Howard County IN Archives History - Books .....Kokomo Library 1909 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 4, 2006, 12:05 am Book Title: History Of Howard County Indiana KOKOMO LIBRARY. BY OTIS C. POLLARD. In December, 1844, the county commissioners ordered the county agent to retain ten per cent, of the money secured from the sale of lots in the tract donated by David Foster, for the assistance of the county library. The directors of the library chosen by the commissioners were: William H. Grant, Franklin S. Price, David Foster, William Grant, John Vaughan, and Austin C. Sheets. Mr. Vaughan was selected as librarian. Vaughan being a long time absent from the county, Austin North was finally appointed in his place. Harles Ashley was chosen treasurer of the library funds. In June, 1850, the county commissioners ordered the treasurer of the county library to pay all money he had in his hands to Rev. McDade C. Richmond and N. R. Linsday for the purchase of books. June, 1851, James McCool was appointed librarian and Adam North treasurer. The library was to have a catalogue, with the price of all books annexed, to keep account of all monies and persons taking and returning books. All persons keeping a book seven days over the limit allowed to keep a book were to be fined one cent for each day. The fee for using the books was fifty cents a year and for a shorter time in proportion. The time for keeping books was as follows: Volumes less than two hundred pages, thirty days: volumes over two hundred and less than four hundred pages, sixty days; volumes over four hundred and less than six hundred pages, eighty days; volumes over six hundred and less than one thousand pages, one hundred twenty days; volumes over one thousand pages, one hundred twenty days. With all the improved library laws of the state, Kokomo still clings to the old and tried law of 1883, under which the Kokomo, now the Carnegie, library was organized. Among the first to take advantage of this law was the Kokomo school board, then comprising A. F. Armstrong, Dr. I. C. Johnson, and W. E. Blacklidge. This board levied a tax of one cent on the hundred dollars for a public library. This small tax brought to the library support about ninety dollars a year. With J. C. Leach as librarian, the library was thrown open to the public in December, 1885, seventy-five books having been purchased and placed upon the shelves. One small case in the chemistry laboratory of the old high school building was ample room for library purposes, the librarian being present each Thursday afternoon for the distribution of books. Naturally these books were limited to high school teachers and their pupils. The recitation room was soon outgrown and the library was transferred to the office of the school superintendent in the Normal building, the time of opening being changed to Saturdays in the term time of school. The next move was to an entire room upon the top floor of the old Normal school building and the time of opening extended to the entire year, Saturday afternoons. The library having grown into an imposing one of thirty-eight hundred volumes, it was thought worthy of a place in the city building, and accordingly the council donated a room for that purpose. The levy was now increased to three cents and was growing in usefulness and popularity. At this time Mr. Leach classified the library under the Perkins system and made a printed catalogue. The city building was soon outgrown, and a room was rented in a downtown district, the Blacklidge block, and the hours changed from Saturday afternoon to each afternoon from one to five o'clock, with an all-day opening on Saturday. Mr. Leach finding cares to numerous to devote more time to library matters, and having accepted state office, Miss Olive Moreland, who had been his faithful assistant for some time, took charge of the library until in the spring of 1900. During this time the library had been steadily growing, under the management of the school board, the shelf list showing in the neighborhood of eight thousand volumes. During 1900 the librarian, assisted by Miss Belle Hanna, of the Greencastle public library, commenced the reclassification of the library on the Dewey system. In the spring of 1900 Miss Eva M. Fitzgerald, of Madison, Indiana, was appointed librarian and immediately took "up the work of classification under the system begun by Miss Hanna. The library then consisted of ten thousand volumes, all classified with card catalogue, according to Cutter rules. In 1901, the library having once more outgrown its home, was removed to the commodious room in the east wing of the Blacklidge block. The hours of opening were extended from afternoon openings to all afternoons and evening's, and including Sunday opening. A reading room was established, several periodicals and the daily newspapers being subscribed for. The library was in charge of Librarian Fitzgerald and one assistant, the assistant averaging five hours a day and the librarian nine hours. GROWTH OF THE LIBRARY. From a small, poorly lighted, poorly ventilated back room in a block, with a half-day service and no reading room, and one person to do all, to a thirty-thousand-dollar building, spacious reading and children's rooms, with a staff of trained employes, is the record of the Kokomo Public library between 1900 and 1904. Possibly the first suggestion that Kokomo might have a public library building of its very own was made by the librarian. Miss Fitzgerald, during the winter of 1901, when Miss Fitzgerald read a paper before the Kokomo Equal Suffrage and Literary club, in which she drew a picture of Kokomo's future public library. The discussion following this paper started the agitation which resulted in some action on the part of the library trustees, who were also the school trustees. Mr. R. A. Ogg, the superintendent of schools, was delegated to write a letter to Mr. Carnegie and lay before that prodigal library building promoter the claims the Kokomo library had to a hearing. Nothing came from this letter and the matter was allowed to rest until Mr. J. A. Kautz, a member of the board, took a little trip to New York. Mr. Kautz, ever mindful of the various interests he had in hand, found time in the midst of his private business to call upon Mr. Carnegie and in a heart-to-heart talk to urge Kokomo's desire to be numbered among the "fifty-seven varieties" of Carnegie libraries in Indiana at that time. While Mr. Kautz did not exactly bring back the twenty-five thousand asked for, in his pocket, he did bring back the promise that the matter would be looked into, and if Kokomo could show her ability to make good the twenty-five thousand would be forthcoming in due season. As the sentiment of the place was almost unanimous in favor of the building, there was no difficulty in making the necessary municipal arrangements. There was not even that usual bugbear of getting a popular subscription for the purchase of thr lot, one of the necessary requirements, as the school board decided that, under the law which the Kokomo library operates, they would be justified in making the purchase from the special school fund, which they did. The Kokomo board, as seems to be the universal rule with Carnegie library boards, were not satisfied with the gift of twenty-five thousand but planned for a much more ornate and elaborate style of architecture than twenty-five thousand could possibly cover. In order to meet these plans the board was obliged to borrow some money. A tax was levied to meet the needs of the library which brings in a fairly good income. Miss Fitzgerald carried the library through its evolutionary period, when it was seeking to emerge from a mere collection of books accessible to a limited public, to a real, live factor in the public scheme of living. Miss Fitzgerald superintended the moving, arranging, and planning for the new library, doing no small part of the actual labor herself. In 1906 Miss Fitzgerald was succeeded by Miss Edith Trimble, of Vincennes, Indiana, the present librarian. CARNEGIE'S GIFT. In 1903 a gift of twenty-five thousand dollars was accepted from Mr. Carnegie on the usual terms for a library building. The city added about six thousand dollars, making the total cost about thirty-one thousand dollars. The library is sustained by an income from the taxes, the rate being five cents on the hundred dollars. The building is classic in architecture and made of Bedford stone. In the basement is a club room used by various societies, some of which are: Matinee Musical, Chautauqua League, and Bible classes, Women's Christian Temperance Union. Gentlemen's Literary Society, and Howard County Medical Association. In 1907 the "Story Hour" was instituted, the object of which is to interest the children in the best in literature. With book lists and bulletins the children are also guided in their reading. The library contains approximately twelve thousand volumes. These books are at the disposal of all persons living within the city limits. County people pay one dollar a year for the use of books. The library hours are from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. on week days and from 2 to 5 p. m. on Sundays. Only the reading rooms are open Sundays. The library board is as follows: W. E. Blacklidge, president; W. C. Overton, secretary, and H. C. Thomas, treasurer. R. A. Ogg, superintendent of schools. Librarian, Edith Trimble, and assistant librarian, Idabelle Ford. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA BY JACKSON MORROW, B. A. ILLUSTRATED VOL. I B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (circa 1909) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/howard/history/1909/historyo/kokomoli22ms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/infiles/ File size: 10.1 Kb