By Mrs. W. A. Edgar and Jessie Hoyt Hatch,
Librarian
In the early days in Imperial Valley, when
most of the homes were tents very limited in space, the question of where
our men and boys would spend their spare time and evenings, was finally
solved by a few earnest women banded together in the work of the W. C. T. U.
Their names ought to certainly go down in the history of these early
beginnings.
Foremost in this early activity appears the
names of Mrs. W. A. Edgar, as secretary of the library, and associated with
her in raising funds for its support is the name of Mrs. S. M. Bixby; Mrs.
M. P. Grove, who gave a musicale and realized therefrom $19.10; Mrs.
Chaplin, Mrs. Tout, and many others who have passed from these early scenes
of pioneer days. The reading room opened in October, 1906, under the
auspices of the W. C. T. U. Rev. W. H. Wales donated a large number of
volumes as a start toward a library. A small room was rented from W. G.
Mugford, one of the old pioneers who has now gone to his final rest. The
room stood about where the Imperial Pharmacy now stands. Within a year the
little room became so well patronized that it was necessary to move into a
more commodious location. A social was given to which the price of
admission was a book, or the price of a book, and that added considerably
to the list of reading matter. Requests for subscriptions to newspapers and
magazines were generously responded to by the publishers. The running
expenses were met by popular subscription. Mrs. Tout, the wife of the pastor
of the Christian Church at that time, and who has passed beyond, was a very
energetic worker for the little reading room which was put under the charge
of Mrs. S. M. Bixby.
Mrs. D. D. Lawrence was the first salaried
custodian of the reading room. It was not long until the requirements grew
beyond the possibilities of the little reading room, and through the efforts
of those interested in this primitive library, the board of city trustees
was persuaded to apply to Andrew Carnegie for a fund for a library building.
This request was complied with early in the year of 1908, and about a year
later Mr. Carnegie placed $10,000 at the disposal of the library board. This
was the first library established in the Imperial Valley.
The subscription library, supplemented by a
collection of traveling library books from the state library, continued to
supply out fast growing populace with good literature until it merged into
the Carnegie Public Library, and was formally opened to the public April 3,
1909. The library continued in rented quarters until the completion of a
Carnegie Library building when it was formally opened in December, 1910. The
grounds planted to trees, shrubs and flowers are well cared for and present
an inviting feature.
As the library is an integral part of
education the co-operation of schools and library is made a special feature
of classes from the high schools which are instructed in the use and
arrangement of books. The story hour for the children, the Audubon Club for
the older ones, the child's study club for the mothers, are all under the
direction of Mrs. Hatch, who has brought the library to its present and
efficient condition.
Establishing the County Library
In February, 1912, the supervisors
established the County Library with headquarters at the county seat, El
Centro, in the Public Library. Imperial County was the sixteenth county
library to be established in the state. Miss Anne Madison (now Mrs. Thomas
B. Beeman) was appointed County Librarian.
No funds were available until the following
September, but the State Library made a loan of 885 books, to give us a
start. Permission was granted by the library board of the El Centro Public
Library to loan us some of their books, so some of the state library books
were placed on the shelves of the public library and some of their books
sent with the rest of the state books to three established branch libraries:
Brawley, Calexico, and Holtville.
In Brawley, on April 15, 1912, a branch was
established on Main Street in a small store just below the bungalow hotel,
Miss Frances Clippinger being appointed custodian. Book cases and the
necessary furniture were donated by the people of the town. The club women
donated a book case, full of books, which contained many books by standard
authors. A reception was given in the evening and speeches were delivered by
well known people of Brawley and El Centro, and by the County Librarian, who
explained the whole system of the county free library. This branch was moved
to the beautiful new quarters in the new city hall. The Brawley Women's Club
donated $100.00 worth of furniture and the city fathers furnished the rest
room adjoining the library.
At Holtville about one dozen books were found
in the old city hall building, which were remnants of a small library they
had had. On May 27th, 1912, a branch was established in the old city hall
with Mrs. Ida Robinson in charge. A reception similar to that held in
Brawley was given and in 1918 this branch was moved to pleasant and
commodious quarters in the new city hall.
In the county library service the object is to
reach everyone in the county to extend this free book service. The schools
needed this service so the law provided for the schools a plan whereby they
could receive the free service of the books by turning over their books and
library fund yearly.
In 1912 three schools took advantage of this
plan. Today in 1918, out of the fifty school districts all but five are
affiliated with the County Library. In 1913 more than fifteen other places
had been provided with books, these being placed in stores, postoffices,
drug stores, schools and homes. At Imperial Junction (which is now Niland) a
unique branch was established in February, 1913. Finding no available
quarters, a box car standing on a side track which was used for a postoffice
provided the location for our branch there. The branch proved very popular
in a year's time and larger quarters were secured and the branch was moved
to a store which had been erected in the meantime. In 1918 it still has a
branch at the store for the adults and one at the school for the children.
Alamo school library, which was located in
the school house, had to find new quarters on account of the crowded
condition of the schools. The very enterprising young custodian in charge
enlisted the interest of everyone living within a radius of fifteen miles,
and as a result, a portable one-room building fitted up with book shelves
and attractive interior, was purchased by these people and placed on the
school grounds. It has become one of the most thriving of our branches. A
school library at Bard, situated on the Colorado river, has to have its
books ferried across the river. The horse and wagon carrying the books drive
right onto the ferry and are ferried across.
Great care has been exercised in the purchase
of books so as to get the books which the people demand in good authentic
editions and by the best authorities, and at the same time as economically
as possible. The aim is not to buy every book a person may ask for, but to
build up the library so that it will be a well-balanced library on different
subjects. For the more expensive books and particularly books called for
occasionally, requests are made to the state library to supply such books.
Specialties are made on some subjects, for instance: everything practical on
agriculture is bought. Books on California are freely bought. Everything on
Imperial County which is printed from a news-paper to a book is preserved.
The library, like any other business, has to be advertised. For this purpose
the newspapers have been used freely. A booth was established at the County
Fair. Talks were given by the County Librarian at schools and clubs, and
many window displays have been shown.
Custodians' meetings are held at least once a
year at headquarters. At these meetings library work in all its phases is
discussed. Six months training courses have been given by the county library
to provide trained assistants for the work.
In 1916 the county library moved its
headquarters from the public library to the Wilson grammar school building
on West Main street. In 1917 this building became crowded and new quarters
were provided in the high school building, where the county library is now
located. New service is called for at all times. The county farm, which
cares for the sick people, has its collection of books. Surveying parties
working for the government sent word they wanted some books about ten miles
out on the desert. Books were sent them. The soldiers on our border, at
Calexico, have been provided with small branch libraries at their camps. The
clubs of the valley are all provided with material for their various
programs and entertainments.
Students taking correspondence courses from
the University of California are given individual book service and furnished
with the books they need to aid them in their special subjects. The high
schools belonging to the debating league have been supplied with plenty of
material for each subject debated.
Since the war a very active part has been
taken by the county library in teaching conservation of food. Window
displays on saving of meat, sugar, oils and fats, gardens, etc., have been
given with gratifying results.
No books go to waste. Even though they are too
worn to rebind, these worn out books are sent to the county jail and county
hospital.
The county library serves as a big school for
all the people whether they are in school or have graduated with high
honors.
Total volumes in the County Library January 30,
1917, were 15,092; number of branch libraries in the county number 58;
number of schools affiliated with the County Library number 44; first start
of El Centro Public Library, February 21, 1907; ordinance passed
establishing free Public library June 29, 1909; total cost of building,
$11,349.26 ($10,000.00 gift from Carnegie); appropriation from taxes first
year, $3,000.00 (1917-1918, (5,500.00); number of volumes in library first
year, 703; March, 1918, 7,717; circulation first year, 700 volumes;
circulation 1917-1918, 40,363; cardholders first year, 91; cardholders
March, 1918, 4,271; first board of trustees: W. C. Whitescarver, Phil D.
Swing, Mrs. Stanley Brown, John Norton, Dan V. Noland; present board: J. J.
Simmons, president; A. W. Swanson, secretary; B. Salomon, Franklin Reading,
Chas. L. Childers; first librarian, Miss Merle Whitescarver; present
librarian, Miss Agnes F. Ferris.
By Mrs. Bessie H. Wofford
On June 3, 1908, a number of ladies met to
organize a club, one purpose of which was to open a reading and rest room.
Through the medium of various entertainments and the untiring efforts of the
various club members who were called on frequently to devote time, material,
and labor, an adobe building, formerly a noted pool hall and blind pig, was
secured at a nominal rental, and here was established a reading and rest
room which are well patronized. The first year, through the efforts of one
woman, the subscription for seventeen magazines was secured. The Imperial
Valley Improvement Company presented four comfortable rocking chairs to the
reading room.
Up to 1911, the reading and rest rooms were
maintained entirely by the Woman's Improvement Club. In 1911 Mr. Whalen, the
new superintendent of the Los Angeles division of the Southern Pacific
Railway, became interested in the reading room as a place for his men in
leisure hours, and through his influence the Southern Pacific practically
donated the use of the building, furnished ice and water, all of which
expenses were formerly borne by the Women's Club.
In 1912, the Calexico library became a part
of the state and county library, and the librarian was paid by the county,
another burden being removed from the shoulders of the financial committee
of the club women.
The Calexico Carnegie Library
Application for a gift from the Carnegie
Corporation was made in February, 1915, and a promise of $10,000 was
received that spring. Plans were made for a $10,000 library building, but
proceedings were halted through the inability of Calexico to furnish a site
as required by the Carnegie Corporation. With the acquisition of Rockwood
Plaza as a park and civic center this difficulty was removed, and in
February, 1917, the City of Calexico dedicated a library site in the
northwest corner of the south half of Rockwood Plaza. A new obstacle now
appeared in the fact that construction costs had soared to such an extent
since the approval of the original plans that it was impossible to count on
constructing the building they called for with less than $15,000. An effort
was then made to secure an increase in appropriation, which the
extraordinary growth of Calexico appeared to justify. The Carnegie
Corporation, however, saw fit to deny a further sum, and it became necessary
to draw entirely new plans for a building about three-fourths the size of
the one originally contemplated. In due time the new plans were approved,
and on November 5, 1917, bids were opened for the construction work. The
lowest total sum, omitting certain features, which the library board felt
justified in making, was $12,337.61. It was decided to pay the excess amount
from the library fund of the City of Calexico which had been accumulating
since 1915. Permission to do this was obtained from the Carnegie
Corporation, and contracts were let. The general contract was practically
concluded on February 20, 1918, but to date a few other items remain
uncompleted, and considerable of the furniture has not arrived, due to
freight congestion in the east.
The building is a two-story affair, with the
lower story half in basement, and is of a semi-Spanish Mission style of
architecture. It is constructed of hollow tile, the exterior being finished
in white plaster, and the roof of red clay tile. The main floor plan is
patterned quite closely after certain requirements of the Carnegie
Corporation, and has adults' and children's reading rooms separated by the
librarian booth.