Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-04
ANENT THE LIBRARY
Text of the Resolution Passed by
the City Council.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF TRUSTEES.
May Appoint Librarian and Other
Necessary Employees and Fix Their
Compensation-City Council Selects
Site, Said Not to Be Depot Plat.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
Now that the people have said they
desire a free public library, and the
city council has passed the proper res
olution providing for board of trus-
tees, who have been confirmed by the
city council, and defining the duties
of trustees and providing rules and
regulations for the management of the
building and it's contents, the next
step will be to get possession of Mr..
Carnegies $4,000 and to select site
for the building. after which plans will
be submitted and accepted and the
contract let
The resolution passed by the council
Monday evening first established and
created the library which is to be free
to all the inhabitants of Ottumwa and
provides that the building shall be
managed by board of nine trustees
who shall draw lots for the purpose of
determining which three shall serve
two years, the same number for four
years and three for six years. 1t may
be parenthetically stated that this is
being done this afternoon at the first
meeting of the trustees which is be-
ing held at the city hall.
BiennialIy hereafter the mayor
shall, with the consent and approval
of the city council, on or before the
first day of July, appoint three trus-
tees to succeed the retiring trustees
each of whom shall hold Office for six
years from the first of July, and until
his successor is appointed and quail
fed Should vacancy occur in the
board it shall be filed by appointment
by the mayor also with the approval
of the council, such appointee to fill
out the uneXpired term for which the
original appointment was made. Bona
fide citizens of the city. male or fe-
male, over the age of 81 years, are
alone eligible to membership. CThis
probably means eligible as a trustee.)
The removal of any trustee from the
city permanently, shall render his Of
flee as trustee vacant. Members of the
board of trustees shall receive no com
pensation for their services and shall
take and subscribe the usual oath and
shall file the same with the city clerk.
Duties of Trustees.
The board of trustees shall have and
exercise the following powers:
To meet and organize by the election
of one of their number as president of
the board, and by the election of a
secretary and such other officers as
the board may deem necessary to have
charge, control and supervision of the
public library, it's appurtenances and
fixtures, the building containing the
same, directing and controlling all the
brarian, such assistants and employees
as may be necessary for the proper
management of said library, and fix
their compensation, but. prior to such
employment, the compensation of such
librarian, assistants and employees
shall be fixed for the term of employ
ment by a majority of the members of
said board voting in favor thereof; to
remove such librarian, assistants or
employees by vote of two-thirGs of
such board for misdemeanor, incompe-
tency, or inattention to the duties OF
such employment; to select and make
purchase of books, pamphlets, maya
zines, papers, maps, journals, furni-
ture, fixtures, stationery, and supplies
for such library to make and adopt
amend, modify or repeal bylaws, rules
and regulations, not inconsistent with
| law, for the care, use, government and
management of such library and the
| business of said board, fixing and en-
forcing penalties for the violation
thereof: and to have exclusive control
of the expenditures of all taxes levied
for library purposes as provided by
law, and all other moneys belonging
to the library fund. Said board shall
keep a record of its proceedings.
| Trustees Shall Make a Report.
| Said board of trustees shall eacf
year make to the council report fol
the year ending December 81, state
ment of the condition of the library
the number of books added thereto; the
total number OF, books in said library
the number circulated, the number no
returned or lost, the amount of fines
collected, and the disbursements of al
kinds during the proceeding year, to
gether with such further information al
it may deem important, all of which re
port shall be examined by the finance
committee for which purpose salt
/
accounts, orders and other papers il
the possession of said trustees.
The Tax Levy.
i The board of trustees shall, befor'
the first day of August in each year
determine, fix and report to the cit,
council the amount or rate, not exceed
: ing two mills on the dollar, in any on
year, of the taxable valuation of SAT-
city, to be levied, collected and az
} propriated for the ensuing, year TO
| the maintenance of such library, AM
the city council shall levy tax no
exceeding two mills on the dollar flo
. the maintenance of such library wit
the other taxes for said year.
Council Fixes the Site.
The city council shall have power
purchase land upon which to erect
library building or it ma
accept donation of ground, o
| lease the same for anv term of wear