Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-05
CARNEGIE LIBRARY
MUST Be FREE ONE
Foundation Expressly Provide,
That No Charge Shall Be
Made.

| 81 many VIII tuluOFS as 10 JUS
what Carnegie library is have beer
set afloat since the recent election
when the people Of Bismarck declar
ed themselves, I to /, in favor Of es
tablishing a public library, that the
library committee of the Commercial
club has requested The Tribune to
publish the following statement:
Zone of the first requirements Of a
Carnegie library is that it be free,
public library. Under no other condi.
tons will a Carnegie endowment be
available. 1t is absolutely ridiculous
for anyone to contend that a charge
is made or can be made for books is.
sued by Carnegie library. The only
strings attached to a Carnegie IL.
brary endowment are that the library
be free; that 1t be open at all times
to all of the public, and that it be
properly maintained.
1.-THE people by their votes at the
recent election have authorized the
city commission to establish public
library, and when this library is es-
tablished, an endowment of $25,000.00
which amount is expected to con-
struct and equip library building,
complete, will be available. If this
endowment is accepted, the city COM
mission will indicate its acceptance
in form somewhat as follows:
Whereas, the Carnegie Corpora
ton of New York has agreed to fur
nish $4,000 to the City of Bismarck
to erect a Free Public Library build
in, on condition that said City of Bis
marck shall pledge itself by resolu-
ton of council to support a Free Pub
lie Library, at cost of not less than
$500 per year, and provide suit.
able site for said building; now,
therefore,
"'Be 1t Resolved, by the city COM
mission of Bismarck that said City of
Bismarck accept said donation, and
it does hereby pledge itself to comply
with the requirements of said Carne-
gle Corporation of New York.
Resolved, that it will furnish a
suitable site for said building, and
will maintain a Free Public Library
in said building when erected, at a
cost of not less than $4,000 per year.
these requirements are certainly
as simple as anyone could ask. 1t |
would be difficult to maintain a IL
brary anywhere-even in the Com
mercial club rooms, if rent were paid |
for the quarters, and particularly, as
one or two people have suggested, in
the second story of the Auditorium,
for less than $500. The Carnegie
Corporation simply offers to build for
us building, and it asks nothing in
return more than reasonable assur-
ance that the building, after it is
completed and turned over as a gift
to the citizens of Bismarck, will be
maintained. And when this building
is completed Bismarck will have
real library-nOt make-shift, not an
auxiliary tackled on to some other in
stitution; not an imitation, but Ii.
brary which will stand comparison
with any in the state.
"A majority of all the libraries in
North Dakota are Carnegie libraries.
The citizens of these communities
which have profited through the Car.
negie Corporation report no dissatis-
faction. They are proud of their H.
braries. and they have been profiting
from them during all of these years
when Bismarck has been deprived of
these advantages"