Harris County Archives Houston, Texas

Finding Aid

Harris County Public Library Records CR57 (1920 – 2013, Bulk: 1920 - 2000)

Size: 31 cubic feet, 16 items Accession Numbers: 2007.005, Restrictions on Access: None 2009.003, 2015.016, 2016.003, Restrictions on Use: None 2016.004, 2017.001, 2017.003 Acquisition: Harris County Public Processed by: AnnElise Golden 2008; Library, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017. Sarah Canby Jackson, 2015, 2021; Terrin Rivera 2019 – 2021.

Citation: [Identification of Item], Harris County Public Library Records, Harris County Archives, Houston, Texas.

Agency History: In the fall of 1920 a campaign for library services began for rural Harris County. Under the direction of attorney Arthur B. Dawes with assistance from the Dairy Men’s Association, Julia Ideson, Librarian of the Houston Public Library, I.H. Mowery of Aldine, Miss Christine Baker of Barker, County Judge Chester H. Bryan, Edward F. Pickering, and Rev. Harris Masterson, a citizen’s committee circulated petitions for a county library throughout Harris County. Dawes presented the plans and petitions signed by Harris County qualified voters to the Commissioners Court and, with skepticism, the Commissioners Court ordered a budget of $6500.00 for the county library for a trial period of one year. If the library did not succeed, the Commissioners Court would not approve a budget for a second year.

The Harris County Commissioners Court appointed its first librarian, Lucy Fuller, in May 1921, and with an office on the fifth floor of the Harris County Court House, the Harris County Public Library was in operation. At the close of the year, the HCPL had twenty- six library branches and book wagon stations in operation, 3,455 volumes in the library, and 19,574 volumes in circulation. The County Library was a success and for the 1922 budget year the Commissioners Court set aside $12,000 for the Harris County Public Library. Lucy Fuller served as Librarian until 1926. Ruth Underwood Pooley was County Librarian from 1926-1932 and under her supervision a dramatic increase in library branches, book wagon stations and circulation occurred even with a reduced budget during the Great Depression.

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Elnora Edgar Buchanan was County Librarian from 1932-1939 and she too had to work with a limited budget. In 1935, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Library Project paid the salaries of the county library’s part time employees, which allowed HCPL to stay within the budget, buy new books, and pay to have books mended. During the Great Depression, HCPL provided books for the National Youth Administration (NYA) camp for girls in La Porte, to the Federal Transient Home (later Ranger Home) for men in South Houston, and the Santa Ana Home for transient boys in Pasadena. In 1937, the library received its first bookmobile, which offered library services to people living in areas with limited branches or book wagon stations. These stations varied from small collections of books in one-teacher schools to branches having several thousand books housed in separate buildings. From a peak of sixty stations throughout Harris County, the number of library locations changed from year to year due to the addition of community libraries, consolidation of rural schools, the annexation of communities by the city of Houston and schools by the Houston Independent School District.

The bookmobile service remained popular through World War II, allowing librarians to continue to reach large parts of the county while the library's budget was severely reduced. County Librarian Reba Anderson (1939-1945) served as the head of the Victory Book Campaign drive in Harris County, a national campaign to send millions of books to the U.S. armed forces. Library collections were placed at Ellington Field Hospital to serve the wounded men that were recovering there.

County Librarian Bernice Snell (1945-1951) oversaw a consolidation of several of the smallest stations into formal branches as the library system continued to face budget troubles. The bookmobile service was continually popular, and in 1948 the first bookmobile was replaced with a new custom van that could hold 2,000 volumes.

The 23-year tenure of County Librarian Mary Owensby (1951-1974) represented a period of great change for HCPL. During the 1950s, the Channelview, Spring Branch Memorial, and Jacinto City branches were opened. The City of Pasadena took over operations of the Pasadena Branch in 1953. The bookmobile added a second vehicle in 1954, and the circulation of books through the bookmobiles greatly surpassed the circulation at the individual branches. In 1963, the original Goose Creek Branch, which had come to be known as the Baytown Branch, separated from the County. As the County experienced rapid growth, new buildings were opened to better serve the communities surrounding Houston. The Highlands and Humble branches each received new buildings and new names: Stratford and Octavia Fields. The last of the original branch buildings from the 1920s, in the Fairbanks community, was torn down and replaced in 1971. On the 50th anniversary of the library's founding, Owensby commissioned a study on the library system with a projection for Harris County's future and how the library could meet the needs of the growing population outside the city of Houston. This study highlighted the need to expand service in the Cypress Creek, Clear Lake City, and Aldine areas.

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Katherine "Kathy" Skinner Brown (1974-1979) was the first county librarian to receive the new title of Library Director when she took over from Owensby in 1974. During the 1970s, several bond issues passed for the creation of new libraries. Brown oversaw the opening of the Cypress Creek and Aldine branches and a new facility for the Freeman Memorial Library in Clear Lake City. By the end of her tenure, there were 17 established HCPL branches and two bookmobiles.

Catherine "Cathy" S. Park took over as director in 1979 after previously working as the Branch Librarian at the Fairbanks branch and the Central Office. Bond issues continued to fund the construction of new branches through the 1980s, including the Bear Creek, Baldwin Boettcher, Evelyn Meador, High Meadows, Kingwood, and Northwest branches. Many of the new branches served communities that were previously only served through the bookmobile program. Several branches were renovated or rebuilt as well during this time.

The 1990s saw continued growth, thanks largely to active Friends of the Library groups that worked with the library and the County Commissioners to fund construction. The Maud Marks, Parker Williams, and Atascocita branches all opened by 1996. After decades of continual issues with flooding and water damage, the Channelview and Woodforest branches were closed and replaced by the North Channel branch in 1994. Branches began adding computers for public use in the early 1990s, with Internet access in all branches by 1999. By the end of the 1990s, the branch system had extended to most of the communities served by the bookmobile program. The library had sought funding for several years to replace the aging vehicles, which needed extensive repair work to continue operating. Given the branch system's expansion and the high cost of a new vehicle, the bookmobile program ended in 1999.

At the start of the new millennium, HCPL began partnering with other local systems to expand and open new branches. The Clear Lake City-County Freeman branch was expanded in partnership with the City of Houston. In partnership with North Harris County Montgomery Community College, a new branch was added to the system in Cy- Fair, and the Tomball library received a much-needed new building. When Park retired in 2006 after 26 years, she was the longest-serving director of the library and had overseen the library system's expansion from 17 to 26 branches.

Director Rhoda Goldberg (2008-2013) served as Assistant Director under Cathy Park starting in the late 1970s. In 2007, she was named the Interim Library Director after the retirement of Park and then became the official Director in 2008. During her time as Director, Goldberg oversaw the Kingwood Branch's partnership with Houston Public Library. She led the system's recovery after flooding and winds from Hurricane Ike (2008) damaged several branches and led to the temporary closure of the Kingwood and Evelyn Meador branches. A new building for Kingwood opened in 2010, and in 2011, Evelyn Meador reopened in a state-of-the-art, environmentally green facility with funding assistance from the City of Seabrook. During the 2000s, the library started

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collecting digital books and audiobooks to meet the increasing demand for virtual services.

Since he started as Director in 2014, Edward Melton has expanded literacy and outreach services at the library, including technology labs at county community centers, a small collection on site at the Texas Medical Center Library and Harris County Law Library, a number of partnerships with local school districts to issue library cards and provide physical and digital materials to students, and the revival of a bookmobile program in 2017. After Hurricane Harvey heavily damaged four library branches in the fall of 2017, three branches and a temporary location were reopened within the year. In 2020, as the COVID-19 global pandemic forced the county to close its buildings and limit in-person contact, HCPL staff found innovative ways for the library to continue serving the public even as the buildings remained closed, which included the viral ad campaign of “Curbside Larry”.

The Harris County Public Library currently serves the people of Harris County with twenty-six branches and two browsing locations.

Head Librarians and Directors of the Harris County Public Library

1921 – 1926 Lucy Fuller 1926 – 1932 Ruth Underwood Pooley 1932 – 1939 Elnora Edgar Buchanan 1939 – 1945 Reba Anderson 1945 – 1951 Bernice Snell 1951 – 1974 Mary Owensby 1974 – 1979 Katherine “Kathy” Skinner Brown 1979 – 2006 Catherine “Cathy” S. Park 2006 – 2008 Rhoda Goldberg (Interim Director) 2008 – 2013 Rhoda Goldberg 2014 – present Edward Melton

Bibliography: Annual Reports (1922-1942), Harris County Public Library, Harris County Archives, Houston, Texas.

Williams, Cecilia, et. al. “History of the Harris County Public Library 1940 – present.” March 25, 2021. From research conducted for the 100 year anniversary of the Harris County Public Library.

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Collection Summary: Reports, financial records, correspondence, subject files, printed materials, scrapbooks, photographs, audio / visual materials, and original artwork (1920 – 2009) document the founding, growth, administration, and functions of the Harris County Public Library. Of particular interest are photographs of the early library (1921 – 1939), histories written both by the branches and central library, and early correspondence. The collection is divided into two records groups: Administrative Records and Branch Library Records.

Archivist’s Note: Monthly Reports, Branch System Reports, Statistical Reports, and Budget records were minimally processed, have been maintained in their original folders, and are arranged by series. Dates are an approximation. Although unprocessed, the Barbara Bush Library records are accessible for reference. Still to be processed materials include blueprints, plans, and elevations for library buildings.

Records of branches or photographs may be in multiple locations.

To explore the Harris County Public Library Centennial Celebration, please see https://www.digitalarchive.hcpl.net/.

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Inventory

Records Group: Administrative Records Range of Dates: 1921- 2007

Scope and Contents Note: Administrative Records document the daily functions of the Harris County Public Library and its responsibilities and is divided into eleven series: Historical Records, Reports, Branch Narratives, Branch Correspondence, Librarian Files, Subject Files, Printed Materials, Budgets, Personnel Records, Scrapbooks, and Audio Visual Materials.

Series: Historical Records Five cubic feet of records identified as “historical” (1921 – 2007) including newspaper articles, photographs, printed materials, correspondence, annual reports, and manuals were collected by the Central Office and delivered to the Harris County Archives in 2016 and 2017. The records were not integrated into the existent collection and have been divided into subseries: Administrative, Branches, Reference, Photographs, and Scrapbooks. Original order has been maintained where possible.

Subseries: Administration Dates: 1921 – 2006 Of particular interest, the correspondence includes a letter from Alfred Dawes who started the petition drive to obtain a county library in addition to letters from the early librarians. The reports and statistics name stations and branches along with circulation figures.

Title Date Location Histories 1935 – 2006 3082-X-01 Correspondence 1925 – 1977 3082-X-02 Bookmobile 1937 – 1987 3082-X-03 Annual Reports 1930 – 1960 3082-X-04 Reports and Statistics 1921 – 1950 3082-X-05 “From One Century to the Next: A Ten Year 1996 3083-X-05 Strategic Plan for Harris County Public Library”

Goals and Objectives 1994 – 1997 3083-X-06 “The Crew Manual” – Texas State Library 1976 3083-X-07

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Subseries: Branches Dates: 1927 – 1986 To document of the activities of the banches, the Central Office collected newspaper articles, some correspondence and printed materials on a regular basis. In processing the records the newspaper clippings were often sampled, discarding duplicates and most calendar / program announcements. A more complete inventory of folder contents is available in the Harris County Public Library Holding Records.

Title Date Location Administration (Central Office) 1960 – 1979 3083-X-04 Bellaire 1971 3082-X-06 Crosby 1979 – 1985 3082-X-07 Cypress Creek 1960 – 1984 3082-X-08 Fairbanks 1970 – 1974 3082-X-09 Freeman 1964 – 1984 3082-X-10 Galena Park 1970 – 1984, nd 3082-X-11 Garden Villas 1959, nd 3083-X-09 Goose Creek 1927 – 1928 3083-X-11 High Meadows 1983 – 1984 3082-X-12 Highlands – Strafford Library 1959 – 1986 3082-X-13 Houston Gardens 1935, nd 3083-X-10 Jacinto City 1965 – 1983 3082-X-14 Katy 1954 – 1984 3082-X-15 Kingwood 1982 – 1984 3082-X-16 La Porte 1975 – 1985 3082-X-17 North Houston Memorial 1964 - 1965 3082-X-18 Northwest Library 1984, nd 3082-X-19 Octavia Fields 1959 – 1984 3082-X-20 Rehabilitation Center 1967 3082-X-21 Seabrook 1933 3082-X-22

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Title Date Location Shelton nd 3082-X-23 South Houston 1970 – 1984 3082-X-24 Spring Branch 1964 – 1984 3082-X-25 Sterling Library, Baytown 1959 – 1975 3082-X-26 Tomball 1971 – 1986 3082-X-27 Turner Memorial Branch nd 3082-X-28 West University 1959 – 1984 3082-X-29 Woodforest 1970 – 1984 3082-X-30

Subseries: Reference Dates: 1926 - 1973 The Reference Subseries exemplifies those materials considered to be important during the early years of the countywide library system. Of note are the number of newspaper articles written during the time of the Texas Sesquicentennial (1936).

Title Date Location Harris County – Biography 1934 – 1966 3082-X-31 [Harry Washburn, J. W. Mills]

Harris County – Buildings 1950 – 1965 3082-X-32 [Washburn Tunnel – Commemorative Section from the Pasadena Citizen]

Harris County – History 1934 – 1969, nd 3082-X-33 [1931 Courthouse Guide, County Social Institutions 1934, Outline of County Government, 1934]

Harris County – History 1935 3082-X-34 [“Pageant of East Harris County” by Mae Massey] Houston – Biography 1934 – 1954 3082-X-35 [Julia Ideson, John Henry Kirby, Jesse Jones, Hugh Roy Cullen]

Houston – Churches 1934 – 1936 3082-X-36 [“Building of Early Christian Churches”]

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Title Date Location Houston – History Part 1 1934 – 1958 3082-X-37 [Transportation, Sacking of Harrisburg, Allen Brothers]

Houston - History Part 2 1926 – 1964 3082-X-38 [“Forum of Civics for Houston” proposal 1926, History 1936 – 1940, Houston Heights]

Houston – Industries 1932 – 1934 3082-X-39 [Oyster Shell Industry 1932, Warehouse Facilities 1934]

Houston – Newspapers 1934 3082-X-40 Houston - Port and Ship Channel 1926 – 1953 3082-X-41 [“The Story of Buffalo Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel 1820 – 1926, Charles Morgan, Industrial District Map]

Houston – San Jacinto Centennial 1936 1936 3082-X-42 [Program of events, newspaper page of photographs, Texas highway Map, Centennial Edition]

Houston – San Jacinto Monument 1938 – 1970 3082-X-43 Houston – Social Life and Customs 1928 – 1934 3082-X-44 [Light Guard, Pageants, Festivals, dressing, Women’s Clubs]

Houston – Theatre 1934 3082-X-45 Libraries – Harris County Public Library 1928 – 1937 3082-X-46 [Full page article “County’s Libraries Yearly Issue 222,226 Books 1931,” mention of HCPL in other publications

Libraries – Houston Public Library 1924 – 1973 3082-X-47 [Annual Report 1925 includes 1921 – 1925]

Libraries – Library of Congress 1939 – 1950 3082-X-48 [Archibald MacLeish, Luther J. Evans]

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Title Date Location Texas – Bibliography 1945 – 1965 3082-X-49 [County and Town Histories of Texas 1965]

Texas – Biography Part 1 1933 – 1959 3082-X-50 [Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses, 1941]

Texas – Biography Part 2 1933 – 1961 3082-X-51 [Nettie Houston Bringhurst, Sam Houston, Elisabeth Ney 1950]

Texas – Cities and Towns – 1 1935 – 1960, nd 3083-X-01 [Abilene, Amarillo, Anahuac, Austin, Baytown, Bellville, Brownsville, Conroe, Corpus Christi, Crockett, Dallas]

Texas – Cities and Towns – 2 1938 – 1966, nd 3083-X-02 [El Paso, Fort Worth, Fredericksburg, Friendswood, Galveston, Gonzales, Hillsborough, Hempstead, Huntsville]

Texas – Cities and Towns – 3 1926 – 1973, nd 3083-X-03 [Indianola, Jefferson, Katy, Kent, Kilgore, Laredo, Lynchburg, McAllen, Midland-Odessa- Monahans, Nacogdoches, Pecos, Richmond, San Angelo, San Antonio, Texas City, West Columbia]

Subseries: Historic Photographs Dates: 1922 – 2007 Later photographs (post 1960) were often included with earlier photographs as they were together in the boxes transferred to the archives.

Title Date Location Central Office 1931 – 1962 0063-P-01

Bookwagons – Harris County Public Library 1933, nd 0063-P-02 Bookmobiles – out of county 1937 – 1941, nd 0063-P-03 Bookmobiles – Harris County Public Library 1937 – 1975 0063-P-04

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Staff Awards 1989 – 1994 0063-P-05 Staff Awards 1996 – 2002 0063-P-06 Events nd 0063-P-07 Miscellaneous 1968 – 2007, nd 0063-P-08 Library Stations – 1931 – 1933, nd 0063-P-09 [Brinks School, Clinton School, Camp Allen, Harrel School, Huffman, Independence Garden (Heights), Goose Creek Colored, Lindale, Lynchburg]

Branches – 1922 – 1955 0063-P-10 [Aldine, Crosby, Garden Villas, Goose Creek, Highlands, Katy, Pelly, Seabrook]

Aldine 1980, ca. 0063-P-11 Baldwin Boetcher 1982, 08 0063-P-12 Barbara Bush 1990, 12 0063-P-13 Bear Creek 1983 – 1992 0063-P-14 Fairbanks 1932, ca. – 1986 0063-P-15 Freeman 1990, 07, nd 0063-P-16 Jacinto City nd 0063-P-17 Kingwood 1993, 10/30 0063-P-18 La Porte 1931, ca – 1991 0063-P-19 Octavia Fields 1964 – 1973 0063-P-20 Maude Marks 1965 – 1993 0063-P-21 South Houston 1931 – 1970 0063-P-22 Spring Branch 1970 0063-P-23 Tomball 1930, ca – 1972 0063-P-24 Woodforest 1969 – 1973 0063-P-25 Unknown nd 0063-P-24

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Subseries: Scrapbooks and Artifacts Dates: 1976 – 2003, nd Scrapbooks document the activities of the banches and the library system.

Title Date Location Children’s Choice Election – 1983 0147-X-00 Entered into the Public Relations Award Contest at American Library Association Meeting. Autographs of authors.

Children’s Choice t-shirt and bandana 1983 0147-X-00 Scrapbook – White 1978 – 2003 0147-X-00 Includes, Children’s Choice 1978 – 2000, Photos from branches of programs 2003; Aldine Baldwin Boettcher, Bear Creek, Channelview, Crosby.

Scrapbook – Green 1976 – 2002 0147-X-00 Includes Evelyn Meador (Seabrook), Fairbanks, Freeman, Galena Park, High Meadows, Jacinto City, Katy, Northwest, Octavia Fields, South Houston, Spring Branch, Stratford, Tomball, West University programs and photographs

Library Embosser – nd 0147-X-00 “Harris County Public Library, Houston, Texas”

Series: Reports Dates: 1952 - 1974 Daily, Monthly, and Branch Reports (1963-2002) document the materials and services used by library constituents. The Annual Reports (1922 – 1986) contain correspondence, statistical reports, and narratives concerning the library system. Annual statistical compilations filed with the Texas State Library are included in the Texas Library Reports.

Title Date Location Monthly Reports 1963-1978 0936-X-00 Daily Multimedia Statistical Reports 1973-1974 0936-X-00 Daily Statistical Reports 1975-1976 0936-X-00 Daily Statistical Reports 1977-1983 0937-X-00

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Title Date Location Daily Statistical Reports 1982 0093-V-00 Daily Statistical Reports 1984 0094-V-00 Daily Statistical Reports 1985, 01 - 1990, 12 0938-X-00 Branch System Reports 1990, 03 – 1995, 02 0939-X-00 Branch System Reports 1995, 03 – 1998, 02 0940-X-00 Branch System Reports 1998, 03 – 2001, 02 0941-X-00 Branch System Reports 2001, 03 – 2001, 08 0942-X-01 Branch System Reports 2001, 09 – 2002, 02 0942-X-02 Annual Reports (includes a history of the 1922 – 1942 0942-X-03 Harris County Public Library, 1935) Annual Reports 1943 – 1960 0942-X-04 Annual Reports 1975 – 1986 0942-X-05 Texas Library Reports 1952 – 1965 0942-X-06 Texas Library Reports 1966 – 1974 0942-X-07

Series: Branch Narratives Dates: 1962 - 2001 Reports from the various branches to the library administration detail activies in annual, monthly, and specific program narratives. Some narratives may contain photographs.

Title Date Location Atascocita, Baldwin Boettcher, Barbara Bush, and Bear 1985 – 2001 2815-X-00 Creek

Bookmobile, Crosby, Channelview, Evelyn Meador, and 1977 – 2001 2994-X-00 Fairbanks Branches Freeman, Galena Park, and High Meadows Branches 1974 – 2001 2995-X-00

Jacinto City, Katy, and Kingwood Branches 1974 – 2001 2996-X-00

La Porte, Maud Marks, North Channel, Northwest, and 1974 – 2001 2997-X-00 Octavia Fields Branches

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Title Date Location Parker Williams, South Houston, Spring Branch, and 1974 – 2001 2998-X-00 Stratford Branches

Tomball, West University, and Woodforest Branches 1962 – 2001 2999-X-00

Series: Branch Correspondence Dates: 1928 - 2010 Correspondence between the Central Library Adminstration and the individual Branches.

Title Date Location Aldine, Atascocita, Baldwin Boettcher, and Barbara Bush 1972 – 2005 2810-X-00

Bear Creek, Bellville, Bookmobile, Detention Center, 1928 – 2001 2811-X-00 Evelyn Meador, Fairbanks, and Freeman

Galena Park, Garden villas, High Meadows, Huffman, 1929 – 1999 2812-X-00 Jacinto City, Katy, Kingwood, and La Porte

Maud Marks, North Houston, Northwest, Octavia Fields, 1935 – 2005 2813-X-00 Parker Williams, Savannah Collier, South Houston, and Spring Branch

Stratford, Tomball, Turner Memorial, West University, 1935 – 2010 2814-X-00 Woodforest, Wooster

Series: Librarian Files Dates: 1985 - 1993 Correspondence, memos, notes, and printed materials document the work of the children’s librarians (1985 – 1993), Catherine S. Parks, the county librarian (1986 – 1992), and Rhoda Goldberg, the assistant librarian (1980 – 1992).

Title Date Location Children’s Library Meetings 1985 0942-X-08 Children’s Library Meetings 1986 0942-X-09 Agendas and Narratives Children’s Meetings 1988-1989 0942-X-10

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Title Date Location Agendas and Narratives Children’s Meetings 1991-1992 0942-X-11 Children’s Specialist 1993 0942-X-12 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1986, 01 – 12 0943-X-01 Legislative Correspondence 1986, 09/04 - 05 0943-X-02 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1987, 01 – 06 0943-X-03 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1987, 07 – 12 0943-X-04 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1988, 01-10 0943-X-05 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks, Memos 1988, 01-10 0943-X-06 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1989 0943-X-07 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1990, 03 – 1991, 02 0943-X-08 County Librarian – Catherine S. Parks 1991, 03 – 1992, 02 0943-X-09 Assistant County Librarian – Rhoda Goldberg 1980 – 1985 0943-X-10 Assistant County Librarian – Rhoda Goldberg 1988 0943-X-11 Assistant County Librarian – Rhoda Goldberg 1990, 03 – 1991, 01 0943-X-12 Assistant County Librarian – Rhoda Goldberg 1991, 04 – 1992, 01 0943-X-13

Series: Subject Files Dates: 1930 - 2005 Of particular interest is a copy of an article from the 1930 Library Journal by Ruth Underwood, “Yes! We Have a Library!” detailing the successes of the Harris County Public Library system. Also of interest is an outreach program (1980 – 1981), Morning at the Library.

Title Date Location Administrative Offices 8080 El Rio 1989 – 1991 0943-X-14 Branch Openings 1971 – 1983 0943-X-15 Brazoria County Library 1966 – 1984 0943-X-16 Jail Services 1973 – 1983 0943-X-17 Miscellaneous Library Information 1930 – 1987 0943-X-18

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Morning at the Library 1980 – 1981 0943-X-19 State of HCPL: Friends Council 2004 – 2005 0943-X-20 Regional Library Council 1965 – 1967 0943-X-21 Texas Conference on Library and Information 1978, 08/22 –1978, 11/16 0944-X-01 Services

Series: Printed Materials Dates: 1928 - 1960 Printed materials contain published materials from the library’s collections and policies and procedures for operating the county’s bookmobiles.

Title Date Location Municipal Book of Houston 1928 0944-X-02 Organizational Manual for Harris County 1958 0944-X-03 Manual for Bookmobiles and Branches 1958 0944-X-04 Manual For Bookmobiles and Branches 1958-1960 0944-X-05

Series: Budgets Dates: 1975 - 1990 Budgets document the policies and procedures the County Librarian and staff use to obtain supplies, equipment, and professional and non-professional staff for the operation of the library.

Title Date Location Working Budget 1983 0944-X-06 Budget File 1983 0944-X-07 Budget Meeting 1983 0944-X-08 Budget 1983 0944-X-09 Budget Requests 1984 0944-X-10 Budget File 1984 0944-X-11 Branch Budget Requests 1984 0944-X-12 Budget Allocation Meeting 1984 0945-X-01

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Title Date Location Working Budget 1985 0945-X-02 Budget Requests 1985 0945-X-03 Budget Requests 1985 0945-X-04 Budget (Actual) 1985 0945-X-05 Budget Allocation Meeting 1985 0945-X-06 Budget Requests 1986 0945-X-07 Budget Requests 1986 0945-X-08 Working Budget 1986 0945-X-09 Budget (Actual) 1986 0945-X-10 Working Budget 1987 0945-X-11 Budget Requests 1987 0945-X-12 Interim Budget 1987 0945-X-13 Budget Allocation Meeting 1988 0946-X-01 Budget (Actual) 1988 0946-X-02 Budget Requests 1989 0946-X-03 Working Budget and Forms 1989 0946-X-04 Budget Requests 1990 0946-X-05 Budget Forms 1990 0946-X-06 Branch Budget Meeting 1975 – 1976 0946-X-07 Branch Budget Log 1975 – 1976 0096-V-00

Series: Personnel Files Dates: 1932 – 1970, Bulk 1940 - 1959 Employee Files comprised of applications, resignation letters, and assignment histories document employee educational backgrounds, available jobs, salaries, and personal histories of 175 employees of the Harris County Public Library from 1932 – 1970 (Bulk 1940 – 1959). Of particular interest is the resignation letter of County Librarian Ruth Underwood Pooley written to Commissioners Court in 1932. An application in 1935 from sixteen year old LaVerne McCullough includes a photograph. Several applications are post-1960.

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Title Date Location A – B 1941 – 1959 0946-X-08 C 1934 – 1957 0946-X-09 D-E 1938 – 1959 0946-X-10 F-G 1941 – 1959 0946-X-11 H 1940 – 1970 0946-X-12 J-L 1943 – 1959 0946-X-13 M-N 1935 – 1969 0946-X-14 O-R 1932 – 1956 0946-X-15 S 1940 – 1956 0946-X-16 T-Z 1938 – 1959 0946-X-17

Series: Scrapbooks Range of Dates: 1920-2000

Scope and Contents Note: Newspaper clippings, programs, invitations, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera comprise the scrapbook materials. Arranged chronologically, the newspaper articles document the creation of the Harris County Public Library, branch openings, branch closings, outreach, the Bookmobile, library programs, and professional development.

Title Date Location Scrapbook 1920, Fall – 1927, 12 0128-V-00 Scrapbook 1928, 01 – 1934, 11 0128-V-00 Scrapbook 1934, 11/02 – 1937, 08/05 0128-V-00 Scrapbook 1937, 01/03 – 1941, 07/07 0129-V-00 Scrapbook 1938, 07/03 – 1941, 07/07 0129-V-00 Scrapbook 1941, 09/19 – 1948, 05/09 0096-V-00 Scrapbook 1948, 05/26 – 1951, 05 0129-V-00 Scrapbook 1951 – 1952 0096-V-00

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Title Date Location Scrapbook 1996, 10/24 – 2000, 03/08 0128-V-00

Series: Audio Visual Materials Range of Dates: 1925-1990

Scope and Contents Note: Photograph albums, photoprints and negatives, and digitized copies are included in this series. Audio Visual Materials created as a part of branch records are arranged within each branch series.

Subseries: Photograph Albums Range of Dates: 1925 - 1938 Albums contain photographs, histories, and newspaper clippings that document Harris County Public Library, staff members, branch libraries and their constituents. Of particular interest are the photographs of early book wagons and bookmobiles, WPA art exhibits, school libraries, including two African American libraries and one Hispanic school library, and branches that subsequently closed. Included in the collection are the histories of Goose Creek, Crosby, Humble, and La Porte branches.

The early album has been disbound and the individual pages stored in folders. This album is available in a digital format.

Title Date Location Library Staff and Central Office 1925 – 1937 0017-P-01 Goose Creek and Highlands Branches 1925 – 1939 0017-P-02 The Bookmobile 1937 – 1938 0017-P-03 Humble and La Porte Branches 1929 – 1938 0017-P-04 Crosby and Fairbanks Branches 1930 – 1935 0017-P-05 Garden Villas, Pasadena, and South Houston 1929 – 1935 0017-P-06 Branches, and Bexar County Book Wagon Pelly Branch and the Library Book Wagon 1936 0017-P-07 Schools and Smaller Libraries 1931 – 1935 0017-P-08 Negro Schools, Former Libraries, Exhibits and 1924 – 1935 0017-P-09 Displays, and Summer Camps Scrapbook II, Branch negatives and photoprints 1928 – 1938 0017-P-13

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Subseries: Photoprints Dates: 1937 - 1990 Photoprints record activities such as the bookmobile and children’s programs, branch openings, branch functions and staff.

Title Date Location Bookmobile 1937 – 1954 0017-P-10 Central Office, Fairbanks, Northwest and other n.d. 0017-P-11 Branches Wooster Branch Children’s Program, Houston Allegro, Northwest Branch, and Unidentified 1968, 12, 1983 0017-P-12 Group of Women Rhoda Goldberg with 2 winners of a writing ca. 1990 0017-P-14 award

Records Group: Branches Dates: 1925 - 2013

Scope and Contents Note: Correspondence, legal records, audio and visual materials, works of art, and printed materials document the history, programs, staff, and friends groups of branch libraries in the Harris County Public Library system. These records were maintained in the branches before transfer to the Harris County Archives.

Series: Baytown Branch Library Dates: 1925 – 1974

Title Date Location Baytown Branch 1925 – 1974 0947-X-01 Wooster Branch 1961 – 1968 0947-X-02

Series: Bear Creek Branch Library Dates: 1975 – 1983

Title Date Location

Printed Materials 1975 – 1983 0947-X-03

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Series: Jacquline B. Freeman Memorial Library Dates: 1978

Title Date Location Plaque 1978 0947-X-04

Series: Northwest Branch Library Dates: 1983 - 2009

Title Date Location Correspondence 1984, 05/17 – 1984, 0947-X-05 11/21 Programs 1984, 2002 0947-X-06 Newspaper Clippings 1983 – 2003 0947-X-07 Children’s Drawings 2005 0947-X-08 Scrapbooks Scrapbook 2009, 05/19 0103-V-00 Guestbook, Branch Opening 1984, 05/17 0103-V-00 Audio / Visual Materials Photo Album 1985 – 1990 1200-B-03 Photoprints Northwest Branch Opening 1984, 05/17 0036-P-01 Northwest Branch 1984, 08 0036-P-02 Northwest Branch Balloon Launch 1987, 04/07 0036-P-03 Northwest Branch staff & functions 1997, 09/22 – 1998, 0036-P-04 06/12 Northwest Branch staff & functions 1998 – 2004 0036-P-05 Northwest Branch staff & functions 2004, 10/24 – 2004, 0036-P-06 10/27 Northwest Branch staff & functions n.d. 0036-P-07 Slides 1984, 08 0036-P-08

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Title Date Location Digital Photographs Children’s Programs 2004, 06/28 – 2004, 5 CDs, Digital 10/30 Archives Video – Branch Opening 1984, 05/17 VHS 398 Friends of the Northwest Branch 1983 – 1986 0947-X-09 Library

Series: Fairbanks Branch Library Dates: 1935 - 1991

Title Date Location Record of Library Expense and Benefits 1935, 05/27 0141-V-00 Fairbanks Record (membership, handwritten) 1948, 02 – 1953, 09 0141-V-00 [Fairbanks Record] membership, typed 1948, 02 – 1963, 11 0141-V-00 Photo Album – new library opening (includes 1989 0141-V-00 letter with history of library) Photo Album – library dedication 1971, 04/18 0141-V-00 Printed Materials (clippings, cards) 1969 – 1990, n.d. 0017-P-15 Photonegatives - Expansion Open House, 1991, 01/02, n.d. 0017-P-16 Children’s Garden Photoprints Children’s Garden n.d. 0017-P-17 Early branch photos, opening of library 1929 – 1970 0017-P-18 Expansion Open House, Activities 1991, 1994, n.d. 0017-P-19

Series: Kingwood Branch Library Dates: 1974 - 2013

Title Date Location Kingwood Bound Plat Maps – 63 pp 1974 – 1988 1004-B-03

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Title Date Location Municipal Maps – Atascocita, Humble, Spring, 2005 – 2008, n.d. 2170-X-04, 05 Crosby, Huffman, Kingwood Newspapers (microfiche) Kingwood Observer 1987, 01 – 1998, 08 Reference Kingwood Sun 1995, 06 – 1998, 01 Reference Kingwood Observer and Sun 1982, 09 – 1999, 10 Reference News Messenger 1979, 11 – 1985, 12 Reference Chamber of Commerce Serials – Spring, Lake 2009 – 2013 2170-X-01-03 Houston, Humble, Atascocita, Kingwood

Promotional information – Friendswood 1982, n.d. 2170-X-06-08 Development Corporation

Audio-Visual Slides – The Kingwood Story 1976 - 1985 0036-P-09 Posters – n.d. 0001-M-07 The History of Houston (1832 – 1985 ) 2 sets of 4, 18 x 24 inches

Page 23 of 23 HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY RECORDS – CR57