Today is the 160th anniversary of the birth of Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame member Frank Avery Hutchins (1851-1914). Hutchins was a leader in the free public library movement in Wisconsin and the United States. Hutchins’ entry in the Dictionary of American Library Biography (Libraries Unlimited, 1978) written by Helen Huguenor Lyman has this to say about him: “Frank Hutchins, a brilliant man of rare vision and modesty, a pioneer librarian and active leader in the library world of Wisconsin, was born on March 8, 1851, in Norfolk, Ohio. During his lifetime he was teacher, bookseller, newspaper man, library trustee, and librarian. Again and again his friends described him as a humanitarian, public servant, scholar, and practical idealist. he helped to gain legislative, financial, and professional support for both the educational work of school and public libraries and the extension of library services throughout the state of Wisconsin. An initiator who would take no credit for the events he helped to set in motion, he recognized the abilities of others and encouraged them to carry out new ideas.” Hutchins was a founder of the Wisconsin Library Association in 1891and the first paid secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission. Hutchins close partner in the development of public library service in Wisconsin was fellow Hall of Fame member Lutie Stearns.
National Library Week 2011, A Storytelling Opportunity
The 2011 theme for National Library Week (April 10-16) is “Create your own story @ your library”. The theme, as it should be, is directed at the general public. However, this year’s National Library Week is also an opportunity for libraries (and the people connected or interested in them) to tell a story or stories about the history of the library. Last year I gave a presentation to the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries titled “Turning Your Library’s History into a Public Relations Asset”. In that presentation I noted that a basic tenet of good library public relations is to seize every possible opportunity to penetrate the consciousness of the general public and community leaders with a positive message about the library. I pointed out that the message that the library has been in the business of changing lives and improving the quality of life for the residents of the community for a long time and that it continues to build on that heritage is a powerful positive message. I then provided some methods for conveying that message. The American Library Association has just published Organizational Storytelling for Librarians: Using Stories for Effective Leadership by Kate Marek. Although I have not read the book, ALA’s promotional material leads me to believe that the book would be very supportive of using stories about a library’s history to promote the library. Why not resolve to penetrate the consciousness of your community’s residents with at least one good story about the library’s heritage during this year’s National Library Week. Note: this post is being simultaneously published on the Library History Buff blog.
Hales Corners Library 35th Anniversary Exhibit
This year the Hales Corners Public Library is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The Wisconsin Library Heritage Center is helping out with its exhibit of Wisconsin Library Memorabilia which will be on display now through the end of February. As part of its celebration the library sponsored a contest to design a new library card. The winner and other entries are located HERE. The library will have a 35th anniversary birthday party on Sunday, January 23rd, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Congratulations Hales Corners!
State Law Library 175 in 2011
The Wisconsin State Law Library is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. Although this is a significant milestone in the history of one Wisconsin library in particular, it is also a significant milestone for library service in general in Wisconsin. In a slight modification of the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries slogan, Wisconsin libraries have been keeping “Us All in a Better State” for 175 years. When the Congress of the United States, in the act establishing the Wisconsin Territory, set aside $5,000 for the purchase of books for the Territorial Legislature in 1836, it represented a commitment of public funds for public knowledge and and public betterment. So as the Wisconsin State Law Library actively celebrates this milestone anniversary, it also represents an opportunity for the entire Wisconsin library community to celebrate 175 years of public support for library service for the common good. Previous posts about the Wisconsin State Law Library are located Here, Here and Here. The envelope above was used to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the State Law Library which was called the State Library at that time.
wla is one twenty in twenty one one
The year 2011 is an important anniversary year in the history of libraries in Wisconsin. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Wisconsin Library Association. On February 11, 1891, a group of individuals gathered in the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (located in Wisconsin’s second Capitol, shown above) for the purpose of establishing a state library association. At that meeting, a constitution (based on that of the New York Library Association) was adopted and officers were elected. They included K. A. Linderfelt, president; R. G. Thwaites, vice-president; and F. A. Hutchins, secretary-treasurer. The first conference of the newly established association took place in Madison on March 11, 1891. Although much of the focus of the early years of the Wisconsin Library Association was on the development of public libraries, twelve decades of library leadership and support by the association has had a positive impact on all types of Wisconsin libraries. As Wisconsin libraries face a tough year due to the economy, it is also a time to acknowledge the tremendous library growth and development that has occurred in the last 120 years. Through good times and hard times Wisconsin libraries have persevered in meeting the information and knowledge needs of the state’s residents. That’s something to celebrate.
The Public Library in Eau Claire 1860-2009
I just received a complimentary copy of The Public Library In Eau Claire 1860-2009, a history of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library (also available on the web). The primary authors of the book are L.E. Phillips staff members Katherine Sullivan and Larry Nickel. Editing and layout assistance was provided by Bess Arneson and Josh Stearns. Library director John Stoneberg assisted with the research for the publication. Congratulations to all who were involved in this excellent publication. I would recommend it as a model for any library that is contemplating the writing of a library history. There are a number of things I like about this attractive, well laid out publication. Throughout the book there are framed blocks of text that highlight complimentary material that relates to broader historical events and to special information about the library’s history. In regard to the library’s history, I noted that Ione Nelson was one of their library directors before becoming a longtime library consultant at the Wisconsin Free Library Commission/Division for Library Services. I also noted that in 1985, “A representative from the state Department of Public Instruction came to help mediate the dispute in Eau Claire [involving the level of County reimbursements to L.E. Phillips]. I wonder who that was.
I would also like to commend the folks at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library for the treatment of their library’s history on their website. They use my recommended “two click” approach to website library histories – one click on “About Us” and a second click on “Library History” after reaching the library’s home page. The Library History page at L.E. Phillips includes links to the new publication and a variety of other library history resources that have been digitized.
I have a previous post about the early public library buildings in Eau Claire.
Awards and Honors Banquet 2010
The Wisconsin Library Heritage Center Steering Committee appreciates the opportunity to induct new people into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame as part of the Awards and Honors Banquet at the WLA Annual Conference. This year in Wisconsin Dells on November 4 was the third time that the WLHC has inducted multiple individuals into the Hall of Fame during the Awards and Honors Banquet. The Wisconsin Library Association Board and the WLA Awards and Honors Committee have been extremely gracious in allowing the inductions to take place at this important event at the WLA Conference. The Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame is a logical extension of the recognition which is given annually to those who have made an important contribution to the improvement of library services in Wisconsin. Both the Awards and Honors Banquet and the Library Hall of Fame are made possible by the support of the WLA Foundation which is a major reason for supporting the Foundation with a contribution. Cal Potter is shown here giving his acceptance speech for his induction into the Library Hall of Fame. Wayne Bassett, H. Vail Deale, Leah Gruber, and Julia Wright Merrill were all inducted posthumously. Information about all five inductees can be found HERE. I find the Awards and Honors Banquet to be one of the most uplifting events of the year. It always makes me proud to be a part of the Wisconsin library community. Information about this year’s recipients and previous award winners can be found HERE.
Wayne Wiegand’s Library Trading Card
During the Library History Seminar XII, a national meeting of library historians, which was held in Madison, WI, in September. Wayne Wiegand was surprised after his keynote presentation when he was presented with his own library trading card. Wiegand is the F. William Summers Professor of Library and Information Studies at Florida State University, and is considered to be the dean of current library historians in the United States. Wiegand is also a native of Manitowoc, Wisconsin and a former Professor at the UW-Madison School of Library and Information Studies. The trading card which is shown above is supposedly #64 in a set of 100 famous librarian trading cards. The card is accompanied by a list of the 100 famous librarians as selected by by the Wayne Wiegand Library Trading Card Coordinating Committee (Jim Danky, Karen Krueger, Doug Zweizig, and Larry Nix). Using a partially tongue-in-cheek baseball metaphor the back of the card begins “Wayne’s first sand lot tryouts with a library team, the Manitowoc (WI) Library Mirros, showed the promise his subsequent career demonstrated.” Wiegand is perhaps best known for his biography of Melvil Dewey, Irrepressible Reformer. In his presentations he often mentions that there are more public library outlets than McDonalds restaurants. He is a strong advocate of approaching library history from the viewpoint of the “library in the life of the user” in contrast to the “user in the life of the library”. Wiegand plans to retire next year. The list of famous librarians includes, among others, Melvil Dewey, Herbert Putnam, Peggy Sullivan, John Cotton Dana, Margaret Monroe, Arna Bontemps, Benjamin Franklin, Lutie Stearns, Fred Glazer, Pope Pius XI, E. J. Josey, S. R. Ranganathan, Augusta Baker, and Callimachus. It also includes former librarians at the Manitowoc Public Library.
You can obtain a copy of the Wiegand trading card and the list of the 100 famous librarians by sending $5 (check or cash) to Larry T. Nix, 3605 Niebler Ln., Middleton, WI 53562. All proceeds from the sale of the cards will go to the Center for the History of Print Culture in Modern America at UW-SLIS which Wiegand, along with Jim Danky, founded.
WLHC Display at WLA Conference
The Wisconsin Library Heritage Center has a display at the Wisconsin Library Association Conference at the Kalahari Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells this week. It’s in a very visible location adjacent to the WLA Foundation display and across from the registration desk. Take a look if you’re there.
Carnegie Library Exhibit in Sheboygan
The “Andrew Carnegie’s Wisconsin Library Legacy” exhibit will be on display at the Mead Public Library in Sheboygan for the month of November. This special exhibit which was created to help celebrate the 175th anniversary of Carnegie’s birth was previously on display at the Middleton Public Library. It’s nice to have the exhibit in Sheboygan which had its own Carnegie building (only the facade survives), and during the month when Carnegie was born (November 25).