04/15/1938
. '
t._,
. ,
" . 1 ": ~ .
;:;..J..::...., .
" ,
, ,
. ,
," .
, "+'
. , ,
. ,
.....:. . ~ 'u''f- >' .,. ,.
. .'~..
. T" . ,
. . . ., ~ . ',-~...".. '. . .. . "", .. ..' . ." ",. ~..\~... L'",_.
\ '
LIBRARY BOARD
. MINUTES
"c.' .
I. '
.DATE Ah,.II~/I~'
1- r; ;) 3
i.~~'::/:::
'. ~ .
,"
......... ..._'...H.......,""~'...... ',c. ..... ~
.' ~ . ..t.~ ,. +.
,~
I
. '..."....f
A regular meeting of the Clearwater Library Board was held in the Chamber of
Commerce Board Room at ,3:30 P.M. Firiday, April 15,1938.
Present: - Messrs. Bayly, Paxton, Riddle, Mrs. Pearce. with the President Mr.
Bayly in the chair.
Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
Librarian reported that (as requested at the last Board meeting) the date of
the first annual meeting was on April 8, 1918, with monthly meetings on the
second of each month. ,
Librarian reported that the City Manager had requested that the budget for the
coming fiscal year be turned in by April 16, 1938. A tentative budget had
been prepared, and after some discussion and minor changes made, was approved
and given to the president for presentation to the City.
At the request of the President, librarian also had prepared a list of the
library employees, giving length of service and salaries for the last two years.
There being no further business, meeting adjourned.
\..J
'~ RTSTb'RY
tOLlECfION
Kr.~~:"t;;..,';:'~i :': :: ,'"
'i
.'
. r '.
: . r: . ~~:.:(
,~\' ':
, ..
,
, "
I,
"
{.:. .
,',
'l,
,(
'.,
"
~ . . .
~ . 4 .
,
> 'to
, '
"
'.' ,,"
.l,. _'
.. I"'
",
," ..
h . ~.
.. . .
.. .......I.~~......~.,~........_~.~ A . '.... '.~"
"
()
,~~
Population of Clearwater
Year White Colored
1910 --..-------------- 2,070
1920 ------------------ 2,427
1921 ------------------ 3)000
1922 ----------------- 3,800
1923 ----------------- 5,700
,;
1924 ----------------- 7,980
1925 ------------------ 8,500
1926 ------------------ 10,000
1927 ----------------- 10,500
1930 ------------------ 7,532 -------------------- 2,028
1934 ------------------ 8.827
1935 ------------------ 9,085 -------------------- 2,455
. ,
-...../
100;( "'ISTORV
COllECTION
;,
",'
,~
,
, ,
I'
Books the Clearwater Library Needs
Biographies are regarded by many as the best of all reading. Most public
libraries recognize this fact and take pride in being up-to-date in the
field of books about famous people. This winter's two outstanding American
biographies are:,
The Life of Arthur Brisbane.
The Life of Louisa M. Alcott.
The life of Brisbane, who was known the world around as the greatest editor
of his time, must be of importance and interest to every American reader.
The life story of Louisa M. Alcott, whose "Little Women" ranks as one of the
greatest novels of all time, is a book that every American woman and girl
will read with pride and delight.
The Brisbane book has been out for several months. The Alcott book has
been out for several weeks. Both are on sale in the book stores of this coun-
ty. Neither has yet found its way to the Clearwater Public Library. Instead
one finds in the Library's list of new books these two biographies:
Pepita, the highly immoral history of a highly
immoral dancer, written by British author, V.
Sackville-West:
I Live Under a Black Sun, a fantasy concern-
ing a modern Swift and Vanessa, written by British
author, Edith Sitwell.
The presence of These English works, both of doubtful interest to Americans,
particularly in the absence of American books, would seem to emphasize the need
of closer attention to selection on the part of the Library Board.
We should be fair to foreign authors of course. But not to the point of ne-
glecting the American viewpoint of ignoring books that no American public li-
brary should be without.'
'oJ
't~ nrsrORV
'COllECTION
T. '. .
. "" ~: i' " '. ~ . . f
','..i4';./:,..,..
\ i:,~,: :: ,
...'....:...
" ,
....: .
,I
/, ,
. .. ... ~ ~ t '.
, "
, ~ .:'
-,'
~,;' , -
','
';'10, .
:~ :~~~. C
'\'
L,>:~\ ' '. .
;<'~\.
''', '
';;";'C
.',"
:",
"1 ':. . .
, .
"~._.....-#"'''~''''_'''fI'~''''':''''''':._' .....'~, h ~ ..
. ..' "T~ ,"-' 'cu.. ~ y~.I" ...... '.P~':~' ,
\,
" '
()
. .....,,~-
103 WEST ROGERS STREET
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA_
Taver Bayly Esq.
Pree. Clearwater Library Board
Clearwater, Fla~
My Dear Sir:
I am enclosing a copy of a letter answering the
,editorial on your library's choice of books, appearing in
the Sun of, March 7. I should like you to know that I felt
its critism unjustfully, severe.
Very fruly yours
Adelia Brownell
,Mar. 8 1938
'J
[OCAC HISTORy'
COLLECTION
"
,.
, I
, -.....
.
103 WEST ROGERS STREET
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
COpy
Colonel Clearwater, Editor
Clearwater Sun
Clearwater, Florida
My dear Sir:
After reading your editirial regarding books in the Clearwater
Library in last night's paper, I wish to enclose for your attention a list
of the best-selling books in the United States as compiled by the Book-
sellers of the country each week and published among other places, in the
New York Harold Tribune. This clipping is from the issue of February 27.
On this list nei~her one of the two American books you mention
appears., No doubt the Brisbane biography is of interest in the nation, but
it has not held a place as best seller, and while Miss Anthony's book may
attain this success it has not done so as yet.
As to the two fictionized biographies by British authors to
which you refer; it would seem that a book dealing with the life of Swift
might have a ligitimate interest for readers of the English speaking world
whether or not they are Americans. America considers the heritage of English
literature as her own, from the days of Chaucer and Shakespeare to this
present date. The family of V. Sackville-West has been of importance in the
international relations of England and America. While nei~her of these bOllks
is on the book sellers list, there are on it the names of some ten or twelve
authors (fiction) who are not Americans, and there several foreign names on
the non-fiction division. This would indicate that the Clearwater Library
is in accord with the viewpoint of the American reading public foreign as
well as American authors.
I have been assistant to the head of the Adult Education Department
of the public library system of Cincinnati, and have always thought that the
Clearwater Public Library maintains an excellent standard in all its service;
a standard which fulfils the requirements of your Sun's Platform for Clearwater
and one that is in harmony wi~h the service Clearwater offers its citizens
and visitors in all line.
Yours very truly
(Miss) Adelia Brownell
,f'J
I am sending a copy of this to the head of the Library Board.
l-larch 8, 1938
lOCAL J!lSTORY
, COLLECTION
,~;\,. "'':,.. .
~~.~~{;~~~~~: . ~ ". I.).~
~::: ~~~~ :
;t:':<,,; ,
C:
.~:~.~~.- '..
.~.~ .~ '
. '
,
'.", pI
:'
<,:> .
. '
',\
1,":"
'I::
.::.\:'.. '
, d
"
/.~ ,
:(:. .~'
" '
,........
'. ,
l~~~"'+\'...~ .,.l-...,.f':',....~., .."
, "
;"
. . ''":':"'.'
, ,
.i:............i
"!
':.:"
,
.' ~ c
Circulation May 1, 1937 To May 1, 1938
. ~ ~ .
..E'
,l
"j'.' ."
..1 .
"
, "
Non. Fie.
Fie.
Total
5.., ':
Adult
16,895
50,855
"
{""
Juvenile
6,282
10.792
67,750
17,074
"':,', '
},."
"
Total
23,177
61,647
84,824
\'
"
:'
OJ..
,.T.....
"
\.J
~ Rm'M
~ottECm!lH ·
,. ": 1<
',r,
.,.....J,.......... ~,'.,: ~, ...,
, .
-,",
~ "n~"';'"
Cl.EJ\RWJ\llm PUULIC LIBRARY
New Works
The outstanding accomplishment of the year is the
putting into their permanent places (we hope)
in our enlarged library, our 26,689 books. These
have had to be lUoved so many times, during the
alterations, that it is quite ,a relief to know
that they are just \-Ihcro tho public can readily
get at them.
The catalogue cases have been revised and every
card is filed in I1dictionaryl1 form, with informa-
tion as to author, title, and contents of each
book in ,libra.ry.
A good deal of the work left incomplete by the
W.P.A. has been finished, the members of the staff
donning work-clothes; painting, straightening out,
our library.
.'
111e1'O is still much to be done:, however: the
windows are still without the venetian blinds,
(which are very much needed) and a lot of
shelving is needed in the new stackrooms, so that
we may get our magazines, etc. off the floors.
General work
done
The statistics show that during the year 1939 we
lent out 72,524 books to adults, 54,551 fiction,
17,647 non fiction, while the children took out
17,727 books, 12,729 fiction, 4,998 non fiction.
This makes a grand total of 90,251 books taken out
during the year; a very Bood showing, especially
for a city of this size!
4143 magazines were taken out.
357 persons were notified about their overdue
books.
894 new registrations were made, 87 being non-
residents (permanent residents of near-by cities).
For this season, to date. 197 visitors have
registered, making a total of 41'7 vi.sitors for
1939.
~..,)
'[Gr~ RISTORV
tOl(EOION
, '
t ," ,. ' , .
. .
"', , . ",.
, ,0... . l. ,
, : ," . . ," " ',' " ',' i."~ l," , '" ,'.~ ,: ,...." ',., ' '
, ,
. ~ -\. ..
b.,:
:.1
.,
~""~r-~". "
,0..
j""..'
2195 new books have been added and catalogued.
111ere were 105 books withdrawn, some being passed
on to schools and other needy libraries.
We have mcmdcJ. and reconditioned 750 books in
the library, anu also had 253 professionally
rebounu. We have had 791 gifts, some of these
being very fine books.
During the year. countless nambers of questions
have been answered, and items looked up from
tile 1,125 reference books, \...hich are now placed
around the reading room. I~e have people coming
to our library from other larger towns of the
state to consult our reference books whicll can
not be found in their mom libraries.
Five talks \'1ere made to the P. T . ^., and other
groups during the year, Also tl'lenty books reviews
by the librarian anu members of the staff. The
regular story hour has been resumed, and ,...e hope
that in the near future, the chi ldren 's library
may be moved downstairs, ,.,hen we can have a
children's librarian.
Book \'leek
In November, our Book Week display in the new
downstairs room proved a big attraction, being
visited by many people, both YOWlg and old. The
ne\'l books for the boys and girls \'~ere supple-
mented by dolls, dressed in character depicting
the different countries of the \'IOrlt!. These
dolls were kindly loaned to us from the Tampa
W.P~A. workrooms, also from the Cleanmter W.P.A.
handicraft rOOIllS. The local teachers brought
their classes to 'se~ the exhibit. Classes from
Largo, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, and Pinehurst
also came. Talks on good reading were made by
the librarian to these groups, and stories told
to more than 1200 children during the \.,reck.
t>luscum
We hope to have a museum started very soon. Mrs.
George Flugg is donating about 300 character dolls
representing many different countries. Other
gifts have been promised, Indian beaus, arrow-
heads, old coins, etc. as soon as we get glass
cases in h'hicl~ to display them.
l,..."".i'
reCXC FlISTORY
k:OllECTION
. '. \.' . . .'
. 0#-' . ' . .
, "
'.h '"
-,.. ".+
f>~>:'~'~:, :
{.'. > ~
/'
, ~ ~'. .
.>'. c'
~'l""'~"';"(""';""{ .
....,................w
I:'J.
t.",!
Library Staff
At the present the starr consists of Mrs. T. O.
Owen, librarian, Miss Dorothy Gl'ant, l..frs. Dorothea
Prior, ~liss Sarah Byers and Miss Ruth Smith,
assistants. We also have ~Iiss Verna Blackburn as
apprcctice, ,,,ho has already served 7 months of
12 months required. '
All of the staff are wi~ling at all times to b6
, of the' utmost help to the public in hunting up
information, helping \~ith book selection, re-
. refence work, or supplying any other needs.
Lib rary Hours
The library is open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.
each we~k-day except Thursday ,.,hen it' closes at
12;30 in summer and 5 p.m. winter months,
Saturday we arc open 12 hours, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Taver Bayly, President
Library Board
Annie OWen, Librarian
v
: [fK!}\t RISTOltV
. ,lrotlECTION