At a meeting of the Directors, on the second of January, 1794, the following report was made and adopted by the Board, to wit: THE Committee to whom was referred the application of the Librarian, relative to the cases of executors and administrators of deceased members, report, That it would be advisable to direct the Librarian, that no books shall be lent, in such cases, except on notes signed by all the executors or administrators of the person deceased, or by some one of them, appointed and authorized by written orders of the others— such orders to be left with the Librarian as long as any books are taken out by virtue of them. Extracted from the minutes of the Directors. An act to repeal so much of any law or laws of the Company, as authorizes the Directors to dispose of the real estate belonging to the Company. It is enacted by the Library Company of Philadelphia, That so much of any law or laws as authorizes and empowers the Directors to grant or demise any part of the real estate belonging to the said Company shall be and the same is hereby repealed. Provided always, nothing herein contained shall be deemed or taken to restrain the Directors from making leases or agreements relative to the building erected for the reception of the Loganian Library, the cellar under the same, and the cellar under the building in which the Library belonging to this institution is now contained. Enacted at a general meeting held pursuant to public notice, on the sixteenth day of March, 1795. BENJAMIN R. MORGAN, Secretary. At a meeting of the Directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, April 17, 1795. WHEREAS, by an act of the General Assembly, passed on the thirteenth day of April instant, the Directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia are authorized to increase the annual payments to be made by each member to the sum of two dollars, it is therefore Resolved, That the annual payment to be made on each share, on the first Monday of May next, and from and after that time, shall be, and it is hereby, increased to the sum of two dollars, and the Treasurer is hereby authorized and instructed, to demand and receive the same from the members, under the like penalties and forfeitures as are now in force for recovering the annual payments heretofore established. Extracted from the Minutes. BENJAMIN R. MORGAN, Secretary. At a meeting of the Directors, held the sixth of August, 1795, the following resolution was adopted, to wit: RESOLVED, That every member, or other person, who shall take out a book or books on hire, shall pay, for the use of the Library, the following rates weekly: For Duodecimos and Octavos two-sixteenths of a dollar, Quartos three-sixteenths of a dollar, and Folios four-sixteenths of a dollar, and no smaller sum, although the book may be returned within the week. That for neglecting to return the book or books, so taken out on hire, within the time specified in the rules of the Company, they shall pay to the Librarian, for the use aforesaid, two-sixteenths of a dollar per week in addition to the hire.* Extracted from the Minutes. BENJAMIN R. MORGAN, Secretary. At a meeting of the Directors held November 7, 1805, the following resolution was adopted, to wit: Books belonging to this institution, having in several instances been obtained by printers, and taken to pieces for the purpose of enabling them to print new editions, and such practices being deemed inconsistent with the purposes for which the Library has been established, Resolved, that in all future cases of a similar nature suits shall be brought against the parties transgressing. Extracted from the Minutes. BENJAMIN R. MORGAN, Secretary. At a meeting of the Directors, held October 2, 1806, the following resolution was adopted, to wit: RESOLVED, That the gazettes or public newspapers belonging to this institution be annually valued by the labelling committee for the time being, and the said valuation placed in the hands of the Librarian, and in case the same or any part thereof be required by any counsel or attorney as evidence in the courts of justice, the person applying for the same shall sign one of the notes usually taken for books borrowed of the Library, which note shall be filled up in the sum at which the whole set of such papers, of which any volume or volumes are required, shall have been last valued, and also that the same shall be returned within one week from the time of borrowing the same, and fifty cents per diem for each volume paid for its use on its being returned. Extracted from the Minutes. BENJAMIN R. MORGAN, Secretary. *For the further penalties see the rules and regulations annexed, particularly the third and fourth. D A Law to increase the annual payments hereafter to be made by the members of the Library Company of Philadelphia. WHEREAS, by an act of the Legislature of this Commonwealth, entitled, "An act to amend the Charter of the Library Company of Philadelphia," approved by the Governor, on the seventh day of April, 1832, the members of the said Library Company of Philadelphia, at their general meetings, are authorized to fix, alter, or enlarge the annual payments thereafter to be made, from time to time, as they shall deem just and reasonable: Provided the same shall, at no time, be fixed at less than two, or more than five dollars per annum, exclusive of the accustomed penalties or forfeitures for delay or neglect of payment:-And whereas, the annual payments heretofore received have become insufficient to procure the necessary number of books, and to defray the unavoidable expenses of the company: Be it therefore enacted by the said Library Company of Philadelphia, That the annual payment to be made on each share, on the first Monday of May next, and from and after that time, shall be, and it is hereby increased to the sum of Four Dollars, and the Treasurer of the Company is hereby authorized and required to demand and receive the same from the members respectively, under the like penalties and forfeitures as are now in force for recovering the annual payments heretofore established. Enacted into a law at a general meeting, held pursuant to public notice, on the twenty-eighth day of April, 1832. W. RAWLE, Chairman. Attest-HENRY J. WILLIAMS, Secretary. By-Law of the Loganian Library, adopted February 14, 1833. The members of the Library Company shall be permitted to take out books from the Loganian Library upon signing a promissory note to return the same undefaced within the time limited by the existing by-law, and upon pledging at the same time their respective shares in the company as security for such return: Provided, That no such pledge shall be received, if at the time of applying for a book in the Loganian Library, the applicant has out a book from the Philadelphia Library upon the same share: And provided also, That such pledge shall not be received as a sufficient security for any books that shall be considered by the Librarian as of greater value by itself than twenty dollars. By-law of the Philadelphia Library, adopted February 14, 1833. No member shall be entitled to take out a book upon his or her share who at the same time has a book out of the Loganian Library upon a pledge of the same share. RULES TO BE OBSERVED BY THE LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA. I. THE Librarian shall attend at the Library, every day (Sundays excepted) from the first day of April until the first day of October, from two o'clock, P. M. until sun-set, and from the first day of October until the first day of April, from one o'clock, P. M. until sunset. He shall enter in the catalogue, kept at the library, such books as may be purchased or added to the library; label and number the same, as well as all others from which the label or number may be torn off or defaced. He shall also replace the books on the shelves, as they are brought in, as soon as he conveniently can, first having examined whether they are free from damage. II. He shall lend to any member, One Folio for five, One Quarto for three, One Octavo, or Two Duodecimos, for two Weeks, and no greater number, unless on hire, or so connected as to be otherwise useless. Such persons, however, who reside at the distance of seven miles or upwards, are permitted to have books one week longer than the above-mentioned times. For all books so lent, he shall take a note, payable to the Company, for double the value, as nigh as he can estimate, of the book or set of books to which they belong, conditioned to return the same, undefaced, within the time above mentioned; at the expiration of which (unless application has been made. by another member for the same books, and the Librarian requested to take a memorandum thereof,) the borrower may, on producing the book to the Librarian, renew his note for the like time. III. Every person, not being a member, who shall hire a book, &c. shall first give a note for double the value thereof, in the same manner, and be subject to the same regulations, as a member; and shall also deposite, as security, in the hands of the Librarian, double the value of such book or books; but if the book or books should belong to a set, then such person shall deposite treble the value of the volume or volumes which he shall so take out. IV. Every member, or other person, who shall take out a book or books on hire, shall pay, for the use of the library, the following rates, weekly: For Duodecimos and Octavos two-sixteenths of a dollar, Quartos, three-sixteenths of a dollar, and Folios four-sixteenths of a dollar, and no smaller sum, although the book may be returned within the week. V. Every member, or other person, who shall neglect to return the book or books, within the time specified in the second rule, shall for such neglect, pay to the Librarian, for the use of the library, (besides the hire, where the book is not taken out by virtue of a share,) two-sixteenths of a dollar per week: and if not returned, undefaced, within one month from the expiration of the time limited in the note, the fines and hire accruing thereupon shall be doubled; and if not so returned within three months from the same period, the note or deposite money shall be forfeited to the company. VI. Books returned are to be delivered into the hands of the Librarian, to be examined whether damaged or not. VII. No person from whom any hire or forfeiture is due, or who hath damaged any book, shall be permitted to have another book till satisfaction be made. VIII. If a member, and one who is not a member, should apply for the same book at the same time, the member shall have the preference. IX. A member may take out on hire, without a deposite, as many books in value for which his share in the library shall, by the Librarian, be deemed a sufficient security, on the same terms, in other respects, as persons who are not members. X. The Librarian shall furnish the Directors, at each monthly meeting, with an account of the fines and forfeitures which have accrued during the preceding month. XI. The Librarian is to conform to the instructions of the Directors with regard to such books as, from their scarcity and value, are to be let out only on certain conditions, or not at all. XII. No person, whether a member or not, is to lend the book or books he borrows to any person out of his dwelling-house. XIII. No book shall be lent on the share of a deceased member, unless the note be signed by all the executors or administrators of such deceased member, or by some one of them, appointed and authorized by written orders of the others. |