The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-09-06
NORFOLK PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Do the Citizens Want Such an
Institution
ADDRESS BY LIBRARY BOARD

Some Reasons Given why Norfolk should
Have Such n Place of Entertainment.
would he a Great Aid to the work of
Churches and schools.
At meeting Of the board of directors
of the Norfolk free public library held
at the directors room of the Citizens
National bank September |, for the pur
pose of discussing plan for the perma.
nent establishment and location of the
library the following points were con.
sidered:
First. Is it desirable, at cost of
about $3.50, to repair the old Catholic
church building, now the property of
the Library association, and allow it to
continue on its present site until May,
1902?
Second Is it desirable, at a cost of
about $1,000, to remove the church
building, repair the same and secure
permanent location?
Third. Is it desirable to sell the old
church building and abandon the pro-
ject of a free public library for Norfolk?
Against the second half of the third
point, viz: "Allow the project for
free public library for Norfolk to fall
through" the committee was unani.
nous.
1t appeals to the reason and good
Judgment of all our citizens that our
city should have such an institution rs
free library and reading room.
The citizens of Norfolk are an intelli.
gent, moral and law abiding people.
They are people who have at heart the
moral and social welfare of our city, and
sacred affection for the virtue of their
tiresides. They are thinking people,
quick to act when convinced of the
proper course to pursue.
Notwithstanding these qualities of our
people as whole, many things have
the attention of parents and friends con-
cerning the welfare of sons and daugh-
ters.
Our city is well provided with a sys-
TEN of schools, kept open nine months
in the year, five days in the week from
ga. m. until p. m. at an expense of
about $4,000 or 900; with churches
opened little more than one day in the
week for few hours at most, at an eX-
pense of over $l0,00G.
These are splendid agencies for good
when their doors are open, but when
their doors are closed other agencies
allure the young and unwary to their
destruction.
The purpose of the public library is to
offer to our boys and girls, men and
women, place where they may secure
good books to read, meet with good
company, strengthen their habits for
good in wholesome atmosphere,
awaken and ennoble their ambition and
fit them not only to enjoy, but to pro-
mote the better purposes of life.
If the public library can assist in this
securing its cooperation? Can it be
said of Norfolk that it can contribute
over 100000 year for church and
school but not one thousand for free
public library whose welcome doors
swing in, not one day in the week, but
every week day in the year over whose
portals may be inscribed the legend,
within may be found remedy for the
diseases of the soul?"
1t is safe to say that while very many
of the smaller towns of the state have
their public libraries, no other city in
the state of Norfolk's population is with.
out it.
This fact in itself is no ground or
argument for Norfolk 8 having library
but proves that other places have dis
covered the necessity for library and
have taken steps to secure it.
This appeal is made in the interest of
the young men and women, the homes
and fresides of Norfolk. Alike to the
citizens whose homes are already pro-
vided with good books and magazines,
as well as to those whose homes are
strangers to the same. Boys and girls
coming from well provided homes meet
on the streets, boys and girls who are
not so well provided the latter's in
fuence frequently dominates the former.
This influence may be in large measure
counteracted by providing all with the
means of good reading. This appeal is
made to all our citizens and an express
sion of public opinion is most earnestly
invited through the press on the three
points above mentioned.
By order of library board.
ID. @. OCoSSoR, Secretary.