Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-03-05
THE COLUMBIAN LIBRARY.

The Columbian Club has issued
circular letter to the business men and
others, setting forth the doings of the
organization from its inception to date,
and asking the support of the public
in the carrying on of their work.
The Columbian Library and reading
room is one of the institutions of
which our town may well be proud,
and of its usefulness and power for
good in the community it is unnces-
sary to comment. We append the cir
cular, which is as follows;
ut is we'll known by every one that
the business men of Audubon are
noted for the generous and cheerful
way they always support every public
enterprise. The ladies who have charge
of the library consider it public trust
and deem it just that every subscriber
should have q statement of the money
expended and the results accomplished.
1t is impossible for us to see you all
personally, therefore, we take this
method Of presenting a brief report of
the work done. For three years the
Columbian Club, with the help of the
majority of the business men, has
maintained an institution in this little
city, that we know is doing an i'm
mense amount of good in quiet way.
In the first place we are furnishing q
needed resort for the boys and girls,
where they can spend an afternoon or
evening In pleasant and beneficial
manner and we know il you would
take the trouble to step into the free
reading room every evening for one
week you would be amazed, If you are
not posted on this subject, at the num-
Der of young folks who constantly
make use Of its privileges. The num-
Der often exceeds fifty persons daily.
The room is often over-crowded but
the best Of order always prevails and
silence reigns supreme. You would
fully realize that you were putting
your money in a good cause and re-
ceived full value in the decrease of
street loaling with all It's injurious in
huence. Another way that the town
is benefited by this library is the good
reading matter placed with the reach
of all. The greatest care is used in
selecting books and we get as many of
the newest publications as our finan-
condition permits, while they are fresh
to the reading public, and If we find
that some book has been placed on the
shelves that may prove detrimental in
any way it is at once withdrawn. We
have expended in the three years Of our
existence 1862 10 for new books, besides
having many donated, and $1l0.48 for
leading periodicals. We have paid our
librarian S422.50 and spent over $4,000
in furniture. Our miscellaneous ex-
penses, heating, etc, have been over
$4,000. therefore, we have spent over
$4,000 in the three years and have be-
come an institution of some impor-
tance in financial way also. From q
very modest beginning Of about 100
books and small amount of furniture
we have now about 700 books and three
well furnished rooms. We are now
about to enter on our fourth year and
with depleted treasury. We know by
experience that we need only to ask to
ask to receive, but begging is intensely
disagreeable to us, so we ask you to
spare us, and send us through the mail
or any convent way, what you feel like
giving us, if it is only an encouraging
word, and save US and yourselves a
personal interview,
Signed,
EYErTTTIVE G0NIMIVrEE "