Carnegie Library Offer Of $20,000 Accepted By Board

The School Board decided Tuesday night to accept Andrew Carnegie's offer of $20,000 for a school library and to bind the district to pay $2,000 a year for expenses of running the library. The resolution was adopted after a debate unanimously although a little opposition was expressed. President Mills stated that in addition to the $20,000 received of Mr. Carnegie the board would receive from the Ladies' Library Association six or seven thousand volumes worth say $7,000 and an endowment fund of $4,300, besides the site required. He did not expect to see the expenses of keeping up the library exceed $2,000 or $2,500 for some years.

Mr. Beal said the city would soon have to build either a library building or an addition to the high school. The library was so crowded now that they had not place to put their new books.

The expenses of the library for 1901-2 were stated by the clerk to have been $1,685 09 and during 1902-3, $1,4446 14 have already been spent.

The resolution which was adopted was offered by Mr. Beal and is as follows:

Whereas Andrew Carnegie has agreed to furnish $20,000 to the Board of Education of Ann Arbor; Mich., to erect, a free public library building, on condition that said city shall pledge itself by resolution of council to support a free public library at a cost of not less than two thousand dollars a year and provide a suitable site for the building, now therefore.

Be it resolved by the Board of Education of Ann Arbor that said city accept said donation and it does hereby pledge itself to comply with the requirement of said Andrew Carnegie.

Resolved, that it will furnish a suitable site for said building and will maintain a free public library in said building, when erected, at a cost of not less than $2,000 a year.

Resolved that an annual levy shall hereafter be made upon the taxable property of said district sufficient in amount to comply with the above requirements.