Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-04-27
UNDER NEW CONTROL
Library will be Managed by Board
Of Trustees.
Librarian Gives Statistics Showing
Popularity Of the Books During
the Year.

recent legislative enactment the Mar
tinsburg Public Library association
will soon be run on different basis.
It's affairs will be directed by a board
az Ave trustees. three of which will be
the selection of the association and
two the choice of the board OF educa-
ton. The act calling for this change
was passed at the last session OF the
legislature at the request of the mem
bers of the association.
/ The library association was organ
ICED ten years ago and has been main
tanned by voluntary subscriptions. 1t
had three hundred subscribers on It's
list Each was required to pay the
sum of $1.00 a year toward It's main
tenance. Since its inception, interest
in it has dwindled until at present
only forty loyal subscribers are left.
Thought of Closing Up.
Things reached the point where the
advisability of closing UP the affairs
of the association were considered 1t
was decided. finally, to seek Legislative
aid. The present act was procured
calling for the payment to the new
board Of a sum representing three
mills on each hundred dollars of tax
able property.
The association has elected its
share of the new board and the board
of education will make its selection as
soon as a copy Of the law is received
and its exact provisions learned. The
I present association was incorporated
and will not lose its identity.
When the association was organized
it had two rooms in the Flick build
! ing. 1t removed to its present quar-
ters on King street three years ago.
It started with few hundred volumes
donated by the high school. 1t now
has three thousand volumes. Miss Ora
| Viewer was the first librarian, d. c.
Westenhaver was the first president
]
and Miss Nota Viewer the first secre-
! tary
The income last year was as fol
lows: subscriptions, SIPS; special
donation from Mr.. George Ryneal jr.,
$50; from entertainments, 800; fixed
charges, $3.50.
| It's officers. elected recently, are:
President, Max Robinson; first vice
president, Miss Lula Seibert; second
vice president, l.. Dew. Gerhardt;
treasurer, Edward Rutledge; secre-
tary, Miss NJ. C. Stribling; directors,
| first year, James Miller, F. NJ. Woods,
J. S. Douglas. j. F. Thompson, Miss
Ruth Geiger; two years, Rev C. S
Trump, E. R. zeigler, Mrs. J. S. Boak,
Rev. Father Donahoe
Presidents Report.
The report of President Max Robin
son for last year is as follows:
"In presenting this, the tenth annual
report of the president, it brings us to
an important stage in the affairs of the
association. On May %, 1897 practical
ly ten years ago, the library was or
ganized and has had a precarious ex-
istence since
1T has had to depend upon volun-
tary subscriptions and numerous en-
| tertainments. none of which were suf-
ficient to give it the income necessary
for it's proper Maintenance much less
add needed volumes TO it's collection.
1--WE were finally successful in get
ting a legislative enactment providing
a fixed income and it now becomes
your duty to select, under the law
three trustees to serve in connection
with two members of the board of edu
cation as a board of trustees for the
control and management of the library
hereafter
CAS- president, | recommend that
this selection be made now, so that
the incoming board of trustees thus
created can formally take over the
property, as OF April /
CAS- the lease of the present quar-.
ters expires March 81. it might be ad.
visable for you to recommend to the
trustees a renewal thereof for twelve
months at the same rental.
Wants Integrity Maintained.
Let me urge upon you the necessity
of maintaining your organization so as
to elect from year to year the three
citizen trustees to serve in connection
with two members from the board of
education and thus retain the integrity
of our association in this manner.
'Your thanks are due to your eff.
: ficient treasurer for his untirng ef.
forts for many years. to your librarian
| ha 30 h.