In April, 1911, Judge Tolbert wrote to the Carnegie Foundation in New York City, asking its help in the establishment of a library in Hobart. When interviewed later about this letter he was asked whether or not he had been requested by a committee of citizens to write it. He replied, “No,” that he “did not consult anyone,” but that much had been said by leading residents of Hobart about the need of a library, and it had occurred to him that this might be a way to get one.
As a result of this appeal, the Carnegie Foundation donated $10,000 to pay for a library building, with the understanding that the city should buy the lot and that the city would contribute each year not less than $1,000 to the support of the library. The lot was purchased with a fund subscribed by a number of the citizens. The contract for the building was let to Mr. J.R. Creasey of this city on the 29th of January, 1912, and the library was ready for occupancy by the following September.
During September, 1912, the building was formally opened to the public by a reception. The following were the members of the first library board: Judge James R. Tolbert - Chairman, Miss A.E. Lane – Secretary/Treasurer, Mrs. R.L. Wagoner, John A. Harris, J.H. Cline, and John D. Appleby. The first librarian was Rev. J.B. Black, who held that position from September, 1912 to January 1, 1914. There are many who will yet remember the calls Rev. Black made at the homes of residents of Hobart for donations of books to the library. Hundreds of books were donated. The Board was also able to buy $500 worth of books with funds remaining from the donation for the building.
When Mrs. Dale was appointed library in January, 1914, she inaugurated policies which have been far-reaching in their effects. Some of these deserve particular mention.
- Special work with children. Mrs. Dale planned to secure a library-conscious and a library-using public through the training of children to read. A story hour was started, in charge of Mrs. Blackmer, Mrs. Beal, Miss Hoover, and other assistants.
- Co-operation with schools. Reporting on books from the third grade up was established as a regular part of the school curriculum, but the most important step was the combination of the public and the school library. This accomplished several things. It saved money to the tax payers since books were not duplicated in two libraries. It saved books from loss and misplacement since the collection was in the care of a trained librarian. It furnished the pupils with a much larger and more complete library of books from which to read. And it furnished for reference work the help of a librarian trained for that service. The advantages of this change were so apparent that the state school inspector reported that through this plan the pupils of the Hobart Schools had better library facilities than in any other town of the same size in the state.
- Special service to clubs. This service naturally resulted in the building of a strong reference department, which has always been an outstanding feature of the Hobart Public Library.
- County-Wide Service.
In September, 1919, Mrs. Dale resigned, to become secretary of the State Library Commission, and Mrs. W.A. Phelps was appointed librarian. She held the position until the spring of 1921, when, on account of eye trouble, she was compelled to resign. Miss Eleanor Hartzog was chosen librarian. Miss Hartzog held the position until the fall of 1922, when she gave it up to enter college.
Mrs. Phelps was again appointed and remained librarian until her resignation April 1, 1930. Emily Phelps was substitute librarian until her resignation April 1, 1930. Emily Phelps was substitute librarian until the post was permanently filled by the appointment of Miss Orva Henkins of Bristow on August 1, 1930. Miss Henkins had had experience as a teacher; she had her Bachelor’s degree and she had had two summer’s work in library science besides the full course at the University of Oklahoma, thus securing a degree in Library Science. In addition, she had had experience in the Bristow Public School Library, so she was well qualified for her work, as the service she rendered fully proved. Librarians after Miss Henkins include: Helen Cooper, Mrs. Ed Merkle, Mrs. John Gleason, and Dorthea Myer.
In the 1930s, the county government agreed to help finance the Hobart Public Library and did so until 1987. Currently, the library is financed by the City of Hobart and continues to serve the entire county and surrounding areas. In 1967, Ruth Freeman took over as head librarian when Dorthea Myer resigned. In 1982, the Library Board received a gift of $1,000 from Alfred Slaner, with a promise of $1,000 a year to total $10,000. This inspired the idea of a new addition to the, at the time, very crowded library. A committee of fifteen local citizens was organized to assist with plans for future needs of the library. Soon, the library was in the midst of a 3-year fund-raising project with a goal of $375,000 to build the new ground-level addition. Many fund-raising activities were held, including quilt drawings, fund-run race, lasagna dinner, bake sales, the $1,000 Club, memorial gifts, grants and various other benefit activities. In the end, the library raised over $400,000 to more than reach the original goal.
In 1985, Ruth Freeman resigned and Jerri Menz took over as head librarian. Ground was broken for the new addition to the library on April 10, 1987, and construction was completed November 30, 1987. During the construction phase, the entire contents of the library were moved to the second floor of the Southwestern Bell building across the street form the library. Part of this move was done with a human chain from the library across the street to the telephone building. Books were passed along this chain one-by-one up to the second floor. By January 1988, the library was completed and everything had been moved back into the old and new addition of the library.
With the new addition, the Hobart Public Library provides a room for programs, films and group meetings, reading areas with current newspapers and magazines, ground-level entry with nearby parking, an elevator to upper and lower levels, quiet study areas, and work space. In 1988, the library organized a Friends of the Library group to help by sponsoring the “Let’s Talk About It” discussions, buy books, helping with book sales and funding some children’s programs.
In 1994, the library started the process of computerizing the library. Three stations were set up for the card catalog, one station for the circulation process and one station for the interlibrary loan transactions. By 1997, two computer stations were hooked up to the internet. One was for public use and the other was for staff use. In 2004, Jerri Menz resigned as head librarian and Gloria Boelte took over. Linda Branam and Brandy Tointigh are assistant librarians. Current services include a fax machine, a copy machine, three internet-accessible computer stations for the public and any aforementioned services.
[Gloria Boelte, 2006]
Top
