027.477366 
 St76 
 
 [unsigned] The 
 
 " Free Library: 
 
 1874 - 1949. 
 
 Story of the Urbana 
 Its Early Days, 
 
 (1949) 
 
■ 
 
 ! 
 
 tVEY 
 
UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 ILLINOIS LIBRARY 
 
 AT URBANACHAMPAIGN 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/storyofurbanafreOOurba 
 
The Library in 1949 . . . by D. G. DEARING 
 
 § 
 
 1874 1949 
 
 DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY 
 of the 
 URBANA FREE LIBRARY 
 
 URBANA, ILLINOIS 
 1949 
 
The Story 
 of the 
 URBANA FREE LIBRARY 
 
 Its Early Days 
 
 1874 1949 
 
 URBANA, ILLINOIS 
 1949 
 
OX7.4773(r>k "^^r 
 
 EIGHTEEN- SEVENTY 
 
 Written in a flowing, clerical script, 
 a document dated October, . 1872, discloses 
 the earliest beginnings pf what is now the 
 Urbana Fr-ee Public Library. 
 
 The Free Public library actually began 
 its existence on July 2, 1874, but like 
 most good things of a, civic nature, it did 
 not spring into being full-blown. Founding 
 .of the. Public Library was the final result 
 of the group effort of a band of 52 young 
 Urbana men active in £he interest of their 
 city in the expansion era which followed 
 the Civil War. 
 
 Urbana was a thriving little city in 
 that post-war era. Paul Busey, in a paper 
 read before the Rotary Club in 1933, recall- 
 ed that in 1870 Urbana had a population of 
 5,000, with a real estate valuation 'of « a 
 million dollars, and personal property val- 
 uation of $200,, 00.0. 
 
 • /■ ". * ■ • 
 
 "The Court House,, on its present site," 
 Busey r s paper continued,', "had been erected 
 in 1661 at a cost of $40,000. Urbana City- 
 had 431 dwellings a.nd 433 families, with 
 1,176 males and 1,110 females. The I.B. k 
 •W. Shops (now the New York, Central Shops) 
 [ had been moved here in 1870, and the same 
 year we had a new hotel named the 'Griggs 
 House, run by E. Ater, that was the best 
 in Central, Illinois. 
 
- - 2 -- 
 
 "We had two banks: Busey Bros., and 
 Ermentrout , Harvey & Co.; five dry-goods 
 stores, one clothing store, three boot 
 and shoe stores, grocery and drug stores; 
 two hotels, the Griggs and the Pennsylva- 
 nia House; two mills, two brick and tile 
 factories, a machine shop, two cigar manu- 
 facturers. The rest of the town was made 
 up of lawyers, a few being Ayers & Ayers, 
 Somers & Wright, Cunningham & Webbef*, and 
 W. M. Mathews. We had two newspapers. 
 
 Tf The I. B. & W. ran through the two 
 towns (Urbana and Champaign, which until 
 a decade since had been known as West Ur- 
 bana) , and we had a horse and street car 
 running to Champaign. There were nc pave- 
 ment s. . ^ ' 111 uminat ion was b}r gas-light. 
 The only place of entertainment was Busey T s 
 Hall in the Busey Block on Main Street, 
 where dances and traveling shows were the 
 attraction. ' T 
 
 .CULTURE THEIR GOAL 
 
 Quite, evidently, the progressive young 
 men of Urbana wanted their city to be one 
 of culture and learning.. Evidently, also, 
 this was not a new thing with the communi- 
 ty, for : there already existed here two in- 
 stitution?, of higher learning: the Urbana 
 Seminary, which stood on the site of the 
 present Leal School, and the Urbana and 
 Champaign Institute, which stood at the 
 south-east corner of /right and University, 
 on what is now the northwest corner of 
 T115nois Field* 
 
- 3 - 
 
 In the year 1S71 the Urbana Seminary 
 burned and the City of Urbana built a new 
 High School on the site* Two ward schools 
 were built at the same time elsewhere in 
 the city* The total cost of the three new 
 schools was $35,000. "During the same 
 year," Busey wrote, "there was a revival 
 in the* Methodist Church, with an addition 
 of 250 to their membership*- 
 
 HOME OF THE U. Of I. 
 
 In the year l£66, after a severely con- 
 tested rivalry with Kankakee and Ottawa, 
 Urbana won out as the location for the 
 Illinois Industrial University. "Through 
 the united efforts of the citizens of Ur- 
 bana, notably those (later to prove them- 
 selves) interested in the Library, this 
 plum had been secured for Urbana by the 
 donation of the Urbana and Champaign In- 
 stitute Building, grounds and lands of 
 about 170 acres, together with 410 acres 
 of other lands . A further consideration 
 was $100,000 in Champaign County Bonds, 
 as an endowment , if Busey* s account contin- 
 ues. . . 
 
 In this atmosphere, 52 men of Urbana, 
 ranging in ages from l£ to 25 years, in 
 the fall of 1372 united themselves into 
 a "Young Men T s Library Association of Ur- 
 bana*" An item in the Champaign County 
 Gazette of Oct. 10, 1372, states that 
 
- 4 - 
 
 "nearly 40 ;? young men by that date had 
 placed their signatures at the bottom of 
 the previously-mentioned document, which 
 called for the founding of the Library 
 Association, — ?? and the prospect of the 
 ultimate success of the enterprise is 
 very flattering*" 
 
 The document, for a time, was kept at 
 the office of Postmaster F< M„ Allen, and 
 from time to time notices appeared in the 
 two local newspapers urging young men of 
 Urbana to lr take a share in the Library 
 Association by all means" <, 
 
 Finally, at the beginning of December, 
 leaders of the movement decided that en- 
 ough/ to indicate success for the project 
 had been enlisted, and an organization 
 meeting was called by notice in the Gaz- 
 ette; :T Let there be a general attendance 
 and let each one come prepared to add the 
 full weight of his influence to this good 
 movement". The notice was signed by F. M« 
 Allen, J* :u Porter, and Jo. E. Hunt, as 
 the ^Committee 11 . 
 
 On a Friday night at the beginning of 
 December, 1372, ''about 40 gentlemen met 
 at Busey T s Hall for the purpose of organ- 
 izing a Young Men's Library Association* 
 The meeting organized by electing Capt. 
 C. D. Webster (chairman) and J. tf. Porter 
 Secretary* 
 
_ 5 - • 
 
 LIBRARY FOR.. 12500 
 
 "After a* general discussion as to the 
 most practical and feasible method of 
 proceeding ! toan-orga::i^ation y it was de- 
 cided ';tb- make it a 3© int- stock association, 
 to start with a capital stock of $2 3 500? 00 s 
 consisting of one hundred shares at. §25«00 
 each.' . ■ 
 
 "Messrs I " Jaques , ; Thompson . and H * M* 
 Ayers were appointed: >&: committee to pro- 
 cure from the Secretary of State a cer- 
 tificate of j incorporation, and draft a 
 constitution and by-law.s. .? •-. 
 
 r*Kerfisr&. -Allen,. Tie man- and Porter were 
 appoints a committee to solicit subscrip- 
 tions ttfthe stock. ; 
 
 "The meeting adjourned to meet pursuant 
 to tK§ call of the Committee on Organiza- 
 tions ^ ' : 
 
 iT A lively interest was manifested in 
 the enterprise^ by all present, and we think 
 there" is ' nb doubt that it will be a grand 
 succes&y 1 reported the County Gazette*] 
 
 The "grand success" expected by the ; " 
 enthused Gazette reporter was not immerU - 
 ately forthcoming. Efforts to enlist sub- 
 scribers to the stock continued thr 
 December and past the Christies ho.^iys 
 Although the $2,500 originally 
 not been secured, the Gazette reporceu on 
 
- 6 - 
 
 Jan. 22, 1&73, that ?r subscript ions to the 
 Urbana Library stock have reached the sum 
 of $2100, which m&kes the library a fixed 
 
 fact.' 11 
 » 
 
 : With this amount in hand, the. leaders 
 called a meeting for permanent organiza- 
 tion in the latter part of January, f 73. 
 On Jan. 15, it was announced that The „.-- 
 Sons of Temperance had donated 1?o the 
 'Library Association all the furniture 
 contained in the Sons of Temperance 
 lodge !wi in Dr. • Blackshaw' s building, 
 V/hetli'er" temperance- had becdme universal '• 
 and there was no longer need for such a 
 lodge, or Whether the lodge brothers had 
 decided that thirst for knowledge here- 
 after would oversha*dov/ thirsts, of other 
 kirfds, is not explained*- 
 
 p/t On. Thursday, Jan, 16, 1$?2, the meet- 
 ing for permanent organization was held 
 in Blackshaw T s hall, — "The ^meeting or- . 
 ganized by electing Capt. C. D. Webster, 
 chairman, and J. Wi' Porter, Secretary, 
 The Committee on Organization repGFtetf 
 having obtained from the Secretary of 
 State a certificate of incorporation, 
 which report v/as accepted 'and the certif- 
 icate adopted as the Charter of the Asso- 
 ciation, ?t 
 
 Things appeared to be rolling fast, 
 now. Another meeting was -called on the 
 following Monday night, Jan. 20, and of- 
 ficers and committees for- the Library 
 
r 7 • 
 
 Associations first year were named. The 
 terms of Mr. Webster, as president, and 
 J. W.' Porter, as fecording secretary were 
 fixed as ofte-year terms; Mr. B. Thompson 
 was elected vice-president, S. M. Morton 
 as corresponding secretary; F. G. Jaques 
 (father of Miss Minnie Jaques who re- 
 cently ended* half a century's service as 
 treasurer of the Free Public Library J was 
 elected the Library's first treasurer, and 
 Frank M.' Allen was elected Cibrarian. 
 
 The following .■•stranding committees for 
 
 the year were appointed!' ~ 
 
 • '.••'••■ - ' ■ - 
 
 Finance:' H. W. Ayers : , M. B. Thompson and 
 Frank Tiernan.' 
 
 Reading Room: Frank Tiernan, M. B. Thomp- 
 son and Rev. S. Mi Morton. 
 
 Books and Donations: C. D. Webster, Rev. 
 S. M. Morton, F. G. Jaques, 
 W.' Sim, 'and J. W. Porter. 
 * 
 The committee on reading room was instruc- 
 ted to rent a room at an annual rental of 
 $150. .. The committee on finance was ins- 
 tructed to continue "soliciting subscrip- 
 tions to stock to the amount of |3>000. 
 The* Committee on books and donations was 
 instructed to- assist the corresponding 
 secretary, in soliciting donations o£ pa- 
 pers, mag-azines, books, and other gifts* 
 
 The name of <he group apparently was 
 changed in this meeting from the "Young 
 
- $ - 
 
 Merits. Library Association cf Urbana 11 to 
 the . V Urbana Library Association" * The* 
 
 -Gazette reported that "there was a good ' 
 attendance* and- considerate/ enthusiasm was 
 
 manifested' ly 'all present • -The speeches 
 r:ace were brimful of earnestness and feel- 
 
 Mlg^J - .. .. , • - 
 
 '♦The reading room was opened eayly in 
 February, l£?i , anc for a small fee^ any- 
 -one could spend an evening among the lit- 
 erature of the times • With each issue, 
 the Gazette carried' strongly editorialized, 
 nev/s ncLes en the progress ana growth of 
 the project, exhorting the local public to 
 patronize the ♦place*. It thoughtfully ad- 
 ded: 'Mn this connection we would say 
 that it is not 'the intention of the Asso- 
 ciat;Um*to exclude* j_aaies from itvS privi- 
 leges. # It is expected that they will pat- 
 'ronize it and ?pehd many of their evenings 
 in its reading* rocm^Vhei'e they* will find 
 papers, magazines and periodicals of every 
 kind and character upon the files, from 
 the best "fashion magazines in the land. to 
 the New York Ledger* The rules of the 
 room,, which are very strict against talk- 
 in,g .above a whisper, smoking; (this, of 
 Course, was directed at the men), etc*, 
 will be rigidly enforced. • ...••* 
 
 By the end of February, the Gazette r'as 
 able to report that '"the Library 4 Associa- 
 tion has received many donations of books, 
 gtc...*and will cheerfully continue to 
 
- 9 - 
 
 receive such as its friends may wish to 
 bestow, and extends the request to all 
 to bring .or send any books that they may 
 feel like, parting with, to aid it in ex- 
 tending its usefulness ♦ The enterprise 
 thus far is a grand success;- and to be 
 convinced of this you have only to step 
 into its reading-room any evening, and 
 see how comfortable and cosy its patrons 
 are." • * - 
 
 * 
 
 On through the spring, summer and fall 
 of 1S73, and into the spring of 1874'* the 
 local press continued to beat the- drum in 
 behalf of the Library project. — "The 
 library .reading room is the best- place of 
 resort for that large glass of our popula- 
 tion who have no place in which to pass 
 thes<» cold winter evenings." (This is Jan- 
 uary, -1B73) • "The room is. warm, cheerful, 
 well-lighted and kept perfectly quiet, so 
 that visitors may- read there with the same 
 comfort and pleasure afforded at their own 
 fireside, and with no expense. You v will 
 do well to improve this rare privilege." 
 
 » v - 
 
 Another* item in January , 1374, tells 
 what the people were reading, those days 
 in current periodicals: "We notice on 
 t?he tables of the Library reading room 
 among many other attractive papers and 
 periodicals, the following: The Aldine, 
 Athlantic Monthly, Harper's Monthly, 
 Scribners Magazine, The Galaxy, Harper's 
 Weekly, Frank Leslie's Weekly, the Lake- 
 side Monthly, Every Saturday, and the 
 
• 10 - 
 
 Champaign County Gazette; what an array 
 of luxuries for a literary, feast ; and the 
 best of it is, it doe sn r t cost any thing • 
 All you.have to do isto go up" and take 
 a comfortable -seat in a cosy^*pleasant 
 room and quietly pass your evenings in 
 real jolly solid comfort* . Isn't -that a 
 better way to. p^^s your evening's than to 
 be sneaking about the back alleys and dark 
 streets of the city looking after strange 
 gods? t? ; ; 
 
 f • =/ • 
 
 In the absence of documented evidence, 
 one may only surmise "as to why, that win- 
 ter, the decision was. reached- to' m£ke the 
 library T s operation a governnreritaX func- 
 tion • In the first place, a new law -had 
 
 •been passed by the State -Legislature , ttf 
 enable cities of Illinois to -establish /, 
 f ree public labrarie § ♦ Although; at its* 
 inception , a plaft f6r charging" a f %e far 
 the use of. the reSdiftg^ room h^d beeh in 
 
 .use, -rthis evidently was dropped* soon af- 
 ter/the Association began business* It;, 
 seems probable that the .Association mem* 
 bers soon began to feel it unreasonable 
 for the public to depend upon a limited 
 few to bear the expense of a service 
 available tb^ the entire public* 
 
 Early in the spring of M#7&> a move- 
 ment to have, the City -Government take 
 over the Library was launched, and* on 
 July 2,. that year, the Urbana Free Public 
 Library was' created by the City Council. 
 
- 11 - 
 
 THE PUBLIC LIBRARY 
 
 The salient features of the progress 
 of the Urbana Free Public Library were 
 told by Paul Busey in his paper for the 
 Rotary Club. 
 
 The Council of Urbana having agreed to 
 support and maintain a free library, the 
 Association turned over all its assets, 
 consist ing : of a stove arid pipe, a carpet, 
 three tables, two book cases, 24 chairs 
 and a few other articles, also &4!5 books, 
 a few magazine subscriptions and $126,52 
 in cash, to- the city, then the Town, "of 
 Urbana, 
 
 At the first meeting of Directors, F. 
 M. Russell was chosen president; and J. W. 
 Porter secretary, -the other directors be- 
 ing F. J* Jaques, William Sim, N. J. McCon- 
 ney, C. I). Webster,/ J. W. Hays,. A, Van Tuyl, 
 and S-M, Morton. S. H. Hood was appointed 
 librarian. -• 
 
 Within a short time, a complaint had been 
 registered against Hood as librarian, but 
 on investigation he was found competent . 
 However, politics were too much for him, 
 and on Oct. 20, lo74, he was removed from 
 office. Looking around for a successor, 
 the "Board decided upon Miss Ida Hanes, and 
 she was installed at the handsome salary 
 of $12.00 a month, with a bond of $200. 
 At the time, the periodical list of the 
 Library consisted of Harper's Weekly, 
 Harper's Monthly, and the Wayerly magazine. 
 These were supplemented the following year 
 
- 12 - 
 
 by the Indianapolis Journal and the Sci- 
 entific American. Miss Fanes' salary was 
 raised to $15 in . February ^ 1#75« 
 
 The first annual report was made in 
 June of 1875, During the year, 234 vol- 
 umes had been added; the attendance ran 
 from 4 to i+6 in. an. evening. During the 
 11 months,- 12y225 visitors had entered 
 its portals*, or ,an average of 37 an eve- 
 ning.* There -were, on the shelves 100 vol- 
 umes of 'history, ft% 3S travel, 36 of biog- . • 
 raphy'/ *9$ of * religiorij 121 of general lit* 
 eratur^-'lOC of- s-ciehe.e. and; arty- 405 
 novels andT3£5 Juveniles,. 57, poetry,^ 27 
 humorous j and 33 reference books'* - -It, ijs - 
 interesting tc note that 3,332 novels „ ,, 
 were ' taken o'ut -during the year; 797 ju- 
 veniles, -and. ^5;.of ,3fl other books* 
 
 " In the- report: the following comment- is . 
 made: "The books added: during- the pasj:, 
 year have tteen *iaostly novels and juveniles,.' 
 so that the in the accessions the de- , - ► .-. 
 raands.pf the patrons has been effected. 
 as .nearly as could be. There may be some 
 who "o,b ject'- to- so £-»ny.r i dveis"; being read, 
 alt ho seme, of cur ■•■most reh'owh.ed' clergymen .... 
 have, written of fiction; novel reading is 
 not as much condemned 'as in -former days. 
 
 .* It is interesting to find that in *l$f f 
 the r £ibf?.ry subscribed to the following 
 papers: Dailies, Chicago Times, Chicago 
 'rribune and Indianapolis -Journal; weeklies, 
 Urbana RepubMc/ Champaign- "County ..Gazette, 
 Champaign Union; Champaign Times, Tolono 
 
- 13 - 
 
 Herald, Frank Leslie T s Illustrated, The 
 Graphic, Waverly Magazine; Harper f s v /eek- 
 ly, Harper 1 s 'Bazaar, New York Ledger , Sci- 
 entific American, New York Weekly Mail, 
 Chicago Legal News, Bloomington Pantagraph, 
 Illinois State Journal, Illustrated Chris- 
 tian Weekly, Star in the West, Northwest- 
 ern Christian Advocate, Presbyterian Ban- 
 ner, St* Louis Presbyterian; monthlies, 
 St. Nicholas-. Soon afterward^ Harper T s 
 Monthly and Arthur T s Illustrated Home Mag- 
 azine were added. 9 
 
 *In 1876 the directors contracted for a 
 rear room on *the , second floor .of the new 
 building be&*ig erected by E # Gill on the 
 corner of Race and- Main, now the site of 
 Knowlton & Bennett f s store. The contract 
 was for a room 2# by 3#. feet >% and the lease 
 to run for 5 years at ^150 a year* The av- 
 erage income from taxation and other sour- 
 ces was under #1,200, in l&IL , but had been 
 increased by .several fairs and performances 
 in Busey T s Hall, across the street above 
 what is 'now the Princess Theatre. 
 
 A gradual growth in the number of books 
 on the shelves, books let out and visitors 
 at the library, increased to such an ex- 
 tent" that in '1894 there were 29,720 visi- 
 tors, 15,256* "books taken out, of which 
 3,409 or over were fiction and 3,734 were 
 juvenile* 
 
 During the year the Library was .moved 
 from the Gill building to the City build- 
 
-•14 - . 
 
 ding; !!iss "ar.es still being the Librar- .. 
 iarr at a salary of v.'.. There were a. to- 
 tal of l*,237 books on the shelves; >> 
 
 • • • ■ • 
 
 It is interesting J to, note at this point 
 that a tradition Seemed- to* have developed 
 of staking the off ice of director a life - 
 jcb; Of the vdirectOFSr serving" in 1^74 f . 
 all ! had e ither. died or s were still in of— .. 
 fiee ir. . I69^v In. 1886 .James Thorp e was a 
 appointed a member;.:' in? l-.8&g William SafV * 
 fel; in 1$90 George Bennett ,' all . were : ^ ^ 
 still on the board when their deths oc- 
 curred, after 45 or more years' service • 
 
 GUEST. FOIi^A-VOtJE ' 
 
 V , 'He;airjSti move, 'toward establishment of 
 •a Library #BuildiAg ; tock pTace_ih .1912 >\ when 
 the 5oar> -purchased two lots on High street. 
 These lots later being found unsatisfactory, 
 i>he Board latei* .wars able to trade "them In, 
 with /the heip.of a small 'bond issue from 
 the City, for •the* lets .".v*her§ 'the .Library - 
 Building , now*- stands.. , 
 
 About * th^r same time., the passage of the 
 trwo /mill: tax law > began to give- the Board 
 
 sxyske hope... that they might have a home of' 
 their -own, in the future. •.-, -.Andrew. Carnegie 
 was anproacn.ed. on a prO;jpbaal •that he endow 
 construction of a building, but* turned it 
 dhown« 
 • 
 
 There seemed little hope of a building 
 until in 1917 Mrs, Mary E c Bus ay was heard 
 
• 15 - 
 
 to remark that she had been thinking of 
 making some form of memorial to her late 
 husband, Gen. Samuel T* Busey* She was 
 approached by members of the Library Board 
 and agreed to give the sum of $35,000 to 
 be used in erection of a suitable library 
 building in Urbana* 
 
 When plans were perfected by Architect 
 Joseph W # Royer and bids were received, it 
 was found that although the sum would er- 
 ect the building, : several things such as 
 stacks and equipment had not been provided 
 fc5r. Luckily, the. Board had laid aside a 
 considerable sum from their appropriations, 
 looking toward a new building, and by the 
 use of this, and borrowing from their book 
 fund, endowed by F. E. Eubeling, they were 
 able to complete the amount necessary* A. 
 W* Stoolman was awarded the contract, and 
 the Board, looking to the future growth, 
 bought the f 22 feet adjoining the Library 
 on the west* 
 
 As a fiirttfer 'contribution to the Libra- 
 ry,* Mrs* Busey contracted* with Nicholas 
 Brewer of the City of New York, one of the 
 foremost modern painters, for a portrait 
 of her husband. The portrait hangs over* ' 
 the loan desk* 
 
 Soon after the completion of the Lib- 
 rary Building, Miss *Hanes resigned on ac- 
 count of poor health, and Miss Marjorie 
 Hutchins was appointed Librarian in her 
 place* . # 
 
-.16 » •' • . • 
 
 BOOKS. READ ' 
 
 In* 1*79 jftwSpTe ift Urbana f&db&fely read' 
 
 ... . .- - . t . * --•.-■ 
 
 , - ^ALDRISHiJ 'Marjorije- Daw'" ' ;*. - : •■ ■ - 
 ;■ DJ Gtas^ !^s%err : erf 'Edwin Droed : •■ • 
 ■. H^V/EiXsV* Chance'; Acqusiintaftee ■ - 
 . '"TWAIN: r ^ildfed : { A©e ; ; " ■■■■ • ; ; 
 
 * WkL'LAtfS-: Fair God ■ ■" ' : -^ -. ■ ; - • ; ' 
 
 Itt\I 8^9/^ hey" were' reading-; ' : - • " '- -'--■ 
 
 - CHURCHILL r' Richard Carve- ..":•»«. 
 
 'l!EI";lrc : : ' Old • Chester Tailed ■ ••*■*- ' 
 JOHNSTON: To 'Have 'and To HoM r ' 
 
 ....PAGE:. Red Book , ......... 
 
 In. ly'2t+ they were reading: . fc ' : -■ 
 
 -> • * • •>• • i 
 
 GATHER :■ Lost Lady ' :: ": "- : ^" 
 F&£H2fti"'So Big '• '• ' : •-'/; ; ' ■; " 
 HURST: Lummox • ' x '" 
 
 In .X949 they , are reading: 3 : 
 
 BARNES: White Collar 2od- ■ ': < 
 CALDWELL: Let Love "Come Last' . '-' ! 
 *MERT0N: Seven Storey Mountain 
 SHEEN: Peace of Soul 
 STREETER: Father of the Bride 
 
 In 137k there were 1,100 books in our 
 Library: Today there are 39,000, 
 
 In 1874 the population of Urbana was 
 about 5,000; today it is about 13,000, 
 
 
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— 13 - 
 
 YOUR. GIFT WOULD HELP 
 
 In 1947 John ©eferrarl gave the Boston 
 Public" Library a million dollars, and: in 
 
 194& he gave the same library aft addition- 
 al half-million dollars / You prooably 
 have read of this remarkable gift. We 
 realize that tnehe -aren M t many persons 
 who are able to give such sums as that. 
 Still, if users of the Urbana Free Lib- 
 rary understood some of its needs, per- 
 haps many would like. to make it lesser 
 gifts* v 
 
 In 191JL F« E # Eubeling left, the Urbana 
 .Library $10 f 000 aj a trust fund* The int- 
 erest on this money can be used for the 
 purchase of book^. . " : 
 
 In 1917 Judge J. m Cunningham gave 
 his library. Mrs. Mary. T* Busey gave 
 03 5 » 000 for the present building* Homer 
 Stilwell gave |l,000 for fche purchase of 
 the site. 
 
 'During the current year Harold- Walker 
 and Lewis D. Griff fet have each given to 
 
 the. Library subscriptions to periodicals* 
 
 In gifts to your. library, there is a 
 'splendid opportunity, for Urbana residents 
 to -give service to the whole community* 
 
- IV - 
 
 THESE THINGS NEEDED 
 
 Following are 'some of the things your 
 Library needs, and some projects which 
 its income cannot provided 
 
 A film collection and a record collec- 
 tion would be desirable for use # of borrow- 
 ers, but could be provided only* by increased 
 funds. 
 
 It needs room to house our local history 
 collection, which is growing, our Cunning- 
 ham collection, and our # rare' books . 
 
 A record player and a radio would help 
 with Mrs. Fiske's programs for children, 
 as well as the Library f s work with adult s # 
 
- 20 - 
 
 DIRECTORS - 1374 
 
 Besore, George 1374-1901 
 
 Hays, J. ■¥. 1374-1913 
 
 Jaoues, Frank 1374-1396 
 
 McConhey, N. J. 1374 
 
 Morton, S. M« 1374 
 
 Porter, Jasper W. 1374-1339 
 
 Russell, H..fc. • 1374-1909 
 
 Sim, William, •- 1374-1334 
 
 Sutton, W. T. , •; 1374-1379 
 
 Van Tuyl, Abram 1374-1373 
 
 .:ecster,-':G. D. • •■ 1374-13.37 
 
 DIRECTORS - 1949 
 
 Bigler, Harry E. 
 Bosley, Frank A. 
 Browne, Robert B. 
 Corrie, Mrs. «L. I*. 
 Phillips, Enos L. 
 Tawney, Mrs. Guy 
 Waxier, ■ K. M, 
 Whe*eler, Mrs. Parker 
 Windsor, P. L. 
 
I 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILUNOIS-URBANA 
 
 IMIIIIIIIIIIIII 
 
 3 0112 041481141