A Rival for the Institute

The Launceston Library Society was formed in 1845, just three years after the Mechanics' Institute first opened its doors. 

The Society's original intent was to rely on member subscriptions for the purchase of books, but in 1849  Government support was sought, and refused, as membership failed to grow.

The original bookplate of the Society from the Westminster Review, Vol 59, Jan 1853 - April 1855

By 1855 the Library's opening hours had been reduced to one hour per week.  In 1856 the members decided to "rebrand" the Society as the Launceston Public Library, and a government subsidy of one hundred pounds per annum was offered on condition that the reading room and library were opened to the public. 

The new bookplate - printed for the Society by Ashby & Co, London.

In 1861 further support was received in the form of accommodation in the Public Buildings in St John Street – directly opposite the Institute. Financial support was short-lived and was withdrawn in 1864, although an allocation of escheated funds in 1869 provided something of a reprieve. 

The President's comments on the inadequacy of the allocation were reported in the Launceston Examiner of 23 March 1872:

LAUNCESTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of subscribers to the Launceston Public Library, which had twice been adjourned owing to the absence of a quorum, was held on Thursday evening, the hon. James Aikenhead, Esq., M.L.C., in the chair. The attendance was very limited.

REPORT.

The following report was read- According to the rules of the Launceston Public Library the annual meeting should have been held  on the second Thursday in January, but for reasons which it would be difficult to defend the general  meeting of members has been postponed untill now.

The members are aware that some years ago, at the instance of the Government of the day, this Library collected by private means was thrown open to the public, daily, during certain hours, in consideration of a yearly grant of money. This, however, was soon withdrawn, and the committee consider unfairly. Although the Howells escheated property was in this town, nearly the whole of the proceeds of the sale, amounting to over £2,000, was given to the Hobart Town Public Library while only £200 was given the kindred institution at Launceston. It cannot, therefore, excite surprise that the Launceston Public Library has been seriously crippled, by which its usefulness has been greatly impaired. It is rather a matter of congratulation that it has been able to keep its doors open so long.

The Library contains between five and six thousand volumes, of which 1044 were issued during the year. In the same term 718 persons visited the library. The number of subscribers on the books is only 27, and the subscriptions for the year 25l. 5s. One indent of books has been transmitted to England during the year.

On this occasion it will be necessary that a president, treasurer, secretary, and committee of seven subscribers be elected. The financial statement showed a balance to credit of £17 14s 1d on 31st December last. The report and financial statement having been adopted, the following, officers for the ensuing year were elected - Mr J. Aikenhead, President; Mr A. M. Milligan, Treasurer;  Mr R. Green, junr., Secretary ; Executive Committee Messrs. W. S. Button, Henry Dowling, J. L. Miller, Charles Thompson, Adye Douglas, J. J. Hudson, and George Collins. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.

An Hobartian view of the Launceston Public Library, and a revealing insight to the rivalry between the cities is contained in this report from the Mercury of 30 March 1874;

Our Launceston letter

[From our correspondent]

I wandered into that unfamiliar institution known as the Launceston Public Library, this afternoon. This musty reading room, situate in a portion of the Public Buildings, and filled with antiquated literature and cobwebs, and only open at such hours as to practically exclude the general public from any participation in its benefits, has not for some time previous attracted so large an attendance as assembled today. All the savants of the North, and a great many of the ordinary public were there, bent on seeing the preserved salmon for some time exhibited in the Museum at Hobart Town, and for which the sum of £30 was paid. With thoughtful consideration the specimen has been sent by the authorities for temporary exhibition here, and is, I believe, to remain on view for some days. I do not affect to be a connoiseur, and fully confess my inability to decide as to the bona fides of his Salmonship. I must, however, acknowledge some astonishment at witnessing among some of the spectators assembled, whose knowledge I am sure on this subject can be little superior to my own, an assumption of wisdom somewhat inexplicable. Many of these gentlemen have never yet been out of Tasmania, but with ominous head shaking, expressed their conviction that this was not the real simon pure. This peculiarly is not altogether difficult to account for. The mere fact that the finny specimen has been pronounced by competent authorities at Hobart Town to be a real salmo salar, is quite sufficient reason for competent or incompetent authority at Launceston to pronounce it a salmo trutta !

Later the Government decided it could no longer provide accommodation for the Library, which was moved to the Town Hall. In 1881 the books of the Library were placed into storage at the Town Hall and the Library ceased operations.

As early as 1863 the rival Launceston Mechanics Institute had unsuccessfully proposed a merger with the Library Society, but in 1888 the Society finally determined to hand over the Launceston Public Library collection, then some 2000 volumes, as well as the assets of the Society to the Institute, on condition of the provision of a  free public reading room. The Institute accepted the gift and asked Parliament to enable it to alter its title so as to include the words, "and public library," and in November, 1890, an Act of Incorporation was passed confirming the new name.

The provision of  a Reading Room was a boon to the Institute,  and was facilitated by the opening of the new Museum, and the consequent removal of the exhibits. The former Launceston Public Library books were eventually integrated with the Institute collection and many of them have survived.

The books appear for the most part to have been procured from Orger and Meryon in London which may explain why the second bookplate was sourced there. In the example shown above, the LMI accession number 8468 is overwritten on the original book plate.