The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-04-08
Library Board Would Like
Mill Tax.
Annual Report to the Council Of Presi'
dent Wood, Secretary Thro and the
Librarian, Miss McGraw.

The following is the annual report
of President Wood, of the public Ii
brary board, to the council, presented
Saturday night:
To THE COMMON COUNCIL:
Gentlemen-As the report of the
librarian covers the details of the
working, and the statistics pertain
ing to the public library, shall only
touch upon few points not contain
ed in her report. The past year has
witnessed very satisfactory growth
in the use of the library.
AS library grows Older and larger,
it of necessity requires more money
where it reaches the full capacity for
use by the community. Books that are
handled constantly require repairing,
reminding, and Oftentimes replacing.
There are constant calls for new
books. Standard works upon great
many subjects as well as books newly
published, which we cannot supply on
account of lack of funds, and the num-
Der of books chat are worn out and
the number Of new ones called for is
the measure of appreciation shown
by our people for their library, and as
they are the ones who pay for it's sup
port and enlargement from their
taxes, why not let them have an
amount sufficient to support 1t prop
erly.
think that the council would value
and appreciate and understand the
work that the library is doing If they
would 60 to it often enough to become
acquainted with it's location. II its
members would 60 as individuals and
stay an hour or two on almost any
afternoon, and see the people coming
and going, they would arrive at least
to two conclusions. First, that the
library is doing a great deal Of good
work. Second, that it Is doing good
to all classes who would never have
good book to read if they did not get
it there,
Further than this, the library is an
institution for the prevention Of vice
Children and young persons who are
interested in good books at home are
not on the streets at all hours of the
evening. and 1 think that you will
agree with me that there is chance
for the library and for every other in
fluence to work to correct this evil.
As to quality Of books, would say
that the board feels flattered in this
respect. Within the last year, the
Wisconsin State Library Commission
has issued list called 1.-THE best
books to buy for small library" 1t
is intended for libraries much smaller
than ours and was pronounced by the
Library Journal, Of Chicago, zone of
the best if not the best list ever sent
out. If you will step over, you will
see this list with such books as we
have marked on the margins, and al
most every book on the list is marked.
We have had in previous years 81, 900
per year. The law of 1879, under
which we were established, says 1.-The
council may levy tax upon all tax
able property not to exceed one mill
annually" The recorder tells me that
the taxable property in '97 amounted
in round numbers to 81 ,048, 900. A levy
of one mill on this would give US for
the coming year S4,O48. The city of
Winona is twice as large as our city,
and her library has about four times
as many volumes as ours. and yet her
circulation lacked 5000 of being twice
as large as ours, and the levy of one
mill made by her council gives her an
income for '9S of Sc, 500 approximately.
Our librarian states that if we had
the books to supply the calls that are
made, our circulation would equal
that of Winona I failed to get full
report from Duluth, but Miss Country
man, of the Minneapolis library, sec.
rotary of the state library association,
says that cur showing is much better
than theirs. I do not know the num-
Der of volumes or their circulation,
but their income for '97 was $40, 1853, at
half mill, which is the limit for cities
of over 10000.
Respectfully submitted,
- M. B. WOOD,
President.