Libr 280 Library History Assignment

8/8/2019 Libr 280 Library History Assignment

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The A.K. Smiley Public Library

Celia

Libr 280

Professor Hansen

5/4/08


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Every city in America has a story to tell and so does its library. Rarely is the

history of all but the most prestigious of these institutions explored, nor its founders or

library staff. Despite its relative isolation in a part of Southern California that is not well

known, the Inland Empire has many of these library gems that have gone unnoticed. The

A.K. Smiley Public Library is one of these gems. Located in Redlands, a town proud of

its heritage and history, the A.K. Smiley Public Library has a fantastic legacy for those

interested in learning about it. In this paper, the origin of the town of Redlands, the

predecessors of the A.K. Smiley Public Library, the beginnings of the public library

movement in Redlands, and the history of the Library from its inception in 1894 to 1920

will be explored.

To understand how the A.K. Smiley Public Library began, the story of Redlands

must be told. The developer of Redlands, Frank E. Brown came to Colton, California as

a Yale graduate surveyor looking for work. He met E.G. Judson and the two quickly

became acquaintances in 1877. In 1878, he created the Lugonias first fruit packaging

company with Judson and built a ranch. However Lugonia did not have a plentiful water

source. This was a problem for the citys fruit industry. Brown traveled to the valley

where Redlands was located determined to find a water source for Lugonia. After

examining the land he discovered the area had an abundance of water that could be

carried to other cities, including Lugonia. Judson and Brown decided this land would be

a perfect place to build a city and brought 320 acres from the Southern Pacific Railroad.

One Dr. Barton owned 640 acres and was desperate to sell the land where nothing

but brush grew. Judson and Brown purchased this property and in several years

purchased an additional 4,000 acres. In 1881, Judson and Brown founded the Redlands


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Water Company and obtained water from the Redlands reservoir by building a canal. In

that same year several families moved into Redlands and used the rich soil to plant

orange trees. Thus Redlands citrus industry began.

The two entrepreneurs eventually built a dam (costing $30,000) in Bear Valley to

provide more water for Redlands agriculture. By 1887 Redlands had two public schools,

two grocery stores, a mill, a real estate business, two banks, a YMCA organization and

building, a blacksmith shop, a fruit drying business, a harness shop, a newspaper (The

Citrograph established by Scipio Craig), 3 churches, a lumber yard, a newspaper and

cigar store, a boarding house, a barber shop, an opera house, a doctors office, and a drug

store (Nelson, Hinckley, Moore, Moore, and contributors 1963).

Before the Redlands Public Library, the town had many alternatives to choose

from. Redlands YMCA building constructed in 1887 had a reading room filled with

several books and periodicals. The reading room was free and open from 8 A.M. to 9:00

P.M. The YMCA not only had a reading room for the enjoyment of Redlands but held

concerts, a church service, and had several speakers (Citrograph, October 29, 1887).

The YMCA also hosted a book social on December 27, 1888 so more books could

be donated to the reading room. More than 60 books of good and excellent quality were

donated on Tuesday night. The success of the YMCA reading room was apparent in the

December 29, 1888 Citrograph. The editor, Craig showcased the room as well

lighted and provided with some of the best daily and weekly papers in a state but a good

fire can be found there until 9 oclock and all visitors are made to feel at home. It is

fortunate Redlands book enthusiasts had a reading room in a town with few

entertainments.


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Redlands also had a few bookstores. The first bookstore of Redlands was run by

one Ms. Jennie L. Jones. Before it opened in December it was promised to be, a boon to

the readers of Redlands. And indeed it was. Located on 23 East State Street, Ms. Jones

had hundreds of books for sell and ran a circulating library where individuals could rent

books for 10 cents a week. Art and stationary was sold as well (Citrograph, December

10, 1887). It was a haven for those that did not have the means to purchase books. Ms.

Foote from Wisconsin joined Ms. Jones in partnership and opened a trinket and wallpaper

store in 1889.

This did not last but a year. Ms. Jones health started to decline and she was

unable to run her businesses. Both women were forced to sell their businesses to the

Barnum and Leonard firm in the summer of 1890. Soon afterward Ms. Jones passed

away and Ms. Foote decided to buy the business back. Ms. Foote was able to regain

ownership of the business in September of 1890 with the help of Ms. Pierpoint, another

local woman.

The news was greeted with joy and Craig of the Citrograph reported, Ms.

Pierpoint will be behind the counter on Monday next and will pleased to greet her friends

at the old bookstore stand (Citrograph, September 13, 1890). In 1893 Ms. Pierpoint

moved to the eastern United States but Ms. Foote continued the business with C.C.

Beatty. The circulating library and bookstore experienced great success and popularity

under the management of these two women. The business moved into the Union State

building on Orange Street because its book collection had grown so large (Irshay 1986).

The success of the early bookstores suggests early Redlanders had a passionate

relationship with books and took reading very seriously.


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Redlands had yet to experience the California public library movement

encouraged by the Roger Act of 1878 (Held 1963). The act was based the library that

started the public library movement, the Boston Public Library. The founders, Sr. and Jr.

Josiah Quincy, George Ticknor and Edward Everett intended wanted the public library to

provide additional education for Bostons people. When The Boston Public Library

opened its doors in 1854, a law required the public library be established and maintained

by taxes. The mayor of Boston, Josiah Sr. Quincy required that a library board of

trustees of 5 or 6 members manage the library (Shera 1949).

The Roger Act of 1878 had the same guidelines. It required a town to establish a

free public library and reading room by taxing its residents. A library had to create a

library board of trustees of a given number. Los Angeles was the first to establish a free

public library in 1878. The nearby cities of Ventura, Eureka, Oakland, San Francisco,

and Sacramento all acted within the year or the next to establish public libraries. Like

Redlands, most of these cities had many circulating and social libraries to suit their needs.

With the passage of the Roger Act it was possible to meet needs that neither type of

library could (Held 1963). Redlands was clearly behind in this movement and needed a

public library soon. Change came with the arrival of two men in 1891: Alfred Homans

(A.H.) and Albert Keith (A.K.) Smiley.

The twins were born in Vassalboro, Maine on March 17th, 1828 and owned two

successful resorts, the Lake Mononk Mountain house and the Wildermere House. A.H.

Smiley brought his family to Redlands, California in 1889 for warm weather to soothe his

arthritis. He was impressed beauty of the land and purchased 20 acres. A.K. Smiley

followed his brother in 1890 after some convincing and bought 20 acres nearby. The


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twins began to construct a winter resort on the properties shortly afterwards. Many in the

town of Redlands scoffed at such a venture, calling the resort Smileys Folly (p.49).

What was nothing but dirt and brush became the Canon Crest Park known its

wonderful gardens. By 1891, the resort was finished and both Smiley families moved in,

allowing the residents of Redlands to tour the gardens at their pleasure. The resort

transformed Redlands into a popular destination and drew families to the small town.

A.K. and A.H. Smiley were well past their youth but had energy and drive to spare. Both

were on the Board of Trade, were involved in the YMCA, joined a committee that

constructed and organized a charity association, built 3 parks, and were involved in

several projects that beautified Redlands (Burgess 1993). Due to the dedication and

stubbornness of A.H. and A.K. Smiley, Redlands not only had a public library by 1894

but the respect of California.

The public library movement in Redlands began soon after the Smiley brothers

arrival. In 1891 the editor of the Citrograph, Craig reported A.K. Smiley and A.H.

Smiley, J.B Breed, and many others presented to the city board of trustees the idea of a

public library or reading room (Citrograph December 5, 1891). Nothing was decided at

this meeting and it was not until November of 1893 that the idea of a public library was

brought up again. At the city board of trustees meeting in November, the YMCA wanted

to construct a new building and offered the board two offers.

The lst offer proposed the first floor of the building be a library and reading room

while the rest of the building would be city trustee offices. The board would pay $75 a

month for the first two years and then $90 a month for the 3rd year. The second offer

involved dedicating the entire building for city trustee offices for $65 dollars a month.


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Mr. A.H. Smiley was at the meeting and had been trying for months to convince the

trustees that Redlands was in dire need of a library.

At this meeting Smiley said the city would prosper with a library and reminded

the trustees, Redlands for a city of its size that was behind other places of less

importance. Where these cities or towns were was not specified. The city trustees

decided it was time for Redlands to have a public library and accepted the 1st offer with

the library and reading room (Citrograph, November 4, 1893). Unlike Los Angles,

Sacramento, or San Francisco, Redlands did not have a library association established.

Instead a library board of trustees acting as the Redlands Library Association

was appointed at another town meeting on November 22, 1893. It was decided A.H.

Smiley would serve as president, Mrs. Margaret Howard White as secretary, and F.P.

Meserve served as treasurer. The rest of the board included Professor T.E.N, A.B.

Ruggles, Ms. Lucy E. Foote, and Mrs. N.S McAbee (Citrograph, November 25, 1893).

With such an impassionate group of well bred and esteemed persons Redlands was one

step further in obtaining a public library.

When the Rules and Regulations of the Redlands Public Library were formed in

1894 the library board of trustees agreed there would be only five given members at any

time. The Redlands library board of trustees also adhered to the specifics of the Roger

Act of 1878. Like many of Californias libraries at that time (particularly San Francisco)

the board would receive no salary, it would choose the salaries of library staff, and the

library board had the power to find replacements for trustee members (Held 1963). All

members agreed that the treasurer would be in charge of all financial records and the

secretary would record the meeting minutes. The board would decide what books,


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journals, and other materials were purchased for the library (Rules and Regulations for

the Redlands Public Library 1894-1895).

Things were looking up for the new library. The Redlands Library Association

reported to theRedlands Daily Factthat $1,500 had been raised for the library thus far

and the library would be ready by the next spring (November 24, 1893). By January 11,

1894, $1,850 had been raised for the library. At the city of trustees meeting, Mr.

Meserve presented the bill for $360 spent on furniture for the new library for the approval

of the city trustees. The board saw no error in the expenditure and approved it

(Citrograph, January 11, 1894). $2,000 dollars had been raised by January and Ms.

Margaret Howard White went to inspect the progress of the library. She was delighted

with the library work and saw that all was nearly complete (Citrograph, January 27,

1894).

The library board decided that it would be best to employ a trained specialist as

librarian and asked Ms. Kelso, the Los Angeles librarian to recommend a likely

candidate. She recommended 2 of her assistants but found that they were already

employed. Her third assistant, Helen Nevin was recommended to the board and she was

immediately hired. The Redlands Public Library Rules and Regulation of 1894-1895

specified the pay of the librarian and the assistants would be determined by the library

board of trustees. The trustees decided Helen Nevins would be paid $40 month and later

that year the board increased her pay to $50 in 1895 because she worked so diligently.

Not much is known about Redlands first librarian except she had a sister living in Seattle

(Irshay 1986).


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It is interesting the Redlands library trustees were so willing to hire a non-resident

librarian at a time where other libraries wanted to employ their locals as librarians. Many

library boards believed local women would do as they said without question. It is curious

that Ms. Nevin would live so far from her only family member when many other

librarians of the day were reluctant to live apart from their families. It was not

uncommon for a librarian to quit and care for an elderly parent or relative (Passet 1994).

Some of Redlands local girls and residents were unhappy with the library boards

decision. In the February 2, 1894Redlands Daily Facts acknowledged this

disappointment and the following was suggested, Some of the applicants might insure

the success of their application by taking a course or training of a library training school

at Los Angeles. It can only be imagined how and if the disappointed parties took this

advice.

In the February 10, 1894 Citrograph, Editor Scipio Craig reported on the library

board of trustees meeting early that week. The library board of trustees was preparing to

give the library as a gift to the city of Redlands. Professor C.N Andrews donated 150

books to the library and the order for $900 worth of books arrived. The newly hired Ms.

Nevin worked to catalogue and placed the newly received books in the accession book.

According to the Redlands Library Accession book (which lists the first 5,000 materials

of the Redlands Public Library from February 6, 1894 to September 5, 1898), most of the

materials were purchased from the Baker and Taylor CO. and J.D. Jones but many of the

towns residents donated books of good quality.

Some of the individuals, organizations, and institutions who donated books

include A.K. Smiley, Mrs. W.H. White, and H.Q Nicholas. Helen A. Nevin, W.W.


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Bowers, Antoinette M. Humphrey, De Harpers WK. Club, The Young Ladies Society,

the Redlands Books Club, the Los Angeles Public Library, California State Library, J.D

Easton, Chas J. Arkinson, K.G Wells, A.H Smiley, and many others. This collection

included famous works written by respected authors of the day. The first book Redlands

Public Library collection was Poetical Works by Sir William Scott donated on February

6, 1894. Other books that were purchased and donated included works from famous

authors such as Nathanial Hawthorne, Charles Dickinson, and William Shakespeare.

On February 17, 1894 the Citrograph announced the following:

The board of trustees of the Redlands Public Library Association request the honor of the

presence of the public in the YMCA building on Cajon Street on Washingtons Birthday

from 2 til 6 P.M.

A.H Smiley

Mrs. N.S McAbee

Ms. L.E Foote

Mrs W.M Howard White(Citrograph, February 17, 1894)

The day the library opened was a positive one long anticipated by the residents of

Redlands. Scipio Craig described the library room in detail. The room was most

beautifully decorated with flowers and plants and a very large crowd surged through the

city and various city allices during the afternoon. The public was also greeted by the

Redlands orchestra playing with vigor. The first speaker, Reverend Mr. William spoke

of, The advantages of having the great authors of the world available as guests to our

people as pleasure. Professor Gleason of the Redlands High School spoke next, taking

the opportunity to praise the achievement of the high school and its students.


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Then A.H. Smiley presented the library as a gift to the city of Redlands to Mayor

E.G. Judson. The mayor accepted the library on the behalf of the city with great pleasure

and mentioned if it had not been for the hard work of Mr. Smiley there would not have

been a library. The mayor also assured him that the public would remember this always.

The next speaker was the Los Angeles Librarian, Ms. Kelso. She offered her advice and

shared her experiences in librarianship with the library trustees and Ms. Nevin. The

dedication was ended by Dr. Riggs. He spoke of how the library would be a focal point

for education and encouraged its use (Citrograph, February 24, 1894).

After so many years of having to do without, the city of Redlands had a public

library it could take pride in. On March 1st, the library began to circulate books and

according the annual report of 1893-1894, Ms. Nevin guided members of the public

through the library and introduced them to the librarys collection. The reading room had

50 magazines. Among those were popular reads as Good Housekeeping and Scientific

American.

The 511 non-fiction books the library owned were displayed proudly on their

shelves. This collection included a number of poetry volumes written by Whittier and the

Descent of Man by Charles Darwin. The library even owned 38 childrens books such as

Tom Sawyer and the Prince and the Pauper. Ms. Nevin revealed more childrens books

would be delivered in the months ahead. The library owned 435 fiction books with

popular titles like Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Irshay 1986).

The residents of Redlands were free to use the Redlands Public Library and

reading room for their pleasure but had to abide by the librarys strict rules. In the

Redland Public Library Rules and Regulations of 1894-1895, the library was open


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everyday from 10 A.M.-12 P.M., 2 to 6 P.M., and 7 to 9 P.M. Patrons would have access

to the library except on Sundays, holidays, and Friday evenings. To become members

and receive library cards patrons were required to sign a guaranty.

This guaranty system expected much of the new library patrons. The guaranty

was filled out in pencil and the residents were required to have a guarantor. Guarantors

had to be adults, live in the city of Redlands, and have a good record. Patrons could be

striped of their library privileges if the guarantors demonstrated bad behavior, find a new

guarantor if theirs moved away, and were required find another guarantor once their

membership expired (which was every two years).

Members had to be over 12 and non-residents paid a quarterly fee of one dollar

unless they paid city taxes. Patrons were also expected to show impeccable behavior in

the library by not talking or making any noise, eating, and or disrupting the atmosphere.

Patrons could only read newspapers for 15 minutes at a time and were required to leave

books on the table once done reading or using them. To encourage patrons away from

fiction towards more enlightening materials, patrons were allowed to check out 2 books

at a time if one was non-fiction for a week.

In the beginning Ms. Nevin provided many of the libraries services. From 1894

to 1895 she ran the reading room, reshelved the materials during the transitional periods

before the library opened again, and kept the materials organized. For one person to run

a library by themselves is quite an undertaking. In that first year, Nevin worked tirelessly

to establish a library that functioned smoothly. She worked 48 hours a week except for

Friday evenings, her only time off. TheRedlands Daily Facts of December 8, 1894

proudly announced, 1842 readers the able library confirmed 1891 volumes and


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circulation 1850, sure evidence that more books are needed. By her first year as a

librarian, Ms. Nevin had circulated 22,526 books in 303 days.

Ms. Nevin also provided lists of the library's reference books on ancient

civilizations to the history teacher of Redlands High School, Ms. Stockington. A list of

reference books on the Italian Renaissance was provided for the ladies Contemporary

club. Ms. Nevins most important contribution was creating the Redlands Public

Librarys first art collection. The art collection included pictures of landscapes, designs,

and other art collected from the Art Interchange magazine and others. This

collection was used to decorate the library and give it a more cheery feel. Teachers from

grammar and high schools were encouraged to use the collection for art classes.

Then in the height of her success Ms. Nevin announced that she would resign in

the spring of 1895. No one knows why she resigned but Irshay (1986) speculates that she

may have been lonely. Perhaps she was. Small western community libraries like the

Redlands Public Library could only hire a janitor and a librarian. The librarian was often

isolated because there were few young women with similar interests to talk to. Many

librarians compensated by developing close friendships with their library school directors

and wrote them letters regularly (Passet 1994). Ms. Nevin may have gone back to the

Los Angeles Public Library because she missed working with other young women who

shared her interests and desired the guidance of Ms. Kelso.

Another explanation for Ms. Nevins resignation is she may have been intended

as a temporary librarian. The purpose of a temporary librarian was to set up the catalog

and establish a library. There is evidence of Ms. Nevin being a temporary librarian in the

February 2, 1894Redlands Daily Facts. The editor explained, The present appointment


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[of Ms. Nevin] is temporary. What is more telling is the new librarian hired after her

(Antoinette Humphreys) was a local girl (Irshay 1986). The Redlands library board of

trustees probably assumed what other library boards did: a local girl would be able to run

the library after the temporary librarian left.

Whatever the case Ms. Nevin created a library circulating 23,520 books and 962

registered patrons, or 1/5 of the towns residents. According to the Los Angeles Public

Library Annual Report of 1896, it was reported that Ms. Nevin was employed there as a

library attendant and then a cataloger until 1902 (Los Angeles Public Library Annual

Reports 1896-1902). The new librarian Antoinette Humphreys was originally from New

Haven, Connecticut and her family moved to Redlands in 1891. She received library

training from an unknown school, possibly from the Los Angeles Library School and

may have been trained by Ms. Nevin herself.

In her first year, Ms. Humphreys dedicated herself to creating library services for

Redlands children. She suggested that the Redlands Public Library implement a

program used by the Los Angeles Public Library where libraries would work with

schools and children (Irshay 1986). The Los Angeles Public Library and the Redlands

Public Library were the latest libraries among several to provide services for children.

This idea of a childrens department and services originally stemmed from several

parties in librarianship. Melvil Dewey proposed the idea for childrens departments and

said, The library must supply them with reading which will serve to educate (p. 26). In

1896 some of the libraries in Brooklyn, Providence, Pittsburg, Omaha, Seattle, San

Francisco, Cambridge, and New Havin implemented a childrens department (Daniel

1961). It was the work of Caroline Hewins of the Hartford Public Library and Anne


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Carroll Moore of the New York Library that brought the childrens room and services to

reality. For the first time, children were encouraged to come into the library and were led

towards a genre of books written for them (Rose 1954).

It is no surprise that this idea would spread from the east, into the west, and find

its way into the Redlands Public Library. In 1896 Ms. Humphreys visited with school

teachers and tried to convince them to start borrowing books from the library school

children to use. This was perfect timing because the Redlands library board of trustees

recently allowed children to become members and use the library. At first teachers were

reluctant but by 1897, 379 books had been taken to schools and children began using the

library more often.

This was the beginning of what would become the childrens department. Mr.

A.K. Smiley had quietly begun the construction of a permanent library building and a

park for Redlands in the same year. Ms. Humphreys reported in the annual reports of

1897-1898, We were aware of the intentions of Mr. A.K. Smiley to erect a building for

library purpose as soon as he returned in the fall (Irshay 1986). 6 acres had been

purchased in downtown Redlands as of 1895 and T.R. Griffith and D.M Donald were

hired to construct the building.

The library was a Mission style building with six fireplaces, a main reading

room, a reference room, a general reading room designed for children, a cataloguing

room, a lady parlor for women to talk and rest, two additional stacks, and a tower where

the library trustees would meet. The building was designed to hold 50,000 books and let

light and air in. The building and park set Mr. Smiley back $60,000, a substantial sum

that drained his coffers (Citrograph, May, 7, 1898).


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The new library building was dedicated on April 29, 1898 and named the A.K.

Smiley Public Library. One of the speakers, Reverend J.H. William of 1st congressional

church said, Only one in four graduates of public schools go to the academy and higher.

The other 3 depend on the library to complete their education. It is their great

opportunity at the door of knowledge in an otherwise blank wall-their college and

university. Mr. Smiley gave his speech about how he came to Redlands and how he had

been planning to build a public library. He reportedly said, It is a well recognized fact

that a good library of carefully selected books is a necessary adjustment to the progress of

any community in culture, refinement, and general civilization (Citrograph, May 7

th

,

1898).

These comments reflect the idea of a public library as an educational institution.

With the arrival of immigrant groups in the antebellum period, the elite and middle class

wanted these populations to absorb American morals and culture. Many felt the best way

to do this was through education. This created the move in the 1820s to provide public

institutions such as public schools and libraries to educate the general public.

When the governor of Massachusetts debated if he should pass the Massachusetts

Law of 1851, which would permit the establishment of a public library in that state,

Reverend John Burt White (one of several speakers trying do convince the governor to

pass the law) said, With good public libraries, everyone will have it in his power to

supply the deficiencies of his early acquisitions, and every one will be able to make

whatever knowledge he had acquired available in facilitating his further progress (p.193-

194). This idea of the library as an alternative for those that could not attend a university


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spread. The theology was supported by libraries first in the east and then the west (Shera

1949).

Work resumed as usual in the newly built A.K. Smiley Public Library with the

goal to educate Redlands. With the help of 1st assistant librarian Ms. Gertrude McIntosh,

Ms. Humphreys continued to work with children in the new childrens room in 1898.

Teachers brought their students to the library during school hours and used the childrens

room more extensively for their lessons. By now the library was circulating 30,451 items

and had 5,221 registers. The library collection was growing and the library trustees

thought to catalog the materials at last.

In addition, the residents of Redlands desired the library to be open during

Sundays and holidays. The library board of trustees finally submitted to these desires.

Scipio Craig of the Citrograph announced, After hammering away for several years, the

Citrograph is glad to see that the people are aroused over the opening of our public

library on Sunday. Craig went on to say that tourists could go to the library on Sunday

and enjoy its extensive collection (Citrograph, January 13, 1900).

In 1903 the catalog department created card catalogs for juvenile and adult

materials. The childrens department assisted the youth of Redlands by assigning library

cards to teachers continued to provide many services for the children. It is known the

library had a great resource, a bindery and repair department. The department repaired

damaged materials and maintained the librarys collection. The library staff of the A.K

Smiley Public Library was paid a handsome sum of $2,572. It is unknown how much

Ms. Humphreys herself was paid.


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By 1904 the A.K. Smiley Library experienced great popularity. It had circulated

44,132 books and had 3,415 registered patrons. Ms. Humphreys was positive about the

growth of the library and reported to the library trustees in the annual report of 1903-

1904, If this steady growth continues as evidence indicates, it will be gratifying to you

who have the management in charge and to the taxpayers who can see the results of their

generosity. The catalog department continued to work towards cataloging the materials

and made sure someone was present at all times as patrons increased their demands for

materials (Annual Report of 1903-1904).

An apprenticeship class was developed and ran Ms. Humphreys to train assistants

in 1905. The Requirements for Admission of Women Apprenticeship of 1912 reveals the

A.K. Smiley Public Library board was looking for a particular girl. Applicants had to be

high school graduates, 18-23 years old, healthy, show excellent people skills, and be 54

or more. Assistants were trained for 6 months (eventually 4 in later years), were required

to work 4 hours a day, and trained one at a time. Many libraries in the western states felt

the same way as the library board of Redlands. They too required a particular girl for the

library. What most library boards sought was a girl who could play the social chameleon

and fit into the community with ease, convince a community of the librarys useful

resources, and guarantee the success of that library (Passet 1994).

During this apprenticeship, the interns would learn about the librarys

classification system, cataloguing, memorize the reference sources and how they were to

be used. The girls would also work at the circulation desk, study the periodicals and

indexes, and experience all other areas of library work under the guidance of a more

experienced staff member. Once they were hired assistants worked during the summer,


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at night, or served as Sunday and holiday attendants (Requirements for Admission of

Women Apprenticeship of 1912).

The Annual Reports from 1903-1920 suggests many of the assistants resigned

their positions after working for a few years. Some of the assistants moved, got married,

or decided to accept better paying positions elsewhere. Not much information is

provided on what their plans were after resigning. Those assistants that decided to stay

with the A.K. Smiley Public Library were often promoted to better positions with more

regular hours when older staff members resigned (See Table 1 for more details).

The library rules were eventually changed and became more relaxed in 1906.

Patrons were allowed to check out as many non-fiction materials as they wished but were

only allowed one fiction book at a time. For even greater convenience, the library

allowed patrons to stat renewing books by phone (Irshay 1986). This surely cheered the

residents of Redlands and encouraged a healthy appetite for books.

The library required additional stack room to place its overflowing collection.

The library board of trustees had discussed the need for an extra room and Mr. A.K.

Smiley generously donated the funds to build the room.

In the librarians report of the 1905-1906 Annual Report, Ms. Humphreys

reviewed the history of the library and mentioned the new addition being built, And now

we are close to the third event, also made possible through the generosity of Mr. Smiley.

With the addition now being built on the east wing of the library we shall have extra floor

space, 24 feet by 100 feet long. The end of this room will be used for the reference

department, while the space adjoining the present stacks room. By 1907 the new

reference wing was in use and $2,245.30 from the library fund was used to purchase


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additional furniture, insurance, and hire help move into the new quarters (Annual Report

of 1907-1908).

The A.K. Smiley Redlands Library and the town of Redlands received some sad

news in 1908. Scipio Craig had passed away. He was always supportive of the library

and was good friends with a number of the staff and board. Craig left the library with a

valuable gift. In the library board of trustee report of the Annual Report in 1908-1909,

the board voiced its appreciation of the gift, To the future historians of Redlands and of

Southern California, it will be invaluable, and of its possession, made possible by Mr.

Craigs love for and to devotion to Redlands.

The library received his donation of local history periodicals, pamphlets,

newspaper clippings and the newspapers themselves, photographs, state reports,

government reports, magazines, and countless other items. This collection was named

the Scipio Collection. The library also received $500 for the librarys Native American

collection. This was a precious gift from Andrew Carnegie in 1909 for his dear friend,

Mr. A.K. Smiley. This collection included several valuable volumes worth of California

Missions and Redlands pictures and an autographed book collection (Annual Report of

1908-1909).

In the Annual Report of 1909-1910, Charles Putnam (the president of the library

board of trustees and a passionate photographer from 1895-1918) donated a collection of

art and nature photographs in the honor of his daughter, Lucy Abbot Putnam. In later

years several photographs from Mr. Putnams travels around the world (from many

countries in Europe and Asia) were added and the collection was hung in the library to be


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admired by the staff and patrons. The circulation of books was at an all time high at

91,365 books and there were 4,543 registered patrons.

By this time more high school and university students began to frequent the

library, especially during the winter. In response the reference desk began to provide

more encyclopedias and text books in the reference collection. The childrens

department shifted their attention to grammar school and juveniles. Story time offered by

the department quickly became a favorite with children and the childrens room was

decorated with pictures to make the atmosphere more comfortable. Attendance had been

steadily climbing and the library thought to move the childrens room into larger quarters.

The catalog department was able to start cataloguing the magazines and reference

materials, a massive undertaking.

The A.K. Smiley Public Library had always been very concerned with public

health and took several steps to insure the safety of its patrons. In the 1910-1911 Annual

Report, the library disinfected books thought to have been in contagious residences. Dr.

Forline of the Redlands Health Board recommended the library disinfect every book

returned to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. The librarys basement was

converted into a disinfecting center in early January to achieve this.

The books were placed on shelves with wire so they were wide open when treated

with formaldehyde fumes from 9 P.M. to 9 A.M. every day. The chimney flute served as

ventilation for the fumes to escape and a lift elevator (that held up to 450 books)

transported books. 1,000 books could be processed at a time in this manner and placed in

the stacks quickly. The library trustees reported, These precautions are appreciated by

the public, and we feel this feeling would grow (Annual Report of 1910-1911).


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The appreciation of Redlands did grow but so did its demand for safety. In later

years, the Health Board recommended that the library implement mechanical ventilation,

use a vacuum clearer, and install a sanitary drinking fountain. The library took heart to

this advice and brought these instruments to soothe the fears of contagious diseases. It

was also agreed that the library would be closed when there were epidemics (Annual

reports of 1903-1920).

The A.K. Smiley Public Library was not the only library concerned with

contagious diseases. In the 19th century before vaccines and antibiotics were in existence,

people were vulnerable to deadly diseases like the whooping cough and smallpox. The

fear of catching diseases from library books that had been in contagious households or

used by infected persons was very real. Librarianship realized this fear could destroy the

public library as an institute. Many libraries across the nation like the A.K. Smiley

Library worked with social and health care officials to figure out how to eliminate these

threats.

Social workers and health care officials would give libraries a list of contagious

households. If the library discovered it had loaned or received a book from one of these

households, then they would destroy that book. Another extreme solution taken by the

A.K. Smiley Public Library and others was to regularly disinfect the books with

formaldehyde. This was an expensive and timely procedure. Libraries implemented

several gentler approaches to prevent diseases. Bowls filled with water were placed at

the entrance of many libraries so patrons could wash their hands before entering.

Sometimes libraries passed out glass plates to patrons as sneeze guards or provided a


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damp cloth or sponge so patrons would not have to lick their fingers to turn the pages

(Greenberg 1988).

The library may have used expensive and extreme measures but they had to be

taken so the institution could go on with its daily business in peace without the taint of

fear. It is interesting to note the amount of money spent on disinfectants decreased in

years where there were no epidemic scares and during World War I. As time went on the

price of disinfecting the library probably decreased because products (particularly the

chemicals) became less expensive (see table 2 for more information).

The childrens department extended story time hours and started its first deposit

station at the Lugonia School and Redlands High School in the summer months of 1911.

The population the library wanted to reach were, the children who had no home

attractions and wandered the streets and the working men and women.

Neighborhoods enjoyed and appreciated the new deposit centers especially during the

summer. These deposit stations and those yet to be created would also serve Redlands

foreign population.

Redlands had a large population from Mexico and purchased several books in

Spanish so the parents of the children would be drawn into the library and feel welcome

(Annual Report of 1911-1912). It was not until 1914 that a deposit station was opened in

a school with a predominantly Spanish student body. In the Annual Report of 1913-1914,

it was said of the Spanish students, they have shown a great interest and enthusiasm in

the books and some of the children have taken out Spanish books for the use of their

parents.


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As with many libraries during this time, the A.K Smiley Library wanted to cater

to the needs of foreign populations set adrift in a land of uncertainty and hostility.

Libraries in America had been debating what should be done to Americanize immigrants

since 1900. These groups did not share the same beliefs or morals of their new nation.

Those like Edward White Gellard and J. Maud Campbell suggested libraries should offer

books in foreign languages to gain immigrants interest.

Librarians had little idea of how to reach immigrant groups, catalog the foreign

language materials, and or even obtain these materials but did a number of things. Many

libraries provided Americanization classes so immigrants could learn how to become

American citizens. As of 1910, libraries such as the New York Public Library and the

Cleveland Public Library began to offer its immigrant populations services and books in

foreign languages.

The A.K. Smiley Public Library deposit stations and others originated from the

innovative Chicago libraries. These libraries started to experiment with delivery stations

where patrons could drop off and pick up books in 1874. The first branch library in

Chicago was established in 1904 for the use of nearby neighborhoods (Novonty 2003).

Despite challenges and great uncertainty, the A.K. Smiley Public Library

successfully provided services for its small foreign populations. In 1912 the childrens

department began to teach children how to use the library in an instruction class. The

children and teachers benefited from the instruction and became more adept at using the

librarys resources. The reference department worked with high school teachers so

reading lists of reference subjects could be sent ahead of time, a great advantage for both

groups.


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benefit of patrons. The childrens department moved into the trustee meeting room since

its former quarters had become so cramped. The room was large enough to hold the new

childrens books purchased that year and host the story hour.

To the delight of parents and children in surrounding neighborhoods the

childrens department started a story hour at the Lugonia School. Desiring to help not

only schools in Redlands but in other cities, teachers from Yucaipa, Bryn Mawr,

Highland, and San Bernardino were allowed to borrow the librarys books. Of course,

there had to be more staff members to provide for these new services. According to the

Annual Report of 1913-1914, Ms. Culver (the Sunday and Holiday Attendant) ran the

apprenticeship course from October to January and trained 3 apprentices at a time.

The catalog department made the wise choice to make the natural and applied

science materials more general by renaming them science and social science. This helped

patrons find materials with greater ease. At this time the deposit stations continued to

circulate books for universities, Redlands High School students, and the public. A new

deposit station was opened at Columbia Street Grocery store, saving residents in the

surrounding neighborhoods a trip to the main library.

The library had maintained the Indian collection for several years when Mr.

Carnegie generously donated $500 worth of history materials about the Indians west of

the Rocky Mountains. The collection was a sight to behold and became one of the great

treasures in the library. Ever diligent in their efforts against communicable diseases, the

library disinfected the floors and treated the interior of the building with formaldehyde

and permangete of potash for 36 hours. At the request of the Redlands Board of Health

the library was closed during this time for patrons safety (Annual Report of 1913-1914).


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The A.K. Smiley Public Library year of 1914 was full of many events. A card

catalog was created for the Indians and California Special Collections for the advantage

of staff and patrons. The library also purchased more music materials for the large music

collection that was very popular at the time. Unfortunately the library was forced to

make some difficult but necessary cuts. The Columbia Street Grocery deposit station had

to be discontinued because not enough people used the resource. There were no older

and experienced staff members with time to teach apprentices so the apprenticeship

course was canceled for 1915 (Annual Report of 1914-1915).

To provide better access for mothers and school children, the childrens

department changed its story hour from Saturday to Monday in 1915. This change

relieved mothers involved in many of Redlands lady societies and associations. The

reference room continued to be heavily used by patrons and the reference department

made sure an attendant was present in the afternoon and evening. One has to wonder

how the library staff found the energy to keep up with such a schedule. As of 1916, the

deposit stations experienced a dramatic shift in its patrons. Fewer adults used the

stations and more children attended. This increased the circulation of the materials there

and the popularity of the stations among children.

The childrens department achieved many things for the benefit of Redlands

children. New windows were added in the childrens room for more light and made the

dark space welcoming to children. The childrens department wanted to instill a love of

reading at all times during the year especially in summer when children had little to do.

The staff encouraged children to read more during the summer by recommending proper

yet interesting books. The children department staff also visited Redlands schools to


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help students to fill out library card applications. These methods were very successful

and more children began to frequent the library (Annual Report of 1915-1916).

The catalog department was able to accomplish many great things in 1916. It

took great effort and time but the music collection index and the card catalog were

reorganized alphabetically. The binding department also found itself very busy rebinding

1,093 books and 93 volumes of newspapers. The librarian, Ms. Chapin in her report

mentioned the cheap material used to bound books was the reason why so many repairs

had to be done. Circulation increased to an all time high of 115,591 books by the

summer of 1916. The library staff now had some time to spare for apprentices so the

apprenticeship course resumed in 1916 with first library assistant Ms. Mildred Parsons

running it.

The library was fortunate to receive a priceless gift out of the many it received

that year. The library of trustee board reported, Perhaps the most important of these for

its scope and completeness is the collection of Egyptian antiques of absolute authenticity,

presented to the library by Mr. Charles Putnam, together with a large glass stand to

contain them. This gift was from the Egyptian Exploration Fund and Mr. Putnam added

several books about ancient Egypt.

Lighting and the magazine rack became a problem in the reading room. No

immediate solution was found to provide additional light but the magazine rack pigeon

hole was remedied by pasting thick piece of paper on the back of each magazine. This

solution made it much easier to organize the magazine collection alphabetically and to

take them out (Annual Report of 1916-1917).


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By 1917 Redlands was under the effect of World War I. Circulation decreased

during this time because so many men and women were involved in the war service, Red

Cross work, or other war efforts. In 1915 there had been 7,779 registered users and in

1917 there were only 6,552 registered patrons. Patriotism swept through Redlands and

patrons desired more books about war. In response the book committee purchased less

fiction and more war materials.

The library began to display advertisements to keep Redlanders updated on the

progress of the war. The A.K. Smiley Public Library also threw out all publications of a

pro-German tendency or those showing disloyalty to our government, and also such

books from the shelves (Annual Report of 1917-1918). Other libraries across the nation

were not only intolerant of German materials but were suspicious of immigrants and

anyone who seemed to sympathize with the Germans.

Some libraries went further than the A.K. Smiley Public Library and required

patrons to sign Americanization Registration Cards or written agreements. The signer

of these agreements was required to uphold American values, remain loyal to the United

States, and look out for those who displayed unpatriotic behavior (Novotny 2003). It

remains unknown if or how Smiley patrons were expected to show their loyalties in

written and verbal agreements. Despite the decrease of patrons, the library was still in

need of more staff members. Ms. Parson continued to run the apprenticeship course until

she took a leave of absence to work for the French War Department in 1918. From 1917-

1919, the staffs salary decreased by $104.88 possibly due to World War I and the bad

freeze in1913. The cold weather dealt a financial blow to Redlands citrus industry (see

table 1).


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The librarian Artena Chapin observed patron attendance at an all time high in

1918. Reading room use increased and a large number of patrons that went to the

reference department (4,931) were high school students. The catalog department was

busy re-cataloguing all materials in the library. New classification numbers and labels

were put on books. This made it easier to keep track of the books and record them on the

catalog cards. A new deposit station was placed at the Franklin school to meet the needs

of the nearby neighborhoods.

The A.K. Smiley Public Library experienced another setback in a difficult year.

The library shut down for a short time from October 14 to November 10 due to the

influenza epidemic. The library board of trustees feared for the publics safety and

reference work was canceled. Understandably the circulation of books and readers was at

an all time low from late 1918 to 1919. The library circulating 113,423 books that year,

down by 7,235 books from 1917.

The library was also in need of more space for the growing collection. Daniel

Smiley (the half brother of A.K. and A.H. Smiley who began running the library after the

death of his brothers) approved the plans for a south wing extension with a basement

from the munificent gift there from the late A.K. Smiley. This gift was a fund of

$10,000 left to the library solely for the purpose of building additions.

Ms. Chapin reported in the annual report of 1918-1919 of a new wider roadway

constructed to ease traffic and guarantee pedestrian safety after a numerously signed

petition from residents of the City to the south and west of the Library asking for better

and safer facilities for entrance to the Library from the West, was presented to the Library


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board in February of 1919. After the problem had been resolved there were no further

complaints and everyone seemed happier with the new arrangement.

The Redlands University became a deposit station, raising the number of stations

in the city to four and the library began to stamp the date of return when books were

checked out. This method was implemented after the great success of the Sioux City,

Iowa Public Library. The tedium and amount of time spent looking at many library cards

was reduced. The library received another generous donation of diplomatic war

documents and international law volumes from the Carnegie Endowment for

International Peace (Annual Report of 1918-1919).

In the Annual Report of 1919-1920, the library had the daunting task of re-

registering all card holders because the list of patrons was inaccurate and outdated. Many

patrons had moved elsewhere or died. The A.K. Smiley Public Library was surprised to

find there were 3,146 patrons in 1920, a large difference from 1919 when 6,868 names

had been registered. Ms. Lowry filling in for the recently departed librarian Ms. Chapin

(see table one) was proud to announce, the library has grown by until we have nearly

35,000 volumes, about 18,000 pamphlets, 212 current periodicals, and a considerable

collection of maps and pictures and other valuable materials At this point, the library

was now at its largest with 112,872 books circulated by 1920.

Construction for the south wing that had been long anticipated began. The

childrens department planned to relocate to the new wing but in the meantime continued

to work with schools and provide new books to entice children. The library received

another valuable gift in 1920. Professor Junius musical collection was donated to the

library by his wife. The collection included several books, music (Mozart, Mendelssohn,


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Beethoven, and many other musicians) and pictures of musicians. The catalog

department decided to make pamphlets its own separate category and travel materials

were renamed description and travel making these materials more manageable. The

reference department also began to archive local history materials to form scrapbooks and

pamphlets, a source of great pride intended for the later generation in Redlands (Annual

Report of 1919-1920).

Watching the small town of Redlands grow from brush and dirt into a city with a

successful citrus industry, seeing the determination of a few to provide a public library,

and glimpsing into the successful history of the A.K. Smiley Library from 1894 to 1920

gives one an idea of what came to pass next. By late 1920 the Daniel Smiley wing was

finished, the Lyon Wing (named after the Honorary Lyman M. King, a library board

trustee from 1925-1935) was built in 1926, and a stack wing was added in the 1930s.

Other additions included the Heritage Room in 1972, an administrative services

room 1990, and an additional stack wing was added that same year. As the library grew

so did its patronage and collection. In the One Hundredth and Twelfth Annual Report of

the A.K. Smiley Public Library, there were 57,041 registered borrowers and 250,228

books circulated in 2007. The A.K. Smiley Public Library collection has more than

doubled and its patronage has increased tenfold in over a century. The library staffs

dedication to the community has not changed despite new challenges.

Larry E. Burgess, the current library director reported, Not since the Great

Depression of 1929-1940 has the City of Redlands faced such perilous financial times.

As I reviewed the monthly reports for the year, the same theme emerged over and over:

budget uncertainty, moral issues, decreased public service resulting from the hiring


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freeze, and prospects of more retrenchment. Yet, the operation continues to and overall

residents continue to have access to materials, programs, and the beautiful environment

of the Smiley (Annual Report of 2007-2008).

The A.K. Smiley Library in the past faced many hurtles in establishing a public

library at a time when the institution was an unknown frontier. The danger of

communicable diseases was present and the library had to somehow provide services for

an unfamiliar foreign population. There was a struggle to provide services in World War

I and keep apace with a growing city. The library not only faced these challenges head

on but did so without fear to keep the public library alive for the next generation. This

financial crisis is only one more hurtle that the A.K. Smiley Public Library will overcome

in its quest to educate and improve the quality of lives.


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Table 1 Library Staff: 1894-1920 (1894-1902, and 1905-1906 based on Irshay1986. 1903-1920 retrieved from A.K. Smiley Public Library Annual Reports Vol. 2, No.10-26.

Year Staff Wages for employees

(yearly)1894-1895 Librarian: Helen Nevin $480 and then raised to$600

1895-1896 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreys (Hired toreplace Ms. Nevin. Beganworking July 1, 1895)Assistant: Ms. Masen

$600 (Librarian)$180-240 (Assistant)

1896-1897 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreys

Assistant: Ms. Masen

$600 (Librarian)$180-240 (Assistant)

1897-1898 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreys1st Assistant Librarian:Gertrude McIntoshResigned?

Ms. Masen

$600 (Librarian)$300 (1st AssistantLibrarian)

1898-1899 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreys1st Assistant Librarian:Gertrude McIntosh

Cataloger: Ms. Jane L.Shepard (Hired January1899 then serviceterminated in February)

$600 (Librarian)$300 (1st AssistantLibrarian)$25 (Cataloger)


$600 (Librarian)$300 (1st LibrarianAssistant)

1902-1903 Librarian: Antoinette

Humphreys1st Assistant Librarian:Gertrude McIntosh

$600 (Librarian)

$300 (1st

LibrarianAssistant)


$2,527

1904-1905 Librarian: Antoinette $2,417.50


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Humphreys1st Assistant Librarian:Jane E. Shepard (rehired)2nd Assistant Librarian:Eleanor Symmes

Special Attendant: AdaJohnsonHoliday Attendant:

UnknownResigned:Gertrude McIntosh(resigned August 1905 )

1905-1906 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreys1st Assistant Librarian:Jane E. Shepard

2nd

Assistant Librarian:Eleanor SymmesSpecial Attendant: AdaJohnson

$2,907.82

1906-1907 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreysCataloguing and

Registration: Ms. SymmesChildrens

Room/Basement

Magazines: Ms. Shepard

Delivery/CirculationDesk: Ada JohnsonMail/Workroom: Ms.Elliot

$3,222.51

1908 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreysDelivery/Circulation

Desk: Ada JohnsonChildrens

Room/Basement

Magazines: Ms. Shepard

Cataloguing andRegistration: Ms. SymmesAssistant: Mabel OttResigned:

Ms. Elliot

$3,578.35

1908-1909 Librarian: AntoinetteHumphreysSpecial Attendant: Ms.

$4,018.65


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Mildred HarrisIntern: Ms. BessieDegenhartIntern: Ms. Flora CookChildrens Department:

Ms. ShepardResigned:Ada Johnson

1909-1910 1st Assistant Librarian:Mabel OttAssistant: Ms. Degenhart(Began July 1st, 1909)Assistant: Ms. AndreaMcFarland (Began March1st, 1910)Assistant: Flora Cook

(Began January 1st

, 1910)Assistant: Ms. Marti(Began fall 1910)Resigned:

Librarian AntoinetteHumphreys, resigned toaccept position in MercedLibraryMs. Shepard: resigned to goabroad

$4, 568.88

1910-1911 Librarian: Artena Chapin

1

st

Assistant Librarian:Mabel OttChildrens Librarian:Bessie DegenhardAssistant: Flora CookAssistant: AndreaMcFarland

$3,941.81

1911-1912 Librarian: Ms. ArtenaChapinCataloger: Mildred F.Parsons (Began October 1st,

1911)Sunday/HolidayAttendant: Mr. HarleyMcNair ( Began December27, 1911)Reading Room Attendant:Naomi Jennings (BeganMarch 1912)

$4,818


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Intern: Anna May OsbunChildrens Librarian: Ms.DegenhartResigned:

Ms. Flora Cook

Ms. McFarland1912-1913 Librarian: Artena Chapin1st Assistant Librarian:

Mabel OttCataloger: Mildred ParsonsChildrens Librarian:Bessie DegenhartReading Room Attendant:

Naomi JenningsNight/Sunday Assistant:

Jeanie Brock

$4982.80

1913-1914 Librarian: Artena Chapin1ST Assistant Librarian:Mabel OttCataloger: Mildred F.ParsonsAssistant: Janette Leaver(Began June 9, 1914)Assistant: Naomi JenningsResigned:

Jeanie Brock

Essae Culver (From

Claremont, took Brocksposition on September 15but resigned May 18, 1914to accept higher payingposition in SacramentoState Library on June 1st)

$5,276.57

1914-1915 Librarian : Artena Chapin1st Assistant Librarian:

Mabel OttCataloguer: Ms. MildredParsons

Childrens Librarian:Bessie DegenhartAssistant: Janette LeverNight/Sunday Assistant:

Joybelle Hatcher (BeganMarch 4, 1915)Assistant: Edythe Truslow(Began June 30, 1915)

$5,395.45


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Resigned:

Naomi Jennings

1915-1916 No changes in staff $5,445.48

1916-1917 Librarian: Artena Chapin1st Assistant Librarian:

Mildred ParsonsChildrens Librarian:Bessie DegenhartReference Librarian:Janette LeverSunday and Branch

Assistant: Joybelle HatcherAssistant: Lillian Gordon(Began June 4, 1917)Assistant: FlorenceHarmon (Began October 6,

1916)Resigned:Mable OttEdythe Truslow

$5,479.40

1917-1918 Librarian: Artena Chapin1st Assistant Librarian:Mildred ParsonsChildrens Librarian:Bessie DegenhartReference Librarian:Janette Lever

Assistant: Lillian GordonAssistant: WinifredWoodworth (BeganNovember 21, 1917)Sunday Assistant and

Substitute: JoybelleHatcherResigned:

Florence Harmon

$5,395.95

1918-1919 Librarian: Artena Chapin(took leave of absence on

May 10 to September 1

st

1919 to receive training)Substitute Librarian:

Elizabeth Lowry (BeganMay 5th 1919)1st Assistant Librarian and

Cataloguer: MildredParsons (to leave of absence

$5,374.52


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from September 9th to workfor France WarDepartment)Childrens Librarian:

Bessie Degenhart

Reference Librarian:Janette Lever (took leave ofabsence from July 1st, 1918to February 1919 to workfor the OrdinanceDepartment in Washington,D.C)Assistant: Lillian GordonAssistant: MyrtleDanielson (BeganDecember 10, 1918)

Sunday/Holiday Assistant:Ana D. Lever (BeganFebruary 1st, 1919)Part Time Substitute

Workers: GwendolynTinker, CatherineHockridge, and CatherineMahaffeyResigned:

Joybell HatcherWinifred Woodworth

(resigned to marry)1919-1920 Librarian: ElizabethLowry (Began October 6,1919)Cataloguer and 1st

Assistant Librarian:

Gwendolyn Tinker (Beganas cataloguer May, 10, 1919and as 1st AssistantLibrarian May 4, 1920)Childrens Librarian:Bessie DegenhartAssistant: Lillian GordonAssistant: MyrtleDanielsonAssistant: Louis Milyan(Began April 1, 1920)Summer Assistant:

Katherine Maheffey (Began

$6,201.69


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1919)Summer

Assistant/Substitute:Catherine Hockridge(1919)

Summer Assistant: Mr.Frasier HemingwayHoliday/Sunday Assistant:

Mrs. Glen J. Milligan(Began June 1st, 1920)Resigned:

Librarian: Artena Chapin(resigned due to illness)1st Assistant

Librarian/Cataloger:

Milifred Parsons (resigned

to accept position at FranceWar DepartmentReference Librarian:

Janette Lever (resigned toaccept position at the LosAngeles Bank)Assistant: Anna B. Lever(resigned and moved to LosAngeles)

Table 2Disinfectant Costs from 1910-1920 (Based on the A.K. Smiley Annual

Reports Vol. 2, Nos. 10-26)

Year Cost

1910-1911 $49.57

1911-1912 $13.65

1912-1913 $49.30

1913-1914 $106.25

1914-1915 $15.17

1915-1916 $19.83

1916-1917 $19.101917-1918 $15.70

1918-1919 $27.30

1919-1920 $25.03


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References

A.K. Smiley Public Library (1894-1920). Annual reports of the a.k. smiley

public library vol. 2, nos. 10-26. A.K. Smiley Public Library

Archives, Redlands, California.

A.K. Smiley Public Library (2007-2008). Annual report. A.K. Smiley

Public Library Archives, Redlands, California.


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A.K. Smiley Public Library (1894-1898). Redlands library accession book.

A.K. Smiley Public Library Archives, Redlands, California.

A.K. Smiley Public Library (1912). Requirements for admission of women

apprenticeship of 1912. A.K. Smiley Public Library Archives,

Redlands, California.

Burgess, L. (1993). The smileys. California, Redlands: Moor Historical

Foundation.

Craig, Scipio (ed.). Citrograph. October 1887-January 1900. Redlands,

California.

Daniel, H. (1961).Public libraries for everyone. New York, Garden City: Double

day and Company Inc.

Greenberg, G. (1988). Books as disease carriers: 1820-1920.Libraries and

Cultures 23, pp. 281-294.

Irshay, P.C. (1986). The pride and glory of the town. California, Redlands:

Beacon Printery.

Held, R.E. (1963).Public libraries in california: 1849-1878. California, Berkley:

University of California Press.

Los Angelos Public Library (1896-1902). Annual reports. Los Angeles,

California.

Nelson, L.E., E.P. Hinckley, W.G. Moore, F.E. Moore, and Contributors (1963).

The pictoral history of redlands and prospect park. California,

Redlands: Citrograph Printing Company.


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Passet, J.E. (1994). Cultural crusaders: women librarians in the American west

1900-1917. New Mexico, Albuquerque: University of New

Mexico Press.

Novonty, E. (2003). Library service to immigrants: the debate in the library

literature, 1900-1920, and a chicago case study.Reference & User

Quarterly 42(2), pp. 342-352.

Redlands Daily Facts. November 1893-December 1894. Redlands, California.

Rose, E. (1954). The public library in American life. New York, New York:

Columbia University Press.

Shera, J. Foundation of the public library. Chicago, Illinois: The University of

Chicago Press.

Libr 280 Library History Assignment

Documents

Transcript of Libr 280 Library History Assignment