The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-01-16
IT'S ALL READY NOW.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL RE-
CElvE PROPER DONATIONS.
THE OFFICERS ARE ELECTED.
The Aims, objects and Purposes of the
Kenosha Public Library The Board
of Directors Empowered to Re-
eeive Money or Books.

4 majority Of the board of directors
of the Kenosha Public Library met
Friday evening pursuant TO the call of
the secretary ut the office Of Cavanagh
q Fisher for the purpose of electing Of
ficers. This matter being the first be-
fore the board, the following officers
were elected:
President-Z. G. Simmons.
Vice President-George Yule.
Secretary -G. w. Johnston.
Treasurer Bendt.
After the officers had been elected a
general discussion followed as to the
aims, objects and purposes of the asso-
citation. This was carefully outlined
by Mr.. Cavanagh to he the establish
ment and maintenance of a free public
library, to which all our citizens shall
have access under such justrestrictions
az may be imposed in the bylaws OF
such an association. The membership
fee, he considered, was not a requisite
to the taking of books or to the use OF
the benefits of the library, though he
| thought that the necessary expense of
re- binding of books and keeping them
in repair should be provided for by the
levying of a nominal annual fee of say
10 cents upon all who draw books or
otherwise participate in the benefits OF
the library. This fee is SO very small
that it certainly cannot be bar to the
use Of the books by anybody. The
membership fee of s., which is exacted
from those who join the association, is
fer the purpose Of comforting upon those
who pay it right to a voice in the
management of the affairs of the libra
ry. This membership fee is very large
" contribution on the part Of our
citizens toward the fund necessary to
the purchase of books and the neces-
sary maintenance expenses.
Then one of the main objects of the
association is to take this whole library
matter before meeting of the COM
mon counciI in order to get from it an
order for an election this next spring
on the public library matter. 1t is
hoped that the citizens of KenOsha may
be induced to vote in favor of the pro-
ject SO that the library may become a
free city institution under the state IL
brary laws.
1t was felt by the board of directors
that membership of 200 to the associ-
alton would assure it's being carried on
a vote of the whole city, and such a
membership seems wholly probable
from the fact that there were 1O5 on
the membership list when it was re-
ported to the board Friday evening,
when the list had been circulated but
one week.
The secretary was instructed by the
board to secure proper set OF bylaws
from the State Library commission for
the conduct Of free libraries, so that a
set of bylaws could be made up and
put in force by our association.
The next matter to come up was that
Of securing quarters for a library. The
board instructed the officers elect to
look up suitable quarters and make re-
port on the matter, so that donations
Of books from any source could be re-
ceived, stored and properly catalogucd
and tagged. Each one of the members
IF the board was empowered to receive
all such donations of books or money
which may be made to the library.
There were several requests which
have been waiting for the proper or
sanization of the association SO that
books could be turned over to it.
Since there seemed TO be no objection
raised on the part of the Unitarian so
ciety to the giving of it's library to a
free public library, it was deemed ad-
visable to have committee appointed
to acquaint that society with the fact
that a free public library was proposed
10y this association, 80 that if it felt So
disposed it could donate its books to
the public use. The appointment OF
such committee was LETT to the presi-
dent.
Thc meeting then adjourned subject
to the call of the secretary.