The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1916-03-17
LIBRARY
FORMALLY OPEN
Fine. New Place Open to
the Public this week.

ber of the Young people from the
various churches met at Howard
Babcock' s office and discussed plans
for the starting OF Public Lii
brary. 1t was decided that COM
mittees should he appointed TO in
tervlew the people and see if
enough money could he raised OIL
monthly subscript ons to make a
Library success.
The public made generous
response, and it was decided that
the object should be undertaken.
The Zenith Club came with
their generous help they took
turns as Librarians thereby saving
that expense. They appointed as
controlling board the following:
M. L. Sateren, Pres, j. w. Myers
Vice Pres, K. f. Sonstegaard,
Secv., Miss Nora Freeman, Treas,
Mesdames Turner, Andrews, AK
ness. Leffingwell. lngersoll Bobb,
Norby, Croal, Miss Mary Morris,
and Cottingham Of these X. Il.
Sonstegard and Mrs. H. j. Turner
are still OH the board
After necessary arrangements
the Library was opened to the
public in the Bollenbeck building
OH March 9th. During 1900 the
Legislature passed LAW allowing
municipalities to vote one mill
tax for support of libraries; the
library board to be appointed by
the Board OF Education. This tue
people did i'll the spring OF 1907.
This however put the library board
OH poor financial footing as the
people were not prone to continue
their support when they voted a
tax; besides the one mill tax was
not sufficient for running expenses.
Then comes the legislature OF
1909 and passes a law allowing the
municipalities to vote a u mill
tax This put the library financies
in a better shape and bv the wise
and economical management of
1.-THE board permitted a gradual saw
ing that now makes possible the
new library.
There were now no changes UNI
til 1918 when the legislature pas.
lsed another law making the library
board appointed by the city coun-
Gil instead of bv the board OF edu-
cation and changing the number
! from five to three members and
making the CITY treasurer the
treasurer of the library boards.
The only chance the legislature
has had to change that law was
during the session of 1918, and all
they did then was to change the
number from three TO five members
4 All this time the board had a Car.
magic Library in mind and III MAY
il9l3, MIR. Sonstegard, the seore-
tary Started to correspond wit th
MIR. Carna9ie. addressing him at
New York. but the gentleman was
in Scotland at the time and an an.
swer did not come until in july
and then 1t was in the form of a
long list OF questions, and realizing
that the uilding could not be COM
pleted that summer decided to
wait and make an early start in
1914. This they did but they
found that dealing with thu Car.
magic Corporation and the city
council took more time than the,
figured. An appropriation for /;
4 $4,000 library was made Thi:
the corporation did not approve o
but promised a $500 if the cit,
council would pass all ordinanc,
guaranteeing at least $3.50 for it
annual support. AT All election il
connection with the vote on tn,
sewer question the people voted I,
|accept Carnagie's proposition. Th,
city council passed the ordinance
and a little latter appointed the ex