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the Lord Provost of the City of Glasgow for the time, who is and shall always be a Director, ex officio;) from the Merchants' House of Glasgow, three of their number; from the Presbytery of Glasgow, three of their number; and, from the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, three of their number. The Provost to be constantly Preses at the meeting of the said Directors; and in case of his absence, the Preses to be chosen by the majority present at the meeting.

Second, Each corporation, or society, are to elect their three Directors at their first meeting after Candlemas, subsequent to my death; and thereafter, at their first meeting after Candlemas yearly. And the persons so chosen, may, if their constituents see proper, be elected for any number of years not exceeding five; but they may be re-elected as oft as their constituents please, provided, at the time of their election, they are members of the society choosing them, not exceeding five years at once, without re-election. And in case any of the said societies shall neglect, at their first meeting after the Candlemas subsequent to my death, or at any subsequent Candlemas thereafter, or at least before the first Tuesday of May yearly, (being the time when the Directors are to enter upon the execution of their office,) to make choice of three Directors, such societies so neglecting, are to omit and lose their right of election for that year. And the Directors from the other societies shall, at the first meeting thereafter, intimate the same to their constituents respectively, each of whom shall, at their first meeting after said intimation, choose their proportional number out of their own members, to fill up the vacancy; and in case any of the said societies shall neglect to choose their quota for filling up the vacancy, the Directors chosen, shall, at their next meeting, choose any person or persons whom they think proper, for completing the Directors to the number of thirteen, as aforesaid.

Third, In case any Director shall become insolvent, he shall, ipso facto, cease to be a Director; and the Society who chose him, shall, at their first meeting after such insolvency, elect another in his place. Nor shall any Director so becoming insolvent, be again eligible, unless he shall have paid all his debts. And in case the Society who chose him shall neglect to choose one to succeed him, the other Directors shall, at their first periodical meeting thereafter, choose one instead of such insolvent Director.

Fourth, The Directors are to meet the first Tuesday of every second month, beginning with the first Tuesday of May yearly, and may meet at any other time or times, which the majority at any former meetings shall judge proper; and the Preses is hereby empowered to summon a meeting of the other Directors when he pleases, upon twenty-four hours previous warning; and five of said Directors to be a quorum.

Fifth, The Directors, at their meeting, on the first Tuesday of July yearly, shall choose a Librarian, preferring one of the name of Stirling to any other of the candidates, (provided he be equally qualified for the office with any other candidate.) And the person so chosen, may be elected for any number of years, not exceeding four years, and may be re-elected thereafter, if the Directors shall think fit, as oft as they please.

Sixth, The Librarian so chosen, shall be obliged to find sufficient security in a sum equal to the value of the books, to be ascertained by the Directors; and he shall allow all proper persons to consult and read the books three hours each lawful day. But no book shall be lent out of the Library to any person whatever, without an order signed by two of the Directors; the borrower, at same time, depositing a sum equal to the value of the book, which is to be forfeited, in case of his damaging or losing it; of which damage, the Librarian is to be judge; but, in case he shall value the damage too high, the same may be mitigated by the Directors, if they shall see cause. And the borrower shall be obliged to return the book

borrowed, within a certain time, not exceeding two weeks for an octavo, four for a quarto, and eight weeks for a folio.

Seventh, The accounts respecting the funds shall be balanced yearly; and, after paying the salary to the Librarian, and other necessary expenses, the remainder shall be applied in purchasing books; and which sum must never be less than twenty pounds sterling yearly, but as much more as possible. And in this remainder is meant to comprehend any donation of books or money below ten pounds; but any donation above that sum, in money, is to be lent out, and the interest arising therefrom, with the product of the other funds, to be applied in the purchase of books yearly, except the Donors shall give other directions, whose directions respectively must be sacredly obeyed.

Eighth, That the accounts to be kept, relative to the funds, shall be balanced yearly, on a day ccrtain, and the free fund ascertained, which must not be less than twenty pounds. And the Directors shall, at their next periodical meeting thereafter, choose the books to be purchased with the said free balance, either manuscript or printed; and which I would recommend should be rather rare and curious books, than of the common and ordinary kinds. And the majority of the Directors shall have a power of purchasing any books they please, but not of disposing of any, without the consent of the whole Directors.

Ninth, Every Donor contributing to the extent of one hundred pounds sterling, or upwards, to this foundation, shall become an extraordinary Director during his life; and, contributing twenty pounds sterling, shall be one for five years; and so proportionally for what he shall give more. And, in case any person shall incline to bequest a sum by way of legacy, such Donor shall have power, by his deed containing the bequest, to name an extraordinary Director, who shall be continued in the management for such a number of years as shall correspond to the sum doted, agreeable to the rule above mentioned.

Tenth, Each of the four incorporated bodies or societies above named, are hereby empowered, when they shall judge proper, to choose a committee to visit the Library, and the books thereto belonging, and inspect the books of sederunt of the Directors, and the accounts and vouchers relative to the funds; (which shall be made patent to them for that purpose;) and to report their opinions of all the transactions to their constituents, who, upon receiving and considering such report, may give such orders to the Directors as they may judge necessary or proper, with which the Directors shall be obliged either to comply, or to transmit such orders back to the society or incorporation for whom they issued, with the Directors' remarks thereon, stating their reasons for not complying; and the Directors shall likewise be obliged, at same time, to send just copies of the whole to each of the other societies. And whatever the majority of the whole of those who shall give their opinion upon the points in dispute, shall agree as fit, and right to be done, the same shall be binding upon the Directors, until it shall be altered in like manner.

Eleventh, I reserve power to myself to name and appoint extraordinary Directors, and also the Librarian, and to make such additional regulations as I may judge proper, by any writing under my hand. But as the articles and rules before established, as well as those which in future I may see proper to make, may be improved upon, and others established, which may be better calculated for rendering my public Library, of the greatest use possible; so I declare, that whatever regulations or alterations the four societies or incorporations above mentioned, shall think proper to make, for answering the purposes I have in view, if unanimous as societies, or whatever the said Directors, with the consent of any three of the said societies, shall agree upon, shall be binding upon the Directors in the execution of the trust hereby created. It being understood, that no regulations or alterations, which may be so made or agreed to, shall be inconsistent with, or strike against, the

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chief or primary view of this donation, viz, the constant and perpetual existence of a public Library for the citizens or inhabitants of Glasgow; and that none of the powers or rights hereby granted, shall prescribe or go into dissuetude by not using, but shall subsist and remain for ever. And in order that my tenement in Miller-Street of Glasgow, may be vested in perpetuity in the person of the Provost of Glasgow for the time being, for himself, and in name of the other Directors of my said Library, before described, to be holden of His Majesty in free burgage, for service of Burgh, used and wont, I hereby constitute and appoint and each of them, jointly and severally, my lawful and irrevocable Procurators, &c. &c. &c.

(Signed) WALTER STIRLING.

And witnessed by Patrick Robertson, sen. and Patrick Robertson, jun. both writers in Glasgow.

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In 1804, a number of gentlemen formed themselves into a society, for the purpose of establishing a Library in the City, on popular principles, which they termed the Glasgow Public Library. The affairs of this Institution are regulated as follows, viz.

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