Girard Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Girard Public Library, a Carnegie library
, was established in 1899 in Girard
, Kansas
, United States
. The original building was constructed in 1906, at 128 West Prairie Avenue, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places
. It was the first free library in the city.
, founder of Hull House
in Chicago, was a guest of her sister, S. Alice Haldeman, in Girard, an active worker in the Presbyterian Church. Miss Addams gave a talk at the church on "Social Settlements," and was surprised to learn at this time that Girard was without a public library, although Cherokee
and Weir City had already taken such a step. In January 1898, Mrs. McKay, president of the Ladies Reading Club, appointed Mrs. Haldeman, Mrs. Griffin, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Wasser a committee to study the situation. A year later, January 21, 1899, representatives of the Ladies Reading Club, the Mutual Improvement Club, and the Sunflower Club met with Mrs. Haldeman and formed the Federation of City Clubs. At another meeting exactly one week later the Federation organized the Girard Library Association.
Offices were in the county courthouse until being moved to the McMillan building on the south side of the square, over E. Beadle's Store, in the spring of 1901. Mrs. Eva Mitchell was chosen as the first librarian. At that time the library had 370 books, and the librarian received 50 cents per day for keeping it open from 2 to 9 P.M. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Miss Blanche Warren became librarian in December, 1901, and served until 1936, by far the longest service of anyone who has held this post.
In 1905, Lewis H. Phillips, an attorney, backed by the Commercial Club and other organizations, succeeded in obtaining $8,000 from Andrew Carnegie
on the condition that the city council would pledge maintenance. The city council acted promptly, and it was said that at a population of about 2,500, Girard was the smallest city in the world to have a Carnegie Library at that time. It was also rumored that Jane Addams was a friend of Andrew Carnegie and may have had something to do with obtaining the money.
Two lots were considered for the building of the Carnegie Library. The one chosen was the Viets lot, offered by Marion Coulter, who lived across the street to the south. The price of this 100 x 95 foot lot was $500, all of which had been pledged by residents of the neighborhood. The other lot was the Wasser lot, 100 x 100, on the northeast corner of Buffalo and Osage, opposite the home of J. E. Raymond, who offered to pay for it, the cost also being $500. By a vote of 4 to 2 the board decided on the Viets lot because it was closer to the square, although inferior to the other location in some respects.
An expansion and addition to the original Carnegie building was made in 2002.
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
, was established in 1899 in Girard
Girard, Kansas
Girard is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,789.- History :...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The original building was constructed in 1906, at 128 West Prairie Avenue, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It was the first free library in the city.
History
At Thanksgiving 1897, Jane AddamsJane Addams
Jane Addams was a pioneer settlement worker, founder of Hull House in Chicago, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in woman suffrage and world peace...
, founder of Hull House
Hull House
Hull House is a settlement house in the United States that was co-founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. Located in the Near West Side of , Hull House opened its doors to the recently arrived European immigrants. By 1911, Hull House had grown to 13 buildings. In 1912 the Hull...
in Chicago, was a guest of her sister, S. Alice Haldeman, in Girard, an active worker in the Presbyterian Church. Miss Addams gave a talk at the church on "Social Settlements," and was surprised to learn at this time that Girard was without a public library, although Cherokee
Cherokee, Kansas
Cherokee is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 714.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Cherokee has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
and Weir City had already taken such a step. In January 1898, Mrs. McKay, president of the Ladies Reading Club, appointed Mrs. Haldeman, Mrs. Griffin, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Wasser a committee to study the situation. A year later, January 21, 1899, representatives of the Ladies Reading Club, the Mutual Improvement Club, and the Sunflower Club met with Mrs. Haldeman and formed the Federation of City Clubs. At another meeting exactly one week later the Federation organized the Girard Library Association.
Offices were in the county courthouse until being moved to the McMillan building on the south side of the square, over E. Beadle's Store, in the spring of 1901. Mrs. Eva Mitchell was chosen as the first librarian. At that time the library had 370 books, and the librarian received 50 cents per day for keeping it open from 2 to 9 P.M. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Miss Blanche Warren became librarian in December, 1901, and served until 1936, by far the longest service of anyone who has held this post.
In 1905, Lewis H. Phillips, an attorney, backed by the Commercial Club and other organizations, succeeded in obtaining $8,000 from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
on the condition that the city council would pledge maintenance. The city council acted promptly, and it was said that at a population of about 2,500, Girard was the smallest city in the world to have a Carnegie Library at that time. It was also rumored that Jane Addams was a friend of Andrew Carnegie and may have had something to do with obtaining the money.
Two lots were considered for the building of the Carnegie Library. The one chosen was the Viets lot, offered by Marion Coulter, who lived across the street to the south. The price of this 100 x 95 foot lot was $500, all of which had been pledged by residents of the neighborhood. The other lot was the Wasser lot, 100 x 100, on the northeast corner of Buffalo and Osage, opposite the home of J. E. Raymond, who offered to pay for it, the cost also being $500. By a vote of 4 to 2 the board decided on the Viets lot because it was closer to the square, although inferior to the other location in some respects.
An expansion and addition to the original Carnegie building was made in 2002.
Predecessors
Girard's Carnegie library was not the first library in the city.- In February 1870, the Crawford CountyCrawford County, KansasCrawford County is a county located in southeastern Kansas in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 39,134. Its county seat is Girard, and its most populous city is Pittsburg. The county was named in honor of Samuel J. Crawford, Governor of Kansas...
Library Association met at Crawfordsville, located approximately 5 miles west of present day Girard. - In December 1871, the Girard Literary Institute and Library Association held a meeting. In 1875 the librarian of that organization published thanks to several individuals who had made valuable donations to the library.
- In 1882 there were over 500 books in the Public Library, and 95 new volumes had been ordered. Dr. G. A. Keyes was librarian, and kept the library in his office on the south side of the square, and John Randolph was president. It was open to members of the association at a cost of $1 per year. A festival was held that year for the benefit of the library. The same year mention was made of the A. O. U. W. (Ancient Order of United WorkmenAncient Order of United WorkmenThe Ancient Order of United Workmen was a fraternal organization in the United States and Canada, providing mutual social and financial support after the US Civil War. It was the beginning of the American network of fraternal benefit societies.-History:...
) Library. - In 1884 John Randolph was chairman at a meeting held in the courthouse for the purpose of considering the establishment of a free library.
- In 1889 a circulating library was being established in the Veatch Music Store by two college students.