July 2003

Librarian’s Report — 1933

From the Minneapolis Public Library.

“In 1933, when the nation was in the Depression and prohibition had just been lifted, the Minneapolis Public Library was hard pressed to serve its public. The Annual Report of Director Gratia Countryman for that year talks of many of the same concerns we have today about our libraries. In 2004 we face a $4.6 million budget reduction, and library hours are being drastically reduced while bar hours are being extended. Reading Miss Countryman’s report is disturbing but also comforting: the library system did endure and, despite the pains of today, there is hope for a bright future for your Minneapolis Public Library.

Libraries Chafe Under Patriot Act

This One comes via Gary Deane.

They say Boulder, CO, librarians have been purging their files on patrons every week, not every couple of months. And experts say other libraries are doing similar things.

The Montana Library Association passed a resolution saying it considers parts of the Patriot Act “a present danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights to library users.” Privacy rules there are so strict that Montana librarians must get children’s permission before telling their parents what they’re reading.

ACLU files lawsuit against Patriot Act

CNN Says The American Civil Liberties Union Wednesday filed the first lawsuit against the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism law passed after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The lawsuit claims one section of the law authorizing searches of records, including those of businesses, libraries and bookstores, is unconstitutional.

Via Jen Young.

Stone-carved book

Charles Davis writes “This was Posted to
Archives of LIS-LIBHIST:

The following news-cutting from the Australia “Newcastle [NSW] Morning Herald” of 24
July 2003 has been sent to me by a colleague. I’d like to hear from anyone
with information, and I can scan a photo of the “book” (which seems to be
less than palm-sized) on request. As far as I can see, it bears no writing
on what looks like a closed book carved from granite, with imitation simple
blind tooling.

Quote: “Mystery of tome set in stone. By Carly Hennessy. Archivists would
like to close the book on a mysterious stone artefact which has been donated
to the Newcastle [NSW] University Library.
The stone book was passed down from benefactor Robert Stephens’ grandfather
to his father and then to him.
Auchmuty Library archive officer Gionni Di Gravio is searching for clues
about the book’s origins and purpose.
‘(Mr Stephen’s) understanding was that prior to the age of printing, when
books were rare, these stone books were carried by people to church,’ Mr Di
Gravio said.

Charles Davis writes “This was Posted to
Archives of LIS-LIBHIST:

The following news-cutting from the Australia “Newcastle [NSW] Morning Herald” of 24
July 2003 has been sent to me by a colleague. I’d like to hear from anyone
with information, and I can scan a photo of the “book” (which seems to be
less than palm-sized) on request. As far as I can see, it bears no writing
on what looks like a closed book carved from granite, with imitation simple
blind tooling.

Quote: “Mystery of tome set in stone. By Carly Hennessy. Archivists would
like to close the book on a mysterious stone artefact which has been donated
to the Newcastle [NSW] University Library.
The stone book was passed down from benefactor Robert Stephens’ grandfather
to his father and then to him.
Auchmuty Library archive officer Gionni Di Gravio is searching for clues
about the book’s origins and purpose.
‘(Mr Stephen’s) understanding was that prior to the age of printing, when
books were rare, these stone books were carried by people to church,’ Mr Di
Gravio said.He had emailed photos of the book to museums and libraries across the globe,
hoping to get some idea of its age.
He said it was likely to date to pre-Victorian days, possibly the Georgian
era.
‘It could have been a stone missal that acted as a substitute for a Bible,’
he said.
‘It was possibly blessed by a priest and then took the place of a Holy Bible
as spiritual protection for someone who couldn’t read.’
The other theory was that it was a memorial for the dead.” “

Early Toy-Lending Library at Heckscher Foundation

From Needlecraft Magazine, August 1934:

A Unique Lending Library

Last month, in the City of New York, an enterprise was started which will be watched with great interest by everyone who has at heart the well-being of our little men and women – the future citizens of America. Educators and social workers have long had in mind the benefit to result from adding to the home environment of certain of our little ones, who through no fault of their own are less fortunately situated than some of their comrades on life’s journey, the opportunities for recreation and study which will eventually help us to attain to that sterling principle of our Constitution which maintains that “All men are born free and equal.” Back of the Hecksher Foundation Toy-Lending Library is this thought in embodiment, based on the model of the public library, but with playthings instead of books to read, thus promoting normal amusement and recreation.

From Needlecraft Magazine, August 1934:

A Unique Lending Library

Last month, in the City of New York, an enterprise was started which will be watched with great interest by everyone who has at heart the well-being of our little men and women – the future citizens of America. Educators and social workers have long had in mind the benefit to result from adding to the home environment of certain of our little ones, who through no fault of their own are less fortunately situated than some of their comrades on life’s journey, the opportunities for recreation and study which will eventually help us to attain to that sterling principle of our Constitution which maintains that “All men are born free and equal.” Back of the Hecksher Foundation Toy-Lending Library is this thought in embodiment, based on the model of the public library, but with playthings instead of books to read, thus promoting normal amusement and recreation.


Deep in the heart of every child is the desire to play. It is fundamental and normal, and quite as important to the spiritual welfare of every little one as is the food for his body. The life of a child who is denied or deprived of the proper facilities for play is to that extent stunted; but supply him with the sort of toys which will develop and expand his consciousness and you have not only aided in truly educating him, but you have provided an incentive to keep him off the street, and away from the temptation to join the little “gangs” which have been so often pictured as the origin of juvenile delinquency – that menace to the youth of the nation which has for some years caused such wide-spread concern among thinking men and women.

Playgrounds for children living in closely populated districts have come to be an established institution in every large city, and these have done an immense amount of good. It was not so easy, however, to reach the home life and it was found practically impossible to supply enough toys to distribute “for keeps” as the boys term it; so the lending-library idea naturally came to suggest itself, and the “toyery” came into being with its slogan, “An educational toy for every child every day.” And “educational” in this particular is not so formidable as might at first appear when one consults the “library catalog.” There are construction sets, blackboards, sewing materials, dolls, trains, carpentry sets, toys that reproduce industrial and housekeeping tasks, picture books, hand-craft sets and building blocks. For outdoor play there are also roller skates, scooters, sidewalk bicycles, express wagons, doll carriages, velocipedes, kiddie cars, balls, baseball bats, rubber horseshoes and all sorts of games. Each item certainly spells a lot of fun for some wee lad or lassie, and the educational aspect is not so emphasized as to detract too much from the idea of play which is justly uppermost in the plan.

Naturally a great deal of breakage is expected, so a force of several men has been engaged to repair such toys as come back considerably worse for wear. Also a sterilizing machine has been provided through which all toys, large or small, are run as returned before they are again permitted to go into circulation among the next group of youngsters. This is something rather new as related to playthings, but its need is very manifest when one stops to think of the possibility of spreading children’s diseases. A single toy is the limit for each little applicant and he is not allowed another until he brings back the first. The venture certainly deserves all the success which interested co-operation can bring to it, and it is hoped that the toy-lending library will become as universal as the playground in the very near future.

—————-

Note: The Hecksher Foundation noted in this article is actually spelled ‘Heckscher.’

Michael McGrorty

Anti-gay vandalism becomes art

“Stacks of vandalized books at the San Francisco Public Library are being transformed into symbols of hope and tolerance instead of symbols of hate.”

“In early 2001, library staff in the main and Chinatown branches began to discover books that had been slashed beyond repair. The common thread of the vandalized books was that most dealt mainly with gay and lesbian topics, as well as women’s health and AIDS.”

“The assault on the books left disturbing images: faces with the eyes and mouth cut out in repetitive almond-shaped gaps, multiple copies of the same book slashed in almost exactly the same manner.”

“By the time 46-year-old security guard John Perkyns was stopped by a librarian-turned-investigator in September 2002, he had irreversibly damaged 607 books.” (from The San Fransisco Examiner)

Man Faces Arson Charge in UGA Library Blaze

“Officials at the University of Georgia at Athens said today that an arrest has been made in connection with a fire last week that gutted the second floor of the school’s Main Library.”

“UGA Police Chief Chuck Horton said Jason Allen Nelms, 19, of Athens, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the incident. He faces a first degree arson charge, authorities said.”

“Horton said Nelms is not a student, and is not believed to have ever been a student at UGA.”

“A crew of 200 has begun the work to restore the library, which was opened Tuesday to members of the news media.” (from Firehouse.com)