1913-06-07City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: 06/07/1913
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: William R. Driver, Rev. Benjamin R. Bulkeley, Charles L. Dodge,
Katharine P. Loring, Elizabeth P. Sohier, Louis D. Webber, and George E. Woodberry
Board members absent: Allen H. Bennett, and Joseph C. Kilham
Others present:
Recorder: Charles L. Dodge
Beverly June 7th 1913
A meeting of the Trustees was held Sat. June 7th at 3:30 P.M. in the new Library Building for the
first time.
Present Misses Loring and Sohier, Messrs. Driver, Bulkeley, Woodberry, Webber and Dodge.
Voted To accept the report of the committee on circulation with reference to forty new titles, not
present.
Voted That the question of the care of the grounds about the library be referred to finance committee
for action and report.
Miss Loring moved.
That the board approve the arrangements made by the circulation committee. That services
of Miss Lucy Ball should be accepted free of cost to the Trustees, as she had to serve 92 hours in a
library to complete her required course at Simmons College. That when necessity arises Miss
Woodbury or Miss Katherine Walker a Radcliff student be engaged at the usual rate paid to
substitutes. (Or Miss Bella.)
Adjourned
Charles L. Dodge
Secretary
CITY OF BEVERLY.
Law Department.
City Solicitor.
Beverly, Mass., May 10,1913
To the Honorable Board of Aldermen,
Beverly, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
I am in receipt of a letter from the City Clerk with
a copy of a communication from Miss Katherine P. Loring to
your Board which was referred to me for an opinion. The
question asked is as follows: "Is it the duty of the Park
Commission, the Committee on Public Property, or of the
Trustees of thePublic Library to keep the grounds of the
new Library building in order after they are planted and
turned over to the City together with the Library?"
I am of the opinion, and I think that there can be
no question that this duty devolves upon the Trustees of
the Public Library.
The ordinance of June 8, 1911 provided; "The custody,
management and control of the Public Library and reading
room, and all property of the city relating thereto, sub--
ject to the ordinance to trust funds, shall be vested in a
board of trustees consisting of nine persons, residents of
the city, who shall serve without compensation."
The grounds of the Public Library are property of
the city relating to the public Library and reading room.
The Committee on Public Property under the ordinance of
April 12, 1911 has the care and management of all public
property of the city for the care of which no other pro-
vision is made, and which is not included in the jurisdict-
ion of any other department of the city. The Park Com-
missioners under the provisions of the statutes and the
ordinance of May 1, 1911 have charge of parks and public
playground.s. It follows therefore that neither the Commit-
tee on Public Property nor the Park Commissioners have any
jurisdiction over the Public Library or its grounds, but
the full control and care thereof is expressly given to the
Public Library Trustees.
I presume that this opinion will be forwarded to
Miss Loring
Very respectfully yours.
Guy C. Richards,
City Solicitor.