The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-04-13
Of Supervisors, County of oahu.

century ago for the purposes indicated
IN its corporate name. Since 1879 1t hai
gradually gathered its present building
and maintenance equipment and a col
lection OF books numbering owe
eighteen thousand ds0OO) volumes, o
which no less than seventeen thousand
$4,000 were circulated among its mem
bers last year. That the institution
has been able to give satisfaction in g
marked way to those who contribute
TO its support is. / believe, generally
granted. 1t is also generally known
that there are good, many readers
| in this community who cannot afford
to pay even the comparatively small
annual membership fee (S50O the IL
| brarys maintenance requires and yet
who feel the want of good books in
sufficient numbers most keenly. For
| this considerable company free public
| libraries are maintained elsewhere
often at a great cost to city or COM
munity. II is for those among us who
want to read but who can not afford
to buy books that 1 now plead, and l
believe plead with reasonable assurance
that II 1t is within your legal power
as Supervisors you will appreciate
both as your duty and privilege to take
steps to remedy this difficulty.
The remedy seems to be in your
hands. 1t has been the persistent de-
sire of all, and there have been in the
past special efforts made by few, to
make the library what 1t should be,
that Is, an institution that is absolutely
free to all who are willing and able
to make use of it.
In order to have anything that Is
worth while having, absolutely free,
someone must pay for It. 1t is with the
belief that your honorable body will
see fit to add to the sources of revenue
the library already has-which is de-
rived from its dues and endowment
the comparatively small additional sum
sufficient to assure the maintenance of
this important branch Of our educa-
tional system on a substantial and
free" basis that / venture this letter.
AS an interested citizen, layman,
and not lawyer, | would suggest the
following as "A simple, legal and work.
able plan whereby free public library
for this community can be obtained at
once.
Board of Supervisors, on behalf of the
citizens of Oahu on the one hand and
the trustees of the Honolulu Library
and Reading Room Association on be-
half OF its members on the other, to
enter into simple contract whereby
the Library Association would agree
to deliver to all responsible persons
citizens of the county, the use of the
books in their possession free, but sub
ject to the rules and regulations which
have been made or may be made by the
association for the control or regula-
tion OF its affairs.
The association should farther agree
to maintain certain definite service and
to submit its books to the proper coun-
ty officials at stated intervals for ex-
animation. 1t should be understood
from the beginning that the control of
the library and its affairs shall re-
main at all times where 1t should be,
namely, in the hands of its especial
Board of Trustees.
For the services thus rendered to the
people of the county the Supervisors
would contract to pay a definite sum
monthly, quarterly or semi-annually,
as the case may be, for the service
rendered as long as that service was up
to the terms of the agreement and sat
isfactory TO a majority of the Super
visors.
However, 1t should be provided that
If the terms of the agreement become
unsatisfactory either party to the con-
tract, on reasonable notice, say, six
months. from either party. the contract
would terminate. Both parties would
then be free to enter into a new con-
tract or to go, as they have in the
past, along their own separate paths.
The library has n gross income of
about thirty-six hundred (s360) dollars
annually. Two thousand $4,000 dollars
is derived from its invested endow-
ment. This money by the new plan
should annually be expended for new
books. Sixteen hundred &l6OO) dollars,
more or@ess is derived from annual
or quarterly dues In short, il costs
three hundred ($SOO) dollars per month
to maintain our library on its present
basis, OF that amount the association
would lose one hundred thirty-three
($lS3) dollars per month should the IL
brary be made free
1t is conservatively estimated by
those most competent to judge that
more (some sey many more) than three
times the number of persons now MEM
bers of the association would use the
library We're 1t a free institution.
The immediate increase in the use of
the library would necessitate more
books and equipment and more attend
ants, I'm short, an efficient and up-to-
date service
Is not the county the one to meet
this added expense? Would not the
results be at least in proportion to the
outlay? II is understood that our Ii
brary can be made free public IL
brary and reading room when so mod
est sum as five hundred (S500) 'lol-
lars per month or six thousand (s6OOO)
dollars per year can be assured To the
trustees OF the library wherewith TO
pay for the actual service It Is go ready
TO give and prepared to render.
BY approprating such sum from
the county treasury for SO commend
able "a purpose YOU win certainly have
given ms good argument for the use
of county government-and have done
what heretofore has been Impossible
10y making free an institution which In
any other city of the size aud import