Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1903 — The Law on the Park Situation. [ARTICLE]

The Law on the Park Situation.

In as much as a paper has bean circulated by an attorney in this oity and Bigned by a nnmber of lawyers whose views does not ooinoiie with that of other attorneys and who did not perhaps carefully consider the fall import expressed therein, in reference to the contemplated locating of the new Library building on a public park in this city, implying that a park ponld not be used for Library purposes unless the Library Association owned in fee simple the gronnd whereon , v the building stood we publish the law covering these points exaotly as it comes from the statute books of Indiana. Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of - Indiana, That it shall be lawful for the Common Councils or Boards of Trustees of all incorporated cities and towns in this state to authorize and , permit the use of any public park in | such cities or towns for the location and erection of city, county, town or township library buildings, and the use of such public park for such purpose shall not be considered as a vacation. of sych park nor as an abandonment thereof for the purposes for which the same was laid out or dedicated. Section 2. That prior actions of any of the Common Councils or Boards of Trustees of any of the incorporated cities or towns in this state in authorizing or permitting, by ordinance, the use of any of the public squares, spaces or parks in such cities or towns for the location or erection of said county, town or township library buildings, be and the same are hereby ratified, confirmed, legalized and in all things made valid, and such action shall not be consider- - ed as a vacation Of such squares, space or park, nor as abandonment thereof for the purpose for which tie same were laid out or dedicated.

Section 3. Whereas, an emergency exists for the immediate taking effect of this act, the same shall be in the full force from and after its passage. Acts 1903, page 346, approved March 9,1903. Acts of 1901; page 84. Section 6. (By implication the numbed of members was increased to nine instead of seven although the section was not otherwise amended.) The seven members thus appointed shall constitute and be known as the Public Library Board, and shall have the control of the Public Library funds, and the custody and control of all the books other property of every name and description, and shall have the power to direct all the affairs of such public library; and such Public Library Board, in the name of the library, shall be empowed to receive donations, bequests and legacies, and to receive and convey real estate for and on behalf of such library, and shall be entitled to receive from the Public Library Commission copies of all documents and publications of the state available for distribution. They shall have the power to make and enforce rules for the management of such libraries as they may deem necessary, and to employ librarians and assistants.