THE EVANSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY and the VANDERBURGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

By Herbert Goldhor

EVANSVILLE, INDIANA 1962 The i First Fifty Years

THE EVANSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY and the VANDERBURGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

By Herbert Goldhor TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1. The Beginnings

Chapter 2. Growth and Development

Chapter 3. The Great Depression and After

Chapter 4. Modern Times

Chart: Growth Record of the Evansville Public Library and Vanderburgh County Public Library

Appendix 1. Statistical Tables, 1912-1961

Appendix 2 . Staff Directory CHAPTER ONE The Beginnings

No institution can properly be understood without a knowledge of its history, and this is no less true of individual local agencies than of large national organizations. This short history of the Evansville Public Libr'ary can be summed up in one sentence. Many have labored long and well, so that those of the present and of the future may be benefited. The longer statement of the Library's history follows. It begins in this chapter with the origins of the Library, continues with some notes on the single most important person ever connected with it, and concludes with a review of the early years of the Library's existence.

ORIGINS OF THE LIBRARY

The first organized library definitely known to exist in this area was a Vanderburgh County Library, at least as early as 1848. It was located in the County Auditor's Office in the Court House, and had about 3,500 books in 1874. Apparently most of them were transferred in time to various public schools. On August 10, 1855 , the Evansville Library Association was incorporated, with authority to issue a thousand shares of stock at $3 0 each. The Library opened with $400 worth of books, on the second story of Judge Foster's building at First and Main Streets, and was available to stockholders or to those who paid an annual fee of $5. Income declined, in spite of concerts and lectures for the maintenance of the Library, and on August 21, 1874 the 3,434 volumes of the Evansville Library Association were given to the city for free public use. The Library was put in the care of the School Board, and was located at Seventh and Vine Streets. The City Council levied a small tax for the "Evansville City Library"; by 1876 it had 8,717 volumes; in 1884, these were made the nucleus of the Willard Library, established by a gift of Willard Carpenter. The Willard Library building opened to the public on March 28, 1885, and the Library has given continuous service ever since then but only in its own building, with few exceptions.

In March 1909 the West Side Business Association appointed a commit­ tee, consisting of Edmund L. Craig, chairman. Dr. George W. Varner, and Charles F. Werner, to secure library facilities for that part of town. The Committee persuaded the Willard Library Trustees to establish a small branch library on the near west side, with the Business Association paying the rent for a room and the salary of an attendant. At the same time the Committee wrote to Andrew Carnegie who was then engaged in the practice of giving funds for public library buildings. The Committee originally asked for four branches, in the west side, north side, east side and in Howell. After considerable correspondence, Mr. Carnegie agreed to give $50,000 for two branch libraries, one on the east side and one on the west side, sub­ ject to the city providing the land and guaranteeing to support the libraries by at least $5,000 a year thereafter. •m^»^

East Branch Library

On February 20, 1911, the Evansville City Council formally accepted Mr. Carnegie's offer and its conditions. The ground for the West Branch Library was given by the city, from its West Side Park. The ground for the East Branch Library consisted of two lots purchased by the city from the school board. At the direction of a Carnegie Library Committee of 11 citi­ zens, bids were taken and contracts awarded for the construction of the two buildings from the same set of plans, drawn by Clifford Shopbell, Evansville architect. The International Steel and Iron Construction Company was awarded the general contract. On October 31, 1911, the newly appointed members of the Public Library Board of Trustees met for the first time. Three had been appointed by the Circuit Court Judge, Major A. C. Rosencranz, Marcus S. Sonntag, and Edmund L. Craig; two by the City Council, Dr. George Varner and Miss Eva K. Froelich; and two by the School Board, Mrs, William R. Davidson and Mrs. Alice Curry.

MISS McCOLLOUGH

Obviously one of the first tasks of the new Board was to select a Librarian. On the advice of Carl H. Milam, then Secretary of the Indiana Public Library Commission (as between . . . "an excellent woman or a fairly good man, by all means take the excellent woman"), the Board wrote for suggestions to James I. Wyer, Jr. , Director of the New York State Library School in Albany, N.Y. This School had been started by Melvil Dewey and was still the single most important library school in the country. On April 3, 1912, Miss Ethel Farquhar McCoUough was appointed Chief Librarian, effective June 1, and the Evansville Board had its "excellent woman." Then 36 years of age. Miss McCollough was to be the Librarian for 35 years. Born in 1876 in Franklin, Indiana, to Elsie (Brown) and William B, Mc­ Collough, a druggist. Miss McCollough attended Franklin College Preparatory School and then Franklin College from which she graduated in 1901. From 1902 to 1904, she attended the New York State Library School and received the BLS degree. From 1904 to 1907, she was Librarian at Elwood, Indiana (where one of her young readers was a boy named Wendell Wilkie). From 1907 to 1910, she was Librarian at Superior, Wisconsin, and then became fieldvisitor and instructor in library science at the University of Wisconsin Library School. Among her many professional activities she was President of the Wiscon­ sin Library Association in 1910/11 and of the Indiana Library Association in 1913/14. She read several papers at meetings of professional library as­ sociations, and various articles by her appeared in library periodicals. In 1920, she edited for the American Library Association the fourth edition of Stearns' Essentials in Library Administration. Forty years later, her succes­ sor as Chief Librarian was co-author of a book. Practical Administration of Public Libraries. Few public libraries have had two directors who have written books on their field of work. During World War I, she served for several months with the ALA War Service Committee, organizing libraries for American soldiers on the Mexican border. She taught for several years in the Indiana Library Commission Summer School, and regularly visited libraries in other cities to learn from their experience. Miss McCollough re­ quired rather full monthly and annual reports from all departments and pub­ lic service agencies, in duplicate. She read these closely and returned one copy of each report with her comments. She was prompt in acting on requests for repairs or equipment, though sometimes if only to respond in the negative. Beginning in the '20's, she or her assistant made frequent unannounced in­ spection visits of various library agencies and wrote reports on what was found or seen. In 1912 she introduced the idea of "apprentices," young ladies who worked for nothing at first, and then for $1 per day (in 1915), $2 a day (by 1920) and still later for nothing. They got some good experi­ ence and were expected to go on to at least a summer training course and thus qualify for appointment to a higher grade. Only a few such apprentices were accepted each year, and the practice continued into the forties. Few photographs of Miss McCollough are available; probably the best is that which appeared with her obituary in the Library Occurrent for December 1950, on p. 379. Miss McCollough had tremendous energy, a host of ideas, a ready mind and tongue, and complete dedication to the cause of public library service. She established for the Evansville Public Library an enviable national reputation, and deserves most of the credit for the successes of the Library in its early years. When Miss McCollough came to Evans­ ville on May 31, 1912, there were two branch library buildings under construction but there were no books, no staff, and no place to work. Temporary quarters were set up on West Franklin Street, until October 1, when the library office was moved to the West Branch Library. On January 1, 1913, the two branch library buildings were formally dedicated and Miss Ethel McCollough s^-^SW^^SS^s^^SsKaso, Cherry Branch Library opened to the public. Together they had 5,527 books. Even before these two branches were open. Miss McCollough had proposed to the Library Board that a separate branch be established for Negroes, In time this pro­ posal was made to Mr. Carnegie and in 1913 he gave $10, 000 for what was called the Cherry Branch Library Building. It was opened on November 24, 1914, with 2,800 books. It was the only branch public library exclusively for Negroes, north of the Ohio River. In 1955 the building was sold for $15,000 to the Buffalo Trace Council of Boy Scouts, and the money so re­ ceived was used to buy a bookmobile. The original East and West Branch Library buildings are still in use as libraries and are still in good condition. "The work with schools," Miss McCollough wrote in her 1913 Annual Re­ port, "had practically developed itself." In September 1913, the first de­ posit station was established in what is now the Central High School. In October another deposit station was opened in the Blankenburgh School (later Emma Roach and now Cedar Hall). At the beginning there were only 206 books for the use of the three upper grades; this agency is still in operation as the Cedar Hall Branch Library. Many other deposit stations, and later classroom libraries and community branches were opened in public elementary school buildings and elsewhere (7 more before the end of 1915). One of these was in the new Wheeler School from 1916 to 1932 and was very much used. Another, also begun in 1916 in the kindergarten room of what is now Daniel Wertz School, was moved in 1921 to the second floor of the Howell hose house and still later, in 1937, into its own building next door as the Howell Branch, By the end of 1913, the staff of the Public Library consisted of 7 persons, including Miss Elsie McKay who was the Assistant Chief Librarian until 1924. Over $20,000 had been spent from July 1912 to December 1913, and there were 5,078 books in the East Branch Library and 4,839 at the West Branch. Part of the reason for the rapid expansion of the book stock is that complete cataloging was not done at this time, and indeed the first cataloger did not begin work until September 1914. Howell Branch Library, 1927

It was an obvious incongruity to have a public library system of three branches and several school stations but no main library. Though the head­ quarters of the Public Library system were in the West Branch Library build­ ing, from 1912 to 1917, it became increasingly more necessary to have a central location and more room. In April 1917, a Business and Technical

Library Staff in 1922 First Central Library

Branch Library was opened (with some 3,000 books) in the southwest corner of the then new Coliseum building, along with the administrative and cata­ loging personnel of the library system. The Library paid $5 0 a month rent for 3 rooms. By 1920 the Library had 6 rooms, in all, one in thebasement and two on the second floor, for $67. 50 per month and then $85. Even these quarters proved inadequate as the Library grew in size of staff and of volume of business. In December 1924, the Public Library Board of Trustees pur­ chased the old Journal building at IIN.W. Fifth Street (now occupied by the Union Federal Savings and Loan Association), and established its first real Central Library. In May 19 32, the present Central Library building at 2 2 S.E. Fifth Street was occupied. Though the Public Library which was established in October 1911 was by law the Evansville Public Library, it soon became evident that people just outside the city limits were also interested in library service. Miss Mc­ Collough did all that she could to encourage this interest, and in 1917 the first proceeds of a tax levied in Perry Township were paid to the Evansville Public Library to give library service to township residents. In 192 0 the County Commissioners levied a county-wide tax for this purpose, and library service to all the people of the County was begun, especially through the rural schools of which there were 55 in 1920 with 80 teachers and 2,000 children. This city-county library combination has been in effect ever since then, and the County has been represented by four trustees and the city by 7, on the combined Board. CHAPTER TWO Growth and Development In the years roughly from 1920 to 1932, the Public Library reached new heights of service, along two main lines - the development of an extensive system of library agencies, and the improvement of services for the public. Both of these lines of activity were common in American public libraries generally, and were necessary and desirable stages in the provision of li­ brary service to the people of this community. Miss McCollough and her colleagues were assiduous and ingenious in adapting general library theory to local circumstances,

THE SYSTEM OF LIBRARY AGENCIES

SCHOOL AGENCIES

In 1921, the Public Library system consisted of 7 branches (3 of them in school buildings), 12 city school stations, 15 Vanderburgh County stations (mostly in schools), 90 classroom libraries in 15 schools, and 6 industrial stations. Of 55 different agencies, over two-thirds were in or connected with schools. And this close working relationship with the schools increased over the years until every school in the whole county was being served in one way or another. Classroom libraries consisted of up to about 50 books which were loaned to a teacher for a school year for use in her room and for reloan to the children for home use. School stations were larger collections of books, from a few hundred to a few thousand volumes located in a room of a school building, staffed for up to three or four half-days a week, and open not only to the children and teachers of the school but to other children and the adults in the community. When a school station reached a certain size and was open a half week or more, it became a branch library and would then be given a permanent book collection and its own catalog. The physical quarters for these library agencies were often not very ade­ quate. They were frequently moved from one room to another as the needs of the schools changed. They were often housed in hallways and basements or had to share room with other and inappropriate functions. Heat and light were not always available in hours when the school was closed. But the work went on, and some of the school stations (e.g., in Baker School and in Columbia School) circulated an impressive number of books including a sizeable percentage of adult books. Almost all of these school agencies were in public elementary schools. Some few were in parochial elementary schools, and a few were in high schools. For two years (192 0-21) the Pub­ lic Library operated a combination school library-public library branch in the new Reitz High School. This was abandoned because community use was minimal, though from 1935 to 1945 a Public Library station was maintained at Reitz for the benefit of students who lived in the county. The usual type of Public Library school station and school branch was very successful, both in terms of book circulation totals, in activity programs for the children, and in services for teachers. This service was so successful in fact that the schools had no incentive to develop their own school library service at the elementary level until comparatively recent years. Columbia School Station, 1922

INDUSTRIAL STATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS AGENCIES

The idea of public library service to schools and to school children de­ veloped early and naturally. So also did the idea of making books readily available to people in other types of circumstances. Beginning in 1914, industrial stations of up to 200 books each were begunin the White Swan Laundry, the YMCA, Karges Furniture Factory, the YWCA, Faultless Caster, the Buckskin factory, Bucyrus Steam Shovel Co. , Sunbeam Electric, Igleheart Flour Mill, General Cigar Co. , Graham-Paige, Servel, Stanley Clothing Co. , and others. These station collections were of general interest books, non­ technical in nature. They were put in charge of a volunteer employee in each plant and were visited by a library staff member for about an hour a week. Requests for books not in the station collection would be accepted; the books in the collection were changed from time to time; and the library staff mem­ ber worked hard at increasing the use of the books (even to the point of play­ ing the piano to recruit patrons). But the industrial stations never succeeded in becoming natural units for library service; in 1926 for example, 6 indus­ trial stations had an actual average book stock of 154 volumes and an annual circulation of 1828 or of 35 per week. Most of them were closed in 1932 though the last one—at Faultless Caster—was open until 1943. In addition to industrial stations, the Public Library for years gave library service in various hospitals. Service in the Marine Hospital was begun dur­ ing World War I and lasted until 1924. At various times and for many years, the Library gave book service to patients in the general hospitals - Protestant Deaconess, St. Mary's, Welborn-Walker - but insistence that the hospital authorities pay for lost books led to the service being taken over on a volun­ teer basis by the Gray Ladies of the Red Cross. At Boehne Hospital, Public Library service began in 1924 and has continued to date with some inter­ ruptions, on various types of arrangements; for the long present, the Library contributes books and magazines and Hospital staff members distribute them and make them available. Besides factories and hospitals, other types of institutions were approached and loaned books, especially beginning in the twenties. These included a number of churches - though none lasted very long, summer camps. Chris­ tian Home, Rathbone Home, Protestant Home, etc. When Evansville College first came to this city and was located downtown, the Public Library operated the College Library by contract. This arrangement continued from 1919 to 1923. From 1924 to 1932 and again in 1936, the Public Library attempted to operate the County Law Library but was unable to finance it. For years, the Vanderburgh County Library placed small collections of books in stores and even in private homes for general public use. In the summers, home de­ livery routes were mapped out for systematic visitation by County Library staff members, and hundreds of books were sent to county readers by mail, especially in winter months.

BOOKMOBILES The most important library device of modern days, for extending book service to people, is the bookmobile. The Evansville Public Library had one as early as 1923, and had made deliveries of books 5 years before that, in a borrowed White Swan laundry truck. The first local bookmobile, nicknamed "Little Brother," was a two-seater Ford with covered shelves built into its rear, holding about 200 books. Itwasusedto take books to county residents. A larger vehicle, this time a Chevrolet truck with a specially designed body, was acquiredin 1927; it cost $1,090. It had shelves and glass doors on the outside, and held about 40 0 books not counting those which could be stored on the inside. This bookmobile too was used by the County Library; in 1930, an International truck with shelves for books was secured for use by the city library. Then with the great depression of 1932 and World War II, no further use of bookmobiles was made until 1956.

'Little Brother," First Bookmobile The Library's Second Bookmobile Third Bookmobile

Present Bookmobile

THE IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES

GROWTH OF THE BOOK COLLECTION

Besides the development of an impressive battery of distribution points, the Public Library in the decade from 1920 to 1930 made great progress in the improvement of services for the public. One of the most important ways by which this was done was by the great increase in the book collection and of other library materials. At the end of 1920, the Library had over 65,000 volumes, 46% children's books and 54% adult. By the end of 1930, there were 169,000 or almost three times as many. Most of these additional books were purchased, but many were secured by gift, notably the col­ lection of books on Judaism and a supporting endowment of $1,000 given by Dr. Marcus Ravdin over a period of years from 1927 on. Miss McCol­ lough early encouraged donations of books and secured several sizeable lots of gift books. Yet another way by which books were secured was by the binding of maga­ zines. In the first 10 years of this Library's existence, no magazines were bound, though unbound issues were kept. The increasing demands of ref­ erence service required the binding of several hundred volumes in the twen­ ties. All through this decade, from 250 to 300 magazine titles and 2 0 to 25 newspapers were received and the back issues held. Pamphlets, newspaper

10 clippings, mounted pictures, sheet music, stereographs, picture post cards and other such materials were accumulated, usually by gift. The growth of the book collection was further aided by the practices early introduced and vigorously prosecuted with regard to the repair and rebinding of books. All new assistants were firmly taught the approved methods of book repair, and the personnel of every library agency spent a substantial amount of time on this sort of work and included a statistical record of it in each month's report. A Binding Department handled books which were in need of more drastic measures. For years, itinerant binders were hired to recase hundreds of books, and others were sent to commercial binderies for resewing and rebinding. Despite these measures , adultreaders and especially children had to be limited in the number of books each could borrow at any one time because of the great pressures for even more books and of in­ adequate book funds.

REFERENCE SERVICE

Next to the growth of the book collection, and the corresponding increase in the number of books loaned, the most important service for adults of any public library is the answering of factual questions - what librarians call reference work. Not until 1919 was a reference librarian designated or able to be spared. Relatively speaking, reference work was almost completely developed by 193 0 but on a minor scale compared to circulation work. The number of reference questions answered was not even recorded for several years, and an average of sample counts for 1927-30 shows about 500 ques­ tions a month were being received at all Evansville Public Library agencies and about 62,000 books were being loaned. In 1961, by contrast, reference questions at all agencies were over 3,000 a month or six times as many, but total circulation was less than 100,000 a month or only about half again as much. Besides answering questions brought by readers in person, by telephone, or by mail, the Reference Department accumulated specialized materials, developed various appropriate services, and assisted the branches in their work. Some of the specialized materials, such as newspaper clippings, and mounted pictures, were developed by and for the Reference Department. Specialized books, such as encyclopedias, are naturally the mainstay of reference work. By 1930 at least, such expensive and valuable tools as Moody's reports on industrial corporations were being received and used. It was aboutthattime too that this Library was made a depository for United States government publications, and the decision was made to arrange them by the classification system of the Government Printing Office rather than to catalog them. These materials too have been in charge of the Reference De­ partment, and the collection now includes over 60,000 pieces. A number of specialized services were also created and offered. For many years the Reference Department solicited in advance the programs of the various women's and study clubs in the community, analyzed them by date and subject, and prepared booklists on each subject for use by and with the club members. In 1927, for example, 40 such bibliographies or reading lists were prepared. At least as early as 1925, the Reference Department prepared a list of all magazines in the Public Library, the Willard Library, and the College Library. Revisions of this valuable tool were made in later

11 years from time to time; annual mimeographed and expanded lists of this type have been issued regularly in recent years but the basic idea was in use here 35 years ago.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Miss McCollough was a firm advocate of the doctrine that the Public Li­ brary was for use, and she recognized the necessary consequence that people needed to be stimulated to use books and library service. There is hardly an idea or device or method of library publicity in use today which she and her assistants did not think of and use in the decade of the 1920's if not earlier. Constantly changing and renewed displays and posters were ex­ pected at all library agencies. Sometimes these had an unexpected effect, as publicists in all ages have discovered is possible. The West Branch Li­ brary put up a poster at a near-by swimming pool, in June 1919, which read: "After your swim, stop at the Library." The first day it was up, a troop of small boys with wet towels and bathing suits came to the Library to ask what was wanted. Readers registered with the Library but known not to have bor­ rowed any books for six months or more were sent postals reminding them of the library hours of opening, the receipt of new books, or some other invita­ tion to renew their use of the Library. At scattered intervals, staff members at various branches or stations made house-to-house calls, or surveyed the community for more readers through PTA volunteers, or organized advisory committees of citizens. From the beginning Miss McCollough worked hard to get library publicity in the newspapers, both by writing releases of news events and sending them to the papers, and by supplying them regularly with book columns. Lists of books on various subjects and on various themes were produced in a constant stream, some typed for staff use only but many mimeographed for general distribution and some even mailed out. In 1930, for example, a classified list of business magazines in the Public Library was compiled, and 250 copies mailed to the members of the Chamber of Commerce. Another standard techni­ que used was talks on library matters and oral reviews of books; most staff members were expected to participate in this activity but it is clear that Miss McCollough did more than anyone else. She had no hesitation in talking to a men's group or even to a hostile audience. In March 1921, for example, at half-time intermission at a basketball game at the Blue Grass Community House in Scott Township, an Evansville Public Library staff member described to the audience the new library station at the House. Annual reports of the Library were usually printed and distributed to the public. Public Library agencies were open usually from 9 AM to 9 PM on six days a week, and on the afternoons of Sunday and holidays. For years the Library was open every day in the year except Christmas and July 4th. On the other hand, library borrowers for the first 10 years or so were limited to the number of novels they might borrow. Community groups were en­ couraged to use the meeting rooms available in the branch libraries; in 1920, for example, 44 organizations held a total of 442 meetings in the 3 Carnegie branch library buildings, with a total attendance of 6,819. Library activities for children included story hours, hobby clubs, summer reading projects, visits by library staff members to school classes and of whole classes to the library, and many other standard and unusual devices for bringing books and children together.

12 CHAPTER THREE The Great Depression and After If the twenties was a decade of steady growth and development of the Li­ brary, the thirties was a turbulent era of progress, catastrophe, and re­ covery. The progress was most conspicuous in the creation of the new Central Library building. The catastrophe was the great depression of 1932 and after. And the recovery of pre-depression levels was accomplished be­ fore 1940.

THE CENTRAL LIBRARY BUILDING

On January 7, 1861, the two sons of General and Mrs. Robert M. Evans got drunk and killed each other. Mrs. Evans devoted the rest of her life and all of her wealth to fighting liquor. In 1878 a great wooden structure was built on what is now the corner of Fifth and Locust Streets, to be used primarily for temperance lectures. In time it became a sort of municipal auditorium. The care of the building and ground was given to a group of trustees, and the building became known as Evans Hall. By 1930 it had so far deteriorated as to be condemned by the Fire Department. Neither the Trustees of the Saleta Evans Estate nor the WCTU, which had the use of the building, could pay to tear it down, let alone to build a new building. But the Public Library, then in the old Journal building at 11 NW Fifth Street, was looking for a site for a new and larger building. These two groups came together, and in 1930 a contract was signed by which the Library agreed to tear down the old building and to erect a new building for the Library including a suite of rooms for the use of the WCTU with a separate entrance on Locust Street and to maintain these rooms with­ out charge. In return the Trustees of the Evans Estate leased the ground to

ft*^'

Evans Hall

13 the Library for 99 years for $1, after which time the building becomes the property of the Evans Estate. Few people realize that the Library does not own the ground on which the Central Library stands. The heirs of Saleta Evans sued to recover the property, but the court decision was that this use was not in conflict with the deed of trust. The next two years were busy ones indeed. The architectural firm of Walker and Weeks, of Cleveland, was hired on Miss McCollough's recom­ mendation and because they had planned the main building of the Cleveland Public Library. Harry E. Boyle of Evansville was the associate and super­ vising architect. Bonds totaling $300,000, carrying 4 1/2% interest and to be paid over 15 years, were authorized and sold to the Continental Illinois Co. Miss McCollough visited a number of library buildings in other cities and played an active part in the planning of the Central Library building here. The contract for the construction of the building was awarded in April 1931 to the L. W. Hancock Co. of Louisville on its low bid of $269, 000. On Sunday, May 8, 1932, the new building was opened for use, and 8,000 people came to see it that day. That October, the Indiana Library Associa­ tion met in Evansville, in part because of this new building. It was and still is a remarkably fine building. It was one of the pioneer library buildings in recognizing the need for being conveniently located in the business district and for being right out at the sidewalk and with a level entrance without any steps. The two display windows, the simple straight architectural lines and the inclusion of elevators were features far removed from the traditional type of library building so often found - far back from the street, up a flight of steps, and with tall columns - like a Greek temple. There is only one main feature which hindsight allows us to see might have been done better, and that is the elimination of the core stack at the center rear of the building. This consists of book stack tiers, each 7 1/2' tall.

Central Library

14 Main Floor, Central Library

Though an economical way to store books, the core stack is hard for people to use. Provision was made for 8 stack levels; only 4 were installed in 1932 and a 5th was added in 1938. There is still room for 3 more stack levels. For this and other reasons, the building has room for growth for about an­ other 20 years. This can be said of few government buildings and practically no other library building which is 30 years old. The credit belongs to Miss McCollough. It was she who begged and pleaded for the new building, who made countless suggestions for its effective use and beauty, and who planned many of its fine features. This building is a lasting memorial to her ability and foresight. Some of the features of the building v\hich are so familiar to local resi­ dents were not planned that way. Instead of having a children's room in this building, there had been none in the old Central Library building on North­ west Fifth Street, Miss McCollough had expected to develop the branch li­ brary in the nearby Wheeler School into a model library for children. The depression forced the closing of the Wheeler Branch and the Children's Room was established in the basement in a room originally designed as a newspaper reading room. On the other hand, a Charles Dickens Room for high school students had been planned in the new building but lack of staff forced the use instead of a corner of the first floor for this purpose, for over 20 years. Similarly a Fine Arts Room was not opened as a separate unit for almost 25 years.

15 THE GREAT DEPRESSION Evenbefore the new building was completed, the economic effects of the great depression of 1932 were felt by the Public Library. The total cost of the building, including furniture, architect's fee, etc. , came to $325,000. Objections of taxpayers had resulted in a cut in the Library's budget for 1932, and tax delinquency was about 10%. The Library ended up by owing the con­ tractor about $30,000; and to cover this, certificates of indebtedness were issued carrying 6% interest. At the same time, some of the bonds for the building started to come due and had to be paid, as well as the interest on the rest of the issue. In 1933, the county Library budget was eliminated completely and the city Library budget was only about half of what it had been in 1932. The result was that in 1933 and 1934, about half of the total income of the Public Library had to go to pay the contractual obligations for the construction of the building. Even before the end of 1932, it was painfully clear that the extensive system of library agencies would have to be dismantled. Library service to the hospitals and through the various industrial stations was suspended. All school agencies but three were eliminated. Book expenditures which had been about $20,000 in 1931 were reduced to about $2,200 in 1933. Hours of opening were cut drastically. In 1933 and 1934 the new building was open only from noon to 6 PM six days a week and from 2 to 5 PM on Sunday, a total of 39 hours a week or only half what the old Central Library had been open. But the worst effects were in terms of salaries. Salaries of the staff were cut from 10 to 15% in 1932 (Miss McCollough alone took a 20% cut in salary); and hours of work were reduced from 42 to 35 per week, in January 1933, with a corresponding reduction in pay. The total number of employees was re­ duced by about one-third, in some cases by not filling vacant positions but in most cases in laying people off. Miss McCollough and her assistant, MissRuthA. Bean, labored long at distributing these cuts as best they might. On November 25, 1932, Miss McCollough told each staff member his fate, " . . .the hardest day I ever experienced," she reported. Some of these staff members worked for the Library for nothing in the next few years, just to keep their foot in the door and to be considered for reemployment when conditions improved. At the time, as in other cities, the depression brought many more people to use the Library than ever before. In November 19 32, for example, the West Branch Library had a record high circulation of 10,225 books. On the night of November 21, when Miss Bean happened to visit the Branch, she found 81 people upstairs (more than there were chairs for), and a group meet­ ing downstairs. Total circulation in 1932 was about 880, 000 volumes, an all-time high until then, and not equalled again for more than 20 years. Other local government agencies suffered grievously in these lean years, but the Evansville Public Library probably suffered proportionately more than most. It must have been a grim time for the staff and the Board, coming so soon on the triumph of the new Central Library Building.

RECOVERY Fortunately the recovery of the Library from its worst days came in a rela­ tively few years. And Miss McCollough, ever an optimist and ever one to see new opportunities for expanded service, fashioned the circumstances

16 which arose to this end. Then the increased tempo of events, as a result of the war in Europe, began to make their effort felt as the decade ended. In 1934 the budget of the County Library was restored, albeit at a very low level. Both the City and the County Library budgets were improved in 1935, and hours of opening and hours of work were liberalized. Federal work relief projects were begun in the Public Library in December 1933 and lasted almost lOyears. In all, 137 men and women gave a total of 73 years of work on one or another of 15 library projects, mostly clerical in nature and some custodial and building repair. Salary cuts were not fully restored for about 5 years. Book expenditures did not equal $20,000 again until 1948. But out of the depression came new opportunities too. When the new Central Library building was erected, the old one at 11 N.W. Fifth Street had not been able to be sold. It was rented for a time and used for various civic purposes briefly, until 1938 when it was sold to the Union Federal Sav­ ings and Loan Association for $25,000. With this money, the Public Library erected the North Branch Library building at Stringtown Road and Herndon Drive, replacing a school branch in the Henry Reis School nearby. In the lastyear the Henry Reis school branch was open, total circulation was 25,357 (44% adult); in the first year of operation of North Branch circulation totaled 51,933 (62% adult). The North Branch Library opened in February 1939, and at that time it was at least two blocks beyond the end-of the trolley line. To­ day it is surrounded and long outdistanced by the growth of the city. Two years earlier, in February 1937, the Howell Branch Library building was opened. For 15 years it had been in one room on the second floor of the Howell Hose House, and was terribly crowded with almost 10,000 books. Finally in 1936, the city agreed to sell the land for a building for a nominal price, and the Library Board decided to go ahead with the construction of a building. The books were moved into the new building on Friday, January 22, 1937, and a grand opening was scheduled for that Sunday. Instead Evans­ ville found itself in the worst flood of 40 years, and the Howell Library basement was completely filled with water. Central Library and the other branches had up to 12" of water in the basements, which at that ^A/as far from

North Branch

17 the worst damage in the city. All library agencies were closed for two weeks and Central Library for three. Many of the staff had their own per­ sonal problems too; Miss Bean, the assistant librarian, had to move 5 times in 4 weeks before she got back to her own apartment. Both North and Howell branches are relatively small, about 3,000 square feet each or less than half the size of East and West Branches. But they are larger than a new type of school branch initiated in 1937. When the Washington Avenue elementary school was planned, the Public Library was invited to establish a branch there, to be so located as to be open when the rest of the building was closed. To the Library Board this represented an opportunity to establish branches without the capital cost of their construc­ tion. To Miss McCollough it presented an unequalled method of bringing books at least to the children. The result was that in September 1937, the Wash­ ington Branch Library opened in a room of less than 1,500 square feet. Later, similar branches were established in Dexter (1949), Harper (1950), and Glenwood Schools (1954). The Cedar Hall school station was converted to abranchlibrary inthe 1950's, so that there are now 5 Public Library branches in elementary school buildings. Because these branches are not conveniently located for adults, almost all of their use is by the children and teachers of the schools in which they are placed. Since the Public Library pays the bulk of their current operating costs - books, salaries, and supplies, the number of possible school branches would in time exhaust the available funds. And finally, since modern educational standards call for a good li­ brary in every school, owned and operated by the school system this pattern of school branch libraries is no longer being followed. Instead, the Evans­ ville School Corporation has embarked on a program of establishing its own elementary school libraries with the cooperation of the Public Library. These branch expansion and building projects were accompanied by im­ provement and development of the Library's general services. April 17-23, 1938, was "Library Week" in Evansville, thanks to the interest and efforts of the local chapter of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. There were poster contests, tours of the Central Library, talks before service clubs and on the radio - in short the most concentrated publicity effort on behalf of the Library in its history. The Reference Department continued to expand. By 1938 it had 35,000 pamphlets and clippings filed by subject, 14, 000 pictures, and almost 30,000 government documents. By the end of the decade, reference questions re­ ceived by all library agencies were regularly averaging over a thousand a month. The Library had 650 phonograph records by 1940; the first ones were acquired, some by gift but some also by purchase, as early as 1931 though "Victrola record concerts" had been given at East and West Branch Libraries for children as far back as 1917. The book collection totaled over 200,000 by 1938.

18 CHAPTER FOUR Modern Times

The many changes and noteworthy events from 1940 to date are summarized here briefly under three main headings - the war years and beyond to Miss McCollough's retirement in 1947, the period of Mr. Rosaaen's service as Chief Librarian, and finally the decade of the fifties.

THE WAR YEARS

World War II brought a lot of changes to Evansville and to the Public Library too. The most important effect of the war on the Library was the shortage of personnel. Pages, janitors, clerical assistants and even - or especially - librarians were hard to find and to keep. Turnover reached record heights, partly because of the low pay. Salaries were raised 30% between 1941 and 1945, but staff members were resigning after only three days of work, and sometimes they just left without resigning. For a year there was no County Librarian because no qualified person could be found or induced to take the job.

The Library strove to meet the community's needs arising from the war effort. Evansville built LSTs, and the Library gave small collections of books to be put on board some of these. The books came from the Victory Book Drives of 1942 and 1943, headed by Miss McCollough in this area, and which brought in almost 9,000 volumes. Before the USO canteen on Eighth Street opened, the Library tried to develop a soldiers' lounge in what is now the Young Adult Room on the 3rd floor of the Central Library, but it lasted only two months. Local industry used the resources of the Library increasingly in these years, even though - or maybe because - Mead John­ son, Republic Aviation, and Servel had their own special libraries. It was also during the war that the Library abandoned the practice of serving Negroes only at Cherry Branch Library.

Working conditions in the Library in the war years included a 42-hour work week for full-time staff other than custodians (who worked 54 hours a week), from one to three weeks of paid vacation a year, and no retire­ ment plan. In 1945, for example, one member of the custodial staff was 74 years old. Happily just about then the state legislature established the Public Employees Retirement Fund. The Library Board of Trustees voted to join the Fund in 1946, and by the terms of the contract, all eligible staff members over 70 years of age retired on July 1, 1947. Miss McCollough was one of 5 who were so affected, closing a remarkable record of 35 years of service. Unfortunately she did not long enjoy her retirement, and died in 1950.

One index of the stature of the library system which Miss McCollough had built here is to be found in the inclusion of the Evansville Public Library

19 in a sample of about 60 public libraries selected across the country for intensive study by the Public Library Inquiry of 1947-50. TheLibrary was oneof 12 repre­ sentative public libraries which were selected by the American Library As­ sociation to compile the Replacement List of Fiction, published in 1939. Other professional honors about this time in­ cluded the election of Miss Bean, long the Assistant Librarian here, as President of the Indiana Library Association in 1948. For many years Miss McCollough had worked hard for legal certification of li­ brarians. Upon adoption of such a law in 1941, she was named President of the Certification Board and served in that position until 1945. In the course of her career here, she was actively associated Miss Ruth Bean with almost every cultural and civic organization or activity in the community. After Miss McCollough's retirement, the Board chose as her successor Arnold Rosaaen who had been head of the Public Library at Scranton, Pennsylvania, and had worked in various other public libraries. He was the first man to work in the Evansville Public Library on the professional staff, though four others have followed him since then. Rosaaen was in office less than four years, dying of a heart attack in October 1951 at the age of 47. In his few years here, Rosaaen started a number of major projects. For one thing he embarked on a vigorous program of weeding the book collection of the Library. Miss McCollough had held the belief that no book should be thrown away if it had any possible use. Modern thinking is that a public library should have a relatively small but highly select and currently useful book stock. Between 1947 and 1951 the total book collection declined almost 10% though adding more than 5% each year. Equally important was Rosaaen's intro­ duction of a salary schedule, establishing a minimum and maximum rate of pay for each position, and his success in winning a major increase in the 1952 budget for salaries. As a result some staff members were given increases of over a thousand dollars each. Rosaaen secured Board ap­ proval of the 4 0-hour work week, and made other improvements in working conditions. He directed the opening of the Dexter and Harper School Branch Libraries, expanded the phonograph record collection (aided by a $500 gift of records and a record Arnold Rosaaen player, from the Jaycee Wives), and made

20 notable improvements in the various build­ ings. In 1949 the Board of Trustees adopted the provisions of the 1947 library law which lifted the maximum possible tax rate for the support of the Library. Upon Mr, Rosaaen's death, the Board selected for the third Chief Librarian Dr. Herbert Goldhor who was then Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Li­ brary School. He served for exactly 10 i^i ** . * years, resigning early this year to return \ •^-.. ^_ to the University of Illinois as Associate Ji \^ Director of the Graduate School of Library I^H ^K , Science. Between Miss McCollough's re- ^^K "•»^«N>r'' tirement and Mr. Rosaaen's appointment ^^^^ ifcl^^ ^^'^ between Mr. Rosaaen's death and Dr. ^^^K JB^ ^|H|k^^ Goldhor's appointment. Miss Ruth Bean ^^^^^ ^^IH ^^^^^^Bfel served as Acting Chief Librarian. She re­ tired in 1952 after 31 years of service, and Dr. Herbert Goldhor is living now in Princeton, Indiana. In this decade many of the trends begun by Mr. Rosaaen were continued, and some new ones begun. Weeding of the book collection was renewed and put on a continuing basis; and a system of book selection by staff committee was inaugurated. The principle of annual automatic increases was adopted by the Board, though as it turned out these served only to keep up with the creeping inflation of this decade. Building renovation was continued and expanded, notably the installation of air-conditioning at Central Library, 3 branches, and the bookmobile.

Billboard Annual Report, 1959

21 Lawndale Booketeria

THE FIFTIES

The use of a separate book collection, separate staff, and separate de­ partment for service to County residents was abolished in 1952, and the same facilities used equally for city or county patrons. Though the 23 county schools had as many as 170 teachers in 1950/51, the process of consoli­ dation had begun as early as 1937 when 20 one-room schools in this county were closed. Then the city annexed more and more of the county schools until in 1962 the city and county school systems were combined. It was in 1955 that the Cherry Branch Library building was sold and the money used to buy a large modern bookmobile. The last school stations were abolished, and one new school branch established, in the Glenwood School. Today the Public Library system consists of the Central Library, 4 branches, in library-owned buildings (East, Howell, North, and West), 5 branches in school buildings (Cedar Hall, Dexter, Glenwood, Harper, and Washington), a bookmobile, and various miscellaneous agencies (including a booketeria or self-service collection operated on the honor system, in Wesselman's supermarket in the Lawndale Shopping Center). An acre and a half of ground have been purchased by the Library on Washington Avenue, south of Lawndale for a new branch, and funds are being accumulated suffi­ cient to erect a building of about 10,000 square feet and with a book capa­ city of 30,000 volumes. Other changes introduced in the fifties included replacement of the tradi­ tional hand charging system by a photographic system using transaction cards (which eliminates the discharging of books upon their return) and punched so that they can be sorted and arranged by machines. More liberal

22 loan regulations (children were still limited in the number of books they could borrow as late as 1948), increased funds for books, the growth in population and other factors led to even higher circula­ tion totals. In 1961 the Public Library loaned 1,136,152 books, records, pam­ phlets, maps, magazines, pictures, films, and other materials. A collection of 16 mm educational motion pictures was begun in 1953, and framed repro­ ductions of art in about 1956. Arrange­ ments were made to microfilm the local newspapers; and one new service depart­ ment was begun, the Young Adult Room for high school students, on the third floor of the Central Library. In March 1962 the Board chose as its new Librarian Mr. Edward Howard who had been Head Li­ Edward Howard brarian of the Lawrence (Kansas) Public Library. Until he arrived, on June 1, the Acting Chief Librarian was Miss Mildred Rettig who has been on the library staff almost continuously since 192 7 and progressed through almost all the ranks to her present positionof As­ sistant Chief Librarian and in direct charge of the Division of Administra­ tive and Technical Services.

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

In concluding this history of the first 50 years of the Evansville Public Library, it is natural to look ahead and to antici­ pate what the future holds. One thing is reasonably sure, viz. , that the Library will continue to grow in service to this community and in the extent and variety of itsresources. As just mentioned, plans are well along for a new branch library on the far east side of town. New services and improvements in the old ones are sure to come, as well as higher circulation totals. The most important resource of this Li­ brary, as of any institution, are the people who work for it and are associated with it. Over 600 people have been on the staff of this Library for a year or more in its history so far. The loyalty and devo­ tion to this Library manifested by most Miss Mildred Rettig of them have been unusually fine and

23 many of them rendered distinguished service and have gone on to important positions. The trustees too constitute an unusual and select group of citi­ zens, and their service to the Library is as noteworthy as that of the staff. There seems to be an attraction in library work to fine people, and certainly this has been true of this Library and is likely to continue. Finally, the history of this Library indicates a receptivity to change which augurs well for the future. New circumstances bring new problems as well as new opportunities. As long as these are faced with an open mind and a willingness to experiment, the problems are likely not to be insoluble and the opportunities to be well utilized.

24 Board of Trustees, 1962 Edward Howard, Director, far right. Clockwise: Mrs. William G. Parrish, H. E.Arnold, Mrs. Marvin Evans, Mrs. Samuel G. Clifford, Sr. , Mrs. James Young, Mrs. Emil Deeg, Harry P. Dees, Wilford Jarboe, Charles Robinson and Owen Schneider. Mrs. William Hamsley (not pictured).

Staff Institute, April 26, 1962

25 GROWTH RECORD Evansville Public Library Vanderburgh County Public Library

RATIO SCALE

26 STATISTICAL TABLES, 1912-1961 No. Expenditures Total on Books and Books Book Year Staff Salaries Periodicals Total Added Stock Circulation

1912 5,527 1913 7 $ 5,988 $ 6,714 $18,817 5,527 9,935 79,976 1914 11 7,324 6,493 17,701 4,408 16,907 124,452 1915 15 9,280 6,290 19,372 7,111 24,480 157,440 1916 17 10,624 8,834 25,311 8,433 34,327 236,784

1917 23 17,924 11,917 38,642 10,363 41,724 301,032 1918 23 13,657 3,777 22,281 8,794 46,663 338,429 1919 31 27,509 11,577 48,841 6,483 54,532 427,129 1920 39 31,565 12,152 51,386 8,096 65,814 477,000 1921 38 38,847 9,712 60,130 12,299 71,711 527,079

1922 42 44,342 10,428 66,729 8,516 80,134 532,013 1923 46 49,862 22,596 86,904 17,662 94,047 583,375 1924 53 55,674 20,677 105,834 15,452 105,084 598,110 1925 57 58,146 23,558 108,785 14,315 115,741 641,446 1926 58 59,330 22,076 107,331 15,437 125,525 690,488

1927 59 64,601 23,058 112,685 16,452 137,944 685,544 1928 59 67,165 24,485 114,499 15,539 147,520 716,815 1929 59 67,516 28,017 118,720 18,802 161,250 766,454 1930 60 72,114 24,156 119,623 13,635 168,970 813,112 1931 54 73,743 23,690 120,134 16,689 177,572 848,433

1932 50 74,218 14,432 143,627 10,840 182,751 879,430 1933 31 30,043 2,295 80,463 2,578 176,062 547,642 1934 33 31,585 8,743 108,076 6,329 178,180 498,732 1935 45 41,355 17,792 107,219 18,348 184,724 580,147 1936 45 45,979 17,378 111,600 13,901 188,598 535,264

1937 46 48,421 14,954 109,060 11,502 193,416 508,396 1938 46 52,370 19,031 128,515 13,492 201,691 609,467 1939 48 53,845 17,942 . 118,060 12,772 210,161 629,499 1940 48 54,316 18,709 122,941 13,559 219,514 629,553 1941 46 54,057 15,304 111,821 10,923 226,935 603,887

1942 49 55,031 17,998 115,854 13,584 232,722 544,375 1943 48 59,418 17,660 122,420 13,052 237,738 441,590 1944 45 64,457 18,951 124,859 13,832 243,917 465,588 1945 47 67,056 17,599 128,973 11,739 252,383 484,634 1946 49 75,547 17,958 110,898 10,873 260,911 497,575

1947 50 79,484 19,999 142,303 11,710 264,425 503,316 1948 51 97,034 23,000 160,566 12,297 263,497 510,837 1949 49 115,297 26,948 187,648 15,217 256,920 579,600 1950 54 131,338 32,124 201,747 18,757 253,338 610,885 1951 57 133,582 31,000 206,743 17,545 245,596 642,507

1952 68 169,374 33,824 261,857 18,044 245,708 613,982 1953 71 180,874 40,100 288,913 20,781 252,461 604,006 1954 75 195,530 42,000 295,396 22,075 259,387 702,274 1955 72 204,751 44,000 321,954 21,644 270,308 747,967 1956 77 210,118 44,000 353,158 21,552 277,691 828,664

1957 78 213,344 46,000 341,420 20,488 281,378 926,037 1958 77 219,327 47,000 378,365 18,012 291,502 1,030,154 1959 77 226,863 48,000 362,437 20,455 298,700 1,090,820 1960 76 241,852 49,000 381,900 18,441 304,682 1,118,648 1961 76 249,387 49,000 403,862 15,533 307,086 1,136,152

27 STAFF DIRECTORY AS OF JULY 1, 1962

This is a list of all members of the staff, showing in parentheses job title and agency. Agencies in Central Library are abbreviated as follows: AID - Adult Information Department AMP - Art, Music and Film Room CSS - Clerical Services Section DAS - Division of Adult Services DWSC- Division of Work with Schools and Children LO - Library Office TSD - Technical Services Department YAR - Young Adult Room

Alcorn, Harold (Building Maintenance, Central Library) Allen, Diana (Junior Library Asst. , CSS) Bailey, Mrs. Marjorie (Librarian, AID) Baker, Mrs. Glena (Bookmobile Librarian) Berendes, Jacqueline (Junior Library As st. , LO)

Blum, Mrs. Regina (Junior Library As st. , DWSC) Bruner, Bernice (Chief, DWSC) Burke, Mrs. Vera (Branch Librarian, North Branch) Butcher, Adrian (Building Maintenance, East Branch) Byrd, Nancy (Junior Library As st. , CSS) Cason, Joseph H., Sr. , (Bookmobile Assistant) Clapp, Mrs. Pauline (Senior Library As st. , TSD) Clausheide, Mrs. Dorothy (Library As st. , Cedar Hall) Decker, Mrs. Helen (Chief, DAS Office) Dennis, Lemmie (Bookmobile Assist ant) DeVault, Rosa (Asst. Chief, AID) Edwards, Judith (Junior Library Asst. , West Branch) Eissler, Dorothy (Chief, AM&F) Ensinger, Barbara (Junior Library Asst. , LO) Fiester, Edith (Junior Library Asst. , DWSC) Floyd, Glenda (Junior Library Asst. , CSS) France, Jean (M imeo graph er. Library Office) Frankenberger, Ronald (Staff Artist, DAS) Garrison, Mrs. Marilee (Catalog Asst. , TSD) Grasty, Susan (Librarian, AID) Greer, Mrs. Merle (Asst. Branch Librarian, East Branch) Gronotte, Thomas (Bookmobile Assistant) Hamilton, Mrs. Martha (Agency Librarian, Harper Branch) Hardin, William (Junior Library Asst. , West Branch) Harte, Mrs. Marjorie (Asst. Chief, DAS)

28 Hempfling, Mrs. Betty (Library Asst. , CSS) Henderson, Walter (Building Maintenance, Central Library) Herr, Evangeline (Chief, Library Office) Hon, Thomas (Junior Library Asst. , East Branch) Howard, Edward (Director)

Hudson, Judith (Junior Library Asst. , TSD) Huebner, Mrs. Lucy (Accessions Asst. , TSD) Hurm, Robert (Junior Library Asst. , DAS) Jordan, Elizabeth (Agency Librarian, Howell Branch) Joyce, Brenda (Junior Library Asst. , YAR)

Keeling, Mrs. Frances (Library Asst. , DWSC) Kiefer, Clarence (Building Maintenance, Central Library) Klein, Anna (Matron, North Branch) Lockwood, Mrs. Emily (Asst. Branch Librarian, West Branch) McDonald, Brenda (Junior Library Asst. , AID & DAS) Mansure, Mrs. Marie (Library Asst. , DWSC) Martin, Helen (Asst. Branch Librarian, North Branch) Massengale, Mrs. Anne (Chief, YAR) Miller, Bettye (Branch Librarian, East Branch) Montgomery, Annie Sue (Chief, AID) Moore, Mrs. Margaret (Junior Library Asst. , Howell) Moore, Mrs. Vardine (Senior Library Asst. , DWSC) Nelson, Mrs. Patsy (Junior Library Asst. , DWSC) Parrish, Barbara (Junior Library Asst. , DAS) Paton, Beatrice (Branch Librarian, West Branch) Peters, Mrs. Hope (Agency Librarian, Cedar Hall) Phillips, Mrs. Pearl (Library Asst. , DAS) Pierce, Mrs. Valada (Junior Library Asst. , Glenwood) Poindexter, Minnie (Junior Library Asst. , DAS) Points, Jerry (Junior Library Asst. , DAS Office) Roister, Frank (Head, Building Maintenance, Central Library) Portlock, Mrs. Norma (Agency Librarian, Washington Branch) Rettig, Mildred (Asst. Director) Saddler, Mrs. Virginia (Mending Asst. , TSD) Sahm, Lawrence (Supt. of Buildings & Grounds) Sanders, Mrs. Deloris (Library Asst. , East Branch) Sansom, Grace (Agency Librarian, Dexter Branch) Schaffer, Carey (Junior Library Asst. , TSD) Schneider, Judith (Library Asst. , DAS) Schuessler, Gerald (Junior Library Asst. , DAS) Smith, Carol (Junior Library Asst. , CSS) SoUman, Margaret (Junior Library Asst. , CSS) Sovercool, Mrs. Cleo (Matron, Central) Specht, Marion (Junior Library Asst. , Glenwood Branch) Spencer, Wanda (Library Asst. , TSD)

29 Stephenson, Wanda (Order Asst. , TSD) Sturm, Rosalie (Junior Library Asst. , DAS & YAR) Stutzman, Mrs. Dolores (Library Asst. , North Branch) Szalka, Mrs. Eleanor (Library Asst. , DAS) Thompson, Mrs. Jean (Senior Library Asst. , DWSC) Thompson, William (Building Maintenance, West & Howell Branch) Tirmenstein, Adrienne (Chief, TSD) Townsend, Mrs. Juanita (Junior Library Asst. , Washington) Trimble, Mrs. June (Librarian, AID) Underwood, Mrs. Pearl (Binding Asst. , TSD) Voelkel, Mildred (Asst. Chief, DWSC) Whicker, Donna (Shelflist Asst. , TSD) Wilhite, Keith (Library Asst. , YAR & DAS) Williams, Mrs. Ann (Junior Library Asst. , AM&F) Ziessman, Mrs. Yolan (Librarian, AID)

30