Logan County IL Archives History - Books .....Atlanta Public Library 1953 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 31, 2007, 12:37 am Book Title: A History Of Atlanta THE ATLANTA PUBLIC LIBRARY The Atlanta Public Library was established in March, 1873, in accordance with the laws of Illinois. It stands as a monument to the public spirited citizens, who realized the need for books in this community and did something about it. James Shores was elected president of the first library board; S. D. Fisher, secretary, and Benjamin Bean, librarian pro tem. Other directors were Seth Turner, Dr. B. F. Gardner, Frank Hoblit, W. S. Dunham, J. B. Tenney and E. J. Thomas. For several years, the front room of the printing office was used as a library, with George B. Shoals, editor of the Argus, as librarian. Other early librarians were Mrs. Shoals, John W. Spindler and Dr. M. Lee. In 1881, the first catalogue was printed, listing 1,500 books. In 1893, the library was moved to the old city hall, and Miss Alta Chenoweth served as librarian for fifteen years. Upon her resignation, Miss Harriet Hamilton was elected librarian. She was succeeded by Mrs. Eda B. Quisenberry, who served for thirteen years. On February 1, 1923, Mrs. Gail Haines was asked to serve while Mrs. Quisenberry was in the South for her health. On May 1, 1923 she was elected librarian and has served continuously since. Many fine young people have assisted in the library and gone forth to broader fields of service. In 1907, more space was needed for books and for the many patrons who had to stand in line to receive them. Once more the public-spirited citizens did something about it. Seward Fields, a former citizen, donated the three lots which form the spacious grounds on which the library stands. With generous contributions from the public, among them a gift of $4j000 from Mrs; Martha Harness Turtle, the present building was erected at a cost of $9,500. The building was dedicated on March 28, 1908, with a reception and book shower in the afternoon and a program in the evening at Murphy Hall. In October, 1924, the Atlanta Woman's Club established a rental shelf of new fiction, a fee of 10 cents a week being charged for each book. This proved very popular. The initial gift was $100. The annual silver teas of the club have netted $409.14, and the rental fees have totaled $1,024.20, a grand total of $1,533.44, all of which was used for the purchase of new fiction. Forty books are kept on the rental shelf, and 1,300 have been transferred to the free library. Many patrons have given and loaned new books to the rental shelf. The Junior Woman's Club is also a generous contributor to the library. Most of their gifts have been spent for children's and teen-age books. A Memory Shelf was started in February, 1944 by G. Harry Tuttle, then president of the Library Board, in honor of the boys who lost their lives in World War II. He gave a book in memory of each boy. They were Eugene Hubner, John Purlee, Frederick Snow, Simon Wonderlin, Gerald Baker, Robert Sexton, Joseph Brandt, Russell Jones, Elon Gardner, A. Usherwood and James Williams. There is also a book honoring the memory of Hartford Larison and one for John B. King. The Memory Shelf has grown rapidly into a section. Books come from all parts of the United States, honoring the memory of relatives and friends. Two endowments were left to the library—from Seward H. Fields, $3,000, and from Miss Alice Tuttle, $1,000. Mrs. Lillian Harry willed the library $1,000 at her death. Many fine books came to the library from their private libraries. In February, 1948, the Atlanta Woman's Club and the Junior Woman's Club sponsored a redecoration project of the library. They were joined by the Parent-Teacher's Association, the Atlanta Rotary Club and many private citizens. A complete restoration was carried out, the library being closed for one month. The library contains approximately 11,000 books, and the circulation of books and magazines is steady. A memorial gift to the library consists of three pictures of Abraham Lincoln over the fireplace, with a placard below reading: "From a collection of Mrs. Anna Strong Forgy, whose grandfather Sylvester Strong, was a warm personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, and at whose home Lincoln visited on his trips on the old 8th Circuit. Given by her son, Clinton D. McWhenney." The library also has a large lithograph of New Salem, home of Lincoln from 1831 to 1839. This was published by R. J. Onstott, and one of the cabins is the old Onstott home. Many volumes of Lincoln history and biography are on the shelves. The large silk flag of Atlanta Post, Grand Army of the Republic is in the library, left there by Henry C. Hawes, the last Civil War veteran in Atlanta. Some years ago, James O'Donnell Bennett, Chicago Tribune writer, wrote a series of articles on Chicagoland within a radius of 250 miles. One article was devoted to the Atlanta Library, at which he was amazed. He called it Atlanta University, and closed with these words: "So I call Atlanta a most stimulating and illuminating specimen of the goodly Chicagoland and the moral is, that what can be done in Atlanta, can be done anywhere." Additional Comments: Extracted from: A HISTORY OF ATLANTA 1853-1953 Prepared by Citizens of Atlanta As a Part of the Observance of the Centennial, June 11,12 and 13,1953 THE PUBLICATION IS SPONSORED BY THE ATLANTA WOMAN'S CLUB Atlanta, Illinois 1953 Published By The Stewart - Pinks Publishing Co. Atlanta, Illinois File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/logan/history/1953/ahistory/atlantap59gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb