Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1904 — Rensselaer Library Work. [ARTICLE]

Rensselaer Library Work.

The following statement of the past, present, and future of public, library work in Rensselaer, made to me State Librarian, will be of reneral interest; TO STATE LIBRARIAN

Che village of waplatted, facing the falls of the Iroquois, in 1838, and as conn tv seat of Jasper county. It whs incorporated as a town in 1858 a id an las a city in 1896. It now has a population of 28UO, rtiejlibrary interest, since the MjClure distribution, have been growing with the village, town and city. The trustee.! did not care for the books well, until 1855. Alfred Tuompson, a banker, who was cnosan as township trustee, at nis own expense furnished a case and secured finite a circulation for the books. Afterwards Cyrus W. Heckle became county recorder

and took the 4 books into that offi e whsre they remained until 1868 In that year Simon P Thompson, as school examiner, took up a vo'uut.ary subscription of 1300 00 which added new broke and the Iroquois library was organized, and remained in hie law office for netrly twenty years. The public school began a series.of entertainments in 1887, which in three years purchased the Iroquois library which became a muolens for our school library, A room was set apart and by entertain-

mente and a tax of one tenth of a mill on the dollar new books were added and oared for without oust. I There are now in said library about 2000 volumes which oirou - ate freely through the medium of the sohojl children. The school officers and especially our present Baot. W. fl. Studers has taken pains to make said library useful to the city. In 1899 there was organized a new uuioa library, for whiou a home was furnished in the new court house, Stock was issued in shares of five d >llars and 1800.00 was raised. The organazation assumed a county feature and the Auditor, Olerk and Recorder were made ex-offio o directors, This brought tn the shelves the county’s books securing a home and an annual allow ances.not exceeding $75.00. The township feature made the trustee a member of the book oommitte, brought to the organization the township books, and since, 1901 a tax of one fifth of a mill on the dollar, each year. The city feature brought a city tax since 1900 at the same rate as that in the township. The organization was called the Jis per Public Library. There are six directors, two ladies, twc democrats and two Republicans, two of whom are elected each year The present elected officers are, Ora T. Ross, Hattie T. M 'Ooy, Judson J. Hunt, Jesse E Wilson, Lucius Strong and Simon P. Thompson, The first librarian was Bertha Parcels, followed by the present Stella Parkison. The librarian is the only officer that receives any pay. The book committee consist of the township trustee Charles M. Blue, two appointed by the Circuit Judge Msud Spitler and Judson J. Hunt and directors Ora T. Ross and Lucius Strong. The library and reading room are open on Saturday from 2 to 6 p, m, and on each other week day from 5 to 6 p. m. The librarian is paid from the entertainment fund. All the in- * come from taxation is paid for I books. The circulation averages 3000 loans per year. In the five years ' but one book-has been lost. The ' number of volumes is 3200 There is added year 400 Toe public has access to about 30 periodical and also to the book | s oc ks. There is no special organized work for children

No April 18, 1901 Andrew Carnegie offered SIOOOO 00 to ereot a building. An organ izition was es-

feoted und*-r the Act of 1903. The school trus'ees s looted as mem-b-»rs of t'ie B mrd W H. Sanders, and G. K. H Hings worth. The •ircuir Judgw appointed John F M tCo'ly, M'arv Eger and Blanche L Unapmau, while the oivil city drtMgnaied as members Ora T. Ro-s, and S m >n P Thomps >n Che B >ard organ z d. fixed 8 rat- of taxation at one mill on the dmUr. It has accepted Hr. Carnegie’s gift. The building h*s been planned and will be let tor construction on Feoruarv 18, 1904. O. P W at’ier hogg o F<rt Wiyue is the artchiteet, and h prep <re 1 to furnish a p lotograph of the new structure. I’neJi-pir Pubic L hrary wa« a ists el b. the G, A. K. D. A. K, the L. L. O. and ihe citizens g n« rail*. All library interests will be u med in the new building. Our p top e ire readers and we have prf - , vid -d in the new building a child reus’ reading room and an audience ro tin, suitable also for lessons in physical ouliure. Libraran. Rensselaer, Ind, Jan 27th 1904. Three good second band hard coal base burners, to to be sold at a bargain, at A R. Poyets’, 2 blocks south of depot.