News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1912-01-31
THE LIBRARY BUILDING
Shall Morristown Have a Library Building !?

The opposition which the movement in
favor of a Library Building met at the
recent special town meeting is thought
to have arisen, in part, from misunder-
standing ofthe situation. That the voters
of the town may understand the PROPOSE
ton, the following statement is present
ed in the interests of the Library. The
Morristown Centennial Library was
founded in 1891. The beginning was
small and during the first years many diff.
ficulties were met with but the zeal, with
which some of our citizens entered into the
project, overcame these and the Library
was at length put upon a substantial
basis. 1t finally found convenient home
in'its present quarters in the Bank Build
ing, The income from funds, which have
ever been judiciously invested, with the
annual appropriation from the town
made possible a gradual increase in the
number of books thereby extending the
benefits of the Library to a larger circle
of readers. This increase in books, how
ever, called for more room at the Library;
additional shelving was provided but it
soon became apparent that the room
would not long be adequate. The trus-
tees, therefore, began agitating the ques
ton of Library Building The under,
taking met with but little encouragement
and slight hope was entertained of ulti'
mate success until about a year ago,
when, through the solicitations of Mrs.
Laura Gleed, chairman of the Library
trustees, Mr.. Andrew Carnegie consented
to furnish $1,000 for building provided
the town would guarantee maintainance
to the amount of 500 annually. At the
last March meeting, the town passed a
resolution appropriating sum sufficient
| toraIse the annual income of the Library
to $500. This was supplemented by a
sum of 5000 voted by the village. A
copy of the resolution was sent to Mr.
Carnegie. He asked that plans of the
proposed building be submitted for his
inspection Such were forwarded and,
| as soon as the changes suggested Were
incorporated in the plans, he notified The
selectmep that he had instructed his
| treasurer to pay to this town the sum Of
$1,000 for a Library Building in sucS
sums as shall be needed in the progress Of
construction. 1t now remains for the
| town simply to authorize some party to
superintend the construction of the build
ing and to transact the business in the
interest of the town and we shall have
in Morrisville a commodious and attrac-
tive public library, furnishing ample &C
commodations for the books which we
now have as well as for those which will |
come with the natural increase of many
years. The building will be paid for as
soon as completed; there will be no inter.
est to plan for, and all that the citizens
of Morristown are required to do is to
see that the Library is maintained at an
annual expenditure which can not be
deemed excessive when compared with
the cost of maintaining libraries of equal
circulation at other places in Vermont
and in New England
An understanding of the added burden
of taxation which the building will entail
may be gained from a comparison of the
cost oil maintenance at present with that
specified by MIR. Carnegie. According to
the report of the treasurer, which report
will be made in full in the regular way at
the next March meeting. the expenditure
upon the Library during the past year has
| been $363.6O, or 1886. 40 less than the
amount required in the new BUILDING
From this deduct the $25 paid by the
Woman's Club to maintain the reading
room and the actual increase is onIv
$4,000. That the present expenditure
is not sufficient is plainly shown by the
worn condition of the books, the small
number of additions, and the fact that
the library is open only two DAYS in the
week
The productive funds of the library will
be materially increased in the near future
by legacies which are now known TO the
trustees. The income from such will ii;
minish the amount required by taxation
so that, before many years, the Library
will be self sustaining. When we think
that before long the library must h.
moved from its present quarters anyway
can we afford to let such an opportunity
to secure a building especially designed
to meet our needs slip from our grasp7
The object of asking that the matter be
considered at a special meeting is that
the contracts may be placed as early as
possible, as such building can be con.
structed much more cheaply in the sum.
mer time
We trust that all voters will think the
matter over carefully and be present at
the meeting at p. m. Feb. 10 to state
by their votes what shall be done.
w. A. BEEBE,
Sec'y Library Asso. |
Pretending and knowing.
Girls know so much because they