Carnegie Asked for Gift to Ann Arbor

Library Site Already Secured and a Movement in Foot to Unite the Ladies Library and the High School Library

If the plans now in the minds of the city school board and the Ladies' Library association can be carried out, Ann Arbor will find itself in the possession of a handsome public library at no distant date, as the initial steps have been taken looking to a consolidation of school and Ladies' Library association interests, and the solicitation of $20,000 from Andrew Carnegie for a new building.

The matter was brought before the city school board Tuesday by Mrs. Anna B. Bach, a board member, who, in the capacity of a committee from the Ladies' Library board, explained the possibilities of the situation.

The library committee of the board were directed to investigate and to confer with Mrs. Bach in regard to the details of the arrangement and to report at an early meeting, while Mrs. Bach will render her report to the Ladies' Library association at the annual meeting Monday afternoon.

"There is no reason why the school and Ladies' Library association should not consolidate their interests and ask Mr. Carnegie for money for a building," said Mrs. Bach to a reporter this morning, "as the association have a site, which is one of the requirements connected with Carnegie's gifts, while the school and association spend at least $2,000 a year in keeping up the two libraries, and that would be 10 per cent of $20,000, which would be as much as we would need for a building. Carnegie, you know, stipulates that the city shall furnish for the maintenance of the library ten per cent of the cost of the building he gives, and this keeps many cities from taking advantage of his offer, but by the proposed arrangement Ann Arbor could get a $20,000 building without the cost of a cent additional. We would then have a free library, which is not now the case, as the association charges a membership fee of $1 per year."

Mrs. Bach explained that the plan is as yet in its infancy and that many details will need to be looked up before any attempt can be made to secure the $20,000 from Carnegie. "The Ladies' Library association have a $4,300 memorial fund for the purchase of books, which could not be turned over to the city, while there is considerable doubt whether the association itself could legally be merged into a public institution. The necessary mode of procedure would probably be for the association to rent their grounds and building to the city and then use such rent for new books.

"That's the way it is done at Ypsilanti," said Mrs. Bach, "where the Ladies' Library association have a building that was given to them by a wealthy citizen on the condition that it should revert to the estate if at any time it passed from the hands of the association. The city pays several hundred dollars toward the library's support, and the books are free, but the city money goes down as rent, and the association keeps its name."

There was talk two years ago of a consolidation of the Ladies' association and the school library, but although many in both boards were in favor of such action the project was allowed to die a natural death.

The ladies are all enthusiastic advocates of the new plan and the talk at the school board meeting last evening was also favorable.

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Much time was given at the meeting of the board of education Tuesday to perfecting the contract with Koch Bros. on the new First ward school building and discussion of certain changes in the specifications and examination of the contractors' bonds. The bonds amount to $20,000 and are furnished by the Aetna Indemnity Co., of Connecticut, through the Detroit office of the concern. Ten thousand dollars of the bonds are for the faithful performance of the conditions of the contract and ten thousand dollars to cover all matters of material and labor.

Koch Brothers are to be given possession of the grounds to begin work on the new building on or before May 1.

Some discussion was indulged in relative to the percentage allowed Architect Oates for his plans. It developed that there is an agreement among architects on this point and that the price paid Oates is the regulation trust price.

Mrs. Bach, as a representative of the Ladies' Library, presented a proposition from that organization looking toward the consolidation of that library with the school district library and the joint organization moving to secure a gift of $15,000 or $20,000 from Mr. Carnegie. It was stated that the ten per cent on the sum given which he is in the habit of requiring cities to raise each year on his gifts would not be more than is being put into these libraries now and that consequently it might be a good thing to try to secure a gift from him. The matter was referred to the library committee with Mrs. Bach added.