Three Centuries of a City Library | Page 4

Library, and sheets of parchment fit for the engrossing of the orders, and that the library keeper be desired to provide these against the next meeting." This minute book is still in the City Library, but it has been overlooked by all previous writers of notices of the Library. It commences with the proceedings of the meeting on the 9th February, 1656, and records the meetings until April 3rd, 1733. As the Assembly Minute Books for the years 1632 to 1682 are missing the actual "orders" previously mentioned cannot be quoted, but fortunately the other end of the Minute Book was used to write in the declaration of admission and the rules for the conduct of the Library. They are as follows:--
"We whose names are hereunto annexed upon our admission to ye use of ye Publick Library in ye City of Norwch, in Complyance wth an Act of ye Common Council of ye said City dated ye 16th January 1656, do faithfully engage and promise,
"Imprimis That we will not at any time Carry out of ye said Library any booke belonging to it.
"2 ly That we will not Leave any booke belonging to ye said Library (after our using it) out of its due place, nor write any thing in any of ye bookes, nor Leave them wth any Leaves turned downe.
"3 ly That we will not prejudice any other pson by our use of ye said Library, to which purpose we shall not at any time delay our going to ye Library after ye receipt of ye Keyes from ye Keeper, nor ye restoring them when we Come out of ye said Library.
"4 ly That we shall as to all these Articles be Responsabl for our friends who shall goe wth us to ye said Library, as for our selves.
"5 ly We shall (being duly Chosen thereto) not above once in seaven yeares, discharge ye office of Library-Keeper.
"6 ly We shall faithfully pay our proportions to ye under-Keeper of ye said Library quarterly, and also our equall share wth ye rest of our brethren in all Charges they shall be at for ye better preserving of ye said Library.
"All these things we shall endeavour faithfully to observe & keep, if through our negligence we shall fail in any of them, we Agree to subject our selves to ye Penalties mentioned in ye orders Confirmed by the Court of Common Councill in ye said City."
The Library at this time was clearly a Reference Library, and its maintenance partly depended on the members who agreed to pay their "proportions" of 12d. quarterly, and also their equal share in any charges made for the "better preserving of the Library." The earlier entries in the Minute Book give a fair record of the proceedings at the meetings: they record the names of the members present, the names of new members admitted to the use of the Library, the quarterly payments of the members, the donations of books, books purchased with money given to the Library, duplicate books exchanged for other books, the appointments of the Library Keepers and Under Library Keepers, and other matters connected with the administration of the Library; but the fulness of the entries gradually diminishes until the records are little more than lists of members present, and notes of quarterly payments.
The meetings were held monthly, and on February 6th, 1656, it was resolved that the meetings should be held on the second Monday in each month between 2 and 3 o'clock. At that meeting a levy on the members was recorded: "All the mins present at this meeting deposed Sixpence a piece in Mr. Collinges hand towards the providing of frames and parchment for the orders for the regulation of the library, in all 5/-: and ordered such as were not present if admitted already, or such as hereafter should be admitted, should at their admission or next appearing at meeting lay down so much towards the frames and parchment aforesaid, and the buying of a book to register the Acts of the mins in."
That the members were permitted to enjoy the fragrant weed on the library premises is evident from an entry under date October 12th, 1657: "Threepence was laid out for tobacco pipes," and on April 1st, 1690 it was recorded, "That Mr. Pitts is this day discharged from ye office of Library Keeper, and is endebted to ye under=Library=Keeper for his 2 years for fire, candle, pipes, pens, ink and paper, nine shillings."
From many records it is obvious that the City Authorities closely controlled the administration of the Library. According to the Minute Book on January 12th, 1673, the members "consented yt Mr Riveley and Mr Morley should attend yppon the Court to craue their Order for appoynting the time for ye Ministers Meeting at the