borrow
ers' cards this morning were fHbor1ng un-
der the impression that one card could be
nsed by any member of the family.
They were informed that each member OF
the family should have separate card;
which would enable family to have
more than one book in his possession at a
time. The member OF the family whose
name appears on the card presented is
held responsible for the care of the book.
AT noontime over a hundred school
children hocked into the rooms. All
were below twelve years of age, and
many Of them were disappointed in
finding they were not allowed
TO make application. Provision has
been nSde for them by allowing their
teachers IL take out quota of books for
pupils prosecuting certain studies.
The reading room will remain open
every night unSu nine O'Clock.