Imperial County CA Archives History - Books .....Library Development 1918 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 15, 2006, 6:41 am Book Title: History Of Imperial County California CHAPTER VII LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT BY MRS. THOMAS B. BEEMAN, COUNTY LIBRARIAN IN THE early days of Imperial Valley one would think that books would have little part in the busy and strenuous days of the pioneer, but we find as early as 1905, a great desire for the companionship of books manifested itself and the small settlement in El Centro made application to the state library for one of their traveling libraries. This was sent shortly and placed in the first business building erected in El Centro, a hardware store which also housed the postoffice. Mrs. J. Stanley Brown, the wife of the owner of the building, became the custodian of the traveling library. Each month a new library of fifty books came from the state library and the old books were returned. In 1907 the library was moved to the book and stationery store of Albert Durham. This store was in the room now occupied by J. L. Travers. The old jail on Fifth street, which was opposite the Holt Opera House, provided the next home for the books. Later on as business increased in El Centro, the library was again homeless, and an appeal was made to its first benefactress, Mrs. Brown, located at 663 Olive Street, to take charge again, which she did. At this time, Phil D. Swing took the initial steps to procure a Carnegie Library building. During the time of this procedure the books were moved to the back room of Mr. Durham's present place of business on Sixth Street. Miss Merle Whitescarver became the custodian and the library business was carried on here until the completion of the Carnegie building. HISTORY OF IMPERIAL LIBRARY BY MRS. W. A. EDGAR AND JESSIE HOYT HATCH, LIBRARIAN IN THE early days in Imperial Valley, when most of the homes were tents very limited in space, the question of where our men and boys would spend their spare time and evenings, was finally solved by a few earnest women banded together in the work of the W. C. T. U. Their names ought to certainly go down in the history of these early beginnings. Foremost in this early activity appears the names of Mrs. W. A. Edgar, as secretary of the library, and associated with her in raising funds for its support is the name of Mrs. S. M. Bixby; Mrs. M. P. Grove, who gave a musicale and realized therefrom $19.10; Mrs. Chaplin, Mrs. Tout and many others who have passed from these early scenes of pioneer days. The reading room opened in October, 1906, under the auspices of the W. C. T. U. Rev. W. H. Wales donated a large number of volumes as a start toward a library. A small room was rented from W. G. Mugford, one of the old pioneers who has now gone to his final rest. The room stood about where the Imperial Pharmacy now stands. Within a year the little room became so well patronized that it was necessary to move into a more commodious location. A social was given to which the price of admission was a book, or the price of a book, and that added considerably to the list of reading matter. Requests for subscriptions to newspapers and magazines were generously responded to by the publishers. The running expenses were met by popular subscription. Mrs. Tout, the wife of the pastor of the Christian Church at that time, and who has passed beyond, was a very energetic worker for the little reading room which was put under the charge of Mrs. S. M. Bixby. Mrs. D. D. Lawrence was the first salaried custodian of the reading room. It was not long until the requirements grew beyond the possibilities of the little reading room, and through the efforts of those interested in this primitive library, the board of city trustees was persuaded to apply to Andrew Carnegie for a fund for a library building. This request was complied with early in the year of 1908, and about a year later Mr. Carnegie placed $10,000 at the disposal of the library board. This was the first library established in the Imperial Valley. The subscription library, supplemented by a collection of traveling library books from the state library, continued to supply our fast growing populace with good literature until it merged into the Carnegie Public Library, and was formally opened to the public April 3, 1909. The library continued in rented quarters until the completion of a Carnegie Library building when it was formally opened in December, 1910. The grounds planted to trees, shrubs and flowers are well cared for and present an inviting feature. As the library is an integral part of education the co-operation of schools and library is made a special feature of classes from the high schools which are instructed in the use and arrangement of books. The story hour for the children, the Audubon Club for the older ones, the child's study club for the mothers, are all under the direction of Mrs. Hatch, who has brought the library to its present and efficient condition. ESTABLISHING THE COUNTY LIBRARY BY MRS. THOMAS B. BEEMAN IN FEBRUARY, 1912, the supervisors established the County Library with headquarters at the county seat, El Centro, in the Public Library. Imperial County was the sixteenth county library to be established in the state. Miss Anne Madison (now Mrs. Thomas B. Beeman) was appointed County Librarian. No funds were available until the following September, but the State Library made a loan of 885 books, to give us a start. Permission was granted by the library board of the El Centro Public Library to loan us some of their books, so some of the state library books were placed on the shelves of the public library and some of their books sent with the rest of the state books to three established branch libraries: Brawley, Calexico and Holtville. In Brawley, on April 15, 1912, a branch was established on Main Street in a small store just below the bungalow hotel, Miss Frances Clippinger being appointed custodian. Book cases and the necessary furniture were donated by the people of the town. The club women donated a book case, full of books, which contained many books by standard authors. A reception was given in the evening and speeches were delivered by well known people of Brawley and El Centro, and by the County Librarian, who explained the whole system of the county free library. This branch was moved from one place to another until 1914, when it was moved to the beautiful new quarters in the new city hall. The Brawley Women's Club donated $100.00 wrorth of furniture, and the city fathers furnished the rest room adjoining the library. At Holtville about one dozen books were found in the old city hall building, which were remnants of a small library they had had. On May 27th, 1912, a branch was established in the old city hall with Mrs. Ida Robinson in charge. A reception similar to that held in Brawley was given and in 1918 this branch was moved to pleasant and commodious quarters in the new city hall. In the county library service the object is to reach everyone in the county to extend this free book service. The schools needed this service so the law provided for the schools a plan whereby they could receive the free service of the books by turning over their books and library fund yearly. In 1912 three schools took advantage of this plan. Today in 1918, out of the fifty school districts all but five are affiliated with the County Library. In 1913 more than fifteen other places had been provided with books, these being placed in stores, postoffices, drug stores, schools and homes. At Imperial Junction (which is now Niland) a unique branch was established in February, 1913. Finding no available quarters, a box car standing on a side track which was used for a postoffice provided the location for our branch there. The branch proved very popular in a year's time and larger quarters were secured and the branch was moved to a store which had been erected in the meantime. In 1918 it still has a branch at the store for the adults and one at the school for the children. Alamo school library, which was located in the school house, had to find new quarters on account of the crowded condition of the schools. The very enterprising young custodian in charge enlisted the interest of everyone living within a radius of fifteen miles, and as a result, a portable one-room building fitted up with book shelves and attractive interior, was purchased by these people and placed on the school grounds. It has become one of the most thriving of our branches. A school library at Bard, situated on the Colorado river, has to have its books ferried across the river. The horse and wagon carrying the books drive right onto the ferry and are ferried across. Great care has been exercised in the purchase of books so as to get the books which the people demand in good authentic editions and by the best authorities, and at the same time as economically as possible. The aim is not to buy every book a person may ask for, but to build up the library so that it will be a well-balanced library on different subjects. For the more expensive books and particularly books called for occasionally, requests are made to the state library to supply such books. Specialties are made on some subjects, for instance: everything practical on agriculture is bought. Books on California are freely bought. Everything on Imperial County which is printed from a newspaper to a book is preserved. The library, like any other business, has to be advertised. For this purpose the newspapers have been used freely. A booth was established at the County Fair. Talks were given by the County Librarian at schools and clubs, and many window displays have been shown. Custodians' meetings are held at least once a year at headquarters. At these meetings library work in all its phases is discussed. Six months training courses have been given by the county library to provide trained assistants for the work. In 1916 the county library moved its headquarters from the public library to the Wilson grammar school building on West Main street. In 1917 this building became crowded and new quarters were provided in the high school building, where the county library is now located. New service is called for at all times. The county farm, which cares for the sick people, has its collection of books. Surveying parties working for the government sent word they wanted some books about ten miles out on the desert. Books were sent them. The soldiers on our border, at Calexico, have been provided with small branch libraries at their camps. The clubs of the valley are all provided with material for their various programs and entertainments. Students taking correspondence courses from the University of California are given individual book service and furnished with the books they need to aid them in their special subjects. The high schools belonging to the debating league have been supplied with plenty of material for each subject debated. Since the war a very active part has been taken by the county library in teaching-conservation of food. Window displays on saving of meat, sugar, oils and fats, gardens, etc., have been given with gratifying results. No books go to waste. Even though they are too worn to rebind, these worn out books are sent to the county jail and county hospital. The county library serves as a big school for all the people whether they are in school or have graduated with high honors. Total volumes in the County Library January 30, 1917, were 15,092; number of branch libraries in the county number 58; number of schools affiliated with the County Library number 44; first start of El Centro Public Library, February 21, 1907; ordinance passed establishing free Public Library June 29, 1909; total cost of building, $11,349.26 ($10,000.00 gift from Carnegie) ; appropriation from taxes first year, $3,000.00 (1917-1918, $5,500.00) ; number of volumes in library first year, 703; March, 1918, 7,717; circulation first year, 700 volumes; circulation 1917-1918, 40,363; cardholders first year, 91; cardholders March, 1918, 4,271; first board of trustees: W. C. Whitescarver, Phil D. Swing, Mrs. J. Stanley Brown, John Norton, Dan V. Noland; present board: J. J. Simmons, president; A. W. Swanson, secretary; B. Salomon, Franklin Reading, Chas. L. Childers; first librarian, Miss Merle Whitescarver; present librarian, Miss Agnes F. Ferris. CALEXICO LIBRARY BY MRS. BESSIE H. WOFFORD ON JUNE 3, 1908, a number of ladies met to organize a club, one purpose of which was to open a reading and rest room. Through the medium of various entertainments and the untiring efforts of the various club members who were called on frequently to devote time, material, and labor, an adobe building, formerly a noted pool hall and blind pig, was secured at a nominal rental, and here was established a reading and rest room which are well patronized. The first year, through the efforts of one woman, the subscription for seventeen magazines was secured. The Imperial Valley Improvement Company presented four comfortable rocking chairs to the reading room. Up to 1911 the reading and rest rooms were maintained entirely by the Woman's Improvement Club. In 1911 Mr. Whalen, the new superintendent of the Los Angeles division of the Southern Pacific railway, became interested in the reading room as a place for his men in leisure hours, and through his influence the Southern Pacific practically donated the use of the building, furnished ice and water, all of which expenses were formerly borne by the Woman's Club. In 1912 the Calexico library became a part of the state and county library, and the librarian was paid by the county, another burden being removed from the shoulders of the financial committee of the club women. THE CALEXICO CARNEGIE LIBRARY APPLICATION for a gift from the Carnegie Corporation was made in February, 1915, and a promise of $10,000 was received that spring. Plans were made for a $10,000 library building, but proceedings were halted through the inability of Calexico to furnish a site as required by the Carnegie Corporation. With the acqusition [sic] of Rockwood Plaza as a park and civic center this difficulty was removed, and in February, 1917, the City of Calexico dedicated a library site in the northwest corner of the south half of Rockwood Plaza. A new obstacle now appeared in the fact that construction costs had soared to such an extent since the approval of the original plans that it was impossible to count on constructing the building they called for with less than $15,000. An effort was then made to secure an increase in appropriation, which the extraordinary growth of Calexico appeared to justify. The Carnegie Corporation, however, saw fit to deny a further sum, and it became necessary to draw entirely new plans for a building about three-fourths the size of the one originally contemplated. In due time the new plans were approved, and on November 5, 1917, bids were opened for the construction work. The lowest total sum, omitting certain features, which the library board felt justified in making, was $12,337.61. It was decided to pay the excess amount from the library fund of the City of Calexico which had been accumulating since 1915. Permission to do this was obtained from the Carnegie Corporation, and contracts were let. The general contract was practically concluded on February 20, 1918, but to date a few other items remain uncompleted, and considerable of the furniture has not arrived, due to freight congestion in the east. The building is a two-story affair, with the lower story half in basement, and is of a semi-Spanish Mission style of architecture. It is constructed of hollow tile, the exterior being finished in white plaster, and the roof of red clay tile. The main floor plan is patterned quite closely after certain requirements of the Carnegie Corporation, and has adults' and children's reading rooms separated by the librarian's booth. Additional Comments: Extracted from: THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY CALIFORNIA EDITED BY F. C. FARR IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED Published by ELMS AND FRANKS BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1918 Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/imperial/history/1918/historyo/libraryd240nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 16.7 Kb