The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-19
PLANS FOR LIBRARY
ADOPTED AT MEETING OF BOARD
OF MANAGERS.
TO OPEN IN THREE WEEKS
IF ARRANGEMENTS DECIDED ON
CAN BE MADE IN THAT TIME.

Only Librarian and Assistants
VIII Have Access to SheIves-Use
of Reading Room Free to All
White Persons, Residents or Nom
Residents-BOOks to BE Taken
out on Card System-Can BE Sc
cured by Any White Resident
over Fourteen Years Old Who
Furnishes Proper References.
The board of managers of the pub
lie library met in Hodgson Hall last
night. adopted rules and regulations
and decided on a number of matters
connected with its management 1t is
hoped to have all matters so arranged
that the library may be thrown open
to the public in about three weeks.
The board decided on a new arrange
ment of the tables containing the mag
azines and other periodicals, and will
have a railing built to separate the
main hall of the building from the
book shelves so that only the librarian
and his assistants shall have access to
the shelves. Further, for the benefit
of the librarian, all books are to be
numbered, by an arbitrary system at
present but one that later can be
merged into the decimal system, the
one most approved of for libraries of
this sort.
The books will be secured by those
desiring them on a card system, and
this system, too, is one that expert
ence has taught to be the best OF its
kind. and the one that is most gener-
oil in
country. For the present no new books
will be bought The library has a
stock of $4,000 volumes now, so the
want of new ones will not be felt for
the present, at least.
The severance of the public library
and the Georgia Historical Society be-
came effective May l. All expenses
prior to that date will be taken care
of by the Georgia Historical Society,
while those from now on will fall on
the public library. In the case of an
nual subscriptions to periodicals the
Historical Society will pay for the f1rst
four months and the public library
for the remainder of the year.
First instruments Due.
The first instalment of money from
the city will become available next
week and this is true of the fund from
the Historical Society also. The hrst
will be $3.50 and the latter $41.60. The
board of managers has limited the ex-
penditure for the physical changes in
the building to $500.
The matter of chief interest to the
public is, of course when books can be
obtained, how, and for what length of
time. All these matters are covered in
the rules and regulations adopted last
night. These state that the library
shall be open from 10 o'clock a. m. to
10 o'clock o. m. Sundays excepted. and
A Of1 TO afrl nrlr
o. m.
The use of the reading room is to be
free to all white residents or non-res-
idents of Savannah, and a borrowers
card is not necessary for its use. Read
ers will have access to the books in
the reference department.
VIII Use Card System.
Any white resident of Savannah
over IA years OF age is entitled to
draw books from the library by sign
ing the proper application card, which
may be obtained of the librarian, and
by furnishing a satisfactory reference
in accordance with the form of this
card. No books will be issued to chill
dren under Il years old except upon
the cards of their parents or guard
ians.
All applications and agreements
must be renewed at least every two
years. Applicants must furnish
satisfactory reference who must sign
the card OF the applicant and whose
name must be in the Savannah direc-
tory. Persons staying in the city for
a time only can have the same privi-
leges by furnishing a satisfactory
surety or by depositing S. with the Ii
brarian. The librarian may require an
additional deposit whenever the value
of the book called for exceeds this
sum.
In each case a receipt shall be given
for the deposit and the money will be
returned upon the depositors surren-
dering his card clear of all liability,
and returning the receipt. For such
use of the library a charge of 25 cents
will be made, to continue from the
time the card is taken out until it is
surrendered and the remainder of the
deposit fee claimed
Each person entitled to draw books
from the library will be supplied with
a card TO contain the borrowers name,
residence and register number. This
card must always be presented when
book is borrowed or returned. If
lost it will be replaced fourteen days
after such loss is reported and upon
payment of 10 cents.
borrowers Are Responsible.
Each borrower is responsible for all
books drawn on his card. No person
may lead a card to another, not a MEM
Der of his household, on penalty OF for
feiting the privileges of the library.
One book or one work, if not in more
than three volumes, may be taken at
a time and may be kept two weeks,
when it may be renewed once only for
two weeks, excepting such books as
are labeled seven day books" which
may be kept seven days only and
which cannot be renewed.
Books may be reserved in the order
of application at the library by the
payment of two cents for postal notice.
Such notification will be made as soon
as the book is returned to the library.
A fine of 2 cents a day. including Sun
days and holidays, will be charged on
each volume kept over time A book
kept Oh week over time may be sent
for at the expense of the borrower.
Fines Must BE Paid.
No books can be drawn until all
fines and claims for damages have been
paid. Injuries to books beyond rea-
sonable wear and all losses shall be
made good by the borrower. If one vol
ume of a set be lost the borrower will
be held responsible for the value of
the whole set unless the lost volume be
satisfa ctorily replaced. A book can not
be transferred from one account to
another unless brought to the library.
Reference books win not be lent
The reserved books of the Georgia
Historical Society may be read in the