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Library 1994.THE BUFFALO
FREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT
IN THE YEAR 1897.
BY HENRY L. ELMENDORF,
Superintendent since 1897.
The establishment of a free public library may certainly
be considered the most notable event in the history of our
city during the year 1897.
It was not my privilege to observe the preliminary steps
of the movement which resulted in founding the free library,
as I received the appointment of superintendent of the Li-
brary in June, 1897, after the free library had been estab-
lished by law and preparations, to open it to the public were
well under way.
The facts and figures in this brief account of the early
stages of the free library movement, I have gathered from
the 61st annual report of the Buffalo Library and from- a
record of the organization of the Buffalo Public Library,
prepared at the request of the directors* by the late James
Fraser Gluck.
The position of Buffalo in library matters was entirely
unique. She was alone among the great cities of the North-
ern States in having no free tax-supported public library,
but also alone in having a private library so managed as to
%378	FREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT. -
be of greatest value to the citizens. The Buffalo Library
gave the free use of its books within its building to all
comers; its annual membership fees were only $3, entitling
the member to draw two books at a time for home'uss; it
issued 1,000 free tickets to school children; it had recently
opened a children’s room and in general performed the func-
tions of a public library to the utmost limit of the means at
its command. Very nearly half the entire membership of
the old library was made up of life members, who had con-
tributed large sums of money to its endowment and support,
and who had an affection for the institution and an interest
in its prosperity that were truly remarkable,.
The library derived its income chiefly from the rents of
the Iroquois Hotel property. The hotel was built in the
spirit of public enterprise rather than as a profitable invest-
ment. It yielded a net annual income of only about $22,000
after paying the interest on the enormous indebtedness in-
curred for its construction. This property had, under the
law, been exempt from taxation, and upon the income de-
rived from it the library relied for its maintenance. During
the session of 1895-1896, the Legislature passed a law mak-
ing all property of public institutions from which they de-
rived a revenue taxable. The working of this law added an
item of about $17,000 to the expenses of the library, re-
ducing the net income from its invested funds to about
$5,000. This grave emergency came frequently under dis-
cussion during the summer and autumn following but no
definite action was taken until Dec. 12, 1896, when the board
of managers submitted to the public through the newspapers
a statement setting forth in plain terms the critical circum-
stances of the library and inviting the cooperation of the
city to make it entirely free to the public with provision for
adequate support by taxation.
The suggestion made in this statement received the
hearty support of press and people. The Merchants’ Ex-
change, the Council of United Trades and Labor Unions,
the Engineers’ Society, the Good Government Clubs, and
various other public associations passed resolutions com-
mending it.FREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT.	379
The law committee of the Library, Nathaniel W. Nor-
ton, Ganson Depew and Joseph N. Hunsicker, invited the
cooperation of the trustees of the Grosvenor Library, Josiah
Jewett, James Fraser Gluck and Edward H. Butler, and the
interests of the free circulating and free reference libraries
were made one.
On the 6th of January, 1897, a conference of some of the
friends of the libraries who had been most active in their
service in the past years, was called to consider the course of
action to be pursued. Mr. George Gorham presided at this
conference, Mr. J. N. Larned acted as secretary, and among
those who took part were James O. Putnam, Daniel H.
McMillan, Robert B. Adam, Henry A. Richmond, Ralph
Plumb, Frank M. Hollister, James Mooney, Howard H.
Baker, Peter P. Burtis, Henry R. Howland, Henry P.
Emerson, Worthington. C. Miner, Harvey W. Putnam, An-
drew Langdon, Thomas T. Ramsdell and E. Corning Town-
send.
The relation of the libraries to the educational interests
of the city were considered, and after a full discussion a
committee % representing the two libraries was appointed to
prepare and present to the Common Council a petition ask-
ing for cooperation in procuring legislation to authorize
proper measures for the adequate maintenance of the Buf-
falo Public Library and the Grosvenor Reference Library.
Nathaniel W. Norton, Daniel H. McMillan, James.
Mooney, James Fraser Gluck, F. C. M. Lautz, E. H. Butler,
John G. Milburn, Robert B. Adam and G. Frederick Zeller
were named by the chair as the committee. This committee
presented a petition to the Corfimon Council, to which that
body responded favorably by appointing committees of three
from each house to act with the above-named committee
frbm the libraries, and with the Mayor, the Superintendent
of Education and the City Clerk. In these committees the
Common Council was represented by Aldermen Maischoss,
Boechel and Summers and Councilmen Ash, Byrne and Zipp.
The first meeting of the joint committee was held Jan. 14,
1897. The discussion showed entire harmony between the
representatives of the city government and the representa-380	FREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT.
tives of the'libraries. A sub-committee was appointed to
draft an act to embody the required legislation, together
with an explanatory statement of facts and with estimates of
required expenditure for 4 proper maintenance of the Buffalo
and Grosvenor libraries on the footing of freedom and edu-
cational efficiency.
On Jan. 16th Mr. Norton from the sub-committee sub-
mitted to the joint committee the draft of an act to be pre-
sented to the Common Council for its approval and for
recommendation to the State Legislature. The draft of the
proposed act was approved by the joint committee and was
presented to the Board of Aldermen, Jan. 18th, accompanied
‘by a detailed report, stating iv •
First. The existing circumstances of the Buffalo Library.
Second. The need of a free public library as a part of the
system of common public education.
Third. The nature and extent of the freedom with which
a free library can loan books to the residents of the city.
Fourth. The methods employed in free library systems
for placing books easily at the command of people through-
out the city.	•
Fifth. The probable cost for yearly maintenance of the
free library for Buffalo.
The report of the committee was adopted by the Board
of Aldermen Jan. 18th, and by the Board of Councilmen,
Jan. 20th, and was approved by the Mayor on the same day.
The recommended bill was introduced in both houses of
the Legislature without delay. It passed the Assembly Feb.
3d; the Senate Feb. 4th; received approval of the Mayor
Feb. 10th, and was signed by the Governor of the State
Feb. 13th.
By. this act the Buffalo Library is authorized to transfer
to the city of Buffalo, in trust for the use and benefit of its
citizens, books and pamphlets belonging to the library, under
conditions to be agreed upon by contract. The city of Buf-
falo is authorized to accept the books and pamphlets in trust
under contract. The life members of the Buffalo Library
are constituted a corporation with the power of perpetualFREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT.
381
succession, to have sole control of the real estate and prop-
erty of the Buffalo Library. The life members are instructed
to annually elect a president, vice-president, secretary, treas-
urer and three managers, who shall constitute the trustees
of the Buffalo Library. The Common Council is authorized
to make all necessary appropriations for the maintenance of
the Grosvenor Library. The Common Council is authorized
to raise annually, as part of the general tax, a sum of not
less than,three one hundredths of one per centum and not
more than five one hundredths of one per centum of the total
taxable assessed valuation of the property of the city of Buf-
falo, one fifth of the said amount to be paid to the trustees
of the Grosvenor Library and four fifths to the trustees of
the Public Library.
The contract between the Buffalo Library and the city
of Buffalo, was drawn in accordance with the terms of the
enabling act by a committee representing the Board of
Aldermen, the Board of. Councilmen and the Buffalo Li-
brary. The contract is dated Feb. 24, 1897, was approved
by the Board of Aldermen, the Board of Councilmen and
executed by the Mayor and the president and secretary of
the Buffalo Library. The principal points of the contract
are:
First. The Buffalo Library conveys to the city of Buffalo its
books and pamphlets in trust for a period of 99 years, together with
the net annual income from the library’s property.
Second. The city of Buffalo accepts the trust and agrees to
maintain the free public library, and annually to appropriate for its
maintenance a sum of not less than four fifths of three one hun-
dredths of one per centum of the total taxable assessed valuation of
the property of the city of Buffalp.
Third. The name shall be The Buffalo Public Library.
Fourth. The control and management of the Buffalo Public
Library and all moneys appropriated for it by the city shall be vested
in a board of To directors, to consist of the president, vice-president
and three managers of the Buffalo Library; the. Mayor, the Cor-
poration Counsel, the Superintendent of Educatioii; two citizens, not
life members of the Buffalo Library, to be appointed by the Mayor
for a term of five years each.382	FREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT.
Fifth. The board of directors shall have full control of the
library and its funds, but shall contract no indebtedness in excess of
the annual income.
Sixth. The library shall be free to the residents of the city sub-
ject to the rules adopted by the directors and shall be open not less
than io hours on Sundays and holidays, and not less than 12 hours
on all other days.
Seventh. The net income of the Buffalo Library shall be paid to
the Buffalo Public Library quarterly.
Eighth. The appropriations of the city shall be paid to the
Public Library quarterly.
Ninth. The board of directors shall make an annual report .to
the Common Council on or before the first Monday in February in
each year, for the year ending Dec. 31st previous thereto.
Tenth. The officers shall consist of a president, vice-president
and executive committee of three members. Seven directors shall be
necessary for a quorum.
Eleventh. At the expiration of the term the agreement may be
renewed at the option of the city, or a new agreement entered into.
Twelfth. Certified copies of the agreement to be filed in the
Erie County Clerk’s office, City Clerk’s office, and with the records of
the Buffalo Library.
The contract was approved by life members of the Buf-
falo Library Feb. 25, 1897. On the 9th of March, 1897, an
election of president, vice-president and three managers, re-
sulted in the unanimous choice of Nathaniel W. Norton as
president, George L. Williams as vice-president and Joseph
P. Dudley, James Fraser Gluck and Charles R. Wilson as
managers.	,
March 15th the number of the first board of directors
was completed by the appointment of two citizens of Buf-
falo, not life members of the Buffalo Library, viz.: John
D. Bogardus for the term of five years and Mathias Rohr
for the term of three years.
The change from a proprietary to a free public library
involved an entire change in administrative system. Mr.
Walter L. Brown, the present assistant superintendent, was
sent on a tour of inspection to see the best and most ad-
vanced library methods in actual operation. Mr. BrownFREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT.	383
made a full and clear report to the directors, and the system
afterward adopted was the simplest possible. Experience in
its use has proved it accurate, rapid, and well adapted to
keeping track of the books and furnishihg a proper record of
the use of the library.
Equally important with the change of administrative
system was the change necessary to prepare the building for
the increased patronage of a free library. Built more than
io years ago, for the use of a limited constituency of paying
members, it needed many alterations to adapt it to the free
use of all the inhabitants of a great city. These were satis-
factorily made.
In April, 1897, Mr. J. N. Larned, for many years super-
intendent of the Buffalo Library, resigned, and in June the
board appointed the present superintendent, who assumed
the duties of the office June 15, 1897. The register of bor-
rowers was opened immediately after'the signing of the con-
tract with the city. During the summer the names came in
slowly, and it was not until just before the opening of the
library that the rush of applicants for tickets commenced.
While the change of system was being made and repairs go-
ing on, the library was kept open for the benefit of the mem-
bers of the Buffalo Library, who had paid for the privilege
of drawing books. It was not until July 28th that the altera-
tions in the delivery room compelled the lending department
to close. After being closed for a month, the library was
opened as a free public library, Sept. 2, 1897. On the after-
noon and evening of Aug. 31st, a reception was given to the
life members of the Buffalo Library. A public meeting was
held on the evening of Sept. 1st, when the library was for-
mally turned over to the city by Mr. Nathaniel W. Norton,
president of the Buffalo Library, Edgar B. Jewett, Mayor of
Buffalo, representing the city, and the board of directors of
the Buffalo Public Library, accepting the trust. An address
was made by Dr. John Shaw Billings, librarian of the New
York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden foundations,
and the various departments of the library were described
in a short speech by the superintendent.384
FREE LIBRARY MOVEMENT.
Note.—The growth and the popularity of the Buffalo Public Library, as shown
by the latest statistics, fully justify the hope of those interested in its organization.
The number of bound volumes in the library on July i, 1902, was 182,600. Dur-
ing the year from July 1, 1901, to July 1, 1902, 1,024,049 books were circulated. Be-
tween September, 1901, and June, 1902—the school year—207,205 volumes were loaned
from the grade libraries in the public schools.
At present the agencies for the distribution of books outside of the main library
are the William Ives Branch at No. 746 Broadway, from which many Polish and
German books are sent; depositories at Westminster House, No. 424 Adams Street,
and Welcome Hall, No. 404 Seneca Street, which are open one or two days *each
week; eight delivery stations, where calls are made for orders and books delivered
each day ; 532 separate class room libraries in 33 public schools ; the High schools,
where library attendants are present each school day, and the traveling libraries
which are placed in the fire houses, police stations, staff room of the hospitals, fac-
tories, rooms of clubs and societies, schools not regularly supplied by the library,
and home library clubs.