By Mrs. Alice G. Whitbeck, County Librarian
The library history of Contra Costa County
previous to 1913, when the county library was established, is that of the
attempts of small communities to supply themselves with a reading-room for
the circulation of books and magazines. These pioneer efforts met with many
obstacles, but the earnest and unflagging zeal of a few enthusiastic workers
held the clubs and associations together until subscription libraries had
been started.
The struggle of each is a story in itself, the
recording of which brings back the names of many early residents now held in
memory and of many more who still hold the same interest in the larger
library that they did in the one of small beginnings.
The Martinez Library goes back to October 24,
1883, when a little club was formed with five charter members, the Misses
Julia Fish, Jane Grey Frazer, Marion Taylor, Carrie Cutler, and Louise
Corbert, for the purpose of working for a free reading-room. They called
themselves the E. Q. V. Society, but kept steadily before them the idea of a
reading-room whenever they might be able to accomplish it. In 1885 a book
social was given, netting one hundred and fifty books. Immediately the
Martinez Free Reading-Room and Library Association was organized, officers
elected, and the public invited to become members by paying dues of
twenty-five cents a month. This membership grew and great interest was
shown. The use of a room had been given by Doctor John Strenzel in a
building owned by him on Main Street, and was prepared for use by the young
people of the town. Generous contributions of time, money, and talent were
given freely in the many entertainments and benefits that were devised for
this purpose. In 1893 a lot on a prominent corner on Main Street was donated
by Mrs. John Strenzel and her daughter, Mrs. John Muir. The lot was
thirty-two feet frontage by ninety-six in depth and deeded with the
provision that the building placed thereon must be always devoted to library
purposes.
The association now filed articles of
incorporation, and a deed was shortly afterward executed, which contained a
provision that a two-story brick building covering the entire lot be placed
there within two years, or the property would revert to the Strenzel estate.
A canvassing committee was immediately appointed, and by May reported more
than $1700 pledged.
Byron Brown offered free of charge his
services as architect and supervisor of the building, a generous gift, since
it left all funds to go to actual work of construction. Everybody was
interested, and the town trustees agreed to lease the rear portion of the
lower floor - a room for town meetings and offices and a large room for the
fire apparatus. The upper floor was to be leased for a term of years by the
I. O. O. F., thus insuring an income with which to meet interest and reduce
the debt that must be incurred to erect the building. When the bids came in
the lowest, $6371, was found to be that of C. H. Luden, who thus become the
builder. In the latter part of February, 1896, the building was completed,
furnished, and occupied, with a debt of $3800 to be paid by the efforts of
the association, represented by a board of seven trustees, elected annually.
This debt was reduced in ten years by entertainments of all kinds to a
little over $800. When the earthquake caused damages to the amount of $1400,
again the people in their interest for the welfare of the library collected
$900, so the whole debt then stood at $1300. This was paid off in the next
five years; on its twenty-fifth anniversary its fifteen-year note of
indebtedness was burned.
With the establishment if the county library
it was not possible to keep up the subscriptions. The town trustees came to
the aid of the institution, and with the books borrowed from the county
library, numbering 1076 volumes for the year 1915-16, the growth and use has
been steady. The circulation of books from the county collection alone
amounted to 7870 volumes for the year.
The first efforts in Antioch toward providing
reading for the public were made by a library club, each member of which
contributed five dollars as the purchase price of two books. The books were
exchanged at house-to-house meetings. About 1904 Mr. Williams, with the idea
of helping the boys of the town, started a small reading-room in a store on
Main Street, but later built a gymnasium and library-room on the corner of
Third and F streets. A small fee was charged for the use of the books, and,
with his mother, he kept this reading-room open for five or six years. In
1911 a part of the membership of the Woman's Club started a library
association, each contributing one dollar a year and as many books as she
could spare from her shelves. The books were kept in the clubhouse and were
distributed each week by one of the members. Later Miss Carrie Williamson
was appointed librarian, and she has had charge continuously. When the
county library was established in 1913, Antioch co-operated at once and gave
the use of its clubhouse for the county library books, which, together with
those accumulated, were circulated freely. Miss Williamson continued in
charge, and has been unflagging in furthering the interests of the library.
Through the efforts of Mrs. Mary L. Fulton,
Mrs. Keeney, and Mrs. Frederika J. West, funds were raised to buy a corner
lot for the building that the Carnegie Corporation donated to the county.
This building, costing $2550, was planned by Frances Reid, and is now in
process of building. Though small, the building will be very convenient and
a great pleasure to the people. The circulation for the year from the
Antioch branch was 8838 volumes.
On October 29, 1906, a mass meeting was called
and met in Odd Fellows Hall for the purpose of organizing a public library
and reading-room. Doctor George McKenzie was elected chairman and Miss G. R.
Crocker secretary, with the additional names on the committee of Joseph
Boyd, W. A. Kirkwood, and Mrs. F. F. Neff. At the next meeting the following
permanent officers were elected: President, W. A. Kirkwood; vice-president,
Mrs. H. H. Elworthy; secretary, Miss G. R. Crocker; treasurer, Joseph Boyd;
directors, Mr. Pingree, Mr. Gehringer, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Randall, and Miss
Skinner.
The first location was in the Fire Hall and
books received by donation, others borrowed from the State Library and
Oakland Club, were circulated. Miss Skinner was the first librarian and Mr.
Martin first assistant, the latter receiving ten dollars a month. Dues were
twenty-five cents a month. Frequent entertainments were given to provide for
the new books and maintenance. A strong interest has always been felt by the
library association in the the welfare of its reading-room, and when the
county library was formed it was among the first to grasp at the idea of
enlarging its usefulness and joined immediately. Mrs. Ballenger, who had
been a most interested and faithful librarian for a number of years, was
forced to give up the work from ill-health, and Mrs. H. Elise Williams was
appointed and has held the position for the past two years. A pleasant room
in the Foskett building was rented by a continuation of this same library
association and the books and magazines are supplied by the county library.
The circulation for the past year was 7903 volumes. The Carnegie Corporation
also donated the sum of $2500 for a branch building, which will be erected
in the near future.
In 1908 the Crolona Men's Club was formed in
Crockett, the member- ship composed largely of men from the California &
Hawaiian Sugar Refining Company. The company and a number of men interested
donated about six hundred volumes and provided the clubhouse. In 1910 the Y.
M. C. A. assumed control of the Crolona Club. When the county library was
established the collection at the Y. M. C. A., becoming a part of the county
library, was accessioned and a charging system installed. Ever since that
time the collection has been added to by the county library and frequent
exchanges have been made. After it became apparent that the clubhouse was
too small for its purposes a new Y. M. C. A. building was started in 1914,
and was completely furnished and equipped by the sugar company. In this
commodious building a large reading-room was provided. The old building was
remodeled and fitted up for the Crockett Girls' Club and another collection
of books started for them. Every effort has been made by the company to
stimulate and meet the intellectual demands of the community.
The Richmond Library Club was formed August
16, 1907, with Mrs. W. W. Felch as chairman of the library committee. The
club rented a small room on the corner of Sixth Street and Macdonald Avenue,
and the library was kept open by a committee of women, among whom were Mrs.
W. W. Felch, Mrs. E. B. Smallwood, Mrs. C. Smith, Mrs. Clarence Jenkins, and
Mrs. C. B. Evans. Books were donated and entertainments given to meet the
expenses. In 1908 a request was made to the Carnegie Corporation for a
library building, the Woman's Improvement Club having given five lots in a
central location on Nevin Avenue for a site. A gift of $17,500 was granted
upon the usual conditions, and in June, 1909, the first meeting of the board
of trustees was held. Mrs. E. B. Smallwood was elected president, Harry
Adkinson secretary, and as directors Mrs. George W. Topping, L. D. Dimm, and
J. C. Bedwell. Mrs. Alice G. Whitbeck, of Berkeley, was appointed the first
librarian, May 2, 1910. The library was dedicated with appropriate exercises
August 17, 1910. Great interest was shown in its development, generous and
adequate support was given by the city trustees, and after three successful
years, in which the library became a vital part of the community, Mrs.
Whitbeck resigned to take charge of the county library, and Miss Della M.
Wilsey, of Pomona, was appointed librarian. Several changes at that time
were made in the library staff. At the time of the resignation of Mrs.
Whitbeck plans were made and partially carried out to install a children's
room in the basement, the three years' growth providing the inadequacy of
the room originally planned as such.
This room, very pretty and complete in all its appointments,
was finished, but another two years' growth showed the necessity of using
the still larger assembly room for the children, and turning their room into
a cataloging and work-room. The present children's room, in charge of Miss
Ruth Epperson, is one of the most attractive in the State. The library has
made wonderful strides during Miss Wilsey's administration, and is now one
of the best appointed libraries of its size in the State.
At the time of the establishment of the county
library, and for three years thereafter, the Richmond Public Library was a
part of the county library system, but in January, 1916, withdrew, and is
now the only part of the county not affiliated with the county library.
At the time of the establishment of the
county library the members of the Woman's Club of the town were
contemplating a reading-room in their clubhouse and had gathered a number of
books together. Realizing the great help that the county library system
would be for them, they put off opening their reading-room until that
institution could help them in preparing and adding to their collection. For
the first year a committee of ladies kept the library open and distributed
the books. Later Mrs. Hempstead was appointed librarian, and has continued
in office ever since. The library moved its quarters twice before the new
Carnegie county branch building was ready for occupancy, August, 1916. The
gift of the Carnegie building brought great delight to the town, and when
the question of a site was talked of the Burgess Company donated a lot upon
which a very delightful bungalow library has been designed and built by
Randolph Hook.
There had been no move in Pittsburg to
circulate books until a gift of several hundred volumes was made to the town
by the Honorable Sumner Crosby. In January these were catalogued by the
county librarian and installed in locked book-cases in the town hall. Mrs.
George Minaker was appointed librarian, and has kept the library open and
the interest sustained. Mr. Crosby made an additional gift of several
hundred books, which lack of space has prevented shelving. Pittsburg needs a
building with special attention to the work with the children. This will
undoubtedly be brought about in the near future. Its juvenile circulation
is larger than that of any other branch in the county.
The accounts already given of the efforts and
the accomplishments of those efforts in the small towns of the county bring
us to the establishment of the county library in July, 1913. Actual work
commenced in October with Mrs. Whitbeck as librarian and Miss Anne Weyand
(now Mrs. Dennis Dehan) as assistant. A room was rented from the Martinez
Library Association and immediate steps were taken to form branches around
the county and to get the schools interested in co-operating. As a result of
rapid and well-organized work, books were sent to twenty-eight places the
first year. Some of these were the reading-rooms already mentioned; others
were merely deposits in stores, post-offices, private homes, and in isolated
schools. At the end of the second year there were fifty-two depositories for
the books, and the circulation
from all the branches increased from 21,942 volumes the first
year to 61,569 volumes the second year. At the end of the third year,
sixty-two depositories were recorded, from all branches. The growth of the
office work called for an exact system of card files and records. The great
demand for special books from all parts of the county and the pressure of
the work with the schools necessitated renting another room at the end of
the second year. Even now the quarters are very much cramped.
Mrs. Whitbeck and one assistant did the work
the first year, but in order to carry on the library, with its rapid growth
and popularity, a trained cataloger and apprentice help were necessary. A
heavy part of the work has been that of the schools. There were sent out
from the office last year 8100 books and 6184 were returned for exchange.
Magazines have been taken for all the schools, as well as a generous number
for the branches. This work with the schools, has been at all times a
pleasure, both on account of the hearty and full approbation and assistance
if the county superintendent of schools, W. H. Hanlon, and of the full
measure of appreciation shown by the teachers served. There are a number of
smaller schools that have not joined, but the growth has been steady, and we
hope before another year to enroll all the schools in the county.
There are at present thirty-four counties
operating county libraries, and Contra Costa County is next to the smallest
county and was the eighteenth to start. It was, however, at the last
reckoning of statistics, ninth in the number of schools, eleventh in
circulation, and seventh in income raised by tax levy. Although a comparison
of the counties is hardly fair because of such vastly different conditions
under which any county librarian works, it at least shows that Contra Costa
County is well to the fore in its library work and development.