The Greeley tribune., 1904-12-08

Heating and janitor, $500.
New books, sioo.
Rebinding, supplies and conven-
fences, sl25.
Periodicals, $40.
Total, $3.50.
In the above list of expenses IL
will be observed that new books are
still small item compared with
some other items of maintenance
but the overinyeStment in books Is
where nine-tenths of the libraries
fail. They have plenty OF books but
no facilities for finding them.
The idea of cooperation is one OF
slow growth, and while our city
affords as many instances of coopera-
tion as any of its size, still we all
have an individual prejudice against
doing anything for the city that
will come out of our individual
pocket books.
Our public library. such as 1T Is,
was started by Individual effort, and
having invested so much of the orlSl
nal contribution in books, there was
nothing left for maintenance, and
hence the original owners donated
it to the city on condition that 500
toward maintenance be given it
each year, and while this only goes
little way toward making Il first
class library out of what we have.
still it has been much better than
nothing.
The best way to improve condi-
tions, if human nature was different,
would be to arrange for the con-
struction, of a large two-story struct-
ure on part of the block where the
city hall now stands in which should
be concentrated all of the cooperate
interests of the town. Those not di-
rectly connected with the city gov
ernment to pay rent Oh about the
same basis as they do now for equal
accommodations, leases to be on a
basis of twenty years.
The women's and mems clubs,
which could have rooms in this
building, should arrange to pay rent
to the city about the same as now
paid, and the county commissioners
should set aside small annual ap-
preparation to help out the library.
as it is patronized for radius OF
ten miles, and would be of use to
the people of the entire county.
Would it not be wise for our citi-
zens to throw aside self interest as
much as possible, and welcome
everything of cooperative tendency
in the matters relating to the Ii
brary, improvements and public
buildings?
If one hundred persons, mostly
women, would each year, freely, un-
seltishly for the public good, give
one book that they prize the most ;
if one hundred persons, mostly men
would give one dollar for the binding
of magazines and books actually
worn out; If ten persons, mostly
young folks or children would give
each year, one day Of their time to-
ward collecting and classifying in
business shape ready for the binder,
volumes of magazines not now in the
library; If five persons, mostly young
folks, would learn to save files of the
best papers, classify the leading ar
ticles for the public library; If all
this could be done quietly and un-
ostentatiously, and without fear of
punishment or hope of reward: and
If the city council could see it's way
clear to freely and willingly in
crease the library appropriation by
only 800 per year we could easily
in 3 or years double the value of
and usefulness of our public library
and keep it open every day in the
week.
l should like very much to receive
communications containing sugges-
tions from people interested in IL
brary matters in town, so that from
the suggestions plan could be
formulated, which would be SUBJ
mitted at some public meeting for
consideration.
FRED E. SMITH,
President Public Library.