CHAPTER XII.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THIS library had its origin in the Medford Social Library, so called, which was founded in 1825, by a society, whose design, as set forth in their constitution, was to collect books, "promotive of piety and good morals," and to aid in "the diffusion of valuable information."

The shares in the library were placed at one dollar each, and made subject to a tax of fifty cents a year.

Each proprietor could take out two volumes at a time; and any person, by paying ten dollars or more in one payment, could become an honorary member for life, entitled to use books as a shareholder, without tax or assessment.

By the will of Turell Tufts, Esq., who died in 1842, the interest of five hundred dollars was secured to this library, the principal being in charge of the town as a perpetual trust; and it was provided that the income should be expended annually for valuable books.

This library served its patrons silently but effectively for thirty years. But its growth was not satisfactory; and as the Legislature, in 1851, had authorized towns to establish and maintain libraries by taxation to the extent of twenty-five cents for each ratable poll, it was thought that, by availing themselves of the act, the library association could make their books, then numbering 1,125 volumes, more useful to the town than they were.

That thought became a public sentiment; and at the annual town-meeting, March 12, 1855, Messrs. William Haskins, Judah Loring, and Charles Cummings were made a committee to confer with the trustees of the Social Library in regard to making its collection of books the property of the town, and in that way the basis of a larger public institution.

This committee reported progress at a subsequent meeting; and two hundred dollars were appropriated for the

town library, if satisfactory arrangements should be made with the stockholders of the Social Library. The committee were continued in office, charged with the duty of consummating the work so well begun, and of making necessary rules and regulations for the management of the town library.

They reported on the 10th of March, 1856, the following compact:

The undersigned, committee of the trustees of the Medford Social Library, having been authorized at an adjournment of the last annual meeting of the stockholders of said library, to transfer, in behalf of said stockholders, the use of the books in said library, as the foundation of a permanent town library, to be supported and managed by the authority of the town; and Messrs. William Haskins, Charles Cummings, and Judah Loring, having been chosen by the town in April last to act for the town in this matter: we agree by this writing in behalf of said stockholders, to transfer to them, and through them to the town of Medford, the books, shelves, etc., of said Social Library, and also the annual income from the funds of said library; said income to be applied for the benefit of said library; reserving only to said stockholders the privilege of having said books, etc., returned to them in good order (reasonable wear excepted) whenever in the judgment of said stockholders the town does not provide reasonable care and good management for said books.

(Signed)

MEDFORD, Feb. 22, 1856.

PETER C. HALL,

ALVAH N. COTTON,Committee.

The report of the committee, including the library regulations, was accepted and adopted; and one hundred and fifty dollars were added to the appropriation made the preceding year.

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Charles Cummings, Peter C. Hall, and Alvah N. Cotton were chosen as the Library Committee;" and they proceeded to purchase books, prepare a catalogue, and furnish a room in which to place the library.

The room they furnished was on the second floor of the railway-station; and the library, with about thirteen hundred volumes on its shelves, was first open to the public July 26, 1856.

The name "Medford Social Library" was changed to that of "Medford Tufts Library," in honor of Turell Tufts, whose bequest has been mentioned; but the name was again changed, in 1866, by vote of the town, and the library was called "The Medford Public Library."

The library hours were at first from two to four o'clock, and from seven to nine P.M. on Saturday only; but this

provision did not satisfy the public; and the hours were gradually increased, until the library was open twentythree hours every week.

This institution so increased in prosperity, that it soon. outgrew its accommodations, and in 1861 was removed to a commodious room in Usher's Block, on High Street, where it remained until 1869, when rooms were secured for it in the basement of the town-house, and tastefully fitted up by a committee appointed for that purpose, in whose hands was placed an appropriation of $500 by vote of the town, in March of the last-named year.

A reading-room was opened, in connection with the library, under the general direction of the committee; and its tables were well supplied with the prominent English and American reviews, magazines, and popular periodicals, together with cyclopædias, dictionaries of several languages, gazetteers, maps, etc., for general reference.

The people of the town, young and old, frequented these rooms, and accorded to the very helpful institution their hearty commendation and increasing patronage. But progress was not to end there. The town had done nobly; and to supplement its generous action, a citizen made to the town the following proposition:

MEDFORD, Jan. 22, 1875.

TO THE SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, MASS.

Gentlemen,- Feeling a deep interest in the welfare and prosperity of my native town, I am induced to make the following communication, with the request that it be laid before the town of Medford, at the annual meeting to be holden in March next.

It has been very gratifying to me to notice the interest taken by the town in the support and maintenance of a Public Library for the use of its citizens, by the very liberal annual appropriation for that object; and it has occurred to me that the time is not very far distant when a public building especially devoted to this purpose will be absolutely necessary. With this view of the case, I beg now to tender to the inhabitants of Medford in their corporate capacity the "Mansion House" of my late honored father, situated on the northerly side of High Street, in this village, to be always retained by them, and to be forever devoted exclusively to the purpose of a town library, together with so much of the land connected therewith, as is bounded and described as follows, viz. and which contains about sixteen thousand three hundred and fifty-five square feet, more or less.

And I also beg to offer to the town one thousand dollars to be devoted to the purpose of providing black-walnut shelves or bookcases, and otherwise furnishing the building (particularly the lower story) for library purposes.