The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-08-04
IdPOVERISHING THE CITY Ii
BRARY.

The City Free Library is an institu-
ton in which all the people take justi-
fable pride. 1t is in the most superior
sense the property, pleasure and beneht
of every man, woman and child in the
city. Each has a personal property but
undivided interest in it. Their concern
about it is deep and jealous. 1t is one
Of the educating and refining influences
of the city The library gives the peo-
pie what nothing else can possibly sup
ply
To neglect such an arm Of the city
government is next to criminal. 1t is lit
tie short of malfeasance in office to make
that institution the scape- goat for other
funds. Yet that has been done. To our
shame it was done last year. When
crowded to the corner, the authorities
making the tax levy cried out. scale
down the library fund.- and it was done
IL so doing the Trustees committed an
offense against the morals, good taste
and educational desires and general good
of the people who elected them.
We are very far from saying, be it
promised, that the Trustees intention
ally dealt the library blow. We are
convinced that the members are fully
conscious of the value of the library to
all the people. But their all but GRIM
inal mistake was in attempting to pass
judgment upon its needs against the ad-
vice, petition and protest of the Library
Trustees, chosen to the special duty of
administering library affairs, and who
being in close touch with the institution
know better than anyone else can know
what it's needs are, and the very least
sum with which it can be administered
Let us see what are the facts and en-
deavor to present them very clearly.
For the library year 1886 the attend
ance at the library reading rooms was
4S,6S7, for the year 1S96-97 it increased
to 50,S41. The books issued last year
were 70,2S6 in number, the issue in
creased this year to rs, 727; the books SO
worn out that they had to be discarded
last year were 10, but this year, so much
y
ord shows 100 books worn out and dis
carded. Last year the Library Trus-
tees were able to add ,293 volumes to
the library, but this year all additions
from all sources, gifts and purchase,
amounted to but eco volumes. Of which
334 volumes were added by binding
periodicals. magazines, etc, already in
the library. The total number of books
really added by purchase was 1913. Last
year the Trustees, though not having
nearly as much money as they should to
make both ends meet, managed to pur-
chase 81 ,05S "a worth of new books
this year they have been permitted TO
expend but $40 IS. For that is all they
could exc out of the finance allowed by
the City Trustees. Happily they had
S217 left over from the preceding year
by practice of grinding economy, with
which they made some purchases, else
instead of adding eco volumes to the IL
brary they would not have been able to
put in a half hundred.
From this showing it viii be seen that
the candle is being burned at both ends;
that while the attendance is increas-
ing the number of issued books aug
menting (the increase being over s. 400
in the last Year,, while more than twice
as many books We're worn out by use
the library management was able to ex-
pend from the tax levy allowed but
500 63 for new books, as against an ex-
penditure of S1,05S in the preceding
year. when the demand was NOT nearly
SO great.
So then, while the use of the library
is rapidly increasing its capacity TO
respond to the demand is falling off.
AT this rate it will take but a short
time to reduce the library to a lot of
rubbish. Libraries must be constant
" repaired, replenisised and renewed.
just as good house must be kept in
good repair Once let either become