OF THE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OF THE

ST. LOUIS

PUBLIC (FREE) LIBRARY

1899-1900.

ST. LOUIS:

THE FREEGARD PRESS,

Messrs. LEHMANN, MEYSENBURG, PREETORIUS and LEE.

F. W. LEHMANN, President.

T. A. MEYSENBURG, Vice-President.

FREDERICK M. CRUNDEN, Secretary and Librarian.

Messrs. LEHMANN, WAINWRIGHT, LEE, MEYSENBURG and PREETORIUS.

BOOK.

Messrs. LEE, RYAN and EISEMAN.

ADMINISTRATION.

Messrs. MEYSENBURG, WAINWRIGHT and LEE.

AUDITING.

Messrs. PREETORIUS, MAFFITT and NIES.

F. W. LEHMANN, President.

ELLIS WAINWRIGHT, Vice-President.

FREDERICK M. CRUNDEN, Secretary and Librarian.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OF THE

ST. LOUIS PUBLIC (FREE) LIBRARY.

ST. LOUIS, Mo., May, 1900.

Hon. Henry Ziegenhein, Mayor of St. Louis:

DEAR SIR-I have to submit herewith the report of Mr. F. M. Crunden, Librarian of the Public Library, for the year ending April 30th, 1900.

This report shows in detail the receipts and expenditures of the Board and the practical operations of the Library during the year.

Through the munificence and public spirit of Mr. Carnegie, of New York, an opportunity has been accorded to our people to greatly enlarge the scope of the Library's utility.

Mr. Carnegie has offered to donate to the Board one million of dollars, one-half of which is to be used in the construction of a main or central building, and the other half in the construction of branches, as these may be required from time to time.

The conditions of this offer are that the city shall provide free sites for the buildings and also provide a maintenance fund of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year. The proposition to provide the maintenance fund is now before the people and it is believed will meet with their approval.

To procure unincumbered sites, there are no public funds available. Mr. William Barr has, however, offered to donate one site for