The Association afterwards occupied more commodious and pleasant rooms in the "Old Saloon Building," on the corner of Lake and Clark streets.

From this building the Library was subsequently removed to Warner's Block, on Randolph street. The rooms on the third floor of the building were occupied by the Association until more desirable accommodations were secured in the brick block No. 95 Washington street. Here it remained until another removal was made to the rooms now occupied by the Association in Portland Block.

An Act of Incorporation was procured from the Legislature, in January, 1851.

About the time of its incorporation, a fresh impulse was given to the Association, and a steadily increasing interest was awakened in all its departments.

An excellent course of Lectures was given by prominent citizens of Chicago during the winter of 1850-51. Since that time, the Association has enjoyed the services of the best Lecturers in the country. The Library has gradually grown; and the Reading Rooms have been daily visited by large numbers of our citizens.

In 1858, Thomas B. Bryan, Esq., donated $250 to the Association, to be funded, and invested in such a manner that the income therefrom should provide a life membership annually to the highest and most meritorious graduate of the High School of Chicago. The fund was accepted by the Association on these conditions, and has been the means of bestowing a life membership upon the person entitled thereto, each year since the date of the gift.

From the annual reports for the year ending 25th March, A. D. 1865, it appears that the number of persons who were entitled to the privileges of the Association during the year, was 1659, as follows: life members 157; honorary members 16; lady members 184; annual paying members 1,352. The number of books in the Library at the time of the publication of the last Catalogue, as shown by the report of the Executive Committee for that year (1859), was 6,410, and as shown by the reports of the five succeeding years:

The inventory of the Library which was made at the beginning of last year for the purpose of this Catalogue, showed only 7,089 volumes in the Library at that time, leaving a deficiency, as compared with the official reports above referred to, of 2,121 volumes.

This discrepancy is overwhelming, and a most striking commentary on the management of the affairs of the Association in some of the past years, and should stand a warning to all future boards of management.

With a steady adherence to the card and fine system, so successfully inaugurated by the last Board, it is believed that no further irregularities of this startling character will occur.

During the last year, ending March 25, 1865, 39,381 books were delivered to 1,181 members. The average number delivered each day was 177. The average number of books in circulation at one time during the same year was about 1,200.

The Library contained, March 25, 1865, 8,092 volumes, beside a great number of pamphlets, periodicals, maps and charts.

Heretofore Boards of Management have experienced great embarrassment in making systematic additions to the Library in its several departments, and have been, in the main, dependent for guidance on actual inspection of the shelves to discover deficiencies. This volume will render a consistent system as easy in the future, as it has been difficult in the past.

The last Catalogue was published in 1859. It was a list of books, under brief titles, alphabetically arranged in nineteen classes. So long as the Librarian who prepared it remained in charge of the Library, to give supplementary information, it served a limited purpose, but in a year or two ceased to be of any practical value.

This volume is comprehensive in its classification, following the most approved methods. There are five general divisions: Religion, Jurisprudence, Sciences and Arts, Belles Lettres, and History, preceded by Bibliography, each subdivided into appropriate heads, under which the books are entered, with full titles, with a general index of Authors, Translators, Annotators, and all important words in every title, referring by page to the body of the Catalogue, where all other works upon the same subject, contained in the Library, may be found.

When the Library outgrows this volume, a second can be made, containing a general index to both volumes, and thereafter continued, on the same plan, as rapidly as and to any extent which the Library may ever demand.

The Committee to whom the supervision of the preparation and publication of this volume was intrusted, hope that the judgment of those who have occasion for its use will be favorable to the result of their labors, now offered in this form.

ACT OF INCORPORATION.

AN ACT

TO INCORPORATE THE YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the members of the YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION of the city of Chicago, and all persons who shall hereafter become associated with them, are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name of the "YOUNG MENS AssoCIATION OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO," and by that name shall have perpetual succession, with power to make, have and use a common seal, and the same to alter and renew at pleasure, to contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, answer and be answered anto, in all courts of competent jurisdiction, and shall have all other powers and privileges necessary to fulfil the objects of their incorporation.

2. The objects of said corporation shall be, to establish and maintain a reading room and library, and to procure literary and scientific lectures, and to promote the intellectual improvement of its members.

8 3. The officers of said corporation shall be: a President, two Vice-Presidents, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer and seven Managers. They shall be chosen annually by ballot, by the members of the corporation, and the persons receiving a majority of the votes of the members present shall be declared elected, and shall hold their respective offices for one year, or until their successors shall be appointed. The above named officers shall compose the Executive Committee. * 4. There shall be an annual meeting of the corporation on the first Saturday of February, in each and every year, for the purpose of electing officers, hearing the report of the Executive Committee, and transacting all other necessary business.

5. Said corporation shall have the power to define the duties of its officers, appoint such committees, and adopt such by-laws as may be necessary for its government, the management of its concerns, and the fulfillment of its objects; and shall be competent in law and equity to take to itself, in its corporate name, real, personal or mixed property, by gift, grant, bargain and sale, conveyance, will, devise or bequest of any person or persons whomsoever, and the same estate to grant, bargain, sell, convey, demise, let, or place out at any interest, or otherwise dispose of the same for the use of said corporation, in such manner as shall seem most beneficial thereto.

8 6. Said corporation may require bond and satisfactory security of its Treasurer, for the faithful performance of his duties as such officer.

27. The Constitution and By-Laws now adopted by said Association shall continue in force until the next annual meeting of said Association after the passage of this act; and all personal property and effects of whatever kind or description, now held by said Association, or any person or persons in trust therefor, shall, by virtue of this act, vest in and become the property of the corporation hereby created, and may be sued for and recovered in the name of said corporation.

28. The Association hereby incorporated shall have power and authority, and are hereby authorized to purchase real estate or other property, in the city of Chicago, not exceeding the capital stock created at such times as it may be determined by the Executive Committee aforesaid, to create a capital stock as in this act provided, for the purpose of erecting necessary buildings for the permanent occupation of the Association, reading room, library and lecture room.

*24 has been amended-see the amendment on page 12.

xii

ACT OF INCORPORATION.

9. For the purpose of purchasing such real estate, and erection of permanent buildings as aforesaid thereon, the said Executive Committee are hereby authorized and empowered, at such times as they may think proper, by resolution to that effect, entered upon the record of their proceedings, to create a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, divided into shares of fifty dollars each, with the privilege at any time thereafter of increasing the same to fifty thousand dollars, if such amount shall by them be deemed necessary for the purposes aforesaid, upon publishing twenty-five days' notice of such resolution in one of the daily newspapers printed in the city of Chicago; at the expiration of which time books shall be opened for the subscription of said stock, at the reading rooms of the Association, by THOMAS HOYNE, WILLIAM T. BARRON, GEORGE MANIERRE, WILLIAM E. DOGGETT, JAMES H. REES, and H. G. SHUMWAY, who are hereby constituted a committee to open said books, and solicit subscriptions to said stock, and the same shall be payable in such instalments, and at such times, and subject to such forfeitures, as shall be prescribed by said Executive Committee.

10. After all said capital stock so created as aforesaid shall have been subscribed, a meeting of all the stockholders and members of the Association `shall be called by the said stock committee, who shall require a payment of five dollars on each one hundred dollars of stock in cash, at the time of said meeting, from each subscriber of stock, on the amount subscribed for by him; and a new election of officers shall then take place, who shall hold their offices until the next and ensuing regular election; and at such election, and all elections thereafter held, each member of the Association shall be entitled to one vote, and each stock holder to one vote for each and every share of stock he may hold; and a majority of all the votes cast shall be required to make an election: Provided, That no stockholder shall be entitled to vote at such elections who may be in arrears for his payment of the instalment required or called for on his stock; and no member of the Association shall vote, unless he has first paid up his regular annual and quarterly dues to the Association.

11. As soon as said stock is subscribed, the said Executive Committee shall have power to borrow any sum or sums of money, not exceeding the amount of said capital stock, to secure the early completion of said buildings, and for this purpose they are hereby authorized to issue bonds therefor, and pledge all property, real or personal, owned by said Association for the repayment thereof.

12. This act shall be a public act, and as such shall be received in all courts, and receive a construction favorable to the accomplishment of its objects.

13. Persons not stockholders may become members, on payment of such dues as may be fixed upon by the Executive Committee, from time to time.

14. After the payment of all expenses of the Association, in keeping up the lecture room, library and reading rooms, in such manner as the Executive Committee shall think proper, and after said buildings are erected for the use of the Association, then the overplus arising from rents or profits of any such real estate or buildings owned by the Association, or purchased or erected as aforesaid, shall be divided annually, pro rata, among the stockholders of said Association, according to the amount of the stock held by them respectively.

15. This act shall take effect from and after its passage. Approved, January 30, 1851.

ACT TO AMEND.

1. See Records of meetings of December 30, 1854.

An Act to amend an Act entitled "An Act to incorporate the Young Men's Associa tion of the City of Chicago.

1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, that section four of the act entitled "An Act to incorporate the Young Men's Association of the City of Chicago," be amended so as to read as follows: There shall be an annual meeting of the corporation on the fourth Saturday of March, in each and every year, for the purpose of electing officers, hearing the report of the Executive Committee, and transacting all other necessary business."

2. This act to take effect from and after its passage. Approved, February 9, 1855,