The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-26
Club Women Discuss
Establishing Free Library

The Commercial club rooms were taxed
beyond their capacity yesterday afternoon
at the meeting of the local federation of
womens clubs. The gathering was one of
the most representative and enthusiastic in
the history of the federation. The subjects
which were discussed dealt with those ques-
lions that club women in other cities have
so long fostered and which number of the
women of the federation in this city have
for some time been quietly at work de-
vising plans that could be submitted to the
organization for definite action This was
the question of the federation taking steps
towards establishing free library in Biz
mingham. This discussion was opened by
Mrs. w. w. Bussey, who dwelt upon the
necessity of such an institution and ref rred
to the methods adopted by other cities for
the opening of libraries and for their main
tenance Mrs. Busy was followed by talks
by Mrs. John Kennedy, Mrs. S. D. Cole and
Miss Kate Meade, all of whom urged the
| federation to take the matter IN hand MS.
| Cole made an eloquent appeal.
mo single auxiliary she said ito popu-
| lar education and general intelligence is 90
indispensable as a free library This we
must and can have in our city 1t Is in the
power of our clubs to accomplish this work
and for the credit of our beloved city let
us bend our energies toward the establish
ing of a free library.
The day has gone by when a city ranks
| alone from its popula ton, its wealth and its
| clearing house receipts. 1t is what is it
| doing for education, for Libraries, for art
| that gives it standing. Boston gives an
| nualy an appropriation to her free library
| system $120,0OO Chicago $500 600; Cincinnati,
| $50 600; Cleveland over 100000. When we
| have free library we can appeal to our
| CITY, and it will gladly aid us. Let us de-
| 10 ha living dor
| mant in our federation for the support of
| a free kindergarten and inaugurate a free
| library. Think what a monument to the
| club OF Birmingham. Let us determine to
| work, and in the line that shall stamp for
| good our every effort. Let our first step be
| to look over our home library and send to
| the High School every volume we can
| possibly spare.
| Let us appeal to every one we think can
| and will do the same. Personally appeal to
| our clubs. Set aside certain percent of
| our dues for the work, and make an APP
| propria ton whenever possible for this pur
| pose One of our clubs has ever had in
mind this cause. Now let us as a fedora
| ton determine to accomplish the two OBJ
jects. Have a free kindergarten and a
| prosperous one and a free library. What
an impetus it will give our club work to
| feel we are not talking, not planning but
| doing. Much crime would be averted if the
| boy or girl could supply themselves with
| books for the asking 1t is matter of GUS
| tom to say: "Ill just go to the library for
| a book" meaning hours of ecreation, and
more than any other one agency would ele-
| vate the standard of intelligence through
out our community, upon which its mater
ial as well as moral and political being
must depend. 1t is in this way largely other
states have emancpated themselves from
the thralldom of ignorance, and let us de-
termine Alabama shall longer stand
three or five in point of illiteracy, but our
aid shall be given to assist in her general
| call for help.
| Mrs Kennedy suggested that the small
| taxes of the city he converted into a library
| fund and a committee was appointed to
call upon the mayor and board of alder
men for an appropriation. The committee
| is as follows:
| Mrs S. d. Cole, Mrs John Kennedy.
| Mrs George Cruikshank and Mrs. w. w.
| Bussey.
The following communication was read
| from DR.. ]. H. Phillips in regard to the
| library and clearly states the amount nee
| essary to open the reference and reading
| rooms for the public. An interesting report
was incorporated in the communication.
| which is as follows:
The report of the library for March shows
a membership of 227 of this number 81 are
teachers in the public schools. During the
month the library was open 81 days; the
| total number of visitors and readers during
| the month was 400; the number of books is
sued was LOSS, distributed as follows:
| Biography, IL; history, 20; education, II;
juvenile, 81; philosophy, 8; poetry s;
science, z; travel, II; civics, 10; literary
| criticism, 81 art, 3; religion, A; fiction, TAI;
! miscellaneous, 2.
The above does not include a supple
mentary library of 300 volumes circulating
| in the public schools
| The circulating department of the library
| contains 5000 volumes, and the reference
l N nFfV lxarf1
| OF the reading rooms there are at present
about fifty magazines and periodicals.
| The annual membership fee is SIS This
Zee covers the use of all departments, cir
! culatlng, reference and reading ROOM The
| total receipts from all sources this year,
| from July to date, have been $342 49, while
| the total expenditures have been $ieS.72,
| leaving a deficit at present of $12623 This
| dehcit was caused by the demand for addi-
| tional books in the reference department.
| and also by the expenditure for current
| periodicals for the reading room in Janu-
| airy. The library is open daily except on
| Sundays and regular holidays
l think it would be unwise at present to
| attempt to make the library free When a
| substantial revenue is guaranteed to the
| library, securing its maintenance and en-
aiding Tito add new books to its shelves
| each year, this desirable result may be
reached To this end substantial endow-
| ment or nominal municipal tax is a pre-
| requisite.
| 1t may be possible, however, by the CO.
| operation of the friends of the library to
make the reference library and the read
ing room free for all visitors. The average
ANIMAL cost of the literature upon the tables
of the reading room is $3.50, while the bind
| ing of periodicals costs from $25 to $50 DER
| annum. The free use of these departments
| upon certain conditions would not include
| the right to take any books or papers from
| the library rooms or the right to enter in
| side the railing to handle the books of the
| circulating department.
Other discussions were upon the domestic
| problem and free kindergarten, and COM
| mite was subsequently appointed to meet
| with the members of the Birmingham Kin
dergarten association at its annual meeting
1 In NAV