The Forrest City times., 1902-02-07

Tie following paper, written by Mrs.
 Mary Fletcher, of Little Rock, was read before the Club a. it's last meet ing:
 LIBRARY MOVEMENT IS ARKANsAs.
 The only pullc library of any size iH lIe state of Arkansas IS the Tsfsr- rnce library n the State University at
 Fayetteville. In the old statehouss. damp and moldering. are large num- bel ai law books. which are the prop- .Fty nf the state, the attornsy general DeIag custodian aud responsible 10 the ,tatr for them.
 Nearly all the larger Railroad towns nave small subscription libraries of
 well worn standard works They arr .rpi up hy lines, Safe cards and yearly Gue5. Helena enjoys the distinction nf being tie first town in the State t. possess public library. IL was the enieame ot womeB's club, and cer. .ainiy reflects credit upon it's organ izers. They own nice, two-story hriek building. the lower floor being rented for stores. The upper floor con. tali.s the library, numbering SIX thou- sand volumes, reading and toilet l rooms IL has always been self-sus- ialnIng, and has no doubt contributed not little to the reputation Helena enjoys of being the most progressive aud intellectual community of it's size 1 in the State.
 IexaTkana's new library is housed in the uew |. M. C. A. building. so gen
 erous.y donated by Miss Helen Gould. The library and reading rooms are completely equipped with every pew modern convenience, periodicals. books and folios money could buy.
 Hot Springs has. for the second time, Organized library club, known as the Town Library Association. They have uitd suit through their attorney 10 rs- cover valuable lot on Central avenue.
 ahich the association formerly owned,
 hut winch WAS sold under d judgment
 9f the federal courts 10 satisfy decree ] 1T three thousand dollars dam,y,s l rrndelei against it. The suit vas Urough. by a workman vho was ,c yerely injured while blasting during t'4e excavation for the first proposed library building The association claim that the property hay ing been obtainrs from the government for charitsbl.
 'ifpaseS k exempt from judgments Ihr first book shoser nett.d this as sociation large nu,nbe of new books.
 he Levi Keys Business Cni-ge
 iocat-d in Littis Rock, has added d rev branch h it's many departments. II B the traveling library. They have ssfab. shed branch libraries in Maj vern, Jonesboro, Camden and Searcy, They send out trunks of books and exchange them every two weeks. Find. ing new Actions most in demand, they send out new novels, aud the kindly postmaster acts as librarian
 The Little Rock |. M. (. A. has on IS shelves i've thousand volumes. Tn. ane thousand catalogued are fiction. Fms iitrary Is supported by the inter- est 0! live thousand dollars given by
 fenry Aarcuand, tbe founder. There
 s live lhousanu dollars more due this association. which IS in litigation. The cooperative Club has nice selection or books, numbering one thousand volumes.
 The reason why Little Rock has no large public library Is because Of the cars our graudfatheTs took to preserye IS from excessive taxation. The State T Atkaksds, by its constitution, de. c!ares that no city can be taxed oyer hve mills, and We have q ready that limit. The charter of Little Rock states that no bonds are 10 be issued iar any purpose, SO We are shut out from raising revenue from that source, hy which It is quite common 10 provide aUrarN funds. The SIX charming pri- Ya;e book clubs which flourish under their poetleal names really are hind lanee b the consolidated library move fneut. The yearly fund which could be turned into the library from this S0u.ce alone is estimated at $500. If it were possible t0 consolidate tAe three lccdl libraries, the total would ee t@ely- thousand volumes.
 NIT Carnegie is wiling to donate any city library that will furnish Il lot and make a public taxation for its maintenance The Arkansas towns which. by the ratUre of the laws, are unable 10 accept Mr. Carnegie's offer. 2rc now looking for some big-hearted individual who will, while he is vet alive to see the donation properly ey. ptnded, give To the city of his choice A baliding, upon whose shelves every man, woman aud child of that town will place \ book, the perusal of which. we hope. twill awaken new courage and faith. soothe pain. give an ideal life to those whose homes are hard and cold.