The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-02-06

r~S made to Qate toward lIle tS-
 ahHshment of a community library in ths City. The Board of three members was provided for by City Cldlnancs in 1946 at the request of mes. of the social, service and frat
 ral organizations of Juneau. It
 Ks instructed to provide suitable
 .te, arrange for a building design,
 aIse the necessary funds by popu- .sr subscription and supervise the .r ction of a library structure.
 The first act of the Board was
 re purchase of group of lots known as the Olds property situat- ed across Fourth Street from the City Hall-unquestionably the best site for a library building. The pur- chase price was $12,000, but the net price to the Board was reduced to so5O0 when the City Council allow ed the Board $2,500 for a strip from the face of the plot ill order to widen and Straighten the street lines there.
 The Board then arranged with the sponsoring organizations listed above to raise the money to pay for the site. Twenty-two of these groups, largely through special money-rais- ing activities conducted by their memberships. raised $10,653 in a lit- u more than a year. The site and some small bills connected with the purchase and with the Boards ac- tivi iss have now been paid from this fund. The balance will be added to the building fund. The organizations which contributed the money for the site are deserving Of great praise
 rom the Juneau public for their fine display of public spirit on this com munity projsct. The Board is very appreciative of their fine coopera- tion.
 A library building was designed by the local architectural firm of Foss and Malcolm. It is reinforced con- lrete structure, one story high and pp. oximately 80 feet by 40 feet. The design is pleasing and the layout accords with that of modern public libraries. Its size is sufficient to meet he library needs of town of l5,OO0. The cost was estimated as of l946 tt $75,o0ON
 A member of the Board conferred with the Secretary of the Carnegie Foundation in New York City on the possibility of obtaining contributions rom the Foundation for the pur- chase of books to stock the new lib- sary. It will be recalled that the Foundation no longer erects build ings, tut it is still interested, along with, many other things, in helping public libraries in other ways. In addition to asking for funds for the Juneau library exclusively, the Board told the Carnegie people it wished thu.n to consider providing funds for circulating libraries to white and Indian villages. fishing camps, mining camps etc, throughout Southeast Alaska, using the Juneau library as the central agency. The Secretary pointed out at the time of tlis visit that the Foundation was not then making any benefactions as it was engaged in 8 bne-ysar study of it's benefactions over the past decade or more as to it's future a. tiVities. The Secretary msntloned however, that the Foundation was yer much interested in our type of project, and suggested that the Board again present the matter to the Foun0a ion at later date. This will be done.
 Individual Subscribers
 The Board felt that before start ing a widespread campaign for the F is,nq of funds for the building, it would be lest to see what could be cone iowa, d obtaining large individ- ual subscriptions to act as founda- ton tor the monay-raising campaign. With tEis thought in mind the Board r ember5 began personal interviews
 pis te indi i,luals and offic- isls of companies in Juneau and the 9acif Northwest who might te ex- pscted to have an outstanding in terest in the welfare of Juneau ana Who were financially able to make contributions of $500 and upward. This solicitation work has now been in pro ~ress for a little more than a ysar, and the Board is happy to re- rort that it has received to date pledges and cash from 53 donors for total of $43,OOO Of the above, S40,- 25o represents donations from 43 contributors. It should be reiterated at this point that solicitation to date has been confined to prospective large contributors. It might be added that solicitation of prospective big contributors by personal interview is not completed and is to be con- tinued
 Widespread Campaign
 The Board relieves that the time has cone to start the active wide spread campaign for funds which will be necessary if the required amount is to be raised. To succeed in this the Board will need the con tinued help of the g organizations