NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT
of
The State Library Commission
for
THE STATE OF DELAWARE
1919 - 1920
MERCANTILE PRINTING COMPANY, WILMINGTON, DEL
NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT
of
The State Library Commission
for
THE STATE OF DELAWARE
. 1919 - 1920
MERCANTILE ~RINTING COM~ANY. WILMINGTON, DEL.
STAT,E . LIBRAR Y COMMI~SI,QN
MEMBERS
MRS .. JAMES W. ANTHONY,
3~YRNA . .
A. L. BAILEY,
WILMINGTON.
HENRY P. CANNON,
BRIDGEVILLE,
DANIEL W. CORBIT,
ODESSA.
MISS ANNA B. HAYES,
DOVER.
R eapppinted F eb. 4, 19'11 for 5 years.
R eappointed F eb. 4. 19 ~ 1 fo·r 5 years.
R eappointed F eb. 4, 1921 for 5 years.
Reappointed F eb. 4, 19Q1 fo r 5 y ear·s.
Appointed Nov. 20, 1916 fOI' 5 years.
MRS. CHARLES R. MILL-ER, R ea pp ~irtle d F eb: 4. ,19Q1 for 5 years.
Red Oak Road. WILMINGTON.
MISS MARGARET ORR. R eappointed May .1. 1917 for 5 years.
LEWIS.
MRS. CHARLES PRETTYMAN, Appointed Nov. 20, 1916, for 5 years.
MILFORD.
MRS. HENRY RIDGELY, R eappointed F eb. 4, 19 ~ 1 for 5 years.
DOVER.
OFFICERS
DANIEL W. CORBIT, President
EARLE D. WILLEY, Secretary
MISS IDA CULBRETH, Librarian
All correspondence relating to the work of the · Commission should be
addressed to The State Library Co~mission, Dover, Delaware
DELAWARE -STATE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT 1919-1920
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of
Delaware, in General Assembly met:
The State Library Commission begs leave to submit the
following report for the two years ending December 31, 19QO:
During the past two years the State Library Commission has
pursued the even tenor of its way, trying to estahlish the truth of
the saying that library work is an integral part of the educational
resources of the state. The work is not spectacular. Our librarian
sits quietly in her office carefully selecting books for the various
traveling libraries, and despatching them to all parts of the state.
She chooses from her stock on hand books to fill the needs of
individual borrowers, and she attends to many other tasks which
are not routine in character. Our traveling libraries go to various
schools and other organizations throughout the state, and our
book wagons during eight or nine months in the year go jogging
along the roads, carrying books of recreation, vocational booksall
kinds of books to those who live in the country.
There is nothing dramatic about all this. In its simplicity
and lack of points which can be thrust forward in high relief it is
almost humdrum. 'Yet the members of the Commission feel that
there is nothing at all humdrum about the results of the work.
Our librarian selects and despatches many hundreds of books which
brighten the lives, stimulate the intellect, and instil a love of good
books in the ninds of young and old in , many parts of the state.
No one can begin to estimate what the "book wagon ladies" mean,
to many a country family. At the end of this report will be found
a few quotations from reports of those in charge of book wagons
which shows the spirit of those who live on book wagon routeS'.
The statistics for the two years show increases in the amount
of work accomplished. This is especially true of the book wagons.
For the two years ending December 31, 1918, 325 trips were made
on 22 routes, 1,619 families visited, and 33,660 books loaned on
these trips. For the past two years, 451 trips were made on 26
routes, 1,939 families visited, and 43,060 books loaned. This is
an increase of nearly 3331 % which, when we consider that a ten
per cent. increase in library circulation is somewhat above the
average, is phenomenal. The credit for this great increase must
4
go to the hard working, faithful women who have charge of the
book wagons. They have the enthusiasm of true missionaries,
the endurance of Red Cross nurses, and a keen desire to place good
books in the hands of everyone in the state.
This, however, is not possible until more funds can be obtained.
In fact, the book wagon work is limited solely by funds.
We now cover about seven hundred miles of country roads. We
look forward to the time when every family living in the country
shall have a visit from a book wagon at least once a month.
Respectfully submitted,
DANIEL W. CORBIT,
President.
From a letter to the State Library Commission:
"I want to express to you just a few words of appreciation of
the good work you are doing among our young people. I have
often told Miss ---how much we enjoy reading the books and
what a benefit we find it aH. The last time I told her this she said
"I wish you would tell the Commission what you have told me so
that they would hear it from another source than my report'."
From reports:
"A mother asked the other day if she might have four books
for her boy. She said if he had books to read he would spend the
evenings at home, and that he read so fast it was hard to keep him
supplied. I thought the books could not be doing better service
and I let her have them."
"We are having more calls for religious, agricultural and
war books. One man said he did not care for 'onlikely lies,' which
he seemed to think all fiction was."
"I think you will be interested to see a sample of what the
Austrian on one of our routes who wanted to learn to write English,
accomplished in one month. The wife is still holding on to a
copy of the Sunbonnet Babies Primer and . I hope she will be as
successful in learning to read as her husband has been in learning
to write." .
. : ..... mr)Ie· youngR:-ussi~n -mother ·wh<) · could Ilot= read English but
planned · to learn with her 'little -:girl, has ·had -her' first · lesson in
•
5
reading, and I am awaiting with interest my next visit to her to
learn whether I have any gift for teaching."
"I have a large drawer full of books which have been asked
for on the routes. Most of them are fiction, but one is Household
Economics, and another is for a boy who wants something on
alfalfa culture which I shall carry him on my next trip."
"I had an appeal for a daily paper, which will give you an
idea of some of the people we are reaching." .
"Although we have many things to contend with on our
winter travels (the intense cold, frozen and thawing roads) the
joyous welcome we invariably receive fully repays us."
REPORT OF THE TREASURElt OF THE STATE LIBRARY
COMMISSION FOR THE YEARS 1919-1920
There was available for each of the years 1919 and 1920,
$5,200.00. This amount was expended in the manner indicated
below:
1919
Salary of Librarian ...... . .... . . . ... .. . . . .. .. . ...... $ 735.00
Books .. . .. . . . ... , . . ..... . ..... . . . . , , .... , , . .. . , , . , 1,378.55
Book Wagons . .. , , ..... , .. ... ... . ... , ... . . . ... . .... 2,303.25
Janitor ...... . ... . .. . ... , . . .. ..... .. .. , .. . . . .. .... , 62.50
Light . ... .... .... ... , .. .. . ... . .. .. ..... .. . .' . .. . , ,: . 19.50
Magazines (subscriptions) , ... , . . . ... .. . , ...... , " . . . , 117,11
Telephone. , . ..... .. . . .. , ... . , , , .. . . ... . . , . . . , ., .. , 45.60
Insurance. , , . . . . .. ........ , , . . , .. .. . . , . .... , , . .. . , 18.70
Coal. . , . . ... , ... .. , .. , .. .... . . , .... . , . . , . .. .... ... , 45.40
Rent of office .... . .. . ...... , . ..... 1 .... ... ... ' . • • • • • • • • • 144.00
Supplies ... ... .. . . . . . .. ..... .. . . . , . ... . , , . ..... . . . , . 118.68
Miscel1aneous Expenses . .... . .. . . . " . .. .. ; . . . . . . . . . . . . 211.71
Total Expenditures, , , .. , .. , . , . .... , ..... , .. . ... $5,200.00
1920
Salary of Librarian ..... " . . . . , ..... ' , , . . , : .. . . '. , .. ... $ 885.00
Book Wagons . .. .. .... ..... . . , .. . ........ . , .. , , . , .. 2,556.01
Books . ... .. ... ... ... . . . .... .. ...... . ... . ..... .. , .. 1,018.74
Magazines (subscriptions) . . , ...... .. . ... . ... .. , . .. , . 153.00
Telephone . . , . . . .. .. . . .. . ,' . ... .. , . . .... ' ... , , , ... , , . 41.35
Janitor , . , .' . . . , .. . .... .. . , . ';' .. ' . . , '. ' . , . , .. , .. , . , , ., , 57.15
Supplies . . .. ... .. . . .. . ' .. . .. ... . .. ' . .. . ...... .. : .... .
Light .. ... . . , .... . , .. " ... ... .. . . . . .. .. ... . ..... ... .
Coal .. " . ........ . . .... ... ... . . . . . . . . .... . .. ... .... .
Rent of Office . .. . .. . .. . .. . ......... . .. . .... . ... .. . .
Miscellaneous Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
Amount unexpended . . . ' .. . ... . . . .. . . . .... ....... . . . .
114.98
17.2.5
44.70
144.00
167.19
.63
Total Expenditures ..... . .... . . . . . ... ...... . ... . $5,200.00
Respectfully submitted,
EARLE D. WILLEY,
Treasurer.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
The Librarian submits the following report for the years
1919-1920:
In 1919 the Legislature increased the appropriation of the
State Library Commission to $5,000 annually which enabled the
service of traveling libraries and book wagons to be extended
somewhat throughout the State.
A CCESSIONS
In 1919 one thousand five hundred and five volumes were
purchased and two were added by gift. $1,378.55 was expended
for books, of this amount about $100 was for books asked for by
Miss Bridge, State Supervisor of Home Economics. Miss Bridge's
request was for schools unable to supply books for her special work.
In 1920 nine hundred and five volumes were added to the
collection at a cost of $1,018.74. These books were accessioned,
classified, catalogued and arranged for book wagons, for the open
shelf collection and in fixed groups for traveling libraries.
BOOK 'V AGONS
The following statistics speak for the work of the book wagons
in rural districts in the three counties in the state of Delaware.
The work has been entered into _and is carried on in a spirit of
interest an<~ friendliness by eight capable and conscientious
women. In the spring of 1919 these book routes were somewhat
rearranged and several new routes added.. There are twentysix
(26) routes in the state. Each route covers about twentyfive
(25) miles and is visited once a month, when books which
7
were left the m~nth before are exchanged for others. New Castle
county has four (4) routes in charge of Miss Maloney and Mrs.
Slapghter; Kent county has thirteen (13) routes in charge of Miss
Mast, Miss Cooper, Mrs. Slaughter and Mrs. Pettijohn; Sussex
county has nine (9) routes in charge of Miss Hopkins, Miss Morris
and Miss Hall.
In the past two years four hundred and fifty-one (451) trips
were made, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-nine (1,939)
families visited, and forty-three thousand and sixty (43,060)
volumes loaned on these trips. . .
Miss Hopkins who has charge of five routes in Sussex county,
in her November, 1920, report says: "Now that the book wagon
has closed its circulation department for the year I have been
interested in looking over the figures. ' How much they tell, and
yet how inadequate they are. From April first, 1920, to October
thirty-first, 1920, I made thirty-five and a half trips, the half
trip was the result of a storm which drove me home when the
trip was half made. Two hundred and forty-eight families of one
thousand and eighty-four members were visited monthly. The
adults in these families borrowed two thousand three hundred and
seventy-two volumes, while the children under sixteen read one
thousand six hundred and forty-one) making a total of four thousand
and thirteen volumes loaned."
In another report Miss Hopkins says " Americanization is not
limited to the cities or even to the towns. I found three families
from the old world on a single route from Ireland, France and
Russia." And in deed this can be said of almost all the routes in
the state- that there are foreigners who are glad to borrow books
from the book wagons.
Miss Hopkins' work with the Commission extends over a
period of nine years and she writes "I shall always be glad that I
was privileged to be a pioneer in the work. The future will reveal
the fruits."
TRAVELING LIBRAHIES
l'he prevalence of influenza throughout the state in the
winter of 1918-19 interfered somewhat with the work.
The year 1919 was a busy one with the traveling libraries,
and in no respect did the work fall short of previous years with
the exception of the number of volumes loaned in 1917. There
were five hundred and twenty-four (524) requests for books, of
8
this"number eighty,-three(83) were for traveling libraries, and four
thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven (4,757) volumes were
loaned. These numbers include ten (10) traveling libraries placed
in schools in Sussex county by Miss Hopkins.
The' year' i920 sho~s an increase in all activities of the State
Library Commission. One hundred and one (101) traveling
librariescontainii1g~ five thousand and seven (5,007) books were
sent to schools; three (3) to public libraries, and fifteen (15) to
other organizations. r:Fwelve(12) study clubs borrowed one
hundred and sixty-one (161) books, and six hundred and forty
(640)individual~ borrowed one thousand one hundred and fourteen
, (1,114), 'making it total of seven hundred and seventy-one
requests" ,and seven thousand, and forty-six (7,046) volumes
IQaned.. Miss Hopkins again placed ten (10) libraries in Sussex
county schools. ' Other organizations than day schools and Sunday
schools usingtravelin~ libraries in the past two years include
t~~ fol~owip,g ;, t G~org~f?:wri , ~~w Century Club, Laurel New
Century, Club, Gr~enwood Civic Club, Rehoboth Free Library,
a store at Bowers Beach; Delmar Club, Rising Sun Club, Gumboto
Club, Boys' Club,Millsboro" the Caulk Club, Milford, and through
Miss , Orr a' library was placed in a reading room for young people
in Lewes, and a,nother on the pilot boat "Philadelphia."
l. . ,_ ,; . , l ' .~ • , .'" ..: ; : •
A number of volumes have been loaned for the use of the
Smyrna Twentieth ~~ Century Club, to Miss Mather's Reading
Section: of the New!Century Club of Wilmington, and to number
of teachers and families who come to the office of the State Library
Commission for books.
Sub~~ripti~~~" to: the Christian 'Herald, Popular Mechanics
and the Saturday Evening Post wer.e renewed for the Keepers of
the six Life 'Saving Stations on the Delaware coast, and twentyfive
copies of the Red Cross Magazine were distributed each month
among the ' book wagon :patrons until that publication was discontinued
in November last. St. Nicholas is also left at twelve
schools on the book routes. The Medical Journal and Journal
of Biologica.l Chemistry'havebeen subseibed for, for the use of the
State Supervisor of Home Economics and the teachers in the
state. The A. L. A., Booklistis sent each month to two of the
free libraries in the state, and the Library Journal and Public
Libraries are on file at the office .of the State Library Commission.
In May, 1919, seventy somewhat worn books were sent as a
gift to the Marine Hospital, Lewes, Delaware. '
9
In September, 1920, an exhibit of traveling libraries, maps,
charts, photographs and books was made at the State Fair in
Wilmington, with Miss Hopkins and Miss Webber in charge.
The State Library Commission of Delaware was represented
by Mr. Henry Ridgely, Mr. H. P. Cannon and Mr. A. L. Bailey
at the conference of the American Library Association and the
League of Library Commissions, which was held .at Atlantic
City, New Jersey, in March, 1920.
Reports from three of the free libraries in Delaware are
appended.
Respectfully submitted,
1. V~ CULBRETH,
Dover, January 20, 1921. Librarian.
REPORT OF THE TREASURER OF THE DELAWARE
STATE FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS FUND
1919
1 January, 1919, Balance in bank .. . ......... . ... . .. $ 39.71
19 February, 1919, Received from Treasurer of D. S.
F. W. C ... . .. . ........... . ... 100.00
1920
11 May, 1920, Received from Treasurer of D. S.
F. W. C.' .................. .. . 100.00
31 December, 1920, To Miss Hopkins' book wagon
bill ............. . ...... $16.00
31 December, 19~0, To Public Libraries for 1921.. 3 .00
31 December, 1920, To telephone bill for January,
1921 .... ' . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 .75 -
$23.75~--$
239.71
Expended. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .............. 23 .75
Balance in bank .. . ... . ... .. .. . .... , ............. $215 .96
Respectfully submitted,
I. V. CULBRETH,
.Treasurer.
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DELAWARE LIBRARIES
DOVER-The
Dover Library contains about 5,700 volumes, and is .
open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from
3 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon and hom 7 to 8.45 in the evening.
During 1919 and 1920 two hundred and fifteen (~15 ) membership
cards were issued, making a total of 2,098 since the library
was made free and public in 1902. As a matter of fact, this number
falls far short of the actual number of borrowers, because a membership
card may be used by all the members of the family.
Six hundred and sixty (660) volumes have been added, of
which one hundred and seventy (170) were gifts. Three hundred
and five (305) books were discarded, 37,359 books were borrowed,
of which 12,903 were juveniles. These numbers include 22,320
fiction, 11,941 juvenile fiction, 2,136 non-fiction and 262 juvenile
non-fiction.
The periodicals, 56 of which are on the tables in the reading
room, prove a strong attraction, 3,57.5 having been loaned in the
two years.
The total expenses of the library are about $1,000 a year.
The five local papers and one Wilmington paper, The Open
Road, Dearborn Independent and Greater Utica are donated.
The Ladies' Library Club gave 36 new books and 100 books
were donated by individuals. Another gift was a marble bust of
Cowper .
. Thru the American Library Association 88 books from the
War Service Library were presented to the Dover Library.
ODES8A-Respectfully
submitted,
L. ' BEATRICE MAST,
MARY E. FULTON.
The Corbit Library of Odessa is opened to the public Tuesdays
and Saturdays from 9.30 a. m. to 12 noon, and from 1.30 to 4.30
p.m.
We have 8,668 volumes on our accession books. A hundred
government books were returned to. Washington as we had no
11
room for them. We also gave the Salvation Army about 75 worn
volumes. We have added 470 new volumes since the la'st report
and about 50 new membership cards have been issued.
Respectfully submitted,
REHOBOTH BEACH-HELEN
W, SPARKS,
Librarian.
The Rehoboth Free Library is open every Friday evening
from 7 to 8 o'clock with the exception of the summer months
when it is open every evening from 6.30 to 8 ..
During the past two years nearly 100 books have been added
which raises the number to about 900.
In the summer of 1920 $50.00 was cleared at a card party,
also a nice amount was contributed by several of the patrons
()f the library.
Respectfully submitted,
A. MARY H. RIGGIN,
Librarian.
Delaware Library Association
