1862.] LOCATION OF THE LIBRARY 



A. D. 1862. 



LOCATION OF THE LIBRARY OF THE SOCIETY. 



At the Annual Meeting of tbe Society, on the 1st day (Wednesday) of Jan- 

 uary, 1862, the subject of removal of the Library to the Hall of the Society 

 was introduced, whereupon a Committee, consisting of Messrs. D. Waldo Lin- 

 coln, Emory Banister and Samuel H. Colton, was appointed with authority to 

 consider and act upon the whole subject, with final reference to the Trustees, if 

 deemed indispensable. 



At a meeting of the Trustees, on the 29th January, 1862, the Committee 

 aforesaid, through their Chairman, D. Waldo Lincoln, Esq., submitted the 

 following report : 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. 



The Committee appointed to consider the subject of the location of the 

 Library, as well as the expediency of removing the same to Horticultural Hall, 

 and also of requiring it to be kept there hereafter, have attended to their duty, 

 and report : 



That they were impressed and surprised with the completeness and great 

 value of the Library, now containing many hundred volumes, among which are 

 works of the most rare and costly description, and which could scarcely be 

 replaced if lost. 



For this collection, so extensive and in such perfect condition, the Society 

 are under especial obligation to the Conamittee on the Library, but more par- 

 ticularly to your present Librarian, Clarendon Harris, Esq., under whose faith- 

 ful care and judicious management it has grown to its present importance. In 

 addition to his services as Librarian, Mr. Harris has furuished a room for safe- 

 guard, free of rent and open at all times to the members of the Society. Thus 

 much for the Library. 



Relative to its use, the sole purpose for which books are for any value, the 

 Committee cannot speak so favorably. A few of the members consult the 

 books in the Library Room, and occasionally take them away ; but to the great 

 mass of the members it is not of the slightest value. That its removal to this 

 Hall would tend to increase its value and general utility cannot admit of doubt, 

 in the opinion of your Committee. They are unanimously of opinion that the 

 system, so long and satisfactorily tested by the Massachusetts Hoi-ticultural 

 Society, can be safely adopted by us without undue risk to the security of the 

 Library, and with very manifest advantage to the interests, high-standing and 

 progress of thii^ Society. 

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