The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-05
yet only partially IN operation the Ii
brary is becoming q popular and use

yet only partially. In. operation the LII
brary is becoming popular and use
full institutions
It has been said that 100000 will put
up a magnificent building (and so it will
one tfat&our city will be proud Of one
of these days. but as there are no books
with which to fill it, it will be but
empty halls and the appropria ton from
the City Council will be absorbed in sal
aries of officials and the care. of a fine
house! Let us see how Atlanta has
mana ged the housekeeping, and as she
has received larger gifts and is pos
sessed of larger resource. in buildings and
books, than Richmond can hope to ac-
quire for many years, there is no reason
why the expense of UNFOLDING should
be as much as that of Atlanta. For SAL
aries, insurance, printing and stationery,
light, fuel and incidentials, the expendi-.
ture for the year amounted to S4,63O. 10
The Library staff consists of librarian.
and an assistant, five minor assistants,
two apprentices and janitor, all of
whom, with the exception of one of the
assistants and the janitor, are females.
This force seems ample for a library of
considerable size; and as 1t must be a
few years before Richmond can hope to
become possessed Of one of like PRO-
portions, there will be no occasion for as
large an expenditure for working force:
and If it should be that some part of
the structure will have its shelves wait
ing for their complement of the glories of
literature, it can wait patiently without
making calls for expense of heating or
particular attentions. for not being oc-
cupled, it need not be a source of cost.
But even were expenses to be as much as
those of Atlanta, the Councils appropria-
ton of 100000 will leave a balance of
-
purchase of books, which, in course of
time. will provide a magnificent Ii
brary.
But Atlanta has not been satisfied nv
paying only the sum stipulated in Mr.
Carnegies gift to her, and SO her CITY
council appropriated last year an adj
dltlonal $4,000 for the purchase of new
DOORS, besides the&more than 1900 vol
umes donated by private citizens already
mentioned. The expenditures for books.
periodicals., and binding We're s. $50 of
which sum, sS7 was for the purchase of
books specially relating to the State OF
Georgia. -
In all classes of literature the Atlanta
Library contains 19,4S1 volumes which
were thrown open for free public use on
March 9TH last, and the first two weeks
the names of 1884 adults and S65 1--we
tales were registered as readers and the
average issue of books was AGO. The re-
port also mentions that important adj
dlt1ons had been made to the Reference
1. which the public had soon
learned to make use of, and speaks OF
the use so made of it as UNUSUALLY
heavy. Surely all this evinces a deepr
public interest in the, institution, and I
doubt not, when the Library is esta blish-
ed in Richmond, that it will here also
profit
It's little curious that a small note
of contrary sound should have come time
ago from one of the Ia Dor ORGANIZATIONS
and took the form-still more curious
of resolution of thanks to the President
of the Library Trustees for his opposition!
It was hard to conceive what it meant.
why the working men should not
welcome a most valuable aid to
their own elevation and well-being
AS, numerically, they form large pro-
portion of the population, we might ex-
pect that the benefits to them would be
relatively large, and as their hour of Ia
Dor are becoming reduced, so are their
opportunities of enjoyment Of 1t becom-
ing increased. If there is any class OF
the community who will reap benefit
from the Library, surely it will be our
woking men, if they are the men we
think they are, and which we wish them
to become. But as to their action it
was hard to understand why the officer
elected to forward the interests of the
institution should be thanked for his OPP
position! But we have noted that more
recently the Evening News has made use
of Mr.. Bloombergs name with question
able propriety in the same opposing re-
lation. cannot think that it did so
with Mr. tBloomberg's approval. know
that he had an idea that Library could
be provided for the city by an issue of
bonds, and hence did not vote In favor
of receiving Mr.. Carnegie's gift; and
this circumstance appears to be the only
foundation for supposing of his 'oppo-
sition.' So far as I am enabled to judge
from Mr. BloomberEs demeanor in the
meetings of5the Trustees and in private
conversation. there is no reason to doubt
but that he will do his duty in further
ing the welfare Of the Library.
It is true that there has been some de-
lay in Carrying out the provisions of Mr..
Carnegie's gift, but the public will re-
member that it has been largely on ac-
count of other important business which
took precedence at the Council meetings;
that a difference of opinion as to the
management was unfortunately intro.
duced before a Board of Trustees, was
chosen; and the action Of these latter
has been influenced by the same con-
sideration; and seeing that the new Coun-
ell will take office in little time, it
has been deemed the wisest course, as
tending to the elimination Of any par
ty spirit which may have existed, to
make haste slowly, and by exercising
patient forbearance encourage spirit
of unanimity in furtherance of the in
stitution which Mr. Carnegie's noble gen
crosby has put within the reach of our
people, I am,
Respectfully yours,
ROBERT WHITTET, ST..
sDpIJH rIEPH RADIYS RFATFNI