USA > Indiana > Lake County > The Gary Public Library (1907 - 1944) > Part 3
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Mr. Hamilton resigned December 1, 1935, to become librarian of the Dayton Public Library, Dayton, Ohio.
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HISTORY OF THE GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
--
GLEN PARK BRANCH
Chapter IV THE LIBRARY UNDER SHAW 1936-1940
With the beginning of economic recovery there came another library administration. While the trustees sought a successor to Mr. Hamilton, whose resignation was effective Decembdr 1, 1935, Miss Peters was again acting librarian.
Ralph R. Shaw was appointed librarian March 1,
1936. He was a graduate of Adelbert College, Western Reserve University, and had B.S. and M.S. degrees in Library Science from Columbia University. He came to Gary from the Engineering Societies Library, New York City.
By 1936 the days of cutting book budgets and sal- aries were receding and a spirit of confidence in the pos- sibility of increased expansion and service was evident. The library's building program, which had been interrupted by the depression, was resumed with the help of the PWA. -
Glen Park Branch. The board had received repeated requests from the people of the Glen Park community for a more adequate and permanent building than the portable which had been the branch home for years. Finally, through the aid of the PWA, the long hoped for branch building be- came a reality in 1938. Joe Wildermuth was the architect and Lawrence Largura was contractor. Mrs. Catherine Glueck was librarian when the branch was moved into its new home. She was succeeded by Miss Lyndell Martling in 1939.
Addition at Central. Difficulties in housing the library's expanding collection have already been indicated In 1931 an expansion of the book stacks had cut down the auditorium space and later a further expansion had reduced the space devoted to circulation and other public services. By July 1939, through the fortunate aid of the Public Works Administration, a long deferred addition was built as a west wing under the supervision of Joe Wildermuth, architect, by Thomas and Jensen, contractors.
The completion of this west wing made possible the first major re-organization of the library into well- defined departments. The wing housed a major reading room with greatly expanded open shelving, an enlarged acquisition department and a workshop and garage. Through the transfer of these activities from the original build- ing enough space was gained to organize a young people's department and to house the local history collection, the extension department and business office more efficiently.
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HISTORY OF THE GARY. PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Sam B. Woods Branch. Sam B. Woods, a pioneer resident of Griffith, Calumet township, donated a former bank building to the library for use as a branch in Griffith. After being repaired by the board, the Sam B. Woods Library was dedicated September 20, 1939, with Mrs. Mary Blodgett as librarian.
Alcott Branch. In 1925 John Gunzenhauser had do- nated a site at 19th and Georgia for a future branch for the Alcott community. However, in January 1939, two more centrally located lots at 17th and Maryland were bought, and the portable building which had formerly served the Glen Park Branch was moved to this location. The trailer had brought books to the district from 1937 to 1939.
Mrs. Charlotte Miko took charge of Alcott Branch in 1936 and has served continuously since that time. Her accomplishment as a linguist especially qualifies her for work in this branch because it serves many nationality groups .
Gary Works Branch. In January 1940 what is thought to be the first public library branch to be located in an industrial plant was founded in the Administration Build- ing of the Gary Works of the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation. Since the founding of the library, there had always been close co-operation between the library and the steel corporation, and an extensive and well- selected collection of technical books had been built up. To make possible better service to mill executives and employees, a collection was prepared for use and installed in the mill. Miss Mary Hamilton, for many years a steel mill secretarial employee, was appointed librarian. The unit aids not only individuals but training classes di- rected by the personnel manager of the mill.
Library trailer. In 1936 a standard house trailer was purchased and fitted up as a branch library to serve outlying areas efficiently and at small cost. The adop- tion of a trailer instead of a bookwagon or bookmobile was the result of a close analysis of costs and services. The initial cost of the trailer was extremely low when compared to that of a bookmobile, and operating costs were low because the same truck and driver used for library de- liveries was used to tow the trailer. As a result of this analysis the Gary Public Library pioneered in this field and its innovation has been widely studied throughout the library world.
COUNTY-WIDE library service. In response to a petition by taxpayers the Board of County Commissioners levied a tax making it possible in 1939 for the Gary li- brary to serve the remaining parts of Lake County not al- ready receiving library service. Branches were established at Highland and Munster, while other rural sections were served by stations and by the trailer. Ross township, which had not received library service from the Gary li- brary since 1916, was again being served.
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THE LIBRARY UNDER SHAW
Book charging by microphotography. Mr. Shaw, interested in achieving better service without increasing the budget drastically, introduced various efficiency methods which enhanced the institution's previous record as a laboratory for innovations. Many time-wasting rou- tines were eliminated as mechanical aids were introduced.
Charging books to patrons by microphotography was a startling innovation. Librarians considered it the most radical change in issuing books since the Detroit system of self-charging was installed in 1929 and later copied in Gary. In the ALA Bulletin, Vol. 35, pp. 504-10 Mr. Shaw reported as follows on microfilm charging:
"In installing photographic charging, with one exception, no changes in materials used in self - charging are necessary. The only change is the num- bering in consecutive order of the date due cards. By the simple pressing of a button, the book card, date due card and borrower's card (or any other mark of identification) are photographed on about an eight of an inch of 16 mm. film. "
Photographic charging was not only accurate but eliminated many time and money consuming steps in the cir- culation routines. The necessity for filing charges when books are loaned and searching for them when the books are returned has been eliminated, notifying patrons when books become overdue has been simplified, and the cost of the process amounts to only about 15 percent of the savings affected.
The photographic charging machine was installed at Central Library in 1939. War conditions have prevented installation of this method in the branches.
Reproducing catalog entries by stencil. Cataloging has always been one of the most time consuming, meticulous and costly of library procedures. In an effort to eliminate repeated typings of the same information on book, book card, book pocket, shelf list card, and numerous catalog cards, Mr. Shaw used an Elliott addressing stencil and adapted the machine so that after a single typing all of the in- formation could be reproduced mechanically. This has proved to be of great value to a library system with seventeen branches which buys many duplicate copies of most of its books.
Marjorie E. Bowers, head of the Gary Public Library Acquisitions department, describes the process in the Library Journal, June 1940, pp. 462-3, as follows:
"The use of Elliott addressing stencils, in- troduced by Mr. Shaw, has reduced the mechanical part of cataloging and preparation work with the result of a 45 percent increase in production, no increase in
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HISTORY OF THE GARY. PUBLIC LIBRARY
staff and with a very small expenditure of money. It necessitates much less typing and since the same stencil is used for a shelf list card, book card and book pocket, much time in revision of prepara - tion work is eliminated."
Newspaper files filmed. In co-operation with the Gary Post-Tribune, microfilming of Gary newspapers was be- gun . This project was brought up-to-date in mid-1944 and is being kept current. The Gary library has a complete file, on film, of the Post-Tribune since its founding as Gary Tribune in 1907.
Bound files of the daily newspaper are no longer necessary, since a machine is available for patrons' study of the films .. The reading machine serves a dual purpose, as circulation assistants use it for reading microfilm book charges.
Publicity emphasized. Mr. Shaw emphasized publicity and spent much time and effort placing information about the library before the public. One of the methods em- ployed to increase Gary residents' consciousness of its public library was observance of "Gary Library Week" in 1938. Sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the project made à considerable impression .: In 1939, in co- operation with Indiana University, the library sponsored a public forum. An average attendance of 65 persons at nine meetings was recorded.
Through the years the Gary Public Library had ranked high in usefulness, but a high water mark in book circulation was reached in 1940 when the total exceeded 1,000,000 volumes. This was a year in which records showed a decrease in many American libraries.
Staff welfare. Keeping abreast of the times in regard to staff welfare, Mr. Shaw introduced the five-day, 40 hour week in the Gary library. Through his interest, most staff members took advantage of an annuity offered jointly by the American Library Association and the Met- ropolitan Life Insurance Company. A form of pension for employees was adopted by the trustees on Mr. Shaw's sug- gestion .: The plan, providing for the automatic release from major responsibilities at the age of 65, was adopted and went into effect in March 1941. Under this plan em- ployees are retained at half-pay for half-time work .:
Mr. Shaw left Gary November 10, 1940, to become librarian of the Department of Agriculture Library, Wash- ington, D.C.
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Chapter V THE HOWARD ADMINISTRATION 1941 --
Miss Peters was again acting librarian from the time Mr. Shaw left on November 10, 1940, until Paul Howard reported as his successor on February 4, 1941.
Mr. Howard received an A.B. degree from the Uni- versity of Oklahoma, a B.S .: in Library Science from the University of Illinois, and an M.S. from the Graduate Library School, University of Chicago. His previous as- signments were as librarian, Panhandle Agricultural and Mechanical College, Goodwell, Oklahoma; librarian, School of Mines and Metallurgy, University of Missouri, Rolla ; and head of the Industry and Science department, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland .:
In the four years of his administration, Mr .. Howard has emphasized the library's extension into com- munity life, has continued to widen the service in the townships, has introduced administrative changes looking to a more effective staff and use of the physical plant, and has established more definite personnel policies. Greater emphasis has been placed on the reference services, with the result that the calls on the reference depart- ment have increased twenty-five percent per year for four successive years.
The library's building program was halted by Ameri- can entry into World War II in December 1941. However, some expansion of physical properties has been carried out.
Roosevelt Branch. The population of the district served by the Roosevelt Branch had increased to such an ex- tent that the branch building which was built in 19.22 was inadequate to meet increasing demands. In 1941 an addition was added which doubled the size of the building, and a new roof was put on the old part of the building .. The work was rushed to completion just before building ma- terials were "frozen" because of the war. Miss Lynnette Wiggins, trained Negro librarian, was librarian when the building was dedicated in 1941. She resigned in 1944 to accept a similar position in. Chicago. Her successor, al- so a trained Negro librarian, is Mrs. Ferne Browne ...
Because the near-by Roosevelt school is so much in need of extra class-room space, certain classes from the school meet regularly in the Roosevelt Branch library.
Alcott Branch .: Plans were completed for the con- struction of a new building for Alcott Branch .: Funds were available and some materials had been purchased, when all
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HISTORY OF THE GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
building projects had to be delayed until after the war. The portable which was used for a branch had been sold to make room on the site for the new building. The branch is now quartered in a rented store room at 1649 Delaware.
Beginning in 1941, collections of books were placed in Delaney Community, Duneland Village, and Ivanhoe Gardens, government subsidized housing developments.
Township branches. The pattern of evolution which appeared in Gary in the 1920's became apparent in the li- brary's township service in the 1940's. War industries brought a great migrant population to northern Lake County and as a result the township schools became so crowded that library branches located in some of them we're crowded out. Branches were removed from Ross, East Gary, and Mun- ster schools. Service was continued at Ross school by traveling branch, at East Gary an adult branch was' es- tablished in a rented building, while at Munster a small building was purchased in 1944 and moved to a site near the school building. A new branch was established at Cedar Lake, Hanover township, in 1942.
The most significant of these moves was at Munster. The small building, 20 x 20 feet, with a permanent col- lection of books, although open only part-time, provided better service than a trailer, at a lower initial cost, and lower operating cost than a permanent branch. Since there are many small residential communities scattered throughout the area it is likely that this type of li- brary unit will become popular and practical in the post- war years. The total cost of the unit including books and equipment is less than $4,000.
Traveling Branch. A new trailer was purchased in 1942 with a resultant increase in service to township schools. The new trailer, specially designed as a library branch, is 22 feet long, shelves 2500 books, is insulated throughout and equipped with lumiline lights. Heat is furnished by two charcoal stoves. It is called the Travel- ing Branch to distinguish it from the smaller trailer
Departments relocated. Various departments were relocated in the Central Building for more effective ac- cess and use. The children's department was moved from the second floor club room to the basement where there is an outside entrance. The rapidly growing extension de- partment was given quarters adjoining the children's room. These two departments occupy all the space forming the auditorium when the building was new. The Young Adult room was moved from the basement to the main floor so that the patrons of that age group might have easy access to the reference department.
The Local History department was given a room of its own in the east club room on the second floor. All books on Gary and Indiana history and books by and about
THE HOWARD ADMINISTRATION
33
GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY: TRAVELING BRANCH
TRAILER SERVICE
1
HISTORY OF THE GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
34 .
Indiana authors are located in this room .:
An important liaison with the public school teach- ers and the department of public welfare was formed with the creation of a professional library for teachers and social workers. The west club room on the top floor of the main building was set aside for this purpose and was comfortably furnished.
Personnel policies .. Early in his administration, Mr. Howard instituted a staff bulletin to which staff mem- bers were invited to contribute and in which the librarian and department heads keep members officially advised on changes in routines, policies and the like. This publica- tion is issued monthly .: Organization and departmental problems are discussed at monthly staff meetings.
As a preliminary to more definite personnel poli- cies, separation of clerical and professional work was un- dertaken. Order preparations and binding routines were made clerical. Book selection was established as a re- sponsibility of the professional staff working directly with the public.
The trustees' resolution on retirement, previously recorded, went into effect in 1941. Miss Mabel Tinkham was the first staff member to go on half-time duty under this plan. She was placed in charge of the Local History room .: Under this plan, Miss Peters was relieved of her duties as assistant librarian in 1943 and was assigned to the position of library consultant .: In this capacity she has worked with many organizations, aiding them in their programs as an advisor on reading materials.
A joint staff-board committee, under the guidance of the new assistant librarian, Mr. Sealock, made a job analysis leading to a classification and pay scheme. A 1 sub-committee revised the personnel code. Each department outlined its procedures. The classification and pay plan, the personnel code, and the department procedure outlines will form a staff manual.
New assistant librarian. When Miss Peters was re- tired under the above plan, Richard B. Sealock was appointed to the post of assistant librarian. Mr. Sealock, who be- gan work in Gary August 1, 1943, took his A.B. degree at Eureka College, Eureka, Illinois, a B.S .: in Library Science at the University of Illinois, and an M.S. at Columbia University. Prior to his appointment in Gary he had served in the Order and Branch departments and as head of the History department of the Queensborough Public Library, and as head of the department of History, Biography and Travel at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland.
World War II .: With the beginning of World War II the library again, as in World War I, became the official 1. For details of this plan see Chapter VI.
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THE HOWARD ADMINISTRATION
war information center for home front activities. Wide use was made of war films issued by the Office of War In- formation and other federal agencies, by means of a co- operative sponsorship with the United War and Community chest which helped finance the services of motion picture operators. Book lists issued by the Council of Books in Wartime were distributed. Pamphlets and books about the war in all its phases were added to the library collection and publicized freely.
Volunteer civilian defense workers were listed in 1942 and in the period of time in which the danger of air raids was still thought to be great, an air raid shelter was fitted up in the basement of the Central building. The librarian and various members of the staff took active part in many local organizations that were aiding the war effort.
Funds which were available for the building of Alcott Branch were invested in war bonds when construction of the building had to be delayed on account of the war.
Mr. Howard's war activities. As' in World War I, when Mr. Bailey was called upon for special war time serv- ice, the Gary library board was again asked to lend the librarian for wartime service. Mr. Howard was granted a leave of absence to become chief of the library program division of the Office of War Information in Washington. Mr .: Sealock was made acting-librarian on September 1, 1943, when Mr. Howard assumed his Washington duties. In February 1944 Mr. Howard was designated as an expert consultant in the office of the Assistant Secretary of War. His task was to help plan the consolidation of the existing book collections that the War Department maintained in the Pentagon building, and to act as technical adviser in the organization of the Pentagon Library. He resumed his duties in Gary on May 1, 1944.
Post-war plans. Although a new wing was added to the Central building in 1939, the library is again crowd- ing the available space .. Long ago the auditorium, which was a center for community activities and library programs in the Bailey and Hamilton administrations, had to give way to other more pressing library uses. The club rooms of the earlier days are now housing permanent collections of books. As the city grows, so must the library grow if it hopes to keep the place it has won through the years .. With this in mind, the librarian has made a report to the trustees recommending the building of a memorial library to commemorate realistically and usefully Gary's service men and women of World War II. In 1944, detailed recom- mendations for this project were. presented for the con- sideration of the City Council's War Memorial Committee, members of which were Hobart D. Wiggerly, chairman, Miss Katherine Patton, and Oscar L. Conway.
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HISTORY OF THE GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
By the end of 1943, the trustees owned for future branches, besides the Alcott site, two lots at the north- east corner of 5th Avenue and Taft, three lots at 7th and Clark Road, and a site at 19th and Georgia ..
With improvements in the physical properties com- templated, plans were also in process for an expansion of work with children, additional audio-visual materials, and for an increase in personal services to groups and individuals.
Chapter VI EVOLUTION OF THE STAFF
Changes in size, personnel and organization of the staff were an integral part of the library's evolutionary growth. What an institution like the public library is and does depends to a considerable degree on the quality and loyalty of its staff.
The library has been highly favored in this respect. Staff members have always had an active interest in their city and in their profession. They have taken part in the work of community organizations and in their state and na- tional professional organizations. Each of the five ad- ministrators has served as president of the Indiana Li- brary Association and staff members have served on com- mittees and programs. At no time for at least twenty years has the Gary Public Library failed to participate actively in the affairs of the American Library Association and of the Indiana Library Association by having a staff member serving as an officer or committee member.
In January 1909 Miss Lucy Newlin was appointed part. time assistant, thereby becoming Mr .: Bailey's first aid. In that first year the Misses Grace Sears, Evelyn Burke and Mildred Gottlieb were also employed as temporary as- sistants. Miss Orpha Maud Peters was employed August 9, 1909, as assistant librarian -- the first full-time assistant for Mr. Bailey.
In the early years the library assistants did vari- ous kinds of library work as the need arose. In the little store room on 7th Avenue two or three persons did all the work that was to be done circulating books and taking care of reference work. By 1913, however, when the library was housed in the new building various departmental func- tions had been quite clearly defined .. There were circula- tion, reference, catalog, extension, and children's de- partments. The assistant librarian started the catalog, but not until September 1911 was there a stated reference and catalog librarian. Miss Mabel Tinkham was appointed to fill that dual position.
More staff members were added as the years con- tinued and the needs demanded. By 1944, thirty-eight full- time employees were members of the staff, besides pages and numerous part-time workers.
Staff meetings. In 1914 Mr. Bailey inaugurated bi- weekly staff meetings. A variety of programs emphasized various phases of library work. The underlying purpose was to bring about a more complete knowledge of books and materials, to profit by suggestions of staff members and
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HISTORY OF THE GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
to give opportunity for "greater uniformity in understand- ing and promoting the regulations necessary to the orderly working of the library service."
Staff meetings have been carried on more or less regularly since 1914.
Re-organization of the services. The first major. re-organization of the library departments was effected by Mr. Shaw in the interest of greater efficiency. The reference and catalog departments were separated. Book ordering, classifying, cataloging, binding, and mechanical preparation were placed in one department, which was desig- nated as the acquisitions department. Space for this de- partment was made available when the new wing was added to the Central building in 1939.
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