Three Centuries of a City Library | Page 6

ye Care & Charge of ye Books of ye sd Library, except such Person shall first give unto ye sd Library ye sum of fourty shillings or Books to yt value.
"7thly: Tis agreed yt there be two fair Catalouges made, One to be & remain wth ye Court of this City, & ye other to be kept in ye Library, yt ye Library Keeper do get ye sd Catalouges made wth all convenient speed, yt ye Books be rang'd into some method & order, yt ye Library Keeper shall take in such assistance as is wanting, & his charge & trouble be allow'd according to ye discretion of ye Society."
These rules show that borrowers were permitted to record the books they borrowed, that they were allowed to retain them for a month, that damaged books should be reported to the Under Library Keeper before being taken away, and that a stocktaking fine of 2s. 6d. was provided for in the event of books not being returned in the January of each year.
The Minutes between 1716 and 1731 chiefly record formal matters, and little of note regarding the administration of the Library. On February 7th, 1731, "It was then unanimously agreed that the Members meet for the future on the first Tuesday in every Month at two o'Clock in ye afternoon." On the 7th of the following month two delinquent borrowers were dealt with: "Whereas the Revd Mr. Francis Johnson took some time since the Works of Bishop Bull in 4 volumes 8vo out of this Library, & has return'd only ye 1st, 3rd & 4th Vols & instead of ye 2d Sherlock on providence, it Was then Order'd, that that shd be return'd him again, & that he be requir'd either to send back ye sd 2d vol. or take the remaining three, & send an entire Sett. Order'd likewise that Mr Morrant be requir'd to return B-p. Stillingfleets Origines Sacrae, being ye 2d vol. of his works, Long since taken out by Him."
The regulations for the administration of the Library were again revised in 1732/3 by the City Council: {11}
"At an ASSEMBLY held on Feb. the 24th, 1732/3. the Right Worshipful the MAYOR, Sheriffs, Aldermen, and Common-Council this Day assembled, for the better Regulation of the Publick Library, have unanimously appointed the following ORDERS to be observed, upon Pain of Exclusion from the said Library.
"ORDERED, That the Catalogues already printed be Six Hundred; and that one Half of them be kept in the Town-Clerk's Office, to be delivered out to the Members of the Corporation; and the other Half be left in the Library, to be delivered out to the Subscribers.
"ORDERED, That the Books in the said Library be Annually called over, in the first Week of June, in the Presence of the Chamberlain; and that such books as are found to be Duplicates, be sold by the Chamberlain and Library-Keeper; and that the Money arising by Sale thereof, be laid out in the Purchasing of such Books as shall be thought proper by the said Subscribers.
"ORDERED, That after the said Annual Call is finished, the Subscribers to the said Library, upon their next Monthly Meeting, have Liberty to choose a Library-Keeper for the Year ensuing.
"ORDERED, That on the Reception of any Book or Books given to the said Library, the Donor's Name shall be written on the inside Cover of the Book, and that the Library-Keeper shall Register the same in the Vellum Book.
"ORDERED, That no Person shall have more than Three Books out of the said Library at one Time, nor keep them longer than one Month, without the Consent of the Majority of the Subscribers present at their Monthly Meeting: And that an Account of every Book Lent, and the Return thereof, be duly made and enter'd in a Book for that Purpose.
"ORDERED, That every Person who shall be admitted to the Use of the said Library, shall declare his full and free Consent to comply with the said Orders, as far as to him may appertain, according to the true Intent and Meaning of the same; and particularly with the following Orders or Articles, by subscribing his Name in the said Library-Book upon his Admission: And also that all the said Orders, and the following Articles, shall be entred in the said Library-Book, viz:
"First, That every Subscriber upon Admission shall pay to the Under Library-Keeper one Shilling, and also one Shilling Quarterly, for his Care of, and Attendance at the said Library: And every Subscriber shall also pay his Proportion of all Charges that may be thought necessary by the Subscribers, for the better preserving of the Books in the said Library; or shall be excluded the Use thereof.
"Secondly, That if any Book be lent out, and lost or damaged, the Borrower shall be obliged