The herald., 1895-03-26
THE NEW BOARD ORGANIZED
The Directory of the Public
Library Changed
MAI. BONEBRAKE PRESIDENT
Ex.President Dickinson Makes His
Farewell Address
Resolutions Adopted by the Retiring officials.
Committees Appointed by the
New President

An adjourned meeting of the retiring
board Of directors of the Public Library
took place at $3.50 yesterday afternoon.
There were present Messrs. Howard and
Borden and President Dickinson, and all
members of the succeeding board as ap-
pointed by Mayor RAIDER.
The minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved. The clerk pre-
sented complete inventory of the con-
tents of the library, which was ordered
filed.
Director Howard presented the follow
ing resolution That this board signifies
to Miss Estelle Haines, its bookkeeper.
its appreciation of the highly efficient
manner in which she has discharged
her duties. And furthermore, this
board tenders to all its present staff
OF employees, its sense of satisfaction for
the zeal and efficiency of each Of said en-
ployees in their respective positions.
accountant and who has just completed
an examination of the books of the
library, was read as follows: The books
present the neatest and most business
fike appearance of any books kept in
public office that l have examined in
drawn off regularly every month, and the
balance March LIST, is correct. Since the
81st of May, 1893, it has been customary
to make out demand in the
name OF Tessa L. Kelso, for numerous
incidental expenditures for the library,
publishers. l have examined these vouch-
ers up to date and find they all agree with
the demands.
The demands made out to Miss Kelso,
outside of the regular salary demands,
are as follows: Incidental expenses, from
May 1, 1893, to March l., 1895, Twenty-Five
demands, amounting to $1276.60. Book
bills from May 1, 1893 to March 1, 1895,
nineteen demands, amounting to $10,-
612.85.
The retiring president. upon motion to
turn over to the incoming BOARD the
property of the library, spoke, in sub
stance, as follows:
'As president of the retiring board of
directors Of this library, whose term of
Office expires today. l take pleasure in
formally surrendering to the new board
now present the property of the library,
which vests in the board and its success
ors in office.
1.-The occasion is one of rather more
than ordinary interest, especially to those
whose time has for some years been de-
voted to the building up of the institu-
tion which has become such source of
pride to Southern California, and. might
add. to the whole state. Six years ago l
were asked by Mayor Hazard to form part
of the board which under the charter
then just going into effect was to conduct
the Public Library. At that time the
library consisted of about 5000 volumes,
including quantity of public documents
and dilapidated assortment of general
literature. We spent fully ten thousand
dollars the first hooks alnnQ
and the amount of labor involved in that
and succeeding years in endeavoring to
make the funds 60 as far as possible may
be imagined, but cannot be described.
The book committee and the librarian
were first supposed to be omniscient in
the domain Of literature and. then to be
all powerful in their ability to procure
with the limited funds at their disposal a
fair selection in each department Of cir
culating works, besides a collections = of
books OF reference for the use of students.
Practically, the library as it, stands today
with over 1900 volumes. not counting
some thousands worn out and discarded,
is the result of laborious selection made
by the book committee and the librarian,
and naturally involving the expenditure
of a large amount of time and the use of
some knowledge of books.
There are now about 10, 900 active men,
bers of this library, and the circulation of
books last year amounted to nearly half
a million. These figures show wonder
full growth from the small beginnings of
six years ago. and the growth is still GO
ing on at rate that may well cause
anxiety for the flu ure unless something
be soon done to prepare for the emer-
gency. Indeed. the problem which con-
fronts you, gentlemen, who for the COM
ing two years will have charge of the IL
brary interests, is to provide for an ever
increasing demand on the part of the pub
lie, when the resources and accommodate
tions at your command are already taxed
to their utmost limit. Some easy talk
has been made on the outside about the
necessity for cutting down the expenses
of this library, but in the first place you
will find that, compared with the
enormous sums spent on the other
departments OF the. municipal govern
poses is Insignificant. In 1898 this city
expended for general purposes 81, 1884,
525. 10, of which SIS, 661. 70 was devoted to
the library. In 1894 the city disburse-
ments were 81, O9s, 353.47, of which $780,
1886 was spent upon the library. Out
library use you will find that the present
board expended for salaries and running
expenses in 1893 the sum of $14. SIS. 49,
which was reduced in 1894 to $14, O95. 81,
an amount lower, in my judgment. than
it ever can be again, if the interests OF
TIE PUBIC are uuly CONSIDERED. The
margin available for the purchase of books
and other permanent additions to the
library is necessarily small, as the charter
limits the appropriation for the library to
cents on the 500 of the tax levy. But
even this amount has never yet been
given. 4. 49,,
| venture to assert that in no depart
ment of the public service has greater real
economy been practiced than in our
library. One thing is always overlooked
by outsiders who undertake to make
criticisms upon expenditures, and that is
that the library is kept open for
twelve and one half hours every week day
which involves the payment of some
thing over one and one half days wages
for every working day of eight hours.
Expenses might be cut down by closing
the library evenings, but no board has
yet had the courage to try such an ex-
treme measure. The salaries paid are low
when compared with any other occupa-
ton requiring trained assistants, and our
librarian is paid smaller salary than is
paid to any librarian in the United States
who is at the head of an institution
doing business equal to that done here.
1t must not be forgotten, and l venture
to urge the point for your consideration,
that the management of a large public
library requires person who can deal to
equal advantage with that department of
work which involves direct contact with
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