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New Life for a Carnegie Library

On December 1, 2018, Cleveland residents will reclaim a beloved neighborhood institution when Cleveland Public Library’s South Branch officially reopens and resumes library services after years of restoration efforts. 

The Library decided to build the South Branch in 1907. It was the eighth branch in the system built by gifts from Andrew Carnegie. While other branches were built in brick, South Branch was notably constructed of rough-hewn gray ashlar stone. The architecture was described in the Library’s 1911 Annual Report as English Gothic with a Tudor interior. In correspondence between architects Whitfield & King and Head Librarian William Howard Brett, Hoghton Tower in Lancashire, England was cited as the inspiration for the library. The availability of limestone building material influenced the techniques of English stone masons. 

The city of Cleveland was also in the midst of a City Beautiful Movement at the time. In a 1908 letter to Whitfield, Brett wrote: 

“I am exceedingly desirous that this building should be definitely a correct example of the Tudor architecture. I believe that to have a public building which could be pointed out as an example of this style would be of value to the city.”

Whitfield & King designed many academic and public libraries prior to this commission. Some examples of their work include:

Carnegie Library, Laramie, WY (1903) - now a government building Jennings Carnegie Public Library, Jennings, LA (1907) Carnegie Library, Hickman, KY (1908) - now a museum Anne Wallace Branch-Carnegie Library of Atlanta, GA (1980) - now a bank Carnegie Library of Barnesville, GA (1909) - now a private home Wissahickon Branch-Philadelphia Free Library, PA (1909) - burned down c.1969 Eaton Hall, Tufts University, MA (1908) - now classrooms and a computer lab Thirty-Sixth Street Branch Library, Minneapolis, MN (1916)

South Branch is located on the corners of Scranton and Clark Avenues. The location was central to a residential neighborhood and within reach of several public and parish schools. The neighborhood in 1911 was largely German, Bohemian and American born. By 1924, older families had moved out and more immigrant families moved in. Twenty-one different nationalities were represented in the branch’s register.

Thank you to Ann Marie Wieland, Cleveland Public Library Archivist for her invaluable research!

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Summer Reading Club!

As Summer Reading Club is winding down here at Cleveland Public Library, we thought we would take a look back at the early days of summer reading!

Mrs. Lane presents a certificate for Mr. Smalls Club at the Woodland Branch, 1947.

The development of a summer reading club was begun under Caroline Burnite, the Library’s first Director of Work with Children. Children’s librarians needed a way to attract children to the library during the long summer vacation from school. The Library was generally less busy in the summer months than in the winter and this allowed the librarians to discuss books with children individually.

Mr. Smalls certificate, 1947

Summer reading honor rolls began as early as 1914 at the Perkins Branch (a branch for children only) where children would read through a sequence of books and have their name posted. This was very popular with the kids!

Cowboy Small, 1949

By 1939, the practice of having a summer reading club “theme” became standardized. A committee of children’s librarians would choose the theme to be used in all branches for the summer. This is pretty much how it is still done today. 

Elizabeth Briggs, Director of Work with Children at the Cleveland Public Library from 1937 until 1953, explained the 1943 theme of Plant a Flag of Friendship:

“Although children have little share in planning for the post-war world, upon them will fall for many years the burden of meeting its problem. Their success will depend in no small measure upon knowledge of world conditions and their understanding of other races and nationalities.”

[maryanaapm]

"How amazing it is to find someone who wants to hear about all the things that go on in your head..." - Nina LaCour 💕♈💕♎ #isittolatenowtosaysorry? #euportitupormim #partnersincrime #loveher #mybitch #librariana (em •Somewhere Only We Know•)

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The History of Cleveland Public Library through Book Trucks - Printing Department

When Cleveland Public Library moved into the new building in 1925, there was for the first time, room for more departments, services and offices.  The Annual Report for 1925 refers to “no more popular encouragement to reading and study than printed lists of carefully selected titles.” The lists were compiled by the subject departments and printed on “the Library’s multi-color press.” The Print Room was located on the fifth floor, east side of the Main Library, seen in the original floor plan above.

Also shown are two examples of book lists compiled by library staff.  And since Spring has finally sprung and we are all making our Summer travel plans, maybe some of these titles will provide some inspiration!  Some of our faves:

Westward Hoboes by Dixon                                                                                 Men, Maidens and Mantillas by May                                                                   Three Asses in Bolivia by Portman                                                                     Alone by Douglas                                                                                                 Together also by Douglas                                                                                     The Worst Journey in the World; Antarctic, 1910-1913 by Cherry-Garrard         Diary of a Dude Wrangler by Burt

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Read Across America Day is Tomorrow!

In honor of Read Across America Day (which is tomorrow March 2nd, 2016), we would like to share some photos of places Clevelanders have read in days gone by!  

First is an open air story hour from around 1910.  Next is story hour at the Perkins Branch, ca 1921.  Then we have a row of very engrossed children reading at the Quincy Branch in 1937.  

And finally, an intense group of boys in our Lewis Carroll Room in 1957.  Don’t let their studious-looking demeanor fool you - the titles they are holding include “Pretty Polly Perkins”, “The Wonderful Fashion Doll”, and “Little Boy Doll”.  You alllllmost pulled it off, guys!  But those grins gave you away!!

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In Honor of President’s Day

We present two booklets from the School Holiday Series.  These small booklets (3 1/2″ x 5 1/2″) were special reading lists compiled by the Cleveland Public Library from 1905 to 1909 and printed by the H. W. Wilson Company. The lists include categories such as Works (by Washington and Lincoln), Biographies, Tributes, Poetry and Birthday Exercises.  

Some suggested reading for Birthday Exercises:  Kellogg, ed, Hatchet Drill for February 22, In New Fancy Drills and Marches. (We seriously hope the drills didn’t include real hatchets!)

These diminutive booklets might seem like they would be suited for younger readers, but they include many advanced selections. For example, the Tributes section includes: Chateaubriand. Comparison of Washington and Napoleon.

Our favorites, from the Anecdotes section pictured above: Abraham Lincoln’s Kindness to a Bird, and Best Lincoln Stories Tersely Told.

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Ummm, what exactly is going on in there???

Taken from the Cleveland Public Library bound volume “Regulations and Instructions”, 1898.  These memos covered many problems that beset libraries on a daily basis but cannot be foreseen or dealt with through policy and procedure manuals.  These two memos are indexed as “Pages - throwing skins from windows”.

We’ll share more as we find them, but this is one of our favorites!   Who could have guessed that the boy pages would escalate their shenanigans from banana skins to grape skins?  

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Thanksgiving Day Lament

For all of us who have forsaken shopping on Thanksgiving because we feel that everyone deserves the day off, we present this snippet from our archives - Main Library News Notes, dated September 1918 to September 1920.  Each department wrote regular updates, usually every week, of various goings-on in their division.  We come upon this entry for Thanksgiving, 1919.  Although the poem is unsigned, we believe it was written by our beloved William Fitch Smyth - creator of those wonderful envelopes!

Lament of the Thanksgiving day Staff

O day of turkey and of pie,/ You certainly have passed us by!/ Here, faithful, at our desks we toil,/ Nor taste the nuts and salad oil./  In homes the rich plum puddings smoke,/ We think of them---our voices choke./  Tears spring unbidden as we cry:/ “Thanksgiving, you have passed us by!”/

Yet, faithful at our posts we stand,/ and information freely hand/ To all who ask. We give advice? To such as seek it. Never twice/ They have to ask. But when with thanks/ They turn from us, we clutch our hanks,*/ Wipe off our flowing tears, and sigh:/ “Thanksgiving, you have passed us by!”/

According to annual report statistics for 1919, the Main Library was open for 365 days!  Hours open for reading each week at the Main Library - 83.5!!