Ten Cents a Month to Save Seattle's Library

The library commission and a committee of the city council held a two hours' session at the city hall yesterday morning to devise ways and means to continue the Seattle library. Five minutes before the meeting adjourned it was agreed that next week the institution—temporarily closed—should be opened to the public with a fee of 10 cents a month to persons using it until the income reaches the expenses.

While the library is regarded as a free as well as a public institution, it was deemed advisable to charge this fee for two or three months. No person can be compelled to pay it, but the commission and the council committee felt certain that those who patronize the library day in and day out would not object to contributing so small an amount in return for the benefit derived. The question was serious: either the 10 cents would have to be levied upon each patron or the library would have to suspend operation until its treasury should be reimbursed from fines and licenses collected by the city.

Among those present were Mrs. Belle B. Haines, Dr. A. B. Kibbe, Eben Smith and Thomas B. Hardin of the library commission; Delegates James, Voigt, Hurd and Chapman; and Aldermen Miller, Lovejoy, Compton, Anderson and Daulton. Mr. Daulton acted as chairman. Dr. Kibbe opened the meeting by describing the commission's financial condition and the amount needed to tide over the temporary embarrassment. The commission had even agreed to reduce further the already low salaries of library employees. Of the present rent charged by John Collins for the quarters, he had agreed to donate a portion each month for six months to assist the commission.

Mr. Daulton, on behalf of the Rialto Company, offered quarters in the Rialto building free of charge for the next few months, or until the library was out of its embarrassment. He suggested that if the eighteen members of the city council would donate their salaries for two months, the library would soon be on its feet. Mr. James doubted that many members could surrender their salaries and did not believe such legislation would receive council support.

The question of vacating the present quarters and moving was discussed but did not meet with the commission's endorsement. The commission had leased the building for a stated period, and the lease would not expire until next January. Mr. James asked whether certain parts of the lease had not been complied with by Mr. Collins; the reply was that for a time proper heat had not been furnished. Mr. Hardin thought it a serious question whether the city could vacate on that ground, but he did not believe it could. Mrs. Haines said Mr. Collins had treated the commission very nicely, having gone to the expense of $3,000 to fit up the top floor of his building for library purposes and being willing to contribute part of the rent.

This appeared to settle the question of moving. The meeting then discussed how to raise money for the next few months. Mr. James said the city was in much the same condition as the library—very little money—and that the levy would hardly meet necessary obligations. Expenses would have to be curtailed. The proposition to charge each patron 10 cents a month was advanced, and all present seemed to think it a good one. Mr. Hardin noted that the city could not compel anyone to pay, since the charter provided that the library should be free to the public. He believed most patrons would be willing to pay, though if the city refused books to someone who did not pay, a court might issue a writ of mandamus compelling the city to issue them. The council members said that in such a case the city could be compelled to shut down the library until funds were available.

Dr. Kibbe believed that if the council would allow the commission to charge the sum named and at the same time appropriate $250, the commission would be able to get out of its predicament. This was agreed to, and the meeting adjourned.

At present the library has about 2,000 active patrons, and by securing 10 cents a month from each one it would get a revenue of $200. It is not thought, however, that this much will be secured, because in many instances there are two or three cards in one family, and when the charge is made a family is likely to curtail and retain but one card. The commission will go to work on the matter at once and will be ready to open the library by the beginning of the week.