Seattle's Library on the Brink: Fines Fall, Debt Rises

The finance committee of the city council and the library commission met last evening in the rooms of the library to devise ways and means whereby funds could be procured to pay off the debt of the commission, which amounts to $1,000 and for which no funds are available.

Mayor Phelps, Aldermen Bannister, Miller, Hamilton and Cline and Delegates Gribhton, Kistler and Lill, composing the joint finance committee, and Messrs. Smith, Rochester and Hardin, of the commission, were present. In opening the meeting President Smith, with the assistance of Librarian Atkinson, explained the cause of the debt. The only revenue received by the commission to defray the current expenses of the library is 10 per cent of the fines, penalties and licenses of the city, and that amount has so decreased within the past year as to cause a debt of some $330 each month in the running expenses of the institution. The revenue received from the city for the past six months has averaged about $440, and the running expenses are as follows: Rent, $200; light, $40; telephone, $1.50; printing, miscellaneous stationery, refunding books, $40; salaries, $360; total, $640. Thus the expenses exceed the revenue about $200 a month.

Librarian Atkinson stated that the strictest attention was paid to the practice of economy about the institution, and that the employees were faithful in the discharge of their duties. The library has 12,000 volumes at present, and of this number 9,000 are in actual circulation, the balance being books of reference, classics, etc. Last year the entire circulation was 90,000 volumes. During the first six months of the present year it has been 70,000, and is constantly increasing.

Comptroller Parry stated that, while there was a large sum of money in the treasury at present, there would be a heavy demand on it in a short time, and he did not see how $1,000, the sum asked for by the commission, could possibly be appropriated at this time.

Mayor Phelps said he was heartily in favor of the continuance of the library, and thought some means could be devised whereby the debt could be paid. He would do everything in his power to help the institution along in an official as well as personal manner.

While all the members on the finance committee expressed themselves on the question, and all seemed heartily in favor of doing something to pay the debt and provide some means for increasing the revenue of the library, they all thought time should be taken in considering the matter.

Alderman Sweeney thought the money needed might be transferred from some other fund. He said the library was a credit to Seattle, and should by all means be kept open to the public. He suggested the curtailing of expenses of other departments and endowing the library with the money thus obtained.

It was decided to refer the matter to the joint finance committee of the council and have that committee submit its report at the next meeting of the council.