“The ratepayers will be asked on New Year’s Day to vote for the establishment of a Free Public Library. A free library, where every man and woman, boy and girl, high or low, rich or poor who wishes to improve his or her mind, may be able to procure books without money or prices. Such a Library would tend greatly to raise the standard of public intelligence in this city, and the more intelligent men become the better neighbours and the better citizens they are.”
[Quote from Alderman John Hallam in The Globe’s Hear Ye! Hear Ye! section, December 30th 1882 The Vote for the Free Library]