Part 49 (2/2)

Miss Virginia Dodge was librarian from 1896-1899, Miss Harriet L.

McCrory from 1899-1903, and Miss Harriet A. Wood from 1903-1910. The present librarian is Miss E. Joanna Hagey.

COE COLLEGE LIBRARY

Coe College at an early date owned a well selected text-book library.

It was generally conducted by one of the students. Many donations have been made, mostly by men connected with the Presbyterian ministry. The large library of Rev. James Knox was one of the early additions made.

Later the Rev. George R. Carroll presented his valuable collection of books to the college. Many valuable books have been donated from time to time by members of the faculty, by students, and persons interested in the growth of the college.

Miss Ida Dodd and Miss Cornelia Sh.e.l.ley served as librarians for some years. Miss Mary Irene Amidon, by the a.s.sistance of several helpers, has placed the library on a sound basis by a system of cataloguing which before had been neglected.

COLLEGE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY, MOUNT VERNON

No definite data can be given for the beginning of the library at Mount Vernon, though in the catalogue of the Iowa Conference Seminary for 1855 the statement is made that ”a small but good selection of books has been procured to which students will have access.” There seems to have been a hesitancy about giving any number of volumes, till in the catalogue of 1864-5 we read that ”the college library has about 600 volumes.”

From this early beginning the library very gradually grew in strength and helpfulness under the direction of various members of the college faculty. The professors who served as librarians were: S. N. Fellows, 1857-60, A. Collin, 1860-70, H. H. Freer, 1870-73, S. N. Williams, 1873-91, W. C. Webster, 1891-93.

In 1891 Miss May L. Fairbanks was appointed a.s.sistant librarian, and in 1893 she was elected librarian, which position she still holds.

A gift of $50,000 was obtained from Andrew Carnegie for a library building for the town and college. In June, 1904, the corner stone of the new building was laid, and in August, 1905, the college library, consisting of 25,548 volumes, was moved into the new building.

December 1, 1905, the library board of trustees was formally organized with Dr. James E. Harlan as president. Prof. W. H. Norton, Col. H. H.

Rood, E. B. Willix, W. E. Platner, Prof. H. M. Kelly, Dr. A. Crawford, A. A. Bauman, J. B. Leigh.

There has been no change in the library board. The annual income is $5,000.

The library now consists of 33,900 volumes and many hundred pamphlets that have not been numbered. The administration of the library resembles that of a college more than a public library, and no list of borrowers is kept.

MARION FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Marion free public library dates from 1903. Miss Adaliza Daniels first began her work as early as 1902, to agitate for a Carnegie library. She and Mrs. C. N. Owen then began to solicit funds for a building site and collected $3,775 for that purpose. The first board consisted of the following: Messrs. Alderman, Alexander, Bowman, Treat, Mrs. Dobson, Mrs. Busby, Mrs. Owen, Miss Tyler, and Miss Daniels. The present board consists of J. W. Bowman, president, Dr. J. Morehead, vice-president, Mrs. C. N. Owen, secretary, Mr. Wood, Miss Marshall, Mrs. B. C. Busby, Mrs. Millen, and Mrs. Parkhurst.

The income of the library has varied from $1,100 to $1,350. There are 800 card holders and more than 3,550 volumes in the library. The librarians have been Miss Mary Parkhurst and Miss Mabel Alexander.

THE BOHEMIAN READING SOCIETY

The Bohemian Reading Society was organized November 22, 1868, at Cedar Rapids, and some of the charter members who are still living are: Anthony Soukup, Frank Soukup, John Pichner, and John Safranek.

Many of the pioneer settlers contributed from time to time largely of their means for the purchase of Bohemian books and tried to inculcate in their children a desire for the reading of books printed in their own tongue. Many foreign newspapers and magazines were also taken in order to keep up with the times and to create in the minds of the young a love of the land of their fathers.

The average number of books loaned has been about 3,000 volumes a year.

The library being open to the members at stated times, much reading is done in the library building, where a librarian is in charge. The number of bound books for circulation has been from 2,000 to 2,500 volumes. The expense of running the library outside of room rent, heat, etc., has been from $200 to $300. Many donations of books and magazines are constantly being made.

A few of the librarians have been the following named persons: Mrs.

Kabasa, Neibert and s...o...b.., Frank Kurka. The present librarian has served continuously for the past sixteen years.

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