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 Library 
 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014496354 
 
THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
JOHN SANFORD BRUMBACK 
 
THE 
 
 COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 THE PIONEER COUNTY LIBRARY (THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
 OF VAN WERT COUNTY, OHIO) AND THE COUNTY 
 
 LIBRARY MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES 
 
 SAIDA BRUMBACK ANTRIM 
 
 Secretary of The Brumback Library Board 
 
 AND 
 
 ERNEST IRVING ANTRIM, Ph. D. (Gittingen) 
 
 WITH ii ILLUSTRATIONS FROM FHOTOGRjitHS AND A MA? 
 
 THE PIONEER PRESS 
 
 VAN WERT, OHIO 
 
 ^ 
 
Z733 
 T25A 
 
 Copyright 
 THE PIONEER PRESS 
 1914 
 
 Published May, 1 9 14 
 
 IV. 3F. ^M glinting dla., (EI)lraga 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 Dr. p. p. Claxton, U. S. Commissioner of Education 
 
 'T' HE increase in interest in public libraries the last three 
 decades has been great. Through public taxation and 
 private donations libraries have been established in almost all 
 cities and larger towns in the United States. Many of these 
 are housed in costly buildings. Most of them are served by 
 expert librarians and trained assistants. However, much more 
 than half of the men, women and children of the United 
 States live in the open country and in the smaller towns and 
 cities out of reach of the city libraries. Probably seventy per 
 cent of the entire population of the country have no access to 
 any adequate collection of books or to a public reading room. 
 In only about one-third of the counties of the United States 
 is there a library of S,ooo volumes or more. In only about 
 ICO of these do the village and country people have free use 
 of the libraries. In this as in so many other things the very 
 people who need help most and who would be most benefited 
 by it have been neglected. 
 
 In a few instances city libraries have been opened to coun- 
 try and village people. In many small towns and villages 
 small subscription libraries, open a few hours in the week, 
 have a precarious existence. In several states circulating 
 libraries afford some relief. But none of these minister to 
 the country people in a way or to an extent to be compared 
 with the service which the large and well-endowed public 
 libraries render city people. 
 
 The taxable property of small towns, villages, townships, 
 and rural districts is not sufficient to enable them to support 
 good public libraries alone. The only help for all is in the 
 county library, supported by taxes levied on all the taxable 
 property of the county, managed by trained librarians and 
 having branches in all the towns, villages, and schools of the 
 
 V 
 
vi INTRODUCTION 
 
 county. Cooperation is as necessary here as it is in other 
 matters of public welfare. That no county, however poor, 
 may be without the means to support such a library there 
 should be state aid for public libraries just as there is for 
 public schools in most states. No community should be 
 deprived through poverty of access to all the books it can 
 make good use of. 
 
 What may be done for all the people of a county through 
 a county library and its branches is well illustrated by the 
 Brumback Library of Van Wert and Van Wert County, Ohio 
 — the first library in the United States attempting to serve 
 an entire county in this way. We have here also the best 
 possible illustration of how city and county, private individ- 
 uals and public may cooperate. The private individual — 
 Mr. John Sanford Brumback, a merchant and banker of the 
 town of Van Wert — and his heirs gave the money for the 
 handsome library building, the city gave the site in its beauti- 
 ful wooded park, and the upkeep of the library and its 
 branches is provided from taxes levied on the property of 
 the county at large. 
 
 Though this library was established less than fifteen years 
 ago, its example has already been followed by about a hun- 
 dred other counties. Sooner or later it will be followed by 
 all. The following will be more rapid if more citizens of 
 wealth will imitate the example of Mr. Brumback. In prac- 
 tically all the counties of the United States there are one or 
 more citizens who might easily do this, thereby leaving their 
 fellow citizens, their children and their children's children the 
 opportunity and means of culture and to their own memories 
 a perpetual monument. 
 
 I have found the account which Dr. and Mrs. Antrim have 
 here given of the founding and work of the Brumback 
 Library interesting, instructive and inspiring. I commend it 
 to those who are interested in finding a way by which all of 
 the people may have access to the best that has been thought 
 and said. 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 February i6, 1914. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 C OON after the opening of the Brumback Library of Van 
 Wert County, Ohio, in 1901, the Board of Trustees deter- 
 mined that a memorial should be prepared for publication, 
 in order that the history of the library might be preserved 
 in permanent form for future reference. The Book Com- 
 mittee was accordingly authorized to proceed with the work. 
 As chairman of this committee and as the daughter of the 
 donor of the library, I very naturally became greatly inter- 
 ested in carrying out the instructions of the Board. 
 
 Believing that the work should receive the most careful 
 attention I finally decided, with the approval of the Board, 
 to take the matter of editing and publishing the book into my 
 own hands, and thereby make it a purely personal under- 
 taking. 
 
 As the years have passed it has become more and more 
 evident that as a county library the Brumback Library is 
 attracting much attention, that its operations are being watched 
 with interest, and that the county library idea is coming to 
 occupy a conspicuous place in the educational and cultural life 
 of the nation. From the beginning the library has received 
 requests for information concerning its origin and methods 
 as a county institution. These inquiries have covered a wide 
 range of most pertinent questions, such as the following: 
 
 " How long has the Brumback County Library been estab- 
 lished? " " How was it founded? " " Who was the founder? " 
 " What is the feeling of the people as to the benefits derived 
 from a county library ? " " Give some arguments for a county 
 library." " Give the details of administration." " How many 
 townships and villages in Van Wert County ? " " What amount 
 is spent in operating the county branches ? " " How many 
 county stations are there ? " " Are the county branches pat- 
 ronized by the farmers?" "Do the branch libraries aid the 
 township schools ? " " Do you use guarantors' cards ? " 
 " What is the circulation of books in the county ? " " How 
 
 vii 
 
viii PREFACE 
 
 are books transported, by wagon or rail ? " " Who attends to 
 the work of distributing and collecting the books sent to the 
 county branches and who pays the official? " " What kind of 
 transportation boxes are used and what is the cost of the 
 same ? " " What methods are employed in library service to 
 rural schools ? " " Are teachers responsive and do they apply 
 for traveling libraries on their own initiative ? " " Is there 
 any difficulty in getting records of circulation from teachers ? " 
 " Do you send separate collections to schools ? " " What is 
 the nature of the school collections ? " " What work is done 
 with the children in the county ? " " Is the library maintained 
 solely by taxation ? " " How is the tax levied ? " " How 
 much annually is raised by taxation ? " " What is your budget 
 of expenses ? " " What amount is available for books each 
 year?" "Is there a demand for agricultural books?" 
 " What classes of books are read and in demand ? " " How 
 many volumes in the library ? " " How often are books 
 renewed at Main Library ? " etc. etc. Also requests for photo- 
 graphs illustrative of the work, and for reports, blanks, printed 
 matter and maps, have been received. 
 
 Requests for this information have at all times met with 
 careful consideration. 
 
 As these have become more numerous and indicate a desire 
 for specific knowledge, it seemed desirable that the memorial 
 should be expanded so as to include something of the county 
 work of the Brumback Library. My connection with the 
 Board of Trustees in the capacity of secretary from June 2, 
 1899, when the first board was organized, to the present time, 
 has enabled me to give the complete statement of the work 
 of the library embodied in Part II. 
 
 Furthermore, as a result of the spread of the county library 
 idea a third part is added, which is devoted to the growth and 
 development of the county library movement in the United 
 States. What was begun as a labor of love became an under- 
 taking much greater than was at first anticipated; therefore 
 my husband volunteered to assist me in the work and assumed 
 the responsibility of collecting and arranging all the data for 
 Part III, which he gathered with no little difficulty from a 
 great many sources, including answers to scores of letters 
 addressed to all parts of the Union. 
 
PREFACE ix 
 
 It has been our aim to state the facts in connection with 
 the Hbrary as they exist and, whenever possible, to allow the 
 public press to reflect the attitude of the people in their com- 
 ments on these facts. 
 
 The book contains some matter of a local character, which 
 may not especially interest the general reader. But anyone 
 having at heart the welfare of our rural population, compris- 
 ing 55% of all the people of the United States, will be inter- 
 ested in the comprehensive and statistical history of a library 
 that has from the beginning emphasized its work in the coun- 
 try. Moreover, Part III, which represents the first attempt 
 yet made to record the progress of the county library move- 
 ment in the nation, should be of general interest. 
 
 Gratefully acknowledging the assistance of my husband, a 
 collaborator in the writing of this book, and the aid of Miss 
 Anna L. Holding, librarian of the Brumback Library, who 
 prepared the index, I send forth this volume in the hope that 
 it may be a fitting tribute of a daughter to the memory of 
 her father and contribute a little, even though it be very little, 
 to the solution of some of the problems of Rural Life in 
 America. 
 
 S. B. A. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PART I 
 
 The Origin of the Brumback Library of Van Wert 
 County, Ohio 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I The Donor 3 
 
 II The Bequest for a County Library . . .11 
 
 III Proposition of Heirs and the County Library 
 
 Law of Ohio 19 
 
 IV The Contract 31 
 
 V The Laying of the Corner-Stone ... 44 
 
 VI The Dedication 61 
 
 PART II 
 
 The Work of the Brumback Library 
 
 VII Van Wert County 89 
 
 VIII The Library Trustees 99 
 
 IX The Library Staff 109 
 
 X The Opening of the Circulating Depart- 
 ment 118 
 
 XI The Central Library 125 
 
 XII The Branch Libraries 133 
 
 XIII Schools 182 
 
 XIV Future Possibilities 203 
 
 XV Tables of Statistics 210 
 
 xi 
 
xii CONTENTS 
 
 PART III 
 
 The County Library Movement in the United States 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 XVI Library Activities in the United States . 233 
 
 XVII County Library Laws 240 
 
 XVIII County Library Laws Discussed .... 249 
 
 XIX The County Libraries of the United States 256 
 
 XX The Advantages of the County Library . . 274 
 
 XXI A Look into the Future 283 
 
 XXII The County Libraries of the United States 
 
 Classified 288 
 
 Index 297 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 John Sanford Brumback Frontispiece 
 
 The Brumback Library of Van Wert County 42 
 
 The Brumback Library 43 
 
 The Brumback Library 43 
 
 The Brumback Library 60 
 
 The Brumback Library 60 
 
 The Brumback Library 61 
 
 The Van Wert County Fair 96 
 
 The Van Wert County Fair 97 
 
 The Van Wert County Fair 97 
 
 Dasie Branch Library, Interior 104 
 
 Scott Branch Library, Interior 105 
 
 Converse Branch Library, Interior 112 
 
 Converse Branch Library 113 
 
 Ohio City Branch Library 113 
 
 Glenmore Branch Library 120 
 
 Ohio City Branch Library, Interior 121 
 
 The Delphos Public Library 134 
 
 Venedocia Branch Library, Interior 135 
 
 Elgin Branch Library, Interior 144 
 
 Willshire Branch Library, Interior 145 
 
 Cavett Branch Library 154 
 
 Cavett Branch Library, Interior 155 
 
 Dasie Branch Library 155 
 
 Dixon Branch Library, Interior 164 
 
 xiii 
 
xiv ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Dixon Branch Library 165 
 
 Glenmore Branch Library, Interior 165 
 
 Wren Branch Library 176 
 
 Wren Branch Library, Interior 177 
 
 Elgin Branch Library I77 
 
 Convoy Branch Library, Interior 186 
 
 Convoy Branch Library 187 
 
 Scott Branch Library 187 
 
 A Rural School in Van Wert County 192 
 
 A Rural School in Van Wert County 193 
 
 A Rural School in Van Wert County 193 
 
 Middlepoint Branch Library, Interior 200 
 
 Middlepoint Branch Library 201 
 
 Vendocia Branch Library 201 
 
 Wetsel Branch Library 206 
 
 Willshire Branch Library 207 
 
 Wetsel Branch Library, Interior 207 
 
 Map 297 
 
PART I 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE BRUMBACK 
 
 LIBRARY OF VAN WERT 
 
 COUNTY, OHIO 
 
The County Library 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE DONOR 
 
 JOHN SANFORD BRUMBACK was born on a farm 
 in Licking County, Ohio, on the 4th day of March, 
 1829. His father descended from an old Virginia family 
 of German extraction, the progenitor of which had come 
 to America in early Colonial times. His mother, Frutilda 
 Bearnes, came from Pennsylvania, whence her parents 
 emigrated to Ohio at an early day. From her he inherited 
 many of his sterling qualities of mind and heart. 
 
 When he was four years of age his father died, leaving 
 his mother a legacy of six young children and forty acres 
 of undeveloped land having a log house upon it. Since 
 there was nothing with which to rear and educate her four 
 girls and two boys except what could be produced from 
 the soil of this wild land, his mother, like others of that 
 day, no whit discouraged, set bravely to work to eke out a 
 precarious livelihood. In a few years she was called upon 
 to mourn the death of her eldest son, and no other course 
 remained but for her and the four daughters to make their 
 own living, aided by young John's efiforts. Because she 
 was unable to spare her only boy from his work, except 
 in the winter season, John's early education consisted of 
 the crude instruction received in a country school, during 
 the few winters he was privileged to attend school at all. 
 He was quick to learn, however, and acquired even in this 
 
 3 
 
4 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 short time the rudiments of an education that, added to 
 and rounded out by a lifetime of close observation and 
 keen perception, made him a man of general information 
 and broad intelligence. 
 
 Trained from childhood to battle with the world, to 
 depend upon himself and to labor for those whom he loved, 
 he became one of the capable, self-reliant and generous 
 men who win the affection of those who know them and 
 make the world better for their having lived. In telling 
 of his capability and self-reliance, even in early life, his 
 mother used to say that she trusted him, at the early age 
 of ten, to take to market the farm produce that the family 
 had to sell, which he disposed of with rare judgment for 
 one of his years. He was as good a horse-trader at fifteen 
 as David Harum himself. His mother often said she never 
 knew what horse John would bring home. He many times 
 laughingly related that he never got beaten in a horse trade 
 but once, and that was when he traded a horse for a cow 
 — and the cow died. 
 
 His commercial instinct having been thus early aroused, 
 he left the farm and opened a general store at the age of 
 seventeen. The only capital he had was fifty dollars that 
 his mother had saved, which she willingly entrusted to him. 
 With this he went to Cincinnati, where he so won the 
 confidence of wholesale dealers by his frank and manly 
 bearing that they sold him on credit enough goods to open 
 a country store at Ashley, Delaware County, Ohio. This 
 small beginning was the basis of his after success and 
 fortune. 
 
 At Ashley, on May 26, 1852, he married Ellen Perlena 
 Purmort, who was bom August 10, 1832, at Jay, New 
 York, and who was an unfailing inspiration and helpmate 
 to her husband until his death. When eight years old she 
 went with her parents to Kempville, Canada, where they 
 lived until she was fifteen. In the summer of 1847, they 
 
THE DONOR 5 
 
 moved to Berlin, Delaware County, Ohio. Here she taught 
 a term or two of school and became noted as the little 
 teacher who could manage the rude, rough boys. Upon 
 the death of her mother, in 1850, the care and responsibility 
 of the large family fell upon her young shoulders, which 
 burden she willingly and successfully assumed. As the 
 oldest of the large family of children, she had shared all 
 the trials and sorrows of her parents in many losses and 
 removals, yet she kept a happy heart and she was her 
 father's helper in those sad years. The loving and 
 sacrificing nature of both Mr. and Mrs. Brumback was 
 well shown when, upon her father's death shortly after 
 her marriage, they took into their own home her five 
 young brothers and sisters. Two of these they reared as 
 their own children to lives of usefulness. What this meant 
 in the. early days can hardly be appreciated in these days 
 of labor-saving appliances and small families. They were 
 a happy pair, and the world helped them because they 
 helped themselves by living sober, prudent and industrious 
 lives. 
 
 Shortly after their marriage, owing to the impaired 
 health of Mr. Brumback, they moved to a farm on the Old 
 State Road north of Worthington, Ohio, where they lived 
 for two years. In 1858 they went to Casey, Clark County, 
 Illinois, in which village Mr. Brumback engaged in the 
 mercantile business with such success that when in the 
 spring of 1862 he came with his family to Van Wert, Ohio, 
 he brought with him $5,000 in gold. Van Wert County 
 was then a comparatively new and thinly settled county 
 having a population of only 10,238. Here he entered the 
 dry-goods business, and also became interested in the stave 
 business, a leading industry in Van Wert County and 
 northwestern Ohio generally, at that time, because of the 
 thousands of acres of finest hardwood timber that covered 
 all of this territory. In 1884 he disposed of his dry-goods 
 
6 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 business and purchased a controlling interest in the Van 
 Wert National Bank, of which he became president. As 
 a banlter, he was careful, conservative, but withal progress- 
 ive. During his thirty-five years' residence in Van Wert 
 he helped create and finance many enterprises of great 
 value to the people, notably the Cincinnati, Jackson and 
 Mackinaw Railroad (now the Cincinnati Northern, a part 
 of the New York Central System), in which he became 
 interested when its failure was imminent; The Central 
 Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company, of Van Wert, 
 Ohio, of which he was president to the time of his death; 
 The Farmers Bank, of Rockford, Ohio; The Union Savings 
 Bank, of Toledo, Ohio, and The Monroe Street Railway, 
 of Toledo, which he started on the road to prosperity at 
 a time when its future was uncertain. 
 
 Mr. Brumback was a liberal supporter of the First 
 Methodist Church, of Van Wert, having acted for a 
 number of years as one of its trustees, and he was a 
 charter member of the Odd Fellows lodge in Van Wert, 
 in whose good work he was an active participant. 
 
 In later years his generous heart prompted him to build 
 a public library for his home town and county. This was 
 before Mr. Carnegie began his extensive library giving and 
 the idea then of donating a public library was not so 
 common as now. After consulting the members of his 
 family and receiving encouragement from them, he ordered 
 plans prepared for a building to be located in a park in 
 Van Wert City; but when the plans were about perfected 
 he was taken seriously ill. Upon finding that he would not 
 be able, owing to his fatal illness, to carry out his ideas, 
 he called his son Orville, a lawyer in Toledo, to his home 
 in Van Wert, and there, after fully discussing the project 
 with his family, he had a will drawn providing for the 
 erection of the library by his heirs. His will contained a 
 clause to the effect that any of the heirs could defeat the 
 
THE DONOR 7 
 
 project if unwilling to join in the expense. However, not 
 only were all willing to carry out the wishes of their father, 
 but they constructed an even better building than he had 
 planned. Another feature of the will is the unique idea, 
 undoubtedly original with Mr. Brumback, of having the 
 library owned and maintained by the county and its benefits 
 extended to the whole county, that the country people as 
 well as the town people might enjoy library privileges. 
 
 [In order to avoid repetitions the following press comments 
 are not given in full.] 
 
 GONE FOREVER ONE OF THE MOST CONSPICUOUS FIGURES IN 
 
 VAN Wert's business affairs passes awav — j. s. brum- 
 back DIES after a lingering ILLNESS FOR YEARS A 
 
 FOREMOST LEADER IN ALL PUBLIC MATTERS 
 
 One of Van Wert's most useful citizens is dead. One of 
 our best-known men has crossed the silent river. John Sanf ord 
 Brumback died at his home, on North Jefferson Street, this 
 morning. 
 
 As a business man, he developed exceptional mental force. 
 Always careful, prudent, prompt and far-seeing, he managed 
 his affairs with consummate ease, gradually working his way 
 from a poor boy to one of the foremost business men of Ohio, 
 honored for his correct methods and consulted for his mature 
 judgment. 
 
 He has been identified with the leading business enterprises 
 of the town from the time he located here until his death. In 
 all his ventures, he was never connected with a failure. 
 
 His tastes were domestic. He loved most the company of 
 his own family and relatives. Endowed with a genial disposi- 
 tion, he was easily approached by all. He was proud of the 
 distinction of being a true American and boasted of his Ameri- 
 can citizenship. Without early advantages, unassisted by 
 anyone, he achieved his position by his force of character and 
 strength of intellect. Had his fortune been cast in some great 
 city, where transactions are larger than here, his business suc- 
 cess would have won him even greater wealth, and a wider 
 distinction among his fellowmen. — Van Wert Bulletin, Dec. 
 ir, 1897. 
 
8 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 DEATH OF J. S. BEUMBACK FATHER OF HON. O. S. BRUMBACK 
 
 EXPIRES AT VAN WERT HAD BUSINESS INTERESTS AND 
 
 FRIENDS IN TOLEDO WAS ONE OF VAN WERT's MOST 
 
 INFLUENTIAL CITIZENS 
 
 Hon. O. S. Brumback received a message from Van Wert 
 Saturday announcing the death of his father, John Sanford 
 Brumback, at that place. Mr. Brumback was one of Van 
 Wert's most influential and public-spirited men. He had been 
 a poor boy, but by dint of hard work and careful management 
 he became one of the prominent business men of the state. — 
 Toledo Blade, Dec. 13, 1897. 
 
 HON. J. S. BRUMBACK, ONE OF VAN WERT's LEADING BUSINESS 
 MEN, PASSES TO THE GREAT BEYOND 
 
 Many friends received with sorrow the news of the death 
 of John Sanford Brumback. He had a wide circle of acquain- 
 tances and was highly esteemed as a neighbor and citizen for 
 his charitable disposition, industry, kindness and moral integ- 
 rity. — Van Wert Republican, Dec. 16, 1897. 
 
 THE SILENT REAPER CUTS OFF THE EVENTFUL LIFE OF J. S, 
 BRUMBACK BY HIS DEATH VAN WERT LOSES ITS FORE- 
 MOST CITIZEN — THOUGH LONG A SUFFERER, YET THE 
 FINAL SUMMONS CAME UNEXPECTEDLY 
 
 Van Wert's most prominent citizen passed from this scene 
 of action last Saturday morning. It was then that John 
 Sanford Brumback gave up this life for eternity. Like a knell 
 the announcement of his death fell on attentive ears and called 
 forth expressions of deep sorrow on every hand. As the word 
 went from lip to lip the invariable response was, " We have 
 lost a valuable citizen and a usaful man." 
 
 Mr. Brumback, as all are aware, had been an acute sufferer 
 with kidney trouble for more than a year past. He tried every 
 known remedy and also many medical experts, was given all 
 the attention that ample means could command, but the seed 
 of certain death seemed firmly imbedded in his malady. Last 
 summer he took treatment at the Alma, Michigan, sanitarium, 
 which only served to prolong his life a few months. Few per- 
 sons can realize the terrible suffering he had to endure. It 
 took pain of the most excruciating and unrelenting character 
 
THE DONOR 9 
 
 to gain the mastery over a man possessing his ambitious mind 
 and strong physical constitution. It was in October that he 
 returned to his home, as he said, " to take his chances and 
 await with fortitude the final result." He was known to be 
 growing weaker from day to day, but no member of his house- 
 hold thought death lurked so near; although the attending 
 physician. Dr. McGavren, had informed them that the end 
 might come very suddenly and without warning. So it did. 
 On Saturday morning he dressed and ate breakfast with his 
 family. About half -past nine o'clock he went to an adjoin- 
 ing room, attended by his nurse. At a moment when refusing 
 the help of the nurse he leaned over on his side, and before 
 the alarm could reach the family his spirit had taken its flight 
 to the other world. The sorrowing wife and grief-stricken 
 sons and daughters were quickly gathered about the form of a 
 devoted husband and loving, indulgent father. Friends and 
 neighbors soon began tO' call to offer their sincere sympathy. 
 
 His life is linked with the growth and history of this town 
 and county. His many successful business enterprises 
 denoted his keen judgment, prudent management and stead- 
 fast perseverance. 
 
 Starting out in life a poor boy, with only a limited educa- 
 tion, iMr. Brumback accumulated a good-sized fortune and won 
 an eminent place among his fellowmen. He was a man of 
 practical miiid, a genuine public-spirited citizen, full of loyalty 
 to the state, true to his family, and faithful at all times to his 
 friends. His memory is enshrined in the hearts of all who 
 knew him best. The bereaved family have the blessed heritage 
 of a good name and the comforting assurance of a life well 
 spent. 
 
 Those left to mourn are the widow, two sons, O. S. Brum- 
 back, of Toledo, and D. L. Brumback, and two daughters, Mrs. 
 J. P. Reed, Jr., and Miss Saida Brumback [Mrs. E. I. Antrim], 
 of Van Wert. 
 
 Brief but impressive funeral services were held at the home 
 on North Jefferson Street, Tuesday afternoon. A quartette 
 composed of Rev. J. A. Gordon, Eugene Humphreys, Miss 
 Alice Clark and Miss Harriet Hall sang " The Home of the 
 Soul " and " On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand," which were 
 the favorite hymns of the deceased during his lifetime. Rev. 
 A. J. Fish, D. D., read with much feeling the isth Chapter of 
 
10 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 I Corinthians, and at its conclusion offered up a prayer sub- 
 limely beautiful and eloquent. Rev. J. H. Fitzwater, D. D., 
 read a memorial, and was followed by the Rev. J. F. Mounts, 
 who with tender voice told of his acquaintance with Mr. Brum- 
 back for the past thirty-five years. The casket was laden 
 with flowers, and as it was borne to the hearse bowed heads 
 and tearful eyes betokened the grief of wounded hearts. 
 
 With the journey to Woodland cemetery and the barring of 
 the doors of the Brumback mausoleum, the earthly career of 
 J. S. Brumback w.as closed forever. — Van Wert Times, Dec. 
 17, 1897. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 THE BEQUEST FOR A COUNTY LIBRARY * 
 
 TN 1891 Mrs. Georgia C. Glenn and Mrs. Fannie Strandler 
 
 solicited aid for a " Reading-Room " for the city of Van 
 Wert. Some days later, at the home of the latter, these two 
 ladies, with ten others, organized a reading-room association, 
 each agreeing to pay three dollars annually for its support. 
 Mrs. George H. Marsh donated the first fifty dollars. More- 
 over, the income from entertainments, lectures, socials, etc., 
 increased the fund materially. 
 
 On July 28, 1893, the association was incorporated under 
 the laws of Ohio, under the name " The Van Wert Library 
 Association." The following were the original members of the 
 organization: Georgia C. Glenn, Lucy A. Craig, Mary P. 
 Leeson, Isabella L. Rose, L. Elizabeth Malick, Clara V. Half- 
 hill, Frances O. Clark, Eudorah H. Troup, Anna W. Clark, 
 Hattie L. Brotherton, Fannie H. Strandler, Mary J. Hiestand. 
 
 On July 25, 1894, they decided to open a public circulating 
 library, although they had only $600 in the treasury. This 
 fund, however, was increased by the sale of annual tickets at 
 one dollar and a half each, and donations of books, furniture 
 and other things needful for the fitting out of a reading-room 
 were generously made by the people. A pleasant room in the 
 Kime block was secured and the library, containing 600 
 volumes, was opened to the public September 14, 1894, with 
 Mrs. Clara Halfhill [Cavette] in charge as librarian. 
 
 The ladies continued to work and received a great deal of 
 encouragement. Better still, contributions came from many 
 sources. Among others, Mr. J. S. Brumback manifested much 
 interest in this library, buying tickets for distribution and 
 giving liberally to its support. He remarked to one of the 
 
 * In the remainder of Part I the public press is for the most part 
 allowed to tell the story. This is done for the purpose of showing 
 public sentiment relative to the county library idea. While much is 
 given because of its local interest, the part as a whole might also 
 prove attractive to the general reader. To avoid repetitions many 
 omissions have been made from the articles, which are given chron- 
 ologically. 
 
 11 
 
12 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 charter members : " I have always had an eye on your library 
 and have watched its management and success with great 
 interest." 
 
 On September 15, 1896, it was made a free city library by 
 virtue of a tax levy of three-tenths of a mill for its support. 
 This yielded $559 a year, which with careful management paid 
 only the expenses of the reading-room. Money had to be 
 raised by the ladies in other ways for the purchase of books, 
 which now numbered 1,400. 
 
 It was the object and ambition of the association to form a 
 nucleus for a permanent library, and they therefore received 
 with joy the announcement of the generous gift to the county 
 by the heirs of the late J. S. Brumback and expressed their 
 willingness to do their part in securing for the county so 
 acceptable a donation. — Van Wert Bulletin. 
 
 1897 
 
 GENEROUS DONATION TO THE TOWN OF VAN Vl^ERT BY THE LATE 
 J. S. BRUMBACK ONE OF THE HANDSOMEST, MOST SUB- 
 STANTIAL LIBRARY BUILDINGS IN THE STATE OF OHIO TO 
 
 BE LOCATED IN SECOND WARD PARK, FRONTING MAIN 
 
 STREET TO BE OF STONE, FULLY COMPLETED, FURNISHED 
 
 AND EQUIPPED, READY FOR OCCUPANCY MR. BRUMBACK'S 
 
 PROPOSITION THE TERMS ON WHICH THE BUILDING IS TO 
 
 BE DONATED, FULL TEXT OF THE WILL, ETC. 
 
 Every resident of Van Wert town and county will read with 
 pleasure a provision of the will of their esteemed fellow- 
 citizen, the late J. S. Brumback. It provides for one of the 
 most valuable, enduring gifts ever donated to the city — prac- 
 tical and beneficial from every standpoint. An additional 
 ornament to our many notable structures; a perpetual benefit 
 to every man, woman and child who seeks knowledge; a high 
 compliment to good citizenship, by a person in a position to 
 know his neighbors and possessed of liberality of spirit and 
 impartiality of discrimination, which enabled him to judge 
 justly of the people with whom he lived and associated, carried 
 on business and transacted the affairs of trade and commerce 
 during the best years of a long and eventful life. Such is the 
 monument J. S. Brumback has provided, which will be erected 
 on a spot of easy access in the center of the city and will 
 implant enduring love and esteem for the generous donor in 
 
THE BEQUEST FOR A COUNTY LIBRARY 13 
 
 the hearts of all who devote their time and thoughts to the 
 training and improvement of their minds and the ennoble- 
 ment of their lives and characters. 
 
 The gift is to be a public library building. It will be a little 
 more than 60x70 feet and will have an elevation of two stories 
 with terraced approaches. The material is to be of stone and 
 the construction as nearly faultless as possible, insuring dura- 
 bility and a pleasing effect. This spacious building is to be 
 furnished throughout to the minutest detail, ready for books 
 and patrons, a free gift from a noble man. 
 
 J. S. Brumback came to Van Wert in his young manhood. 
 Here he developed and exercised the commanding qualifica- 
 tions which distinguished him and enabled him so success- 
 fully to provide large, and ample means for himself and those 
 nearest to him. Moreover, the ties which bound him to the 
 people of his adopted city were strong and he wished to per- 
 petuate them by a noble and enduring gift. 
 
 Mr. Brumback contemplated the erection of the library dur- 
 ing his lifetime and was greatly disappointed that circum- 
 stances were such that he was prevented from doing this. As 
 late as last April, while confined to his home with a fatal 
 disease, he prepared an outline of a proposition to the proper 
 authorities, hopeful that he might enter upon the construction 
 of the building during last summer. Owing to his weak and 
 nervous condition, however, the members of his family were 
 fearful lest the worry and strain of bringing the matter before 
 the public would prove injurious to him, and persuaded him 
 to postpone making the proposition until his health would fairly 
 permit. The heirs all desire to carry out his wishes and ideas 
 as fully as possible. The views of Mr. Brumback as stated 
 in his proposition are therefore of great interest to the public, 
 since they probably express the main conditions upon which 
 the heirs will insist. — Van Wert Bulletin, Dec. 18, 1897. 
 
 MR. brumback's proposition 
 
 " To the Ladies' Library Association, the Hon. Mayor and 
 Common Council of Van Wert and also to the County 
 Commissioners of Van Wert County. 
 
 " Ladies and Gentlemen : 
 
 " I submit herewith plans and elevation for a public Library 
 Building which is to be all stone and first-class in every par- 
 
14 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 ticular. I have been thinking for two or three years of con- 
 structing such a Library Building and donating it to the 
 proper authorities to receive it; have had the drawings made 
 for nearly two years; but the unsettled state of money mat- 
 ters was such that I did not feel at the time like undertaking 
 it. After financial affairs were somewhat settled, my health 
 failed and I have not been able to do anything, but have 
 thought it best now to submit the following proposition: 
 
 " I will build said building, put in all furniture and fixtures 
 ready for use, and donate the same to the proper authorities, 
 on the following conditions: 
 
 " That you give the privilege to locate said building in 
 Second Ward Park. It will be a great ornament to the Park 
 as well as the Park an ornament to the building. I have 
 always felt a particular interest in finding something that 
 would beautify this Park and think this will do so in a com- 
 plete manner. I would not care to consider any other loca- 
 tion. My present idea would be to place it mid-way between 
 Jefferson Street and the bridge, fronting on, and sitting back 
 from. Main Street, and terraced in a proper manner. 
 
 " That you agree to make proper provision to maintain and 
 operate said Library and gradually supply the necessary books 
 and periodicals for it. The plans herewith will be carried out 
 or improved upon. 
 
 " If I get better and able to do business, will commence it 
 as soon as possible. If I do not get better and am unable 
 to assume the responsibility of the building, I have inserted 
 a clause in my will providing for my heirs to carry out my 
 ideas. How soon it will be built depends somewhat on my 
 being able to look after details. 
 
 " I have had no estimates and have no idea what the cost 
 will be, but you may rest assured that in making a donation 
 like this, no pains or money will be spared in making it a 
 beautiful and substantial building that will stand for all time, 
 a source of benefit and pleasure to our people." 
 
 LAST WILL OF J. S. BRUMBACK 
 
 "In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I, J. S. 
 Brumback, of Van Wert, Ohio, being of sound mind and dis- 
 posing memory, do make and publish this my last Will and 
 Testament. It is my will, and I do give, and devise, and 
 bequeath, all my property, both real and personal, as follows: 
 
THE BEQUEST FOR A COUNTY LIBRARY 15 
 
 " Item I. I do give, devise and bequeath all my property, 
 both real and personal and mixed, to my dear wife, Ellen P. 
 Brumback, so long as she may live, she to have and enjoy all 
 the income from the same so long as she may live. If it 
 becomes necessary for her comfort and best welfare to use 
 any part of the principal, it is my will that she may do so, 
 in so far as it may be absolutely necessary for her personal 
 comfort and best welfare. The foregoing bequest and devise 
 to my said beloved wife to be in lieu of her dower estate in 
 my property. It is my further will and desire that my said 
 wife leave the management and control of all my said prop- 
 erty to my living children (majority controlling), so long as 
 they profitably manage the same. 
 
 " Item II. I do give, devise and bequeath to my dear chil- 
 dren, Orville S. Brumback, David L. Brumback, Estelle B. 
 Reed and Saida M. Brumback, per stirpes, all my property, 
 both real, personal and mixed, in fee simple and absolute, 
 subject, however, to the life estate of my dear wife, Ellen P. 
 Brumback, and conditions thereof as contained in Item I. 
 Any notes that I hold against any of my said children, by 
 way of advancement to them, to be taken out of his or her 
 respective share (without interest). 
 
 " Item III. Feeling a great regard for my fellow towns- 
 men of Van Wert, Ohio, and affection for the said city in 
 which I have spent so many happy years of my life, I have 
 long contemplated a gift to them of a Library Building, as a 
 token of my affection and regard. In that behalf I have had 
 plans prepared for such a building, but owing to the condi- 
 tion of my health have not been permitted to enter upon its 
 construction. It is my will and desire that my said dear wife 
 and children expend sufficient of my estate, willed to them 
 in Items I and II, to carry out my wishes, known to them, by 
 the erection and gift of a Library Building, something after 
 the plans and designs I have had prepared for that purpose; 
 provided, and this item is upon the express condition, that 
 my wife and children can make arrangements satisfactory to 
 them with the said city of Van Wert or, if they desire and 
 think best, with Van Wert County, for a location for said 
 building and the maintenance of the Library to be placed 
 therein. 
 
 " Item IV. It is my will that my said dear wife and chil- 
 dren, or so many of them as may desire to qualify, act as 
 
16 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 executors of my estate, without giving bond or having any 
 appraisement thereof. I know that they will not fail to carry 
 out my wishes herein stated, whether sufficiently stated in 
 law or not. 
 
 " In witness whereof, I, the said J. S. Brumback, have 
 hereunto set my name and do declare and publish this instru- 
 ment as my last will at Van Wert, Ohio, this, the 29th day 
 of March, A. D., 1897. 
 
 (Seal) J- S. Brumback. 
 
 " The said J. S. Brumback, at Van Wert, Ohio, did on the 
 29th day of March, A. D., 1897, sign and seal this instru- 
 ment in our presence and did publish and declare the same 
 as and for his last will, and we, at his request and in his 
 presence and in the presence of each other, have hereunto 
 set our names as subscribing witnesses. 
 
 (Signed) Frank W. Leslie, 
 
 Henry C. Boesche." 
 
 Van Wert Bulletin, Dec. 18, 1897. 
 
 A PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING DONATED TO THE TOWN OF VAN 
 WERT PLANS OF BUILDING CAN BE SEEN AT LIBRARY 
 
 The good news of the provision made in the will of the late 
 J. S. Brumback (which was published last Friday) that he 
 had made a liberal gift of a beautiful and costly public library 
 building to the town of Van Wert was received by the people 
 with great gratification. As mentioned in our last issue, ever 
 since his arrival in Van Wert as a young man, Mr. Brumback 
 has been a leader in enterprises for the good of our people, 
 and now it seems that he has provided that the good work 
 which he did during his life shall through a public library 
 continue after his death. 
 
 Mr. Brumback took great interest in our little library 
 established through the efforts of a few of our noble women. 
 He also did much toward making our handsome little parks 
 what they now are. The fine grove of trees shading Second 
 Ward P!ark was planted by him, so it is no wonder that he 
 selected this beautiful spot as the site where should stand the 
 greatest gift ever given Van Wert and one of the most last- 
 ing monuments that a Van Werter could possibly erect. — 
 Van Wert Republican, Dec. 23, 1897. 
 
THE BEQUEST FOR A fOUNTY LIBRARY 17 
 
 A BENEFACTOR 
 
 The town of Van Wert has been made the offer of a mag- 
 nificent gift. By the provisions of the last will and testa- 
 ment of the late J. S. Brumback, it is proposed to build one 
 of the finest library buildings in the state and have it donated 
 to Van Wert city and county. 
 
 By the terms of his will, Mr. Brumback wants not only to 
 put up this elegant building, but to furnish it completely, 
 ready for the books and the public use of them. It will be 
 seen that the only conditions attached to this generous gift 
 are that the building be located in Second Ward Park, front- 
 ing on Main Street, and that the city, joined possibly by the 
 county, make suitable provision for its maintenance and fur- 
 nish books for the same as they may be needed. Everyone 
 will admit these are essential conditions, and it would be a 
 public disgrace not to meet them. 
 
 Every resident of this town and county should unite in 
 praise of this benefaction and in an effort to comply with the 
 fair conditions imposed. It will be an enduring monument 
 to the memory of a grand, good man as well as a perpetual 
 ornament to the park and city. Such a gift and such an 
 institution speak well for the citizenship of Van Wert. It 
 will be a lasting benefit not only to those who were permitted 
 to enjoy the friendship of Mr. Brumback during his lifetime 
 but to generations yet unborn. 
 
 It is of interest to state that all the children of Mr. Brum- 
 back are not only satisfied with this part of the will but 
 express a desire to carry out the plans and wishes of their 
 father to the minutest details regardless of cost. It is esti- 
 mated that the cost of a library building such as Mr. Brum- 
 back had in mind will be all the way from $35,000 to $50,000. 
 No time should be lost by the authorities in accepting such 
 an extraordinary gift. — The Van Wert Times, Dec. 24, 1897. 
 
 1898 
 
 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
 By the generous provisions of J. S. Brumback's will the 
 citizens of Van Wert city and county are to have one of the 
 finest public library buildings in the state. There is nothing 
 which could be more desired at the present time for the 
 
18" THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 adornment of the town and for the mental and moral cultiva- 
 tion of the people. A good free library is worth more to us 
 than half a dozen opera houses, desirable as a commodious 
 assemblage room would be. A good gymnasium or Y. M. C. A. 
 building is perhaps the next thing to be desired, and, in time, 
 no doubt, it will come. The present public library has made 
 a good beginning with its small resources, and is well patron- 
 ized, but nothing ample or adequate to the needs of our 
 progressive city could be done until some wealthy and gener- 
 ous citizen stepped forth with the gift of a permanent home. 
 This Mr. Brumback has done, and his plans and proposals 
 are made in a munificent style, yet on conditions of main- 
 tenance which seem to us very easy and most favorable for 
 the community. Van Wert is certainly to be heartily con- 
 gratulated on her good fortune in receiving such a noble 
 bequest. — The Van Wert Presbyterian, January, 1898. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 PROPOSITION OF HEIRS AND THE COUNTY LIBRARY LAW 
 
 OF OHIO 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY — PROPOSITIONS AND SUGGESTIONS BY THE 
 HEIRS OF THE LATE J. S. BRUMBACK AUTHORITIES MEN- 
 TIONED SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS NECESSARY TO 
 
 ACCEPT THE GENEROUS GIFT OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE 
 
 THAT OUR CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN AND COUNTY 
 SHOULD UNANIMOUSLY ACCEDE TO THE REQUESTS MADE 
 
 " To the Ladies^ Library Association, the Mayor and Com- 
 mon Council of the City of Van Wert and the County 
 Com/missioners of Van Wert County, Ohio. 
 
 " Ladies and Gentlemen : 
 
 " As you are doubtless aware, the will of the late J. S. 
 Brumback provides for the construction by his estate of a 
 stone library building in first-class condition ready for use, in 
 the town of Van Wert, provided his heirs can make satis- 
 factory arrangements for the location and maintenance of the 
 building and library to be placed therein. 
 
 " The undersigned heirs of his estate are unanimous in 
 their desire to fully carry out the wishes of Mr. Brumback 
 as an enduring memorial to ' one who loved his fellowmen.' 
 Hence, we have considered the subject of the best mode of 
 undertaking the enterprise, and herein submit to you our con- 
 clusions on the subject. 
 
 " So far as the matter of location is concerned, there can 
 be little question that the Second Ward Park is the most 
 desirable place that can be suggested. Mr. Brumback planted 
 the trees in that park and, watching their growth for twenty- 
 five years, was very solicitous that something might be added 
 to the park to complete its ornamentation. We do not believe 
 that there will be any objection to the location of the library 
 in that park. 
 
 "The subject of the maintenance of the library is one of 
 
 19 
 
20 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 greatest importance. It is apparent that there should be 
 ample provision for supplying proper and sufficient books and 
 periodicals for the library, otherwise the building, however 
 fine, would be no credit either to the donor or to the donee. 
 The library inside the building should be in keeping with the 
 exterior of the building, and to secure that end we are especi- 
 ally solicitous. 
 
 " The will does not determine whether the free library is 
 to be a town or a county institution; but we are persuaded 
 that the benefits to be derived from the bequest should be 
 extended to the people of the entire county, as well as the 
 town of Van Wert, for many reasons, principal among which 
 are the following: 
 
 " First, by making it a county institution 30,000 people will 
 be enabled to share the privileges of the library, whereas if 
 it is restricted to the town, only 8,000 people will be benefited. 
 
 " Second, Mr. Brumback's associations and intimate ac- 
 quaintance extended throughout the county, and we know 
 his primary desire was that his fellow citizens in the county 
 as well as in the town should be benefited by his gift, if that 
 end could be fairly accomplished. 
 
 " Third, it would not cost any more to maintain and operate 
 the library for the benefit of the citizens of the whole county, 
 than it would for the benefit of the citizens of the town. 
 
 " Fourth, there is no real objection to permitting the people 
 in the county to draw books from the library. The distance 
 to which they would be taken is not much greater than distant 
 suburban districts in some of our large cities. By a proper 
 system of rules and fines the books would be as speedily and 
 promptly returned from the country as in the town. 
 
 " Fifth, it will be necessary to equip the library with books 
 and maintain it by taxation. We are advised that the total 
 tax duplicate of the town is $1,800,000 [1890 appraisement] 
 and it? indebtedness is about $200,000; whereas the total tax 
 duplicate of the county is $9,000,000 [1890 appraisement] and 
 its indebtedness only about $100,800. The town is now 
 incurring, and will in the future be called upon to incur, large 
 expense in paving streets, building sewers and making other 
 municipal improvements, which together with its present 
 indebtedness and small tax duplicate as compared with the 
 county's duplicate, renders its ability to provide for the library 
 much less than that of the county. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAW OF OHIO 21 
 
 " As to the conditions which should enter into the arrange- 
 ment with the county, we have thought the following would 
 commend themselves as being proper and not in any wise bur- 
 densome, viz : — 
 
 " I. That the library be called THE BRUMBACK 
 LIBRARY, in honor of him who made it possible. 
 
 " 2. That the county agree to levy an annual tax of not less 
 than six-tenths of a mill for library purposes upon all the 
 taxable property of the county. 
 
 " While a levy of one mill for two or three years in the start 
 is most desirable, yet the minimum amount proposed of six- 
 tenths of a mill would serve to make a beginning and would in 
 time produce a creditable library. We believe the people will 
 heartily favor a liberal levy when they learn the benefit of 
 having the latest and best literature of the day provided for 
 them at a cost so nominal to the largest tax-payer that he 
 would not know he was paying it. 
 
 " 3. We believe it would be well to have the library man- 
 aged and controlled by a non-partisan board of seven trustees, 
 who should be appointed for a term of three (3) years and not 
 more than two of whom should go out of office in any one 
 year. To insure the success of the library, we have thought it 
 would be well to have these seven trustees appointed as 
 follows : 
 
 " Two to be appointed by the Ladies' Library Association, 
 the Association to turn over to the library all their present 
 books and property ; three to be appointed by the County Com- 
 missioners; and two to be appointed by the heirs of J. S. 
 Brumback, or their descendants. In case the Ladies' Library 
 Association, or the Brumback heirs, should fail for a period 
 of ninety (90) days to make their respective appointments 
 from time to time, then the Common Council of the City of 
 Van Wert, to make such appointments. We believe that some 
 such system of appointment will secure the best talent that 
 can be had for the direction of the library, and will give the 
 control and management to those who are most vitally inter- 
 ested in its success. 
 
 " If the county is to secure the library, it is necessary that 
 the County Commissioners as the representatives of the county 
 enter into an agreement for its maintenance and operation 
 that we may know it will not prove a failure. We under- 
 stand, however, that there is no present law to authorize the 
 
22 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 county to provide or maintain a public library. The law 
 makes ample provision for the town to do so, authorizing it 
 to bind itself to carry out conditions of a bequest for library 
 purposes (Rev. Stat. Sec. 1692), but no such authority has 
 ever been conferred upon the county. 
 
 " It will be necessary therefore for a law to be passed by 
 the Legislature, authorizing the County Commissioners to take 
 the proper action in the matter on behalf of the county. We 
 understand a bill has been introduced in the Legislature to 
 meet this need. [Bill drawn by O. S. Brumback. See page 
 24]. Permit us to suggest that if anything is to be accom- 
 plished this year, each of your organizations should appoint a 
 committee to see that a proper bill to authorize the County 
 Commissioners to act is speedily passed by the Legislature. 
 
 " Hoping the foregoing suggestions may commend them- 
 selves to your judgment; and assuring you that we have no 
 desire to attach any conditions to the bequest not absolutely 
 necessary to insure the best results, we remain 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 Ellen P. Brumback. 
 
 Orville S. Brumback. 
 
 David L. Brumback. 
 
 Estelle B. Reed. 
 
 Saida M. Brumback [Mrs. E. L Antrim]. 
 Van Wert, O., Jan'y 31, 1898." — Van Wert Republican, 
 Feb. 3, 1898. 
 
 council proceedings 
 
 The city council held a special session, Tuesday evening, 
 February i, to act upon matters demanding immediate atten- 
 tion. The members present were Hott, Baird, Newcomer, 
 Barnard, Spayd and Shaffer. The proposition of the Brum- 
 back heirs was read and favorably received by every mem- 
 ber. Baird and Barnard were appointed a committee to confer 
 with the County Commissioners on the matter. — Van Wert 
 Republican, Feb. 3, 1898. 
 
 The erection of a library building, such as it is proposed to 
 donate to the county or the city of Van Wert, will necessitate 
 an outlay of a large sum of money by the Brumback estate. 
 It is a matter of great importance. All the conditions of this 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAW OF OHIO 23 
 
 magnificent donation should be fully understood in advance 
 and carefully met. 
 
 The library should be the property of the county, extending 
 its benefits to all citizens thereof. The day was when the 
 country came to the town for school teachers, but that time is 
 a thing of the past. The rule is reversed. The country is 
 sending teachers to the towns. The largest per cent of studious 
 persons is in the country; therefore, the greatest demand for 
 books is in the rural districts. 
 
 It was the wish of the donor that the library be placed where 
 it will do the most good. By all means let that be done. — Van 
 Wert Bulletin, Feb. 4, 1898. 
 
 A GENEROUS GIFT THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY BEQUEST TO VAN 
 
 WERT — SKETCH OF THE FOUNDER HIS HUMBLE BEGIN- 
 NING AND STURDY GROWTH DIED A PUBLIC BENEFACTOR 
 
 A MOVE TO MAKE IT BY PUBLIC COOPERATION THE CEN- 
 TER OF A COUNTY INSTITUTION 
 
 No pen can describe the many words of gratitude heard 
 expressed on every hand by the citizens of the thriving little 
 city of Van Wert, and the people of the county in general, 
 since they have heard the good news of the provisions made in 
 the will of the late John Sanford Brumback, former president 
 of the Van Wert National Bank. When the seal of the 
 envelope containing his last will a^id testament was broken, 
 Peabody's sentence, " Education, a debt due from present to 
 future generations," proved to be the main theme ; and it was 
 then made public that the once poor teamster and dry-goods 
 clerk, who had to start out on life's journey with but limited 
 knowledge, but who, through thrift and perseverance, had 
 achieved success in life, had made his adopted town and county 
 of Van Wert a noble gift of a beautiful library building, to 
 build and furnish which it will cost about $40,000. 
 
 What is now very gratifying to the people of the county is 
 that the heirs of the estate of Mr. Brumback are unanimous 
 in their desire to carry out fully his wishes as an endearing 
 memorial to one who loved his fellow-men; their only proviso 
 being (and it is a wise one) that satisfactory arrangements 
 may be made with the county properly to maintain the same. 
 The city of Van Wert will be too glad of the privilege of 
 putting a creditable library in the building and maintaining 
 
24 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the same should the county fail to do so, and while the will 
 does not determine whether the free library is to be a town 
 or a county institution, the heirs are persuaded that the 
 primary desire of Mr. Brumback was that his fellow citizens, 
 in the county as well as in the town, should be benefited by 
 his gift, if that end could be fairly accomplished. 
 
 It would not cost any more to maintain a library for the 
 benefit of the people of the whole county than it would for 
 the benefit of the citizens of the town. As it is necessary 
 to equip the library with books and maintain it properly by 
 taxation, it is proposed to make this a county library, and thus 
 30,000 people will share in the benefits as well as help to 
 maintain it, making the cost for all tax-payers in the county 
 nominal. We understand, however, there is no present law 
 to authorize the county to accept such gifts and to provide 
 for their maintenance. To meet the above requirements and 
 for the benefit of our people in the rural districts throughout 
 the state, a bill is about to be presented to the legislature, 
 authorizing county commissioners to receive on behalf of the 
 public such bequests and to make suitable provisions for their 
 maintenance. 
 
 THE BILL 
 
 " To supplement Section 891 of the Revised Statutes of Ohio, so as 
 to provide for the acceptance of Bequests, Donations, and 
 Gifts for Public Libraries, and to Equip and Maintain the 
 same. 
 
 " Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
 State of Ohio, that Section 891, of the Revised Statutes of Ohio, 
 be supplemented so as to read as follows : 
 
 " Section 891 (a). The Commissioners may receive a bequest, 
 donation, or gift of a building, or property wherewith to con- 
 struct a building for a County Public Library in the county-seat 
 of the county ; and may enter into an agreement on behalf of the 
 county to provide and maintain a Public Library therein. Any 
 county accepting such bequest, donation or gift shall be bound to 
 faithfully carry out the agreement so made to provide and main- 
 tain such Library. 
 
 " Section 2. The Commissioners of any such county are hereby 
 authorized, at the March or June session each year, to levy a tax 
 of not exceeding one mill on each dollar of taxable property of 
 such county, and the fund derived from such levy shall constitute 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAW OF OHIO 25 
 
 a special fund to be known as Library Fund, and shall be used for 
 no purpose other than is contemplated in this section. 
 
 " Section 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 
 and after its passage." * 
 
 As already noted, the foregoing article appeared in the 
 Commercial-Tribune, of Cincinnati, under date of February 
 13, 1898, as well as in other well-known city daily papers 
 of the state about the same time. It is given to show that 
 Mr. Brumback's idea of establishing a county library was 
 pretty well known over the state before the passage of the 
 law relative to the same and that the Cincinnati Library 
 Board may have received the inspiration from this article 
 that led to their drafting a county library measure which, 
 because of its provisions, applied to only two of the eighty- 
 eight counties of the state — Cuyahoga and Hamilton — 
 and which was presented to the Ohio Legislature after the 
 Van Wert Bill had been introduced. The general Van 
 Wert law was passed a few days later (Apr. 26, 1898) 
 than the special Cincinnati law (Apr. 21, 1898), although 
 it was introduced earlier, for the reason that considerable 
 effort on the part of the Brumback heirs was required to 
 secure its passage, since it applied to the whole state. 
 
 There was some opposition to taxing a county for county 
 library purposes, even in Van Wert County. Pending the 
 acceptance of the proposition of the Brumback heirs several 
 editorials appeared in two Van Wert County papers in 
 opposition to a county library supported by a county tax. 
 This sentiment was inspired by individuals in the county, 
 far-removed from the county-seat, who felt that they should 
 not be obligated to contribute to the maintenance of a county 
 library distantly located. But before the building was 
 completed and the library opened this opposition had 
 disappeared and has never once reappeared. 
 
 * Cincinnati Commercial-Tribune, Feb. 13, 1898. This article also 
 appeared in the Toledo Blade, Feb. 12, 1898, and in The Ohio State 
 Journal, Columbus, Feb. 13, 1898. 
 
26 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 The following indicates the discussion upon this subject : 
 
 LIBRARY BEQUEST CALLS OUT SOME UNJUST NEWSPAPER 
 
 CRITICISM 
 
 An offer of a bequest, magnificent and beneficial, by the 
 late J. S. Brumback, has called out newspaper criticism, which 
 is unjust and misleading, and is made in the interest of a 
 class who oppose all public improvements. The Ft. Wayne 
 (Indiana) Gazette, basing its expression of opinion on infor- 
 mation of this kind, says: 
 
 " Van Wert, having received a legacy for a new library build- 
 ing, now wants the county to furnish the books. There is nothing 
 small about Van Wert. When they get their books, if they will 
 send them over to Fort Wayne, we will try to furnish readers." 
 
 There is nothing small about Van Wert, it is admitted, but 
 it can be proved that there is something small about such 
 items as the above. 
 
 The Brumback Library legacy has not been accepted, but 
 is offered, a free gift, to the county. The building is to be 
 substantially built, of stone, at a cost of about $50,000, in a 
 park which was a free gift by another public-spirited citizen, 
 and which is worth in money more than the proposed library. 
 Here are donations, aggregating more than $100,000 in value, 
 which the public can have by merely providing for the proper 
 care of the property. 
 
 The benefits of this magnificent gift are tendered to all the 
 people of Van Wert County, on easy terms. Here will be 
 deposited a library for all the people, in which will be assem- 
 bled books of reference of various kinds, so often needed by 
 but not of easy access to a large class of young men and 
 women seeking educational and literary benefits. The young 
 men and women in the rural districts spend most of their even- 
 ings with books and papers. They do not loiter in the comer 
 grocery, the gilded saloon or any other public resort. They are 
 becoming town school teachers and substantial, reliable busi- 
 ness men. The benefits of the library are offered to them and 
 others as a gift, on condition that the county take care of the 
 building. There are, however, a lot of close-fisted people who 
 will not take a gift on these easy terms. They are standing in 
 the pathway of every worthy country boy and girl who is seek- 
 ing an education. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAW OF OHIO 27 
 
 The town of Van Wert will accept the gift in the event the 
 county declines it. The town has a good library, worth a large 
 sum of money, provided for and open to the public at all times, 
 through the generosity of our citizens. This library will be 
 donated to the Brumback Library Trustees when they are 
 ready to receive it. Van Wert does not ask anybody to buy its 
 books, but on the other hand is well supplied with books of its 
 own and is ready to loan them and buy more for the people. 
 
 There are towns in this county which have no libraries and 
 never will have, and they are opposed to the one now offered 
 on such easy terms. They inspire such items as the above by 
 their useless and unreasonable faultfinding. — Van Wert Bulle- 
 tin, Feb. 15, 1898. 
 
 THE PROPOSED BRUMBACK LIBRARY A COSTLY AND HANDSOME 
 
 STRUCTURE OF WHICH ANY COUNTY MIGHT FEEL PROUD 
 
 We are delighted with the privilege of presenting to our 
 readers pictures of the late J. S. Brumback and the magnifi- 
 cent proposed library building which he generously offered 
 to the county. With a few exceptions the citizens all over the 
 county are unanimous in wanting to accept this enduring gift. 
 It would cost no more to maintain a library for the entire 
 county than for the town alone. The general tax for such a 
 purpose would not exceed on the average two-tenths of a mill, 
 and from an educational standpoint the advantages to be 
 derived are inestimable. 
 
 There is no sound reason why the Legislature should not 
 pass the bill already prepared, which simply provides that 
 county commissioners may accept such bequests on behalf of 
 the public and make suitable provisions for their maintenance. 
 The effect of the law is not compulsory, but merely to afford 
 an opportunity. The heirs are all anxious that the necessary 
 arrangements be made, so that the library may be erected this 
 spring. — Van Wert Times, Feb. 18, 1898. 
 
 Some of the editors in the county outside of the city of Van 
 Wert appear to be entertaining adverse opinions in the matter 
 of all the tax-payers in the county bearing their share of the 
 expense of maintaining a public library. The value of good 
 books to any family or individual is not, and cannot be, esti- 
 mated in dollars and cents ; therefore, our country pencil push- 
 ers should deem it a great benefit as well as pleasure (and 
 
28 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 every fair-minded person will consider it so), to have the 
 privilege of contributing a few shekels each year to assist in 
 promoting a higher state of culture ; for culture brings refine- 
 ment, and both together make a better citizenship. According 
 to the proposition the books in the proposed library (and this 
 will include the 1800 books already in the present Van Wert 
 library) will be free to all tax-payers, at a trifling cost. But 
 few heads of families could afford to purchase such an array 
 of books as are already the property of the Van Wert Library 
 Association ; indeed if the ordinary tax-payers were compelled 
 to purchase a small portion of them they would have to spend 
 several hundred dollars. Then, again, one of the greatest 
 things to be considered is that, by paying this trifling sum each 
 year, we put ourselves in a position to help those who are not 
 able to help themselves, and this means the poor not only of 
 Van Wert town, but also of the entire county. The jails are 
 usually filled with the illiterate; hence, if a higher state of 
 culture existed, it would likely in time bring about a better 
 state of affairs, which would have a tendency to decrease the 
 number of " jail birds," thus saving enough to meet the entire 
 expense of operating the library. It is, indeed, a rare occur- 
 rence that a donation of this magnitude is left for such a noble 
 purpose, to be used for the benefit of the entire county, if the 
 people feel disposed to accept of it. 
 
 Whether or not the country people will avail themselves of 
 the privilege of sharing in the use of the building and library 
 by paying their share for the benefits, remains to be seen, but 
 we are sure Van Wert town-people will gladly accept the 
 bequest and supply the building with a good library. Our 
 opinion is, however, that the country people, as a whole, will 
 deem it a great privilege, and that there will not be a dis- 
 senting voice when the proper time to act comes, for it is 
 simply a question of whether or not our country people want 
 to pay their share to maintain the library, providing they share 
 in its benefits, and even if they accept of the generous offer 
 Van Wert town-people will be paying more in proportion than 
 the people living outside the corporate limits, for the simple 
 reason that town property is assessed almost a third higher 
 than country property. — Van Wert Republican, Feb. 24, 1898. 
 
 The Ohio City News is very much opposed to taxing the 
 county for library purposes. It makes a great difference 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAW OF OHIO 29 
 
 whether a man can read or not. But, T , the library will 
 
 contain some picture books, too. — Van Wert Democrat, Feb. 
 24, 1898. 
 
 The state of Ohio can boast of no handsomer public library 
 building than the proposed edifice which Van Wert hopes to 
 erect this coming spring. The will of the late J. S. Brumback 
 makes provision for the institution, and since the legacy is 
 ample it will no doubt be accepted with the gratitude befitting 
 so generous a donation. The new building will be second to 
 none in the state, considering size. — Convoy (Van Wert 
 County) Crescent, Feb. 25, 1898. 
 
 POMONA GRANGE AN INTERESTING MEETING WITH LARGE 
 
 ATTENDANCE THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY PROPOSITION DIS- 
 CUSSED AND APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE 
 
 The regular meeting of the Van Wert County Pomona 
 Grange was held Thursday, March 31. Eleven members of 
 Ridge Grange received the fifth degree in the forenoon. The 
 afternoon session was an open meeting. The program was 
 furnished by Ridge Grange. 
 
 First was a song, " America," followed by an address by 
 J. S. Stuckey. 
 
 Song, "Jolly Old Farmer." 
 
 Declamation, by Frances Gilliland, " John Burns at Gettys- 
 burg." 
 
 Paper by William Johnson, " Little Things." 
 
 Song, " Serenade." 
 
 Paper by Ira Gilliland, " Contentment." 
 
 Topical song, "Join the Grange," by Lucy Stuckey, Louie 
 Palmer and Frank Palmer. 
 
 Declamation by Mamie Palmer. 
 
 Anthem, " How Beautiful is Zion." 
 
 Reading by E. S. Stuckey, " How and What to Read." 
 
 Quartette, " Battle Cry of Freedom." 
 
 The program was well prepared and very interesting. 
 
 The topic, "The Brumback Library," was next considered. 
 The discussion occupied nearly an hour and was participated 
 in by a large number of members. Nearly all the speakers 
 approved of the county accepting the proposition and levying 
 a tax to support the proposed library. None of the speakers 
 
30 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 opposed the plan unconditionally: a few were waiting, for 
 more information as to plan, cost, etc. A motion was made 
 and recorded that it was the sense of the meeting that we 
 approve of the acceptance of the proposition. The vote on 
 the motion was, yeas 53, nays 5. — Van Wert Bulletin, March 
 31, 1898. 
 
 The action of the Pomona Grange in regard to the Brum- 
 back Library is significant. We believe that a majority of 
 the farmers are in favor of making the library a county 
 affair, especially those having pikes to Van Wert, and why 
 shouldn't they be? It will be a benefit to the farmer and 
 his family. The long winter evenings can be spent with 
 pleasure as well as with profit following a course of instruc- 
 tive reading. — Van Wert Bulletin (Venedocia Items), April 
 8, 1898. 
 
 That county library — let us have it — and let town and 
 country people share alike in the expense and benefits, and 
 no one will be hurt. What an uplift it would be to our noble 
 county and an honor to the memory of a worthy citizen. — 
 Van Wert Bulletin (Jennings Township Items), April 8, 1898. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE CONTRACT 
 
 THE BRUMBACK MEMORIAL LIBRARY DULY OFFERED THE PEOPLE 
 
 OF VAN WERT COUNTY COPY OF CONDITIONS UPON 
 
 WHICH THIS GREAT GIFT IS MADE 
 
 17 OR several months those who have the welfare of Van 
 Wert County at heart have been inquiring what was 
 being done toward accepting the late J. S. Brumback's mag- 
 nificent gift to the county of a fine library building. Owing 
 to the absence of Hon. O. S. Brumback in the West, the 
 matter has been delayed somewhat, and nothing could be 
 done until his return. The heirs have now submitted to 
 the proper authorities a contract, upon the signing of which, 
 they will at once proceed to erect and furnish a public library 
 building of which any county in the state could well feel 
 proud. The heirs of the late J. S. Brumback, desiring that 
 this liberal gift might prove a benefit to all the residents of 
 the county, have wisely determined to offer it to the entire 
 county. Let it be distinctly understood that the city of Van 
 Wert has never had the offer of this magnificent gift, does 
 not now, and we fear never will, have, except as it is a 
 part of the county. The heirs have concluded to offer it to 
 30,000 people and not to limit its benefits to 8,000 people. 
 
 The Van Wert Library Association stands ready to donate 
 its little library of nearly 2000 volumes, as well as other 
 properties, as a starter for a good county library. We under- 
 stand, if the offer is accepted and the building erected, that 
 local librarians will be appointed in every district in the 
 county and that the rules and regulations will be made such 
 that the people living in the remotest parts of the county may 
 borrow just as many books to read at their homes as those 
 living nearest the building. 
 
 The progressive farmers of our county have already, at 
 their meetings, expressed their willingness to accept so 
 
 31 
 
32 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 generous a gift and to pay their mite toward its proper main- 
 tenance. A copy of the contract given below has been pre- 
 sented to the Ladies' Library Association, the Board of 
 County Commissioners and the Common Council of Van 
 Wert. There is no reason whatever why any member of 
 these bodies should hesitate to sign the contract on behalf of 
 the people. We fear this may be the last opportunity to 
 accept or reject a proposition from the Brumback heirs, so 
 that if the contract is not signed the people of Van Wert 
 County may forever lose the privilege of receiving a gift that 
 would be a blessing not only to the present generation but 
 to generations yet unborn. We look for prompt action to 
 be taken in the matter, and it is a settled fact that all who 
 bend their efforts to secure such a gift for Van Wert County 
 will be forever considered benefactors of the people of our 
 county. — Van Wert Republican, July 28, 1898. 
 
 " Van Wert, Ohio, July 16, 1898. 
 " To the Ladies^ Library Association, the Board of County Com- 
 missioners of Van Wert County, Ohio, and the Common 
 Council of the City of Van Wert, Ohio. 
 " Ladies and Gentlemen : 
 
 " To carry out the will of the late J. S. Brumback, we hand you 
 herewith a copy of a contract we have prepared providing for 
 the construction of a Library Building- in the Second Ward Park 
 of Van Wert, Ohio, and for the maintenance therein of a free 
 public library for the benefit of the citizens of Van Wert County, 
 Ohio. 
 
 "We have endeavored by the terms of the contract to insure 
 the success of the library when the building is erected in accord- 
 ance with the designs which Mr. Brumback had prepared for it. 
 " We request that your respective bodies give the matter your 
 early consideration and advise us if the terms meet your approval. 
 " We believe such a library will prove so great a success that 
 other counties in the state will in a few years acquire like insti- 
 tutions. 
 
 "Assuring you of our desire to facilitate the project in every 
 reasonable way, we remain 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 Ellen P. Brumback, 
 
 Orville S. Brumback, 
 
 David L. Brumback, 
 
 Estelle B. Reed, 
 
 Saida M. Brumback [Mrs. E. I. Antrim]." 
 
THE CONTRACT 33 
 
 AGREEMENT * 
 
 "Whekeas, The will of the late J. S. Brumback provides as 
 follows : 
 
 " ' Feeling a great regard for my fellow townsmen of Van 
 Wert, Ohio, and affection for the said city in which I have spent so 
 many happy years of my life, I have long contemplated a gift to 
 them of a library building as a token of my affection and regard. 
 In that behalf I have had plans prepared for such a building, but 
 owing to the condition of my health I have not been permitted to 
 enter upon its construction. It is my will and desire that my said 
 dear wife and children expend sufficient of my estate willed to 
 them, in items one and two, to carry out my wishes known to 
 them, by the erection and gift of a library building, something 
 after the plans and designs I have had prepared for that purpose ; 
 provided, and this item is on the express condition, that my said 
 wife and children can make arrangements satisfactory to them 
 with the said city of Van Wert, or, if they desire and think best, 
 with Van Wert County, for a location for said building and the 
 maintenance of the library to be placed therein.' 
 
 " And whereas, the heirs of the estate of the said J. S. Brum- 
 back are unanimous in their desire to fully carry out his wishes 
 as expressed in his will; 
 
 " And whereas, a free public library would be of inestimable 
 benefit to the people of Van Wert County, Ohio, and afford to 
 them, their children and descendants most valuable privileges and 
 educational advantages ; 
 
 " Now therefore, for the purpose of carrying out the will of 
 the said J. S. Brumback, to establish a free public library for the 
 people of Van Wert County, Ohio, and to provide for the proper 
 equipment and maintenance thereof, 
 
 " It is agreed by and between Ellen P. Brumback, Orville S. 
 Brumback, David L. Brumback, Estelle B. Reed and Stiida M. 
 Brumback, heirs of the said J. S. Brumback, parties of the first 
 part; and H. H. Ludwig, Peter Knittle and H. G. Schumm, 
 County Commissioners of Van Wert County, Ohio, and their suc- 
 cessors in office, parties of the second part ; and the Ladies' Library 
 Association of Van Wert, Ohio, party of the third part; and the 
 City of Van Wert, Ohio, party of the fourth part, as follows, 
 to-wit : 
 
 " The parties of the first part do covenant and agree that they 
 
 ♦Agreement prepared by_ O. S. Brumback, who was at the time 
 president of the Toledo, Ohio, Public Library Board. 
 
34 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 will with all reasonable dispatch build and construct a stone 
 library building in the Second Ward Park of the city of Van 
 Wert, Ohio, in first-class condition, substantially as shown in the 
 drawings which the said J. S. Brumback has made therefor in his 
 lifetime, and will furnish the same with the necessary furniture 
 and heating apparatus, ready for use for the library to be placed 
 therein, as hereinafter provided. 
 
 " And the parties of the first part further agree to turn over and 
 donate on behalf of the said J. S. Brumback's estate said library 
 building, so built and constructed, to the county of Van Wert, 
 Ohio, free of all encumbrances or charges thereon, to be held by 
 said county and used for library and educational purposes only. 
 
 " In consideration of the receipt of the said library building and 
 the donation thereof as aforesaid to the county of Van Wert, 
 Ohio, 
 
 " The parties of the second part do covenant and agree for them- 
 selves and their successors in office that the said Van Wert County 
 will forever maintain and operate in said building a free public 
 library for the benefit of the citizens of the whole county. And 
 in that behalf do promise and agree that the Commissioners of 
 said Van Wert County will each year at their March or June ses- 
 sion levy a tax as the Board of Trustees of said library may desig- 
 nate, not exceeding one-half a mill upon each dollar of taxable 
 property of said Van Wert County, to form a library fund with 
 which to so maintain and operate said library. Said library fund 
 so to be raised by said tax shall constitute a special fund in the 
 hands of the treasurer of Van Wert County, Ohio, to be drawn 
 upon only by the Board of Trustees of said library as hereinafter 
 provided. 
 
 " Said parties of the second part further covenant and agree 
 that the said parties of the first part shall have full right and 
 authority to enter upon the said Second Ward Park in the city of 
 Van Wert, and there construct said building in compliance with the 
 plans and directions of the architect thereof with the right to 
 occupy, grade, improve and embellish said park as may be directed 
 by the architect of said building. 
 
 "The parties of the third part (a duly incorporated association 
 under the laws of the state of Ohio), in consideration of the con- 
 struction and donation of said library building by the parties of 
 the first part, do covenant and agree that they will turn over and 
 donate to the free public library to be placed in said building all 
 the books, furniture, money or other personal property of said 
 
THE CONTRACT 35 
 
 association, to be and become the property of the said County 
 Library. 
 
 " And the party of the fourth part (a duly incorporated village, 
 and county-seat of Van Wert County, Ohio), in consideration of 
 the construction and donation of the said library building by the 
 parties of the first part, does covenant and agree that the said 
 parties of the first part shall have full permission to enter upon 
 the said Second Ward Park in the city of Van Wert, Ohio, there 
 to construct said building, and to occupy, grade, improve and 
 embellish said park as may be directed by the architect of said 
 building. 
 
 " It is further mutually covenanted and agreed by and between 
 all the parties hereto, that the said County Library herein provided 
 for shall be called The Brumback Library. It shall be managed 
 and controlled by a non-partisan board of seven trustees, who 
 shall be appointed for a term of three years, and until their suc- 
 cessors are duly appointed, as follows, to-wit : two to be appointed 
 by the parties of the first part or their descendants; three to be 
 appointed by the parties of the second part or their successors, 
 and two to be appointed by the party of the third part. 
 
 "Provided, that the first appointees shall hold office from the 
 first day of February, 1899, as follows, to-wit: 
 
 " One of those to be appointed by the parties of the first part to 
 hold office for one year, and one for three years. One of those 
 to be appointed by the parties of the second part or their successors 
 to hold office for one year, one for two years and one for three 
 years. One of those to be appointed by the party of the third 
 part to hold office for one year, and one for two years. 
 
 " In case the parties of the first part or the parties of the third 
 part shall fail for a period of ninety days to make their respective 
 appointments of trustees from time to time, then the Common 
 Council of the party of the fourth part shall make such appoint- 
 ments. 
 
 " The said trustees shall duly qualify by taking an oath of office 
 to faithfully fulfill all the duties of their positions to the best of 
 their knowledge and ability during their respective terms of office. 
 They shall organize by the election of a president, vice-president 
 and secretary, who shall hold their offices for one year and until 
 their successors are elected. Said officers shall be elected by 
 ballot at the first regular meeting of the Board after the first day 
 of February in each year, a majority of the whole Board being 
 required to elect. 
 
36 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 " The president of the said Board of Trustees shall be president 
 of the library, and it shall be his duty as such to preside at all 
 meetings of the Board, appoint all standing committees, and 
 otherwise act as the executive head of the Board of Trustees and 
 perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office. 
 
 " The vice-president, in the absence of the president, shall per- 
 form his duties, and in case of death, removal or resignation shall 
 perform the duties of the president until a president is elected to 
 serve for the unexpired time. 
 
 " The secretary shall keep accurate minutes of the proceedings 
 of the Board of Trustees, together w^ith accurate accounts of all 
 receipts and expenditures of money for and on behalf of the 
 library. He shall pay over to the county treasurer of Van Wert 
 County, each month, for the benefit of the library fund, all moneys 
 received by the library, and shall take and keep on file for six years 
 vouchers for all moneys expended. He shall render a complete 
 and accurate financial statement of the library as shown by his 
 books to the parties of the second part on or before the end of 
 each fiscal year, to-wit : the first day of February in each year ; 
 and perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office. 
 
 " All warrants on the county treasurer of Van Wert County for 
 payment of moneys out of the special library fund shall only be 
 issued upon an aye and nay vote of the Board of Trustees entered 
 upon the minutes and signed by the president of the Board and 
 countersigned by the secretary. Four trustees shall constitute a 
 quorum of the Board, but no appropriation shall be made or 
 indebtedness incurred to an amount exceeding $ioo, without the 
 concurring vote of a majority of all members of the Board. 
 
 " The Board of Trustees shall employ a librarian and other 
 necessary persons to properly keep and carry on said library and 
 library building, and shall fix their reasonable compensation. The 
 term of office of all regular employees shall expire on the first day 
 of March each year, and they shall be subject to removal at any 
 time at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. 
 
 " The Board of Trustees shall prescribe such further rules and 
 regulations for the direction and operation of the library as they 
 may deem advisable. 
 
 " In evidence whereof witness the signatures of each and 
 every one of the parties hereto at Van Wert, Ohio, this i6th day of 
 July, A. D., 1898. 
 
 Ellen P. Beumback, David L. Brumback, 
 
 Orville S. Brumback, Estelle R Reed, 
 
 Saida M. Brumback [Mrs. E. I. Antrim]." 
 
THE CONTRACT 37 
 
 A GIFT ACCEPTED THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY BUILDING WILL 
 
 BE ERECTED THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GIVE UNANI- 
 MOUS CONSENT FOR ITS MAINTENANCE 
 
 At the office of the Van Wert County Commissioners, on 
 Saturday last, one of the most important meetings ever held 
 in this county took place, and its acts have passed into history. 
 The proceedings will adorn a bright page. They secure to 
 this county an educational distinction possessed by no other 
 county in the prosperous Northwest. 
 
 The County Commissioners, by their act, have honored 
 themselves and have made a record to which they can point 
 with pride in all time to come and which will grow in favor 
 as the years pass. By voting unanimously to accept the prop- 
 osition of the heirs of the late J. S. Brumback they have 
 secured for Van Wert County the most valuable gift ever 
 bestowed upon the citizens of the county, a gift which will 
 remain for all time a monument to the generosity of the 
 donor, an embellishment to our magnificent park and a lasting 
 benefit to every citizen of the county. 
 
 Many representative citizens from all parts of the county 
 were present at this meeting of the County Commissioners 
 and they were almost unanimously in favor of the proposition 
 submitted by the heirs of the Brumback estate. Many school 
 teachers spoke and urged the County Commissioners, in the 
 interest of education, to vote yes. Farmers from all parts 
 of the county spoke in favor of the library. The opposition, 
 as a rule, comes from persons who are misinformed and 
 believe that Van Wert County is asked to " build a library for 
 the town of Van Wert." 
 
 The following is a record of the journal of the commis- 
 sioners of Van Wert County: 
 
 " Office of County Commissioners, 
 " Van Wert County, Ohio. 
 "This 30th day of July, 1898, the Board of County Commis- 
 sioners of Van Wert County, Ohio, being in special session, 
 present, H. H. Ludwig, Peter Knittle and H. G. Schumm, County 
 Commissioners, and T. M. Berry, auditor of Van Wert County and 
 clerk of said Board, considered the question of accepting or reject- 
 ing the proposition of the heirs of a late esteemed fellow citizen, 
 J. S. Brumback, to build and equip a Public Library Building 
 ready for occupancy and books in Van Wert, Ohio, which 
 
38 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 proposition and the contract to carry out the intention of all 
 parties interested therein are as follows: [Here appears a copy 
 of the contract.] 
 
 " ' I move [motion made by Peter Knittle and seconded by 
 H. G. Schumm] that the Board of County Commissioners of Van 
 Wert County, Ohio, accept the proposition of the heirs of the 
 late J. S. Brumback for the erection of a Public Library Building 
 at Van Wert, Ohio, and that this Board sign the contract filed 
 therewith to bind the county of Van Wert, Ohio, to provide the 
 money to maintain and operate the same and otherwise to carry 
 out the provisions of said contract.' The Board having carefully 
 examined said proposition and contract, and having heard the 
 expressions of many tax-payers thereon and being fully advised 
 in the premises, the president put said motion and ordered the 
 roll called for a viva voce vote, and said Commissioners voted 
 thereon as follows: H. H. Ludwig voted aye, Peter Knittle voted 
 aye, H. G. Schumm voted aye. The president of said Board 
 declared said motion carried. ' It is therefore ordered that said 
 Board of County Commissioners of Van Wert County, Ohio, sign 
 said contract and bind said county to carry out the conditions 
 imposed upon it and to accept the benefits to be derived there- 
 from and the same is accordingly done.' " — Van Wert Bulletin 
 Aug. I, 1898. 
 
 The public act of the County Commissioners, accepting 
 the magnificent Brumback County Memorial Library Build- 
 ing, deserves more than a passing notice. The matter has 
 been before the people for several months and their almost 
 universal verdict was that the gift should be gratefully accept- 
 ed without delay. It was a gift that could not be estimated 
 in dollars and cents. The shelves and archives of the library 
 will be filled with the choicest of literature to which every 
 resident of the county will have free access. This privilege 
 will in time raise the already high standard of intelligence of 
 our county people. The act of the Commissioners is indeed 
 commendable and reflects great credit on their good judgment 
 for the future welfare of Van Wert County. 
 
 The people are universally pleased to learn that the County 
 Commissioners have signed the contract that will assure Van 
 Wert county a magnificent gift — THE BRUMBACK 
 LIBRARY.— Van Wert Republican, Aug. 4, 1898. 
 
THE CONTRACT 39 
 
 We noticed in last week's issue of the Republican a pro- 
 position made by the Brumback heirs oiifering the county a 
 fine library building. Our people are much pleased to learn 
 that the commissioners have accepted the same. — (Union 
 Township Items) Van Wert Republican. 
 
 Now, Editor will be compelled to cut down his cigar 
 
 account, and carmot have the pleasure of burning so much 
 money in the curling smoke of a fine cigar. Poor fellow, 
 is it any wonder that he vigorously kicks every possible chance 
 he has? He does not want to give his children, in common 
 with other children in the county, the chance to see and peruse 
 the best books published, for it will cost him the enormous 
 sum of about forty cents a year, and that 's outrageous, why 
 
 it is simply awful. Then, there is Brother , he too will 
 
 be charged, bye and bye, a few cents more taxes every year, 
 to enable 30,000 people in Van Wert County to have free 
 access to a treasury filled with the cream of thought of the 
 ablest men and women of the past and present. It 's too 
 much of a burden for these two men. Someone should pass 
 around the collection basket to help them pay their enormous 
 library tax when it becomes due a year hence. — Van Wert 
 Republican. 
 
 The action of the commissioners will be endorsed especially 
 by the farmers and their families. All obstacles now being 
 removed, work on the structure need not be necessarily 
 delayed. — Van Wert Democrat, Aug. 4, 1898. 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY ACCEPTED i — BRUMBACK HEIRS ANNOUNCE 
 THAT WORK WILL BE COMMENCED IMMEDIATELY 
 
 The County Commissioners' Office was the scene last Sat- 
 urday afternoon of an unusual meeting. It was a meeting 
 of public-spirited and influential citizens from all parts of 
 the county, invited by the Board to present arguments either 
 for or against the proposition to accept the Brumback Library 
 on the terms formulated by the heirs. Those who spoke were 
 unanimously in favor of the county accepting the gift and 
 making all the necessary provisions for its proper and perman- 
 ent maintenance. Not only were many school teachers there, 
 but representative farmers who have no selfish or personal 
 interest in the matter, except to promote the welfare of the 
 
40 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 whole county. The Commissioners were informed that the 
 question had been submitted to a vote at a meeting of Pomona 
 Grange last week and that out of fifty-eight votes cast, fifty- 
 three were yes and only five no. This, it was urged, shows 
 the attitude of the leading farmers. They understand that 
 the benefits to be derived are not local but general, and that 
 people in the county will have exactly the same advantages as 
 residents of the city. 
 
 The library will furnish books for all, valuable not alone 
 for the present day but for future generations. It will be a 
 great help to students and supplement the work of our public 
 school system. 
 
 To support this magnificent institution will require but a 
 mite from each individual tax-payer. No one complains of 
 being taxed to support the public schools, and none will 
 refuse when asked to contribute an insignificant sum each 
 year to keep up a big library and in that way promote the 
 efficiency of the schools. The railroads will pay one-fifth of all 
 the tax. Van Wert City will pay another fifth, so that little 
 over one-half will fall upon the entire county outside of this 
 town. Such were some of the reasons advanced on the side 
 of the county accepting the library. It is pleasant to have it 
 recorded that when the commissioners said they were ready 
 to hear arguments against the proposition there was not a 
 voice raised. — Van Wert Times, Aug. 5, 1898. 
 
 A worthy gift bestowed upon the people of Van Wert 
 County : The Brumback Memorial Library, Van Wert, Ohio. 
 — Convoy Crescent (Van Wert County), Aug. 5, 1898. 
 
 Hurrah for the Brumback Library. — Van Wert Times 
 (Wide Awake Corners Items), Aug. 12, 1898. 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY ARCHITECT STINE, OF TOLEDO, WILL 
 
 HAVE CHARGE OF THE WORK 
 
 The heirs of the Brumback estate are busy today with the 
 preliminary arrangements for the erection of the Brumback 
 Library Building. 
 
 Hon. O. S. Brumback, of Toledo, is here, accompanied by 
 architect D. L. Stine, of that city, and they are holding a 
 meeting, attended by the Park Commissioners and many citi- 
 zens. Their first business is to locate the building site. A 
 large majority, and this includes the architect, favor a liberal 
 
THE CONTRACT 41 
 
 stretch of lawn on the Main Street front. This will add to 
 the beauty and dignity of the structure, affording a relief 
 for the terraces which are to encircle it. It is the prevailing 
 opinion that Van Wert already has too many handsome 
 buildings on crowded lots — ^hampered by their surroundings 
 and without a stretch of lawn to relieve the eye and set out 
 in bold relief their fine proportions. 
 
 Architect D. L. Stine gained a wide reputation as builder 
 of the Toledo county court house. It is recognized the country 
 over as one of the handsomest and most practical structures 
 of the kind in the West. — Van Wert Bulletin, Sept. 9, 1898. 
 
 In a conversation with two of the heirs, a representative of 
 the Republican learned that the contract for the foundation 
 will be let this fall so that work on the building proper may be 
 commenced early in the spring. The surplus dirt taken off 
 Main Street, which will be improved in the spring, will be used 
 in filling up approaches and grading around the building. — 
 Vcm Wert Republican, Sept. 1898. 
 
 IN ALL FUTURE TIME VAN WERT WILL HONOR THE NAME OF 
 
 J. S BRUMBACK A LESSON WEALTHY MEN SHOULD LEARN 
 
 AND PROFIT BY 
 
 Architect D. L. Stine is working on the plans for the Brum- 
 back Memorial Library to be erected in Van Wert. What a 
 blessing it would be to future generations if there were more 
 men of means of the same stamp as the deceased Van Wert 
 citizen who, in building a public library, is erecting a monu- 
 ment to himself far more lasting than the average wealthy 
 man generally constructs. — Toledo Courier, Sept. 25, 1898. 
 
 1899 
 
 COUNTY LIBRARY BUILDING EDITORS AND GREATLY 
 
 ALARMED OVER THE FACT THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO HELP 
 MAINTAIN THE SAME 
 
 Ever since it has been known that a handsome donation of 
 a County Library building costing $40,000 or more, furnished 
 and equipped with over 2,000 books to start with, has been 
 made to the county of Van Wert by the late Hon. J. S. Brum- 
 back on the one condition that the tax-payers of the county 
 through their representatives pledge themselves to maintain 
 
42 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the same as a County Library; and notwithstanding the fact 
 that the press of the county, with two exceptions, has urged 
 the acceptance of the generous proposition and that some of 
 the heaviest tax-payers from various parts of the county have 
 taken it upon themselves to advise the Commissioners to enter 
 
 into a contract without delay, still Editor and Editor 
 
 have been greatly troubled in the matter. The only real cry 
 
 they have is that the building will not be established in 
 
 or and their taxes will be increased. 
 
 The additional tax to the average tax-payer to be levied for 
 library purposes will hardly be felt. In accordance with the 
 general law passed by the last legislature it cannot exceed 
 in any one year fifty cents on a $i,ooo valuation, and after 
 the first year probably about two and one-half cents on a hun- 
 dred will be sufficient. 
 
 and are both on the tax duplicate for a little less 
 
 than $750 real and personal, so together they will be called upon 
 to pay once a year the enormous sum of thirty-seven and one- 
 half cents in order to enable every boy and girl in Van Wert 
 County to have access to the best books published, an opportun- 
 ity to visit and spend a part of their early days with the great 
 literary men of the past and present. 
 
 Just think of it, is it not awful? The County Commission- 
 ers listened to the requests of those who pay annually into the 
 county treasury thousands of dollars in taxes, and never con- 
 sulted these two august pencil pushers. — Van Wert Republi- 
 can, Feb. 2, 1899. 
 
 HIS BURDEN WHY A VERY BUSY MAN OPPOSES TAXATION FOR 
 
 THE SUPPORT OF THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
 The Brumback Library, finished and thoroughly equipped, 
 is a free gift to Van Wert County. The county has accepted 
 the gift and in return has agreed to pay the expense of man- 
 aging and operating it. This is a mere bagatelle. To meet 
 this obligation a tax of fifty cents on each thousand dollars of 
 valuation has been levied in this county. 
 
 This tax is opposed in some — not many — localities. A 
 few object to a tax to educate the masses. One of the busiest, 
 noisiest opponents of the library tax is a small politician in 
 one of the villages of this county. He never saw a library, 
 but that makes no difference, he is opposed to libraries on gen- 
 eral principles. 
 
o 
 u 
 
 Pi 
 
 < 
 > 
 
 o 
 
 
THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
THE CONTRACT 43 
 
 The books in the county auditor's office show that this man's 
 Hbrary tax will be seven and one-half cents a year. This is 
 his burden. He will spend all his idle hours, and these are 
 many, opposing this levy. It is more than he is willing to pay 
 for books. A circus is cheap at fifty cents, but a library is an 
 assault on our liberties at seven and one-half cents. And all 
 this money appropriated for books without the consent of the 
 governed. Has an American citizen, educated in the free 
 schools of his country, no rights? 
 
 Call out the " Hoss Marines." — Van Wert Bulletin, Feb. 
 i8, 1899. 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY A MAGNIFICENT FIREPROOF BUILDING 
 
 PLANS ENLARGED AND IMPROVED MANY PLEASING FEA- 
 TURES ADDED J. S. ZOOK AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR 
 
 THE BUILDING 
 
 The heirs of the estate of the late J. S. Brumback have been 
 holding meetings this week for the purpose of letting con- 
 tracts for the erection of the Brumback Library. All the heirs 
 live in Van Wert, with the exception of Hon. O. S. Brum- 
 back, of Toledo, and he has been here all week. The new 
 plans, which are an improvement on those made some time 
 ago, have been drawn at Toledo, under his supervision and 
 with his advice. The heirs are not sparing time or expense to 
 make the building a credit to Van Wert County as the first to 
 establish a county library and worthy of him in whose honor 
 it is built. 
 
 A contract for erecting the building proper has been awarded 
 to Mr. J. S. Zook of this town, and this is a guarantee in 
 advance that the work will be well done. Mr. Zook's contract 
 does not include tile roofing, steam heating and ornamentation. 
 Work will be commenced as soon as the weather will permit. 
 
 A gentleman capable of judging the plans says the building 
 will be so substantially constructed that it will last a thousand 
 years. — Van Wert Bulletin, March 30, 1899. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 
 
 AN IMPORTANT EVENT THE LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 
 
 FOR THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY — A PROPOSITION TO ENTRUST 
 THIS CEREMONY TO THE CARE OF VAN WERT LODGE 2l8, F. 
 & A. M. 
 
 /^NE of the most important events in the history of Van 
 Wert County, an event which will mark material, social 
 and educational advancement, will be the laying of the corner- 
 stone of the Brumback Library. This should be an impres- 
 sive ceremony — a lesson to the young, an evidence of the wis- 
 dom of all our citizens. It has, therefore, been requested that 
 the ceremony be placed in the hands of Van Wert Lodge 218, 
 F. and A. M. The time suggested is the Fourth of July, when 
 the patriotism of all the people is given full sweep — when all 
 meet unitedly around the flag of our country. This would be a 
 fitting observance of the day, for a high purpose, under magnifi- 
 cent leadership. — Van Wert Bulletin, May 22, 1899. 
 
 CORNER-STONE LAYING THIS NOTABLE CEREMONY FOR THE 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY TO OCCUR ON TUESDAY^ JULY l8 ALL 
 
 SOCIETIES IN VAN WERT COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE 
 
 The time is set for the laying of the corner-stone of the 
 Brumback Library. This important event will occur on Tues- 
 day, July 1 8th. The proceedings will be conducted by the 
 Masonic fraternity of Van Wert. Grand Master Nelson Wil- 
 liams, of Hamilton, Ohio, one of the most distinguished 
 Masons in the United States, will preside as Master of Cere- 
 monies. A committee of ten has been appointed to take 
 charge of the arrangements. All citizens of Van Wert County 
 are to be invited to be present and assist in making this an 
 occasion worthy of this magnificent free oflFering to the educa- 
 tional advancement of this prosperous county. — Van Wert 
 Bulletin, July 8, 1899. 
 
 44, 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 45 
 
 A COUNTY DAY CORNER-STONE LAYING OF THE BRUMBACK 
 
 LIBRARY, TUESDAY, JULY l8, 1899, WILL BE A GALA DAY 
 
 If the weather is fair, next Tuesday will be a great day in 
 the history of our beautiful city. All the secret orders of the 
 county have been asked to participate in a great parade, which 
 will be formed at one o'clock, and most of them already have 
 shown their appreciation of the gift of the library by accept- 
 ing the invitation. 
 
 It will be an unusual scene in Van Wert to see Odd Fellows, 
 Cantons, Knights of Pythias, Maccabees, Red Men, Masons 
 and all the other orders who can arrange to take part in the 
 parade. All this will be enlivened by music from Hiestand's 
 band. Convoy band. Harmony band and other bands. The 
 great Venedocia Glee Club will furnish the vocal music for 
 the occasion. 
 
 Will you miss this great day in Van Wert ? . It is a county 
 affair. Let the people of the county come out and join in the 
 celebration. — Van Wert Republican, July 13, 1899. 
 
 The corner-stone laying of the Brumback Library is an 
 event which interests every citizen of Van Wert County. It 
 celebrates a magnificent gift to education and progress. It is 
 the first public recognition of one of the greatest benefits ever 
 bestowed upon the town and county of Van Wert, in which 
 all citizens have an equal interest. 
 
 The Brumback Library will be a home to all citizens of this 
 county who take an interest in books and literature. The 
 young man who visits Van Wert will no longer be compelled 
 to spend his spare moments loitering in a store, grocery, in 
 a saloon, or on a store box. The library will be open to all, 
 where they may read books or papers. This feature alone 
 should commend the library to every good citizen of this 
 county. 
 
 The benefits from an educational standpoint are without 
 number. A department will be established for books of refer- 
 ence and for works on higher education. In addition to these 
 the best popular literature of the day, the works of the best 
 authors of all ages, the standard works on mechanical science, 
 etc., will be procured. 
 
 The greatest crowd ever assembled in Van Wert is expected 
 here Tuesday to celebrate the first step in the construction of 
 
46 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 this storehouse of knowledge. Every citizen of the county is 
 urged to show his appreciation of the library by giving to it 
 his presence on this occasion. 
 
 All the following organizations of the county have been 
 invited to participate in the corner-stone laying: the Masonic 
 orders, the I. O. O. F. lodges, the Knights of Pythias lodges, 
 the lodges of the Improved Order of Red Men, the Maccabee 
 lodges, the G. A. R. posts, the Home Guard homes, the 
 National Union lodges and the County Granges ; the following 
 organizations of Van Wert — the Modern Woodmen, the Ben 
 Hur, the Royal Arcanum, the Modern Brotherhood of America, 
 the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Railroad Club, 
 the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; and also Company 
 D, Ohio State Militia, Van Wert County officials. City officials, 
 the Van Wert Board of Education, City Fire Department, the 
 newspapers of the county, the ministers of the county, 
 the Van Wert Ladies' Library Association, the Trustees of the 
 Brumback Library and Hon. M. M. Agler, Representative of 
 Van Wert County. — Van Wert Bulletin, July 13, 1899. 
 
 The Committee of Arrangements request all business houses 
 in Van Wert to close their doors during the exercises of the 
 corner-stone laying on Tuesday. Every citizen of this town 
 and county should have the privilege of attending this import- 
 ant and impressive ceremony. — Van Wert Bulletin, July 15, 
 1899. 
 
 EVERYBODY DECORATE 
 
 It is expected that all business houses put on the national 
 holiday dress, tomorrow, in honor of the Brumback Library 
 corner-stone laying. — Van Wert Bulletin, July 17, 1899. 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY WITH BECOMING CEREMONIES MASONIC 
 
 LODGE NO. 218 LAYS THE CORNER-STONE SOCIETIES 
 
 PARADE WITH MUSIC AND BANNERS REPRESENTATIVES 
 
 OF DIFFERENT TOWNS IN LINE THE WHOLE COUNTY 
 
 HERE 
 
 The corner-stone laying of the Brumback Library occurred 
 today. 
 
 The weather is delightful — ideal. The town is in holiday 
 attire and all citizens, of all creeds, are in line, giving evidence 
 of their high appreciation of this temple, devoted to books and 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 47 
 
 literature, and of the open-handed generosity of ihe donor, 
 and of his heirs now so faithfully carrying to a successful 
 completion his plan for a public benefit in which all are to 
 share alike. — ■ Van Wert Bulletin, July i8, 1899. 
 
 IMPOSING CEREMONIES ATTEND THE LAYING OF THE CORNER- 
 STONE SERVICES BEAUTIFUL AND IMPRESSIVE TO THE 
 
 THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ASSEMBLED — MAGNIFICENT PARADE 
 OF SECRET SOCIETIES AND CITIZENS VAN WERT IN HOLI- 
 DAY ATTIRE ELOQUENT SPEECHES BY REV. DR. A. J. FISH, 
 
 HON. O. S. BRUMBACK AND GRAND MASTER NELSON WIL- 
 LIAMS, OF HAMILTON 
 
 An eventful day for Van Wert County has come and gone. 
 The corner-stone for the Brumback Library is in position and 
 the ceremonies attending its laying were most imposing. The 
 thousands of citizens of Van Wert County present felt a thrill 
 of joy because they live within the borders of this progressive 
 county, and because not only can they reap the benefit of this 
 generous gift, but they can bequeath it to generations yet 
 unborn. 
 
 Tuesday was a day never to be forgotten, a day of instruc- 
 tion and enjoyment. People from the country honored the 
 occasion with their presence and visitors from neighboring 
 towns were welcome guests. Van Wert citizens were glad 
 to show their hospitality. Judged by the universal interest 
 taken, the donor, the late J. S. Brumback, has enabled the light 
 of wisdom and learning to burn with an increased luster. — 
 Van Wert Times, July 21, 1899. 
 
 The program and addresses are taken froin the several 
 Van Wert papers. 
 
 The procession, which was the most impressive ever wit- 
 nessed in Van Wert, soon after two o'clock, moved south on 
 Washington Street, countermarching to Central Avenue, thence 
 east to Walnut Street, thence north toi Main, and west to the 
 Park in the following order : Mounted Police, Convoy Band, 
 County Officials, City Officials, Library Association and 
 Trustees, Board of Education, Clergy, The Press, G. A. R., 
 Harmony Band, Fraternal Orders, Hiestand's Band, Venedocia 
 Glee Club, The Masons, Mounted Escort. 
 
48 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 PROGRAM OF EXERCISES 
 
 Music, Hiestand's Band. 
 
 Prayer, Rev. J. A. Gordon. 
 
 Oration, Rev. A. J. Fish, D. D. 
 
 Music, Miss Alice Qark. 
 
 Address, Hon. O. S. Brumback. 
 
 Proclamation, Grand Marshal. 
 
 Prayer, Grand Chaplain. 
 
 Music, Hiestand's Band. 
 
 Presentation and Acceptance of Silver Trovvrel. 
 
 Masonic Ceremonies. 
 
 Lowering of Stone Accompanied by Music. 
 
 Music, Glee Club. 
 
 Oration, Grand Master Nelson Williams. 
 
 Benediction, Grand Chaplain. 
 
 REV. J. A. Gordon's prayer 
 
 O God, Most Wise, Most Merciful, wre adore Thee for all 
 Thy glory and for all Thy grace. Marvelous are Thy works, 
 and in wisdom hast Thou made them all — the earth is full 
 of Thy riches. We bless Thee that Thou hast made man in 
 Thine own image and hast given him dominion over the 
 creatures. Thou hast created him for knowledge, holiness 
 and immortality. Thou hast implanted in him hungerings 
 and thirstings after truth. Thou hast uplifted his thoughts to 
 wander through eternity, to think Thy thoughts after Thee, 
 to read the wisdom of God in Thy works and in Thy word. 
 In the beginning Thou didst say, " Let there be light," and 
 we thank Thee that by man's search for knowledge hidden 
 treasures have been brought to light, and his life has been 
 enlarged and ennobled. We bless Thee for this day; for the 
 pioneers and early settlers whose toils and sacrifices have laid 
 the foundations and built up this community, so that the lines 
 are fallen to us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly 
 heritage. 
 
 We rejoice in this temple of knowledge whose corner-stone 
 is laid today. We thank Thee for the noble generosity that 
 gave it and for the wisdom and love that guide its progress. 
 We praise Thee for all who have united their efforts to secure 
 this noble end. We pray that this library may forever be a 
 fountain of instruction and delight to the people; that as it 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 49 
 
 adorns this spot with its beauty, so its influences may adorn 
 and bless their lives. 
 
 Yonder are the school, the church, the court of justice, and 
 the buildings of commerce and trade ; side by side let this new 
 temple of the soul stand henceforth for the uplifting of the 
 community in intelligence, refinement and all virtues. Here 
 may the people come, the rich and the poor alike, and receive 
 its benefits, and their children from generation to generation. 
 
 Grant, O Lord, that as a community we may be prospered 
 in all things temporal and spiritual; that with all our getting 
 we may get understanding; that we may increase in that true 
 wisdom whose merchandise is better than the merchandise of 
 silver, and the gain thereof better than much fine gold, whose 
 ways are ways of pleasantness and whose paths are paths of 
 peace. And may we ever have that fear of the Lord which is 
 the beginning of wisdom, and be that happy people whose God 
 is the Lord. We humbly ask it in Christ's name, Amen. 
 
 DR. A. J. fish's address 
 
 Dr. Fish first read an account of the organization of the 
 Van Wert Ladies' Library Association in 189 1. He also 
 spoke of the efforts of the twelve faithful ladies, of the 
 results accomplished by them, of the encouragement they 
 received from Van Wert people and of the interest taken in 
 their efforts by Mr. Brumback; after which he commenced 
 his impressive address, first speaking of the various monu- 
 ments erected by man, finally coming to the grandest of 
 all — a library, saying : 
 
 Prominent among the works of men, as far back as we 
 find letters, has been the founding of libraries. In ancient 
 Assyria, in an age without printing presses, was a library of 
 10,000 distinct works. In old Egypt, there were hieroglyphic 
 writings gathered into a library of 37,000 books, some of 
 them running back 2,000 years before Christ. The Accadians 
 had books on the sun, the moon, stars, comets, eclipses, the 
 phases of Venus, and had the oldest code of laws known in 
 the world. The great Alexandrian Library, in which Aristo- 
 tle's works were preserved, contained 500,000 volumes. The 
 Germans have gathered, at Munich, a library of more than a 
 
50 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 million books. The Slavs, in the Imperial Library at St. 
 Petersburg, have nearly a million and a quarter volumes. The 
 English, in the library of the British Museum, have 3,000,000 
 volumes. The French, under the fostering care of such lovers 
 of books as Charles V., Louis XIL, Louis XIV., and the 
 great Napoleon, built up the wonderful Bibliotheque Nationale, 
 at Paris, with its 3,000,000 volumes, with annual additions of 
 50,000. 
 
 In our own country we have not been negligent or idle. 
 We are young compared with the people I have named, but 
 already we have libraries in nearly every prominent city. 
 The Library of Congress at Washington has now over 400,000 
 volumes, and the Mercantile Library, of New York, over 
 200,000 volumes. In many of the smaller cities and towns 
 also are libraries well worthy of mention, and our people are 
 becoming ambitious to have a library in every county town of 
 the country. 
 
 The benefits of a good library are many. When its doors 
 are opened to the people it brings them in touch with the 
 world of letters. They are made acquainted with the great 
 questions which men and nations are discussing. They become 
 familiar with the records of the past, and learn what has 
 been done as mankind has been struggling to gain the control 
 over all nature. They are brought in touch with the great 
 men and women who have shone as stars in the human firma- 
 ment, the heroes of every type who have been conquerors 
 and masters in human achievement. They are enabled to keep 
 abreast of the age in which they live, and to know of the 
 advancement and improvement made in every sphere of 
 effort. Agriculture is made interesting and farming becomes 
 a delight. Architecture attracts attention and the cabin and 
 storebox residences give way to homes with modern con- 
 veniences. Mechanics is no longer drudgery, but the field of 
 the man of skilled hand. Science is no longer dull, but 
 becomes brilliant with ideas which are absorbing in interest 
 and helpful in all work. 
 
 I am not speaking of shelves of story books or books of 
 humor, but of a well-chosen library, covering the entire field 
 of thought: the highest fiction, the best history, the most 
 eminent biographies, the sublimest science, the purest states- 
 manship, the mightiest human deeds, the grandest progress, 
 the most notable discoveries, the most practical inventions the 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 51 
 
 trend of civilization, and the mastery of races. Make the 
 people acquainted with such things and you have lifted higher 
 the standard of civilization. 
 
 The superb gift by a noble fellow-townsman of this build- 
 ing, together with what he had so wisely planned, marks a 
 new epoch in the history of our county. We are henceforth 
 to make strides toward higher endeavor. We are to be counted 
 with those who seek to avail themselves of the greatest helps 
 in life's work. We are to take rank with the people who 
 are seeking to open the doors where the secrets of nature are 
 found, that these may be made to subserve our purposes. 
 This library means a march forward along all lines, and a 
 step upward by many of our people. It will inculcate equality 
 among us. All our people, even the poorest, are to have the 
 same privileges. It is the donor's gift to all the people. The 
 poorest son of toil may have access as readily as the heir to 
 a fortune; the boy eager for knowledge and having but few 
 advantages as freely as the brightest student of the college. 
 All are to be made welcome. The man who sleeps under the 
 sod, and whose name you now revere, never meant anything 
 less than this. There is to be no caste, or class preferences, 
 but a recognition of the privileges of all. The doors are to 
 stand wide open to the intellectually hungry from any point 
 in the county and from every family therein. This library 
 will shape the thought of many a young man and the trend of 
 many a life. 
 
 There are no forces like facts well applied. He who has 
 access to their storehouses and uses them cannot help but be 
 better equipped for life and duty. There are no inspirations 
 like the inspirations of facts, and he who helps inquiring 
 minds to gain them blesses the world. Every dollar in this 
 building is so much leverage lifting the thoughtful, ambitious 
 and determined patron of the library to a nobler aim in life. 
 
 This library will furnish our country friends a place to wait 
 and rest amid the best possible surroundings. By the table 
 covered with the latest newspapers, the best magazines and 
 the purest literature, they not only will be able to make a 
 profitable use of their time but will be safe from a dozen 
 snares. I cannot but think that the debasing influence of 
 the saloon will lose its enticement for some who are drawn 
 by the charm of what they find here. The hour, too, that 
 would otherwise be wasted will be occupied with useful and 
 
52 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 ennobling inquiry. This library will be a growing source of 
 good. There are many gifts of the world's benevolent ones 
 of which this cannot be said. He who builds a monument to 
 a name builds that which today is all it will be a thousand 
 years hence. But this library will increase its benefits and 
 enlarge its circle of influence. 
 
 The donor has wisely made provisions by which continual 
 additions are to be made and by which the purpose of the 
 building is to be kept sacred during the years ahead. A 
 century hence, it will have doubled its usefulness to the people 
 of the county. He builds grandly who builds for the future, 
 and he plans well who plans for the increase of good. Rising 
 generations will bless him who in caring well for their ances- 
 tors has provided also for them and their descendants. His 
 gift is like treasures of wealth put upon compound interest, 
 the ultimate value of which is ever increasing in growing 
 ratio. 
 
 Mr. Brumback gives more to the people than can ever come 
 from them to him. To him comes a name widely known, long 
 remembered and greatly loved. To him come some fame 
 and passing glory. But to the people comes all that this 
 library may become in the future. It will give a good name 
 to our county. Our county will be honored throughout the 
 state. Visitors will speak of it as the county with one of 
 the finest library buildings in Ohio, if not in any state. The 
 ridicule of " hoop-poles and mud " will become a thing of the 
 past and a guerdon of praise will take its place. 
 
 The best class of people will seek homes in our town and 
 county and become our new neighbors. There will come a 
 good name to our citizenship. We shall have higher standing 
 for all the qualities which command the regard and aflfection 
 of our fellowmen elsewhere. A gentleman of Toledo said to 
 me : " You must have a grand people in Van Wert County so 
 to capture this liberal-hearted man that he was ready to sink 
 his feelings of self for their good." Thus, while men look 
 at the superb gift of the gracious donor they will see also 
 the high character and worth of those upon whom the gift is 
 bestowed. If he had given bread and clothing they would 
 think of us as paupers, but in this gift they will see a people 
 high in noble qualities, eminent character, enduring power and 
 worthy confidence. We are ennobled by the gift. 
 
 People of Van Wert County : J. S. Brumback did this for 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 53 
 
 you. He built no monument for himself. He reared no 
 shrine of hero worship that he should occupy. Whatever 
 monument is raised to him must be builded in your hearts 
 and in the hearts of your children. There and there alone 
 can he live immortal. With you, and with you alone, will be 
 the crowning. On one of the streets of Florence, Italy, there 
 are statues of Dante, Giotto, Petrarch, Boccaccio and Angelo. 
 These were all born within her gates and thus she honored 
 their names. Let us neither by marble, bronze nor granite, 
 but by perpetual regard and undying love, hold in our hearts 
 the name ahd memory of him whom today we honor as we 
 lay this corner-stone — J. S. Brumback. 
 
 HON. 0. S. BRUMBACK's ADDRESS 
 
 There are occasions in the affairs of men, of nations and of 
 communities which mark epochs in their history. Today 
 marks an epoch in the history of Van Wert County. Fifty 
 years ago, this county was a primeval wilderness, inundated 
 by waters that had no sufficient outlet. This beautiful park 
 was formerly a swamp from the overflow of the neighboring 
 stream, and even here where we now stand I have in my 
 own boyhood days fished in summer waters and skated in 
 winter on unyielding ice. 
 
 It has only been by years of tireless toil and unremitting 
 industry that Van Wert County has been redeemed from 
 swamp and beast and forest, until it has become the garden 
 spot of Ohio. When the genial summer sun kisses her loamy 
 soil and " the tears of Nature " fall upon her fertile fields — 
 
 " Every clod feels a stir of might. 
 An instinct within it that reaches and towers. 
 And groping blindly above it for light. 
 Climbs to a soul in grass and flowers." 
 
 In accomplishing such a metamorphosis in the face of 
 nature, with all the privations consequent upon such a work, 
 the mass of the people have had but scanty opportunity for 
 higher education. The school houses which dot the townships, 
 and the church spires towering amid the groves and meadows, 
 all give proof that the people of Van Wert County have been 
 awake to the need of early education tempered with righteous- 
 ness. But it is reserved for today to inaugurate an era of 
 
54 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the broadest education and the wisest culture for all the 
 people. 
 
 In laying the corner-stone of this library, we are taking 
 steps to place the knowledge and wisdom of all the ages within 
 the reach of the humblest citizen and his children. 
 
 Edward Everett said : " It is our common schools which 
 give the key of knowledge to the mass of the people. Our 
 common schools are important in the same way as the com- 
 mon air, the common rain, the common sunshine, invaluable 
 for their commonness." 
 
 Carrying forward this beautiful analogy, we may well add 
 — It is our public libraries that form the repositories of 
 knowledge, ready for the application of the key of knowledge. 
 Our public libraries are important in the same way as the 
 public parks, the public highways, the public government, 
 invaluable for their publicity. 
 
 The common school system can only afford a preparatory 
 education for the youth of our land. To utilize and make the 
 most of that education is the work of a lifetime after leaving 
 the public schools. And here is where the public library 
 opens wide its doors to offer freely its treasures of learning. 
 
 When Abraham Lincoln was a poor country boy yearning 
 for that higher education by which alone he could aspire to 
 lead his fellowmen, his opportunities for acquiring knowledge 
 were so limited, it is almost miraculous he persevered in his 
 purpose until he became the Saviour of his country, the 
 Emancipator of a race. 
 
 Alas, how many minds equally bright have become dis- 
 couraged under such conditions and given up a higher educa- 
 tion through lack of opportunity. 
 
 That the people of this county are willing to tax them- 
 selves for the growth and maintenance of a library speaks 
 volumes for their intelligence. It shows they realize that 
 just in proportion to the advantages offered will Van Wert 
 County become a desirable place in which to live, and every 
 acre of land and every piece of property thereby proportion- 
 ately increase in value. It shows they realize that success in 
 life comes not from accident, but from intelligent action based 
 on the wisdom and experience of those who have lived before. 
 
 The public library gathers the books in which is stored this 
 wealth of human knowledge; and there the people of every 
 occupation, creed and profession can go to learn the best 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 55 
 
 method to accomplish the best results. It is not too much to 
 say that under the inspiration of such a work, under the 
 inspiration of such an institution, generation after generation 
 will reap boundless benefit from the Brumback Library. 
 
 He whose name it bears was himself an example of what 
 the poor country lad can accomplish by high aspirations and 
 intelligent, faithful industry, aided by a good and faithful 
 wife. He, himself, realized what it meant to be debarred 
 from the higher education through lack of opportunity, and 
 in the liberality of his generous heart, with a true philan- 
 thropy, he willed that Van Wert County boys and girls — the 
 sons and daughters of his old friends and associates — should 
 have opportunities second to none in the land. When that 
 is accomplished John Sanford Brumback will not have lived 
 in vain. 
 
 And when in the future, under the beneficent example of 
 Van Wert County, other counties in Ohio, yea, the counties 
 of other states, shall have followed in our footsteps and laid 
 corner-stones to/ county libraries, to Van Wert County will 
 belong the meed of praise as leader in a glorious work. 
 Though young in years she will be foremost in achievement. 
 
 And when in the widening brotherhood of man, everyone 
 shall feel he is his brother's keeper; when each shall know 
 that all he is or can be he owes his fellowmen, and in return 
 stands charged with a debt of gratitude only to be repaid by 
 the happiness he secures for others; when all society realizes 
 that by higher education, a better, nobler, broader civilization 
 can be attained, in which the happiness of each is best secured 
 by the happiness of all ; then will come " peace on earth good 
 will toward men." Then the era upon which we are now 
 entering of Humanity for Humanity will have accomplished 
 its full fruition, and the corner-stones of public libraries will 
 not have been laid in vain. 
 
 " And each shall care for other. 
 And each to each shall bend, 
 To the poor a noble brother, 
 To the good an equal friend." 
 
 Next followed the eloquent address of Grand Master 
 Williams, which unfortunately cannot be given, and the 
 impressive Masonic exercises connected with the laying of 
 the comer-stone. 
 
56 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 MORE INTERESTING FEATURES OF THE CORNER-STONE LAYING 
 
 LIST OF THE DEPOSITS IN THE CORNER-STONE 
 
 The citizens of Van Wert are a pleased people. The success 
 attending the laying of the corner-stone of the Brumback 
 Library building has brought them together as never before. 
 Every public-spirited citizen feels that he has been personally 
 benefited. There was an immense crowd of people present; 
 the impressive ceremony conducted by the Masonic fraternity 
 was magnificently carried out without a hitch ; the long lines of 
 societies and orders was a flattering compliment to good-fel- 
 lowship ; the music, the speeches and all the proceedings com- 
 bined to make it one of the happiest events in the history of 
 the city. Below is given a list of the deposits in the corner- 
 stone. 
 
 History of first organization of the Van Wert Library Asso- 
 ciation, with photographs of members of the Association. 
 
 History of Brumback County Library, copy of donor's will, 
 copy of contract with County Commissioners. 
 
 Photograph of J. S. Brumback. 
 
 Photographs of the wife and children of J. S. Brumback. 
 
 Photographs of Commissioners of Van Wert County. 
 
 Copy of Van Wert Bulletin of Dec. i8, 1897, containing 
 announcement of contract of County Commissioners and 
 Library Association with Brumback heirs. 
 
 Copy of Van Wert Republican of July 28, 1898, containing 
 provisions of the will of J. S. Brumback. 
 
 History of organization of Van Wert County, Ohio, with list 
 of first and present county officials. 
 
 History of organization of Van Wert City, first and present 
 city officials. 
 
 History of Public Schools of Van Wert, first and present 
 members of Board, superintendent, teachers, and roster of 
 pupils. 
 
 History and organization of First Methodist Church, First 
 Presbyterian Church, First Lutheran Church, First Christian 
 Church, First Friends Church, First Evangelical Church and 
 First Baptist Church. 
 
 History of the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias, the 
 Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights of Maccabees, the 
 Modem Brotherhood of America, Heistand's Band, Scott and 
 Van Wert Posts, G. A. R., with charter and present members. 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 57 
 
 The press of Van Wert County : Van Wert Bulletin, Daily 
 and Twice-a-Week, Van Wert Times, Van Wert Republican, 
 Van Wert Democrat, Delphos Herald, Delphos Kleeblatt, 
 Willshire Herald, Convoy Crescent, and Ohio City News. 
 
 Copy of City and County Directory. 
 
 Copy of the minutes of the Special Communication of the 
 Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio, with a 
 list of its ofificers and the speakers of this occasion. — Fan 
 Wert Bulletin, July 19, 1899. 
 
 APPRECIATIVE NEIGHBORS — UNBIASED COMMENT ON THE 
 BRUMBACK CORNER-STONE CEREMONIES 
 
 The Delphos Herald says : " Van Wert was in her highest 
 element Tuesday. It was right that she should be. Her people 
 appreciate the great worth of so grand a gift to the progress- 
 ive county town and made the occasion of the laying of the 
 corner-stone of the Brumback Library a day to be remem- 
 bered, a day of entertainment and enjoyment. The citizens of 
 the rural territory and surrounding towns of Van Wert County 
 were the honored guests. They were pleasingly entertained by 
 the hospitable residents of the progressive county town. 
 
 "Van Wert is just entering a stage of progressiveness. Her 
 nice, clean brick streets, her handsome residences and her 
 pleasant-mannered citizens speak well for the city. The man- 
 ner of conducting the imposing ceremonies in laying the corner- 
 stone of the Brumback Library is another testimonial to the 
 fact that the gift has been appreciated by her citizens. The 
 library will be a fountain of useful information, open to each 
 and every person, rich or poor, within the borders of Van 
 Wert County, and the example set by the establishment of such 
 a temple of learning places one of the youngest counties in 
 Ohio in the highest rank educationally." — Van Wert Bulletin. 
 
 Van Wert is gaining additional prominence from the fact 
 that the town will possess the first county library building in 
 Ohio, if not in the United States. — Celina (Ohio) Standard. 
 
 Through the efforts of J. P. Reed, Jr., and the kindness of 
 Senator M. A. Hanna and Congressman David Meekison, the 
 Brumback Library has been made the designated depository 
 of the Fifth Congressional District, and as such will receive 
 from time to time all the important documents issued by the 
 
58 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 U. S. Government. One consignment of some three hundred 
 books arrived this morning. They are packed in sacks and 
 came by registered mail. — Van Wert Republican. 
 
 1900 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY NEARING COMPLETION IT WILL PROBABLY 
 
 BE OPENED IN JANUARY 
 
 The Brumback Memorial Library is nearing completion. In 
 the last ten days the grounds surrounding the building have 
 been graded and terraced. The steel stacks have been installed 
 ready for the books. About 2700 new books are already here 
 and are being catalogued as fast as possible. These together 
 with the 1,800 volumes from the old library will make a very 
 creditable beginning for Van Wert County's storehouse of 
 knowledge. The building will not be opened until everything 
 is in readiness for the patrons. 
 
 It is the purpose of the library trustees to establish branch 
 libraries throughout the county at convenient points, where 
 books and catalogues will be on hand, so that the country 
 people will not be obliged to come to Van Wert for books. — 
 Van Wert Republican, Nov. 15, 1900. 
 
 BRUMBACK LIBRARY COMMENT BY STATE OFFICERS UPON THIS 
 
 PRAISEWORTHY DONATION TO THE PUBLIC * 
 
 " Ohio, in matters educational, is said to be a ' good fol- 
 lower.' If she succeeds in establishing and maintaining a 
 county library in an agricultural section of the state, she will 
 have made an innovation in this field. As far as is known, 
 the Brumback Memorial Library is the first of its kind in this 
 or any other state. The results will therefore be watched with 
 deep interest by the friends of the library movement. 
 
 " There are many reasons why the county should be the unit 
 and the county-seat a center of library interest and adminis- 
 tration. A library located at the county capital should be 
 made a depository for government publications, state and 
 national. These should be preserved and kept for reference 
 in at least one library of the county ; and one such collection, 
 if properly classified and arranged, would be sufficient. In 
 time these documents in themselves would make a valuable 
 
 *From the Fifty-fourth Annual Report of the Ohio State Library 
 Commissioners. 
 
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE 59 
 
 reference library. At such a place could also be kept the more 
 expensive reference works that are beyond the reach of small 
 local libraries. Here may be collected files of county news- 
 papers, manuscripts and printed material relating to the history 
 of the county. Local historical societies, where such organiza- 
 tions exist, would willingly aid in building up such a depart- 
 ment. In addition to all this, and what concerns us most so 
 far as this report is concerned, such a library could be made 
 a point from which traveling libraries could be distributed to 
 different parts of the county. It is especially encouraging to 
 note that the trustees of the Brumback Library contemplate 
 beginning their work with a traveling library system that shall 
 reach every postoffice within the county. The expense of 
 transportation will be quite small, as the distance from the 
 point of distribution will be comparatively short. In this 
 respect the local traveling library will have an advantage over 
 the state traveling library. 
 
 " The Brumback Library, we are reliably informed, will be 
 able to provide for efficient administration and to add by pur- 
 chase each year several thousand books. These, with govern- 
 ment publications and volumes donated, will soon make a large 
 library capable of supplying the demands of the county. It is 
 needless to say that the schools, whether or not they become an 
 active agency in the administration of the work, will be greatly 
 benefited by the system. Under the efficient management of 
 the non-partisan board with which Van Wert starts out on 
 this notable and praiseworthy experiment, there is every rea- 
 son to believe that it will be a complete success. We may 
 reasonably hope that in other counties enlightened philanthropy 
 may thus aid local educational interests and perpetuate itself 
 in the grateful appreciation of succeeding generations." — Van 
 Wert Bulletin, Nov. 22, 1900. 
 
 The Ohio Educational Monthly, published at Columbus, 
 made similar comments. 
 
 The Brumback Memorial Library building at Van Wert is 
 to be dedicated New Year's day. The structure is a very hand- 
 some one, and the citizens of the thriving city of Van Wert 
 are justly proud of it. — 5"^ Marys {Ohio) Graphic, December, 
 1900. 
 
60 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 It has been very gratifying to our people to see Mr. Brum- 
 back's children, viz., Mrs. J. P. Reed, Jr., Mrs. E. I. Antrim, 
 D. L. Brumback, President of the Van Wert National Bank, 
 and Hon. O. S. Brumback, a prominent attorney of Toledo, 
 all working so faithfully and unitedly to the end that the library 
 building might be brought to a satisfactory completion. Such 
 zeal and devotion merit the highest praise ; by their deeds they 
 have not only proved themselves truly heirs of a noble man, 
 but they have also erected for themselves a monument which 
 time cannot obliterate. With them, we may right here very 
 properly speak of John P. Reed, Jr., who has had the super- 
 vision of nearly everything in connection with the building. 
 He has worked early and late, and it is due in a measure to 
 his ability and unceasing efforts that next Tuesday Van Wert 
 County will be presented with one of the most substantial 
 library structures in the state. — Van Wert Republican, Dec. 
 27, 1900. 
 
 While the newspapers have often mentioned the fact that the 
 building is erected and furnished throughout by the Brum- 
 back estate, occasionally we meet a man who thinks that part 
 of the cost of construction was met by the tax-payers of Van 
 Wert County. For the benefit of such persons we again say 
 that the Brumback Library was erected and furnished com- 
 plete at a cost to the Brumback estate of $50,ocxd and con- 
 tained 1,800 volumes before a single penny of the tax-payers' 
 money was spent. — Van Wert Republican, Dec, 1900. 
 
 At the annual meeting of the Ohio Library Association 
 recently held at Zanesville the first of the resolutions adopted 
 reads as follows: 
 
 " Bequests for library purposes call forth perpetual grati- 
 tude from the living. We especially commend the liberal spirit 
 of the late J. S. Brumback, who made provision in his will 
 for the establishment of a free public library for Van Wert. 
 We also commend the disinterested zeal of the heirs of his 
 estate, and the wisdom of the commissioners of Van Wert 
 County who have cooperated to carry out these provisions and 
 make the bequest available for the people of the county. We 
 trust that the work they have successfully inaugurated may be 
 imitated elsewhere throughout the state." — Van Wert Repub- 
 lican, Dec, 1900. 
 

 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
lit 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE DEDICATION 
 
 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY DEDICATION MARKS AN IMPORTANT 
 STEP IN THE HISTORY OF VAN WERT COUNTY — EXERCISES 
 TO BE HELD IN THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH, VAN WERT, 
 JAN. I 
 
 'T'HE crowning event in the history of the Brumback Library 
 will take place at the First Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 on New Year's Day, when appropriate dedicatory exercises 
 will be held. It is altogether fitting and appropriate that these 
 exercises should occur on the first day of the year, aye, the 
 first day of the new century, for the completion of the library 
 and its opening to the public mark an epoch in the history of 
 Van Wert County of which we may justly feel proud. It is 
 scarcely necessary in this article to give an account of the 
 library or of the donor. All this has been done before by pens 
 more able than ours. Van Wert is justly proud of J. S. Brum- 
 back, proud that he located here and proud of the great gift 
 that made possible a library for Van Wert County. — Van 
 Wert Times, Dec. 28, 1900. 
 
 The following is the order of the exercises : 
 
 Presiding Officer, Rev. J. A. Gordon. 
 Director of Music, Wm. H. Hiestand. 
 Music by Moebus' Orchestra and Hiestand's Band. 
 Music, National Hymn (Geo. W. Warren), Chorus and 
 Orchestra. 
 
 Invocation, Rev. J. H. Fitzwater, D. D. 
 Music, Solo and Chorus, " Inflammatus," Rossini. 
 Address, Rev. P. P. Pope, D. D. 
 Music, Solo, Charles W. Clark, Chicago. 
 Address of Presentation, Hon. O. S. Brumback, Toledo. 
 Acceptance on behalf of Board of Trustees, Judge H. C. Glenn. 
 Music, Chorus and Orchestra, " Columbia," Dozitta. 
 
 61 
 
62 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Dedicatory Prayer, Rev. I. D. Worman. 
 Music, Solo, Charles W. Clark. 
 
 Address, Hon. C. B. Galbreath, Columbus, State Librarian and 
 President National Association of State Librarians. 
 Music, Orchestra, Chorus and Audience, " America." 
 Benediction, Rev. D. B. Koenig. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS OF REV. J. A. GORDON 
 
 I do not believe that in all the world there will be a cele- 
 bration of the new year, or the new century, more significant 
 and typical of the spirit of progress that marks the age than 
 we are having here today. Here, where a hundred years ago 
 was an unbroken wilderness, the home of savages and wild 
 beasts, we dedicate today a temple of civilization and knowl- 
 edge, noble in the spirit that prompted it, classic in its archi- 
 tectural beauty, and complete in all its appointments. As one 
 who has been interested in the library from its inception and 
 who participated in the corner-stone laying, I rejoice in this 
 proud day for the people of Van Wert County. I have the 
 honor to preside at the exercises this afternoon. We have 
 a rich and varied program, and while it is somewhat lengthy, 
 this is an event which will never occur again, and I am sure 
 you will all give patient attention to the speakers. 
 
 The first institution of learning in this country was Har- 
 vard College, to which the Rev. John Harvard bequeathed one- 
 half his estate and his library, and this was the foundation 
 of the first public library in America. It is fitting, therefore, 
 that a representative of the ministry address us on this occa- 
 sion. We shall now hear from the Rev. P. P. Pope, D. D., 
 pastor of this church. 
 
 REV. DR. p. p. pope's ADDRESS 
 
 We live in a book-making age. It is certainly true today, 
 " of making many books there is no end." De Quincey, the 
 great English essayist, calculated, half a century ago, that if a 
 man should in early youth undertake to read the world's 
 books and read every day the greatest number of pages his 
 eyes could scan, and if he should live a hundred years in this 
 exclusive occupation, his wearied eyes would cease their work 
 in the first alcove of this immeasurable library; yet during 
 the last half century the number of books has enormously 
 
THE DEDICATION 63 
 
 multiplied, so that today he would be further from the end 
 of his task than he was at the beginning. 
 
 Approximately, all that has been written since the Christian 
 era may be found in the vast libraries of France, England and 
 other European countries. Accident, fire, age and the vandal- 
 ism of rulers have destroyed innumerable volumes in the 
 ancient past, but frequently works, thought destroyed, put 
 in an appearance, and there is reason to hope that sooner or 
 later most of the early literature of the world of special value 
 will have been recovered. 
 
 A good book is a great boon, a source of inspiration. Some 
 one has said that a drop of ink falling like dew upon a thought 
 has made thousands, even millions, think. Milton says, "a 
 good book is the precious blood of a master spirit embalmed 
 and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond." In our day 
 we might say it is often the electric charge stored up to 
 enlighten and invigorate the minds of those who search its 
 pages. Books have voices that speak; while mind is finite and 
 progressive there can be no end of book-making; a boundless 
 field is ever open for advancement and attainment. 
 
 What a mine of wealth there is in the world's literature. 
 How large a part it plays in the enlightenment and education 
 of the race. Books like the Bible are priceless. Masterpieces 
 of human product, like Shakespeare, gold could not buy. 
 They are the most substantial wealth of their generation; 
 the most enduring monuments of the ages ; products of mind 
 that have made mortals immortal. " Wisdom is preferred to 
 silver " and " gold is dross compared to her ; " " more precious 
 is she than rubies." 
 
 But there are books and books. Books that are fit only 
 for the waste basket. Books that have blasted the paper on 
 which they were printed and are fit only to be consumed by 
 fire. 
 
 The object of the public library is twofold. To place within 
 reach of all the best literature of the centuries. To bring 
 from every department of thought all the best and most use- 
 ful books of the day. 
 
 January i, 1901, is an auspicious day for the citizens of 
 the city and county of Van Wert. The Brumback Library, 
 which we meet to dedicate, is a worthy monument of the 
 affectionate regard of the donor for the people among whom 
 he lived. It is a mark of liberality and great wisdom. 
 
64 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Its value and advantages cannot be too highly estimated. 
 A great private library is a rare luxury. The country has 
 but few. Of public libraries containing more than one thou- 
 sand volumes there are but four thousand in all the land. 
 Northwestern Ohio can boast of only four library buildings. 
 With this monumental building, excelled by none outside of 
 the chief cities and universities, and with the excellent library 
 already on its shelves, the county is to be congratulated. 
 
 The average public library has a very uncertain existence. 
 If it has no permanent home it usually flourishes a while, then 
 languishes or dies. The bequest of Mr. Brumback has made 
 this library sure and permanent. 
 
 A prophetic glance across a century let us take this New 
 Year's day, the first day of what may be a millennial century. 
 It will warrant the belief that thousands of voltunes will 
 fill the shelves of the Brumback Library at the century's 
 close. Our friends have built larger than they knew. Well 
 may it be so, " for education is the chief defense of nations." 
 Fellow-citizens of Van Wert County, what a privilege is ours. 
 
 Only one book in ten thousand contains anything new in 
 the realm of thought or imagination. Genuine creations of the 
 mind are very few. The poet Emerson suggested that when 
 his writings had been subjected to the sifting process of time 
 but five lines would remain. He was doubtless correct. Al- 
 ready it will be our privilege at the opening of this library to 
 find the great books of the great minds of all the centuries. 
 No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor is any pleasure 
 as enduring. " There is," says Bulwer, " no past so long as 
 books shall live." Use your opportunity, a golden moment 
 daily will make itself felt in a year. Said a thinker pointing 
 to a library of great books, " I read the books on those shelves 
 at the rate of three pages a day." 
 
 Groups of ragged newsboys gather around the tables in the 
 palace halls of the Carnegie Library at Pittsburgh, their faces 
 lighted with the light of the literature they devour. They are 
 citizens incubating. The moulding of these lies within the 
 province of the public library. May it bear precious fruit for 
 the twentieth century in the city and county of Van Wert, as 
 from every hamlet, township and village of the county the 
 people come for light and knowledge, and may it cement them 
 into a noble fellowship. 
 
THE DEDICATION 65 
 
 PRESENTATION ADDRESS BY HON. 0. S. BRUMBACK OF TOLEDO, 
 
 OHIO 
 
 Men may come and men may go, but their thoughts in- 
 scribed in books go on forever. Books afford the true trans- 
 migration of souls, since in them the minds of men live on 
 long after their bodies have returned to dust. A library is 
 a mausoleum of the souls of great men and women who have 
 lived on earth, and the open doors of a public library are 
 a standing invitation to enter and become acquainted with 
 them. He who accepts the invitation should tread lightly 
 and with awe, for there the learning of the ages awaits his 
 call. The scintillating wit, the flights of eloquence and the 
 rhythmic pathos of the human race there surround him; and 
 there the hopes and fears, the sorrow and joys, the failures 
 and successes of mankind for centuries are portrayed to 
 him who reads. 
 
 The pleasure, the satisfaction, the profit that books afford 
 cannot be overstated. Do you desire to ponder over the 
 glorious achievements of men? Gibbon, Macaulay, Bancroft 
 and all the rest will detail with faithful accuracy the history of 
 the past. Do you desire to revel in imaginary scenes of 
 human life ? Dickens, Scott, Thackeray, Cooper and hundreds 
 of others will lead you through scenes and bring you face to 
 face with characters, so true to life, that you forget it is all 
 a fiction of the brain. Do you desire to wander through 
 Elysian fields where poesy lulls the senses into sweet con- 
 tent? Then Shakespeare, Byron, Tennyson, Bryant, Long- 
 fellow or other of the hundred bards will carry you away on 
 the wings of ecstasy, until with Wordsworth you feel — 
 
 For ever something is or seems, 
 That touches us with mystic gleams 
 Like glimpses of forgotten dreams. 
 
 Long days become as hours, and dull hours fly unnoticed, 
 when rapture thrills the heart, and the weary brain forgets 
 its tribulations in the entrancement of a good author. 
 
 Assembled as we are today, to dedicate a temple to litera- 
 ture, the mind spontaneously recurs to all that books are to 
 man. 
 
 After printing was invented, books at first were to be 
 found only in the convents of mediaeval times, ponderous 
 
66 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 in size and crude in form. Learning was then confined to the 
 priesthood, few among the people could read, and inability to 
 write, even among the nobility, caused the use of a signet 
 seal. 
 
 From the convents, books gradually came into the hands 
 of the people, until at the time of the Colonial Period in 
 America most families had one or more books, commonly a 
 Bible and a few others. Books being so precious, favored 
 was he who had access to a few volumes, and happy was 
 the one who had a small library at his command. Because 
 of the scarcity and value of books, no one was able to acquire 
 a library of much magnitude, and from the very necessity of 
 the situation, following the Colonial Period, came the Institu- 
 tional Period, from about 1638 to 1731, when libraries were 
 to be found in Harvard, Princeton, Yale and other early 
 colleges. 
 
 In 1731 began a Cooperative Period, in which men and 
 families clubbed together in cities and villages to form 
 libraries of their own. This lasted until 1854, when the Free 
 Public Library Period was inaugurated by Boston opening 
 a library free to all who sought admission. From Boston, 
 libraries have spread over the country, until today nearly 
 every city of note in the United States, and many villages as 
 well, have their free public libraries to promote education 
 and intellectual growth. 
 
 The remarkable spread of knowledge in the United States 
 is directly ascribable to these public libraries, acting in con- 
 junction with the public schools. The wonder of Europe is 
 the amazing progress of the United States, accomplished by 
 enterprise, inventive genius and intellectual superiority. And 
 yet those are but the product of our schools and libraries, 
 sending forth inventors, poets, authors, statesmen, jurists 
 and divines. 
 
 A boy of humble parentage comes out of our public schools, 
 he applies himself assiduously to master the books free at 
 hand, and lo, a Lincoln, a Beecher, a Blaine, a Morse, or an 
 Edison lives to elevate and glorify the race. 
 
 Or perhaps a boy after leaving the public school goes to 
 work at a bench in a factory, or upon a farm, or enters upon 
 a business career ; with a library at hand and wise use of his 
 time he grows in knowledge, his wisdom sheds its light upon 
 his fellowmen, and his fraternal spirit wanns all with whom 
 
THE DEDICATION 67 
 
 he comes in contact. Honest, faithful and true to all the 
 duties of life, he may remain a quiet, unobtrusive citizen, con- 
 tent to fill a humble sphere in life. It is such as these that 
 make up American citizenship. It is such as these that form 
 the anchor and stay of American institutions. 
 
 John Sherman wrote to a young man : " Learn to love your 
 books, for there is pleasure, friendship and instruction in 
 books." 
 
 The public library instills a love for books by creating a 
 taste for reading and a taste for reading is a taste of para- 
 dise. Happy indeed is he who can say from his heart : 
 
 My books are friends whose cheerful greeting 
 Delights my heart with each new meeting; 
 With them I take the greatest pleasure; 
 Enjoy their wit in fullest measure. 
 When e'er I feel the need, or yearning 
 For knowledge, wisdom, counsel, learning, 
 I steal away to quiet nooks 
 To interview my faithful books.* 
 
 Every citizen — even the humblest — can enter the pub' 
 lie library with a sense of ownership, for it is maintained by 
 his own contribution with that of others. He feels that he is 
 at home and entitled to share the privileges which surround 
 him. The people of a community animated by such a spirit 
 soon become a reading community, and a reading community 
 soon becomes an educated community. 
 
 In 1893 some of the prominent ladies of Van Wert, realiz- 
 ing the great good to be derived from a library free to all who 
 would aid in the enterprise, incorporated The Van Wert 
 Library Association. Without books or money, except such 
 as they could hope to secure from donations, the prospect of 
 success was anything but flattering. But nothing daunted the 
 ladies entered vigorously upon the work. They canvassed the 
 town for subscriptions and gave entertainments in aid of the 
 project until a nucleus of a circulating library was formed. 
 Any person who contributed three dollars each year was per- 
 mitted to share in the use of the library. So heartily were they 
 encouraged in the work and so enthusiastic and persevering 
 were they in their efforts, that at the end of a year or so 
 
 * Original with the speaker. 
 
68 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 they had a collection of 600 books, placed in charge of a lady 
 librarian in a general reading-room rented by the Association 
 for library purposes. The annual dues paid by the patrons of 
 the library were only sufficient to pay the running expenses, 
 leaving but scant means to add new books. Notwithstanding 
 many and varied discouragements, the ladies persevered in 
 their good work until the library became so generally appre- 
 ciated that in 1896 the Common Council of Van Wert voted 
 a tax of three-tenths of a mill in aid of the library; realizing 
 about $575 annually for that purpose. This served to pay 
 running .expenses and together with the money realized from 
 the dues of patrons furnished a small income upon which the 
 library could be maintained. 
 
 The field for the work was, however, so large and the 
 means so inadequate and the future was so dependent upon 
 constant and unremitting effort, that the ladies, although justly 
 proud of what had been accomplished, might well feel appre- 
 hensive for the future when their personal efforts should cease. 
 A like library established some years before had finally gone 
 into bankruptcy, and it was only too apparent that this also 
 might fail if not placed upon a firm and enduring foundation. 
 
 It was at this stage that the will of John Sanford Brumback 
 was made public, providing for the gift to the people of Van 
 Wert County of a splendid building in which forever to main- 
 tain a free public library by the following clause in the will: 
 
 " It is my will and desire that my said dear wife and chil- 
 dren expend sufficient of my estate willed to them in items one 
 and two to carry out my wishes known to them by the erection 
 and gift of a library building, something after the plans and 
 designs I have prepared for that purpose; provided, and this 
 item is upon the express condition, that my said wife and chil- 
 dren can make arrangements satisfactory to them with the city 
 of Van Wert, or if they desire and think best, with Van Wert 
 County, for a location for said building and the maintenance 
 of the library to be placed therein." 
 
 Before going on to what has been accomplished under this 
 provision, let us take a cursory view of the life of the man 
 who made possible the firm establishment of a public library in 
 Van Wert County to bless present and future generations. 
 
 [The biography here omitted is embodied in the first chap- 
 ter] . 
 
 Had J. S. Brumback received a liberal education, such as 
 
THE DEDICATION 69 
 
 most boys receive nowadays, there is no station in life his 
 natural ability, industrious habits and moral worth would not 
 have eminently fitted him to fill. 
 
 It was never said of J. S. Brumback that he was otherwise 
 than perfectly fair, honest and just in every business trans- 
 action. No man ever acquired wealth and position in a com- 
 munity without arousing the jealousy of some less fortunate. 
 And yet, although J. S. Brumback did business in Van Wert 
 for over thirty-five years, first in the dry-goods business and 
 then as a banker, never was he accused of making a dollar 
 dishonestly. He was shrewd, far-seeing, and expected every 
 man to fulfill his contracts, but unjust and oppressive — never. 
 
 His heart was tender as a child's ; his sympathy went out to 
 the needy and distressed. And many in Van Wert County 
 will bear me witness that when J. S. Brumback had it in his 
 power to profit by their misfortunes, he did not do so, but, 
 instead, helped them out of trouble at no small cost of money, 
 time and effort. 
 
 His judgment was so wise and his perception so unerring, 
 that his opinion was constantly sought by people in all walks 
 of life. No one appealed to him in vain for assistance in a 
 righteous cause; whether it was alms to the poor, aid to his 
 relations, encouragement to the downhearted, succor to the 
 unfortunate, or a donation for the public good, he always gave 
 freely when merit demanded. In short, in the words of 
 Shakespeare : 
 
 His life was gentle ; and the elements 
 
 So mixed in him, that nature might stand up 
 
 And say to all the world — This Was a Man. 
 
 Such a man, with such a heart full of philanthropy, could 
 not die without remembering his fellowmen, if it could be 
 accomplished in justice to his own family, toward whom he 
 recognized his first duty. So when he came to draw his will, 
 he did not conceal what he had in mind and secretly consult a 
 lawyer, but openly, as he had lived, he called his family around 
 him and freely expressed his thoughts. He said he had long 
 felt like doing something for Van Wert, and that he knew of 
 no way in which so much good could come to his old friends 
 and associates and their children, as through a public library. 
 He said: 
 
 " I would like firmly to establish for them such an institution, 
 
70 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 if you are all willing. If any of you feel I ought not to do 
 so, I will dismiss it from my thoughts." 
 
 It is sufficient to say that in the discussion which followed 
 the vote was unanimous. But even then, when I was drawing 
 the will, he said: 
 
 " I want you to draw it so as to make it entirely optional. 
 If hereafter any of my heirs should not be satisfied to carry 
 out my wish, I want it so that it will not be obligatory." 
 
 And so the will was drawn; and under it the magnificent 
 steel and stone fireproof building has been constructed for 
 " The Brumback Library," on the condition made by the 
 heirs that it be forever maintained by Van Wert County 
 under that name, in honor of the donor. 
 
 The unanimity with which the heirs have carried out the 
 wish expressed in the will bears testimony to the affection 
 and veneration felt for the husband and father. What a 
 glorious life to live, and be thus remembered. Had J. S. 
 Brumback spent his life in a sordid pursuit of wealth, he 
 could have accumulated a much larger fortune. Instead, he 
 wisely chose to make good use of his money as he went 
 along. Liberal, but modest in his mode of life, he educated 
 his children and aided them to become established in life, 
 and when he passed away they could not but feel that they in 
 turn owed him a debt of gratitude that never could be repaid. 
 
 " Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the 
 soul ; and the heart of man knoweth none more fragrant." 
 
 One thing to be especially noted in the will is the provision 
 for a county library. The suggestion was a noble concep- 
 tion, full of great possibilities. Up to the date of this will, 
 no thought apparently had ever been directed to the establish- 
 ment of a library owned and maintained by a county. 
 
 The population of our cities and towns are less in need 
 of the advantages of a free public library than are the 
 rural communities, since books in the centers of population 
 are readily accessible and pass from hand to hand by loan 
 and exchange. Not so in the country, where people are 
 widely separated and books not so plentiful on the family 
 shelves. 
 
 There is a great yearning among the youth of the country 
 districts for more of the opportunities and pleasures that go 
 to make up life in the twentieth century, causing a great 
 drift to the cities and towns, to the detriment of the national 
 
THE DEDICATION 71 
 
 welfare. If the farms are to be kept populated, rural life 
 must be made attractive, and opportunity must there be 
 afforded to enjoy the pleasures of literature and to enter 
 the world of knowledge. 
 
 When it was first proposed to make the Brumback Library 
 a county institution, many looked askance and could hardly 
 believe it practicable. Some of the residents in different parts 
 of the county have thought such a library could be of but 
 little or no advantage to them. They little realized how books 
 are now being circulated in our great cities many miles from 
 the central library ; and there is no reason why they cannot be 
 had almost as freely in distant parts of the county as in the 
 county-seat itself. The only need is the books themselves, 
 and they will surely be acquired in a few years in sufficient 
 number to supply the whole county. Under a sub-station or 
 branch library system, books will be sent to stations in distant 
 localities, there to be called for and returned when read. 
 Ready means for their transfer is afforded in this day of 
 constant communication and transportation facilities. 
 
 Of course, the inauguration of a county library was not 
 accomplished without much effort and many discouragements. 
 When I drew a bill to be presented to the Ohio Legislature, 
 to permit the county commissioners to bind the county to 
 maintain a library by taxation, I believed its passage could 
 only be secured by the most strenuous efforts. When, how- 
 ever, the farmers of Van Wert County assembled in their 
 granges, and after full discussion declared almost unani- 
 mously in favor of such a library, I knew their voice must be 
 heeded and their intelligence receive the reward of success. 
 By the assistance of leading citizens both in town and county 
 the bill became a law, and later the county commissioners 
 took the necessary action under the law to execute a tripartite 
 agreement with the Ladies' Library Association and the heirs 
 of J. S. Brumback. 
 
 _ By the terms of that contract, the Ladies' Library Associa- 
 tion turned over to the Brumback Library all the books 
 — some i,8oo in number — belonging to the Association; the 
 county agreed forever. to maintain the library by the levy 
 of an annual tax upon all the taxable property of the county ; 
 and the Brumback heirs agreed to construct, and furnish 
 complete and ready for use, a stone building in one of the 
 parks of the city of Van Wert, the county-seat of the county, 
 
72 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 wherein the library might have a home, and its influence be 
 extended in ever widening circles. 
 
 How well the heirs have much more than fulfilled the terms 
 of the contract, let the splendid building and the furnishings 
 — substantial, commodious and beautiful in every detail — 
 speak. It is sufficient to say that no expense has been spared 
 to make it the best. From the solid stone walls three feet 
 thick, to the steel truss tile-covered roofs, stability and grace 
 have been sought. Upon entering the arched portal and 
 obtaining a view of the commodious rooms, lofty arched and 
 panelled ceilings, mosaic floors, marble mantel and wainscot- 
 ing, polished oak woodwork and furniture, with space for 
 40,000 books and more — it certainly must be said that Van 
 Wert County is indeed fortunate in having had J. S. Brum- 
 back live within its borders. 
 
 Since it was thought that the ladies would exercise a most 
 beneficent influence in the management and work of the 
 Brumback Library, and to keep it out of political broils as 
 much as possible, the tripartite agreement provides that the 
 library shall be managed by a non-partisan board of seven 
 trustees; three to be appointed by the county commissioners, 
 two by the Ladies' Library Association and two by the Brum- 
 back heirs. Their term of office is for three years, and in 
 case any appointment is not made by the parties designated, 
 the city council of Van Wert is to make the appointment. 
 
 It will thus be seen that the governing body of the library 
 is selected by various interests, and the best qualified pyersons 
 for such a work will, in all probability, be secured. 
 
 The income of the library under the tax levy now pro- 
 duces nearly $S,ooo per annum. Twice this sum could well 
 be utilized. Under the new decennial valuation of property, 
 this amount will be substantially increased. Only lack of 
 means will prevent the library from at once entering upon its 
 full usefulness. To fill the demands of the whole county 
 under the sub-station or branch library system a large library 
 is necessary, and the fear is, that in the beginning the sup- 
 ply will not be equal to the demand. If, however, the people 
 will be tolerant, a few years ought to suffice to accumulate an 
 extensive and valuable collection of books, embracing all de- 
 partments of literature. 
 
 When the people once realize how much good is to be had 
 from the few cents collected from each for the library, it is 
 
THE DEDICATION 73 
 
 believed a strong sentiment will grow up to increase the levy 
 until a sum can be had adequate to meet all demands. It is 
 certainly better that people should tax themselves for libraries 
 and schools, rather than for almshouses, jails and other 
 asylums of misery. 
 
 As the first to inaugurate a county library. Van Wert County 
 owes it to herself and the world to see that it is made a com- 
 plete success. I doubt not that, with such an example, other 
 counties in Ohio will soon take up the work and that the 
 system mil extend to other states, until the results accomplished 
 will be tremendous. 
 
 The prominence Van Wert County will receive as the pio- 
 neer in such a work cannot but be a proud distinction, and of 
 the greatest benefit to all her people. After the bill was 
 drafted for the benefit of the Brumback Library of Van Wert 
 County, Cincinnati took up the cue and procured the enactment 
 of a law extending the field of her library work to all of 
 Hamilton County. Toledo and other localities are considering 
 the same action. 
 
 The demands of the time are for greater literary advan- 
 tages, and fuller opportunities to learn all the wonders of 
 science and the achievements of the past. 
 
 Give the people full opportunity for mental culture and free 
 access to the world of books, and they will not be slow to 
 wander with Proctor into the realm of space, to learn the won- 
 drous stories of suns that glow, and systems that circle there ; 
 or to go with Laplace to other worlds to hear how ages since 
 the rock-ribbed hills and ancient sea were but a fiery cloud, a 
 morning mist of creation. They will quickly understand how 
 Cuvier finds a bone and builds the mammoth to which it 
 belongs, and reads the hoary rocks which tell of primeval seas 
 and towering forests. With Carlyle they will pass through the 
 terrible scenes of the French Revolution; and from John 
 Stuart Mill soon learn the true relation of economy and thrift 
 to supply and demand. Who can doubt that wisdom, good 
 judgment and wise action must result from such instruction? 
 
 Prosperity and success have ever attended upon intelligence. 
 And so it is that the elevation and advancement of the whole 
 race to the higher planes of social development and fraternal 
 brotherhood is along the road of a wider dissemination of 
 knowledge. Nor is the field of human effort by any means 
 exhausted. Indeed, it is scarcely entered upon. Vast fields 
 
74 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 of learning yet unexplored, and heights of intellectual attain- 
 ment beyond belief, await those who attempt them. 
 
 Great problems yet remain to be solved, the greatest indeed 
 that have ever confronted mankind. The true relation of capi- 
 tal and labor, the proper union of diversified interests, the 
 economical administration of public affairs and many others 
 of equal importance. In short, all the great questions that 
 arise as population increases and the human race strives to 
 attain the greatest good for the greatest number must be 
 determined, and determined rightly. In these great contro- 
 versies, destined to test the stability of human institutions, 
 the wisdom drawn from the whole past experience of man- 
 kind can alone lead the race aright. 
 
 The people of the great Middle West have in the past been 
 chiefly occupied in developing their material resources. The 
 time is come when they are to devote more attention to literary 
 and scientific pursuits. That intellectual giants will be forth- 
 coming cannot be doubted, and they will be the product of just 
 such institutions as the Brumback Library. 
 
 The libraries of a community are the foster-mothers of 
 intellectual prominence. Many of the foremost statesmen, 
 historians, poets and orators of America have been Massa- 
 chusetts men — the product of a state that boasts the great 
 libraries of Cambridge and Boston, and where nearly every 
 village has a public library. Bancroft, Prescott, Motley, Park- 
 man, and Fiske, as historians; Bryant, Longfellow, Lowell, 
 Holmes, Emerson, and Whittier, as poets ; Winthrop, Choate, 
 Everett, Sumner, and Wendell Phillips, as orators, have 
 brought imperishable fame to themselves and the Old Bay 
 State. Ohio has already taken rank as a mother of presidents. 
 Her sons are yet to attain still higher pinnacles of success, and 
 surprise the world with their versatile genius. 
 
 In opening a library designed to aid in these great accom- 
 plishments, we are starting upon its career an educational 
 institution whose silent but wholesome influence will extend 
 through all the future. When we think of the character the 
 Brumback Library will mould, the pleasure it will give, and the 
 knowledge it will spread, we cannot but realize this is indeed a 
 momentous occasion. As said by Senator Hoar of Massa- 
 chusetts : 
 
 The opening of a library is an event of the highest importance 
 in any community. It is one of the institutions which tend to build 
 
THE DEDICATION 75 
 
 up and adorn the local life. There is no city so great and renowned 
 that it does not wear its library as the chief jewel of its crown. 
 There is no town so humble that a good library will not raise it to 
 distinction and honor. However excellent may be their schools, 
 however admirable the training that the children get at home, the 
 community where there is no good library is but half-educated. 
 
 What considerate man can weigh the dollars it will cost to 
 maintain the library against the immortal minds it will train. 
 One youth kept from a dissolute and vicious life by the charms 
 of literature supplied from its shelves will more than repay 
 the expense of years. God has implanted his divine essence 
 in the mind of man to be trained and educated for good citi- 
 zenship on earth, and immortality hereafter. This library, 
 engaged in broadening and ennobling the mind of man, will 
 kindle a flame, " which will shine not merely when every arti- 
 ficial beam is extinguished", but when the affrighted sun has 
 fled away from the heavens." 
 
 Today we enter upon a new century. Today mankind all 
 over the world is contemplating the past and standing tiptoe 
 to peer into the future. Surpassing day, transcendent day. 
 All living millions will never see its like again. 
 
 Upon this natal day of the Twentieth Century, while loving 
 congratulations are echoing around the globe, on behalf of 
 John Sanford Brumback, now gone beyond the stars, but 
 whose spirit hovers near ; on behalf of his wife and children, 
 who have striven as best they knew to carry out the will of him 
 they loved, I, now and here, present to the Trustees of the 
 Brumback Library, acting on behalf of all the people, this 
 building, wherein it hath been covenanted forever to maintain 
 a free public library. 
 
 And may every man, woman and child in Van Wert County 
 reap the benefit to be obtained by delving into the mysteries 
 upon its shelves, and their descendants in turn drink deep at 
 the " Pierian Spring." 
 
 ADDRESS OF ACCEPTANCE BY JUDGE H. C. GLENN 
 
 With uncovered head I make my most gracious bow to Mrs. 
 Brumback and her family. While I address them I also 
 address the ladies and gentlemen present. 
 
 I have never received a summons to duty which I obeyed 
 with such supreme pleasure as the present one, of accepting 
 
76 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 from this family, in the name of the Trustees of the Library 
 and in behalf of the citizens of Van Wert County, yonder well- 
 proportioned and exquisitely finished and furnished library 
 building. The little library of yesterday which has grown to 
 be one of considerable proportion, has a warm place in my 
 memory. I remember so well the time when, and by whom, 
 was first conceived the plan by which it was hoped to provide 
 for the people of Van Wert a free public library. I, also, well 
 remember the dozen true and philanthropic women who organ- 
 ized themselves into a society to promote this plan. The plan 
 succeeded, but would not have done so had not the city pro- 
 vided through taxation for the support of the library. 
 
 I have always thought that the fate of the enterprise was 
 determined, and that success became assured, at our own 
 home. An entertainment had been arranged by the ladies for 
 the benefit of the library fund. Everybody was invited and 
 nearly everybody came. The children came with their pennies 
 and nickles and dimes; the grown people came bringing their 
 quarters, their halves and their dollars; but the acme of suc- 
 cess was reached when it was ascertained that Mrs. G. H. 
 Marsh had sent her check for a generous sum and that Mr. J. S. 
 Brumback had brought his check for fifty dollars. 
 
 It is also my good pleasure to know something of the 
 history of this library building. Aside from his own family, 
 Mrs. Glenn and I were the first persons to whom Mr. Brum- 
 back communicated his purpose of erecting a library building 
 and of donating the same to the public. It was not his orig- 
 inal idea to make this a post-mortem gift. When we talked 
 with him, he had a hope that he might so far recover his 
 health as to be physically able to look after the erection of 
 the building himself, and with his own hand turn it over to 
 the public. This idea had progressed so far that he had 
 plans prepared by an architect, which I understand to be the 
 same plans, in the main, after which the building has been 
 constructed — changed and added to only so far as modern 
 architects' experience and good taste, convenience and utility 
 have suggested. His hope of recovery was only a hope. He 
 informed us that he had talked the matter over with his fam- 
 ily, who heartily acquiesced, so that whether he recovered or 
 not the library would be a fixed fact, unless conditions should 
 exist rendering the same impracticable. 
 
 My friend, Mr. O. S. Brumback, in his presentation ad- 
 
THE DEDICATION 77 
 
 dress, referred to one point which I wish to emphasize as a 
 matter of justice to the living. It is this: this building has 
 not been erected in pursuance of any mandatory provisions 
 of Mr. Brumback's will. There is no such provision in his 
 will. Every reference to the library is in the form of a 
 request or wish on the testator's part. I am satisfied, how- 
 ever, that there would have been such mandatory provision 
 had he not been entirely satisfied that the same was unneces- 
 sary. Any objections, or rather failure to concur on the 
 part of Mrs. Brumback, his direct legatee, or of any one of 
 his sons or daughters, his ultimate legatees, would have de- 
 feated the enterprise. 
 
 This does not detract from Mr. Brumback's generosity 
 or our obligations of gratitude to him, but extends the circle 
 of our benefactors and creates new objects of gratitude. This 
 is both refreshing and commendable. In an age when the 
 chief end of heirs and legatees often seems to be to have 
 and to hold the ancestral estate, and when strife often results 
 as to which shall obtain the lion's share, in this family the 
 only strife seems to have been, if strife there was, as to 
 which would be the most liberal and literal in carrying out 
 the ancestral wish. 
 
 Having said thus much, there remains but little more for 
 me to say, or do, than to proclaim, in the presence of this vast 
 audience, in behalf of the trustees of this library, and in be- 
 half of the citizens of the county, whose servants they are, 
 that yonder great store-house of knowledge is accepted for 
 the uses and purposes for which it has been presented. And 
 knowing the trustees as I do, and knowing the sentiment and 
 temper of the people, and full of confidence in the future, 
 I do feel perfectly safe in promising that the same shall never 
 be perverted from the use intended. Because of its being so 
 massive and substantially built I do not see why the end of 
 the century, the threshhold of which we are just passing, 
 should not see this building still standing and the light of 
 knowledge, education and morality, radiating from it in all 
 directions and lighting up the dark places of this community, 
 as the great luminary of the day sends out its rays in every 
 direction, illuminating the dark corners of the Universe of 
 God. 
 
 I wish I did not have to close here. Bear with me in one 
 more thought. If it be true, as is the theory of some and 
 
78 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 perhaps the hope of many, that the spirits of our departed 
 friends are ever with us — surrounding us as guardian angels 
 — and that they are not strangers to the scenes and incidents 
 of the present life; I say, if this be so, how the happiness, 
 though in paradise, of Georgia Glenn, Mary Leeson and J. S. 
 Brumback must be enhanced this day, in beholding this 
 fruition of their hopes, labors and ambition. 
 
 Again allow me to say that the benefits flowing from this 
 magnificent library building and its contents will not be con- 
 fined to the present age or generation. After the last sur- 
 vivor of this vast audience shall have been gathered to the 
 fathers, hundreds and thousands of grateful men, women and 
 children, deciphering the inscription engraved with mallet 
 and chisel over yon grand entrance, will roll the name, 
 " Brumback," as a sweet morsel under their tongues and on 
 their lips sweet gratitude will lovingly and lastingly linger. 
 
 DEDICATORY PRAYER OF REV. I. D. WORMAN 
 
 O Lord, our God, we praise Thee as the source of every 
 good impulse ; and especially for the gift of Thy Son in whom 
 Thou hast taught us that we should not live for self, but 
 unto Thee and our fellow-men. 
 
 We thank Thee for the benevolence of him who conceived 
 this work which we now dedicate and for the affectionate 
 faithfulness of those whom he charged with the execution 
 of it. May we receive it from them with grateful hearts, 
 and by Thy grace make a proper and rightful use of this 
 beautiful building and the library it contains. 
 
 And now, we beseech Thee, O God, sanctify this building 
 for library uses. Do Thou protect and preserve it; and may 
 the citizens of this county of Van Wert make such use of 
 the same as shall testify to their appreciation of this gift, and 
 bring to them and their children the greatest benefit. 
 
 May they bold it as a sacred trust to be cherished and so 
 used that it may be a blessing in this community. To this end 
 do Thou give wisdom and guidance to those who have been, 
 and shall be, chosen to care for this building and library, 
 that it may be so managed and such books found therein as 
 shall make it a means for the intellectual, moral and spiritual 
 uplifting of the people. May it be to us a memorial of the 
 public spirit and charity of the giver, and of the filial zeal of 
 
THE DEDICATION 79 
 
 those who have so nobly wrought out the purpose of their 
 father. May the presence of this building be a benediction to 
 the citizens of this county and town, ever reminding us that, 
 as good citizens, we must have an interest in the public wel- 
 fare. These and all other favors and mercies we ask in the 
 name of the Christ, our Lord. Amen. 
 
 ADDRESS OF STATE LIBRARIAN, HON. C. B. GALBREATH 
 
 A first visit to your city and county could not be made under 
 circumstances more pleasant and inspiring. This is an aus- 
 picious occasion. You are assembled here to inaugurate a 
 work worthy of the new century. In the years to come, 
 succeeding generations will look back with pride to the use 
 that you have made of this day. 
 
 The formal dedication of yonder building is more than an 
 event of local interest. It has attracted attention in other 
 counties and other states. It is, therefore, not unfitting that 
 a representative of the library interests of Ohio should partici- 
 pate in these ceremonies. 
 
 To popularize education and bring its attainment within the 
 reach of all is an ideal of genuine reform and an object of 
 wise statesmanship. The free public library is an educational 
 institution. As such it is entitled to the support of the com- 
 munity and the favor of the state. 
 
 The best thing that a youth can take from school, along 
 with the rudiments of learning, is a taste for healthful litera- 
 ture. That makes books his teachers when school days are 
 ended. That unrolls to his eyes the page of knowledge " rich 
 with the spoils of time." That makes him the heir of the 
 ages. All this is understood. It was known and appreciated 
 half a century ago. There are those here today who can 
 remember when many neighborhoods had little collections of 
 books, which with the free school, the village lyceum and the 
 rural debating society sent forth young men to places of trust 
 and honor. Then came a period of reaction. Ten years ago 
 in Ohio the free library was practically unknown. A hopeful 
 sign of the times is the revival of interest in this important! 
 educational agency. 
 
 Among the agricultural counties of the state. Van Wert 
 takes the lead in the library movement and sets an example 
 whose influence will doubtless be felt at the end of the century. 
 
80 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Think of what the success of this experiment means to the 
 people of this city and county, and you will still be unable 
 to measure the beneficent results of the work whose founda- 
 tions you have laid so wisely and so well. The friends of 
 education beyond your borders are watching you. Hold aloft 
 the standard that you have raised and other counties will 
 follow. Great is your opportunity and fortunate the means 
 provided to meet it. You may well feel proud of that beauti- 
 ful, substantial, well-equipped building, and the collection of 
 books now ready to go forth on their mission. For this you 
 are under obligation, first of all, to him whose enlightened 
 philanthropy made possible the erection of yonder living 
 monument. 
 
 The character of such a man is a perpetual blessing and 
 inspiration. In his presence we forget that the world is 
 narrow and sordid, the soul glows with faith in humanity 
 and we feel that Altruria is not far off after all. This good 
 man in life did not seek official preferment or worldly honors. 
 When he bade farewell to earthly scenes he left to the citizens 
 of Van Wert County a generous testimonial of affectionate 
 regard and interest in their future welfare. Without seeking 
 fame he has found it — how abundantly the future alone can 
 tell. 
 
 It is not always safe, even when circumstances invite, to 
 prophesy. But we may rest assured that here at least John 
 Sanford Brumback will not be forgotten. When the great 
 generals of the great wars and the little generals of the little 
 wars are fading memories, when the red luster of conquest 
 no longer allures, when political masters have passed from 
 the world's applause to oblivion quick and complete, the bene- 
 factor whose work we dedicate today will live in the grateful 
 appreciation of this community. 
 
 Who were the officials of Pennsylvania in 1831 ? The list 
 would contain for us no familiar names. But he who reads 
 has heard of Stephen Girard, who in that year bequeathed a 
 princely fortune to education and charity. Who shape the 
 political destinies of that commonwealth today? Some of 
 them you know. They are doubtless as worthy as their pred- 
 ecessors, but who will recall them in the years to come? 
 There is one name, however, that will endure within and be- 
 yond the borders of that state. The coming generation will 
 know of Andrew Carnegie, who, though not a socialist, is 
 
THE DEDICATION 81 
 
 realizing the dream of Bellamy in that great cooperative lit- 
 erary store-house, the free public library — the people's uni- 
 versity. His work will endure, and the monuments that he 
 is raising will attract eager and grateful hearts in the pursuit 
 of learning when the century grows old. 
 
 The grandest gift that a great soul can bestow is the ex- 
 pression of itself — its free, honest, living thought. The au- 
 thor who gives this confers a boon upon humanity. And he 
 who popularizes and perpetuates the master work of the 
 master minds is likewise a benefactor. Such is the work of 
 the founder of a library. It is a happy thought that the fame 
 of both is secure; that the final verdict of time is just; that 
 there is a blessed immortality in the hearts of the children of 
 men reserved for those who have opened up the way to wider 
 opportunity, who have illumined it with the ray of learning, 
 who have helped to make our mortal labors light and joyous, 
 who have removed shackles from the hands and burdens from 
 the shoulders of the world. Such has been the service of John 
 Sanford Brumback to this community. 
 
 Others have assisted in this laudable enterprise. The 
 Library Association of your city that for years, in the face of 
 many obstacles, kept up its organization and thus prepared 
 the way for the greater work that follows is to be congratu- 
 lated upon this occasion. The results of its labors freely 
 given will encourage others who are faithfully working 
 towards the same worthy end. 
 
 Through the press and other sources we have learned that 
 the public duly appreciates the conduct of the heirs of the 
 estate in their unselfish efforts to carry out the wishes of Mr. 
 Brumback as expressed in his will. Nothing could be added, 
 perhaps, to the tribute that has already been paid them. Too 
 much cannot be said, however, for the wisdom with which 
 the bequest has been applied. Provision has been made for 
 the representation of all interests on your board of trustees, 
 and this body is so constituted that the library is not likely 
 to be made the prey of partisan politics. In a public library 
 tenure of office should depend upon efficient service and that 
 alone. The details of the work cannot be mastered in a day 
 or a year. When the lady in charge has in her the material 
 out of which the good librarian is made, every year adds to 
 the value of her services. Changes, except for incompetence, 
 are therefore to be avoided. To make the library a whirligig 
 
82 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 on the political machine is to expose it to adverse winds in 
 which it will soon whirl its life away. It is fortunate that 
 your board is so constituted as to prevent this. 
 
 But the condition that made yours a county library is the 
 feature that attracts widest attention. Such a plan has been 
 recommended before, but outside of one or two large cities, 
 where corporate limits are almost coextensive with county 
 lines, no attempt has been made to demonstrate its practicabil- 
 ity. It is my sympathy with this provision and my faith in 
 its wisdom, more than all things else, that bring me here 
 today. 
 
 The growth revealed by the recent census is essentially 
 the growth of cities and towns. In many sections there has 
 been an actual decline in the rural population. This tends 
 still further to isolate the country homes. 
 
 In these times the city lad comes into contact with the 
 electric currents of modern life, where vice elbows virtue in 
 the moving thoroughfare, where poverty is found in the 
 shadow of princely munificence. Allurements there are to 
 the pitfalls, but a thousand hands reach out to lead in wis- 
 dom's ways. The graded school, the college, the lecture hall, 
 the gymnasium, the museum, the church, the library — all 
 stand with doors invitingly open. 
 
 The country boy stands alone, the child of nature, whose 
 landscape, horizon-girt, limits his little world. The farm is 
 his gymnasium, the rural school his hall of learning, the 
 amphitheater of hills with over-arching sky his temple of 
 philosophy. Meager opportunities, but they have crowned his- 
 tory's page with names illustrious, deeds heroic, and character 
 exalted. His past is an honored one. What of his future? 
 He still has God's sunshine, the pure air of heaven, and an 
 environment that inspires liberty and independence. Add to 
 these gifts of nature, some of the educational advantages of 
 the city, bring the graded school within his reach, through the 
 medium of the traveling library introduce him to the master 
 minds of the ages, and he will face the world, broad-fronted 
 and square-shouldered, strong to " breast the blows of cir- 
 cumstances and make by force his merit known." You offer 
 him the companionship of books. What better could be given ? 
 When the long winter nights are here, when the storm is loud 
 without, when the snowflakes silently fall and the frost with 
 invisible finger works crystal flowers on the window-pane, 
 
THE DEDICATION 83 
 
 seated by the fire he will forget his isolation as he follows the 
 printed page, and for him — 
 
 " The night shall be full of music." 
 
 All honor to the founder who remembered the boy and the 
 girl on the farm. Let the example be imitated and the rural 
 population of the future will be, not the peasants, but the 
 yeomanry of the land, and the country home will remain the 
 foundation upon which the pillars of the republic shall securely 
 stand. 
 
 We have commended the Library Association of your city. 
 We have spoken of the bequest and the condition under which 
 it has been applied. But all these would have been in a 
 measure without result, had it not been for the intelligent 
 appreciation, sound judgment, and public spirit of your County 
 Commissioners. They knew that money expended in such a 
 cause is a wise investment, and with commendable prompti- 
 tude and unanimity they proceeded, under the law, to authorize 
 the work which has now taken substantial form. I do not 
 know who your commissioners are, but they have nobly 
 responded to the call of duty, and the magnificent building 
 which we dedicate will perpetuate the record of their fidelity. 
 
 Fortunate in other things, you are peculiarly fortunate in 
 the day chosen for these ceremonies. The new year and the 
 new century turn our thoughts to the future. Mortal eye can- 
 not penetrate the veil ; but hope beats high and faith is strong. 
 We stand upon the vantage ground of the past. 
 
 " Life greatens in these later years. 
 The century's aloe flowers today." 
 
 From this height with poetic ken, we may " dip into the 
 future " and see " the wonders yet to be." The morning light 
 of the new century strikes the turret of the temple that we 
 dedicate. We crown it with the faith that the unselfish spirit 
 which gave it birth is prophetic of the new and grander day, 
 when right shall reign, when charity shall not fail, when learn- 
 ing shall have a wider field, when the surplus energy and 
 wealth bestowed by science shall be used to liberate the race, 
 when peace shall come down like a benediction from on high, 
 when destructive and inglorious strife shall end, " when the 
 war drum shall beat no longer and the battle flag shall be 
 furled." 
 
84 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 " When man to man united, 
 And many wrong things righted, 
 The whole world shall be lighted. 
 As Eden was of old." 
 
 " Attierica " was then sung by the chorus and audience, 
 after which the benediction was pronounced by Rev. D. B. 
 Koenig. 
 
 A reception at the Library was held immediately follow- 
 ing the dedicatory program and another in the evening. 
 These functions were largely attended. 
 
 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY DEDICATED JANUARY I, I9OI 
 
 An appreciative audience of grateful people filled every foot 
 of space in the large auditorium of the First M. E. Church, 
 New Year's afternoon, to participate in the exercises con- 
 nected with the dedication of the Brumback County Library 
 Building. Long before two o'clock, the time announced for 
 the exercises to commence, standing-room was at a premium. 
 As we looked over the sea of faces it was indeed a delight to 
 notice not only the splendid representation of the citizens of 
 Van Wert, but also among the throng in large numbers the 
 citizens of the various townships of our county, for the library 
 belongs to them as much as to the citizens of the town. It 
 was a day upon which the boy of the farm and the boy of the 
 city alike realized their fondest hopes of having equal rights 
 and privileges in entering the portals of a store-house of 
 knowledge superior in every way to what the most ambitious 
 had ever expected. 
 
 All the time the Brumback Library was in course of con- 
 struction the interest of the people increased. Today the 
 splendid building bequeathed to the county through the gen- 
 erosity of John Sanford Brumback is the pride of all, and it 
 is no wonder that strangers from other states in the throng 
 Tuesday afternoon and evening wished that they too lived 
 in this city and county to enjoy in the fullest measure the bene- 
 fits to be derived from such an institution. 
 
 The splendid musical portion of the program was under the 
 direction of W. H. Hiestand, who conducted a mixed chorus 
 accompanied by Moebus' Orchestra. Hiestand's Band played 
 during the reception in the library in the evening. Very 
 
THE DEDICATION 85 
 
 pleasing features of the afternoon exercises were the two solos 
 rendered by Mr. Chas. W. Clark, a Van Wert boy, who has 
 delighted audiences at home and abroad. He is always wel- 
 come, but never more cordially than this time, when he volun- 
 tarily came home to help our people sing the songs of joy upon 
 receiving such a handsome present on the dawn of the twen- 
 tieth century. — Van Wert Republican, Jan. 3, 1901. 
 
 IIBRARY DEDICATED — RISES IN STATELY MAGNIFICENCE TO 
 
 HONOR HIM WHO GAVE IT NEW YEAR'S DAY WITNESSES 
 
 MOST IMPOSING CEREMONIES, WHEN A NEW ERA BEGAN 
 IN VAN WERT COUNTy's EDUCATIONAL HISTORY 
 
 The coming of the twentieth century has been preceded by 
 many prophecies of untold development and of great achieve- 
 ments, but in no instance has any small city seen the fulfillment 
 of these prophecies in a more fitting style than Van Wert. The 
 dedication of the Brumback Library upon New Year's Day 
 has already placed Van Wert County upon the pages of pro- 
 gressive history and has made Van Wert a city of which the 
 state may be justly proud. 
 
 Seldom in the history of Van Wert County has there been an 
 event which has attracted such a multitude of people together. 
 The church was crowded to its utmost capacity, people were 
 packed in every aisle, while many, unable to get inside, were 
 compelled to turn away at the doors. The occasion was one 
 of great moment to the people of Van Wert County, and recog- 
 nizing the importance of the event and its meaning to posterity 
 they flocked to the exercises with a hearty appreciation of the 
 great spirit of the donor uppermost in their minds. — Van Wert 
 Times, Jan. 4, 1901. 
 
 Van Wert is one of the youngest counties in Ohio and at the 
 same time one of the most progressive. The Van Wert library 
 is the only library of the kind in the state. It is hoped that 
 wealthy citizens of other counties will follow the example of 
 the late J. S. Brumback and that Ohio may soon be dotted 
 with county libraries similar to the splendid institution dedi- 
 cated today at Van Wert. — Toledo Blade, Jan. i, 1901. 
 
 State Librarian, C. B. Galbreath, says Ohio is behind other 
 states; Van Wert County ahead of other counties. The 
 Columbus Dispatch reports the following talk with the State 
 
86 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Librarian : " I expect to see a great revival of interest in public 
 library matters in the opening years of the new century in 
 Ohio," said State Librarian C. B. Galbreath, yesterday, while 
 talking about the magnificent gift of J. S. Brumback to the 
 county of Van Wert — $50,000 for a public library — which 
 was dedicated on New Year's day. " Ohio is far behind some 
 other states in the matter of public libraries. In Massachu- 
 setts there are 127 incorporated municipalities and 124 public 
 libraries. In Ohio we have about 900 incorporated cities and 
 towns and only 60 public libraries." * 
 
 In Van Wert, Ohio, on January i, 1901, was dedicated one 
 of the first free county libraries in the United States. Thou- 
 sands of libraries have been presented to cities, but it remained 
 for Mr. J. S. Brumback, of Van Wert, forever to broaden the 
 outlook and set a new standard of influence for every library in 
 the world. — National League of Improvement Association. 
 
 The circulating department of the Brumback Library will 
 be open to the public next Monday (January 28), when books 
 will be loaned for the first time. During the past week many 
 questions have been asked relative to the mode of securing 
 books, etc. The board is having a booklet of rules and regu- 
 lations printed, which can be secured from the librarian. 
 Every person of the age of nine years and upward residing in 
 Van Wert County is eligible to borrow books at the Brum- 
 back Library, on signing a card agreeing to observe the rules 
 made by the board. There will be no charges for anything, not 
 even cards. Each member of a family over nine years of age 
 is permitted to have a card, but no family may have more than 
 two books at one time. Books may be taken home for a period 
 of two weeks and renewed for two weeks more at the expira- 
 tion of that time. The board is now consummating arrange- 
 ments for sub-stations in the various villages and trading cen- 
 ters of the county and announcements of the places where 
 books can be procured will be made soon. — Van Wert Repub- 
 lican, Jan. 24, 1901. 
 
 * Number of free public libraries in Ohio in 1914 is 128. 
 
PART II 
 
 THE WORK OF THE BRUMBACK 
 LIBRARY 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 VAN WERT COUNTY 
 
 ONE of the most important incidents of the Revolu- 
 tionary War was the capture of Major Andre by 
 Isaac Van Wart, John Paulding and David Williams. 
 These three farmer boys, at a time when money was very 
 scarce, spurned an offer, by the captive, of 10,000 guineas 
 and as large a quantity of dry-goods, as they might wish, 
 for his freedom. Their fidelity was later recognized and 
 each was rewarded by Congress with a farm, a life pension 
 of $200 a year and a beautiful silver medal, on one side 
 of which was the word " Fidelity " and on the other the 
 motto, " Amor patriae vincit." A modest shaft at Tarry- 
 town, N. Y., dated September 23, 1780, marks the memor- 
 able spot where these three young men " withstood tempta- 
 tion and saved the state." 
 
 Van Wert County received its name from the first of 
 these three great Revolutionary heroes and was formed 
 April I, 1820, out of lands purchased from the Indians at 
 the treaty of Wapakoneta in 181 8. It is bounded on the 
 north by Paulding County, on the east by Allen and Putnam 
 counties, on the south by Mercer and Auglaize counties, and 
 on the west by Allen County, Indiana. In 1830, ten years 
 after its formation, the population of the county, according 
 to the federal census, was only 49. So the organization of 
 the county was delayed until 1835. By 1840 the population 
 had increased to 1,577. Until 1890 the increase for each 
 decade was large, but from 1890 to 1910 while the popula- 
 tion of the cities and towns showed a small gain the 
 
 89 
 
90 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 population of the rural districts showed a loss. The 
 decrease in the rural districts was slight between i8go and 
 1900, with the result that the county as a whole made a small 
 gain in population during the decade. But the falling off 
 in the rural population was so pronounced between 1900 and 
 1910 that it overcame an increase on the part of the cities 
 and towns and showed a loss for the whole county of 1,275. 
 The population of the county for each decade from 1850 to 
 i9iois as follows: 1850, 4,793; i860, 10,283; 1870, 15,823; 
 1880, 23,028; 1890, 29,671; 1900, 30,394; 1910, 29,119. 
 The large increase in our national urban population coinci- 
 dent with the small increase in our national rural population 
 and the actual decrease in our rural population in many 
 counties and several states is a problem worthy of the most 
 careful consideration. The decrease in the rural population 
 of Van Wert County during the past two decades is the 
 result of three major causes : 
 
 ( 1 ) The virtual completion of the work that had to do 
 with the removal of the forests and the draining of the 
 swamps ; 
 
 (2) The invention of numerous agricultural tools and 
 implements of a labor-saving character ; and — 
 
 (3) The increase in the size of the farms. 
 
 It is desirable that there be at all times enough people in 
 the county to establish a correct equilibrium between rural 
 and urban population, and the nation has that today. There 
 will not be a greater increase of the rural population as 
 compared with the urban population until intensive farming 
 becomes more common. And intensive farming will not 
 become more common until circumstances make it necessary 
 as circumstances have made it necessary, in Europe. And 
 even when that time comes a drift from the urban centers 
 to the rural districts will not be needed, considering rural 
 America as a whole, but simply a reduced migration from 
 the country to the cities. 
 
VAN WERT COUNTY 91 
 
 Van Wert County pioneers found three great obstacles 
 to progress on their arrival in the new country of north- 
 western Ohio, viz., dense forests, extensive swamps and 
 many dangerous wild animals. To overcome these was 
 no small undertaking. But the early settlers did this and 
 they are the ancestors of a large part of the present 
 population. 
 
 Who were these early settlers? They were chiefly 
 English, German and Welsh. It is unnecessary to argue 
 the fact that no communities anywhere can excel those 
 having a population descended mainly from English, 
 German and Welsh stock. And given such forefathers 
 disciplined by the task of having cleared forests, drained 
 swamps and battled with the wild, the descendants will be 
 of a high type. The county has scattering representatives 
 of a number of other nationalities, and there are possibly 
 400 negroes, most of whom are fanners. 
 
 Van Wert County has an area of a little over 405 square 
 miles or 259,479 acres and is divided into twelve townships, 
 viz., Tully, Union, Hoaglin, Jackson, Harrison, Pleasant, 
 Ridge, Washington, Willshire, Liberty, York and Jennings. 
 In Harrison Township the Germans predominate, in York 
 the Welsh, and most of the negroes are found in Willshire 
 Township and Van Wert City. The east half of Washing- 
 ton Township also contains a great many Germans, nearly 
 all of whom are Catholics; the rest of the Germans of the 
 county are, for the most part, Protestants. 
 
 The cities and villages of the county are as follows: 
 Van Wert, the county-seat, 7,157; Delphos, 5,038 (in Van 
 Wert County 2,482 and in Allen County 2,556) ; Ohio City, 
 860; Convoy, 741 ; Willshire, 653; Middlepoint, 607; Scott, 
 472 (in Van Wert County 279 and in Paulding County 
 193); Wren, 277; Venedocia, 247; and Elgin, 129. This 
 makes the population of one city and the incorporated towns 
 12,825. The population of the rest of the county is 16,294. 
 
92 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 The newspapers of the county number ten. Of these 
 Van Wert has two dailies and one weekly; Delphos one 
 daily and one weekly; Convoy two weeklies; and Willshire, 
 Ohio City and Middlepoint each a) weekly. 
 
 For a number of years the political parties of the county 
 have been evenly matched. In county, township, city and 
 town elections politics are almost discarded and the candi- 
 dates are voted for on their merits. It often happens that 
 at the same election both Democrats and Republicans are 
 elected by large majorities. In state and national politics 
 the party lines are more sharply drawn, but not so much 
 so now as in the past. 
 
 There are 94.26 miles of railroad in the county: the 
 Pennsylvania (double track), 25.68; Toledo, St. Louis and 
 Western, 24.80; Chicago and Erie (double track), 21.97; 
 Cincinnati Northern, 18.56; and Cincinnati, Hamilton and 
 Dayton, 3.25. There is one traction line, viz.. The Ohio 
 Electric, 26.34 miles. The miles of wagon roads amount 
 to 1013, of which about 800 have been macadamized. For- 
 tunately, limestone rock lies quite close to the surface in 
 many parts of the county with the result that there are a 
 number of good quarries. The present tendency is increased 
 attention to maintenance, which makes for excellence. The 
 cost of piking the county, which is not entirely finished, 
 was approximately $2,000,000, about $800,000 of which 
 still represents outstanding bonds. It is worthy of note 
 that the proposed Lincoln Highway from New York to 
 San Francisco passes through Van Wert County, making 
 use of its main road, the Ridge road, which geologists say 
 was at one time the southern shore of Lake Erie. 
 
 For telephone service the county has been divided into 
 zones, so that any resident of the county having a telephone 
 can, at any time, converse with any other resident of the 
 county having a telephone. Rural Free Delivery routes 
 extend all over the county. Of course each post-office in 
 
VAN WERT COUNTY 93 
 
 the county has the parcel post privileges and postal savings 
 banks have been established in all the county post-offices 
 except three. There is not a resident of the whole county 
 that is farther than a very few miles from a postal savings 
 office. All the important communities of the county have 
 electric lights, furnished by two large central plants, and 
 farmers living along the main roads connecting the towns 
 lighted by electricity can have electric lights placed in their 
 homes. Moreover, owing to the fact that Van Wert County 
 was once and is still a fairly good oil territory, some of the 
 farmers enjoy the luxury of natural gas. 
 
 It would be very difficult to give an accurate statement of 
 the wealth of the people of the county, but in the thirteen 
 banking and four building and loan institutions of the 
 county (counting half the deposits of the three Delphos 
 banks and two building and loan associations and half the 
 deposits of the Scott bank) the total deposits amount to 
 $3j500,ooo, which represent $120 in financial institutions 
 for every person in the county. The county tax duplicate 
 is in round numbers fifty millions. This makes the average 
 to each inhabitant about $1,725. 
 
 Van Wert County's location is unique in this respect that 
 there is no large city near it. Hence the people are largely 
 dependent upon themselves for their instruction and enter- 
 tainment. This fact explains the popularity of lodges and 
 clubs, of which there are a great many, and the tendency 
 of its people to travel. The people find recreation in auto- 
 mobiling (there are 600 machines in the county or one to 
 every forty-nine people), attending picture shows, going to 
 the one first-class theatre in the county a few times each 
 season to witness good theatrical productions, and other 
 kinds of legitimate entertainments, of which there are many 
 in all parts of the county during the year. Athletic sports 
 and indoor games are indulged in about as much as they 
 are in the average rural county. 
 
94 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 The schools of the county number ii6 of which fifteen 
 are in the two cities and the several towns and loi in the 
 country. In this number are included all the schools of 
 Delphos and the one school of Scott. There are no township 
 schools. All but a very few of the district schoolhouses, 
 including the four parochial schoolhouses, are built of brick, 
 and all are in reasonably good condition with respect to 
 grounds and buildings. The buildings in the cities and 
 towns are excellent, and hundreds of country pupils yearly 
 attend the town and city schools. This retards the growth 
 of the township school sentiment. The salaries of the 
 teachers are above the average of salaries paid in rural 
 counties, the requirements for certificates being reasonably 
 rigid. Most of the schools have collections from the county 
 library in the schools and the teachers come into frequent 
 touch with the well-trained county librarian. The trend 
 in all of the county school work is toward more agricultural 
 instruction for the boys and more domestic science courses 
 for the girls. 
 
 The county has lOO churches if all the churches 
 of Delphos and Scott are counted. These are, without 
 making any effort to give them in the order of their 
 numerical strength, the Methodist, the Presbyterian, the 
 Lutheran, the United Brethren, the Baptist, the Catholic, 
 the Friends, the Christian, the Evangelical, the German 
 Reform, the Seven Day Adventist and the Christian Science, 
 and there is one Salvation Army. Almost all of the churches 
 of the county are in a flourishing condition and the religious 
 life of the county is on a high plane. This is evidenced 
 by the aggressive spirit of the churches, by the attendance 
 at services, by the liberal support given all religious move- 
 ments and by the fact that the county is pronouncedly dry. 
 Five years ago on the passage in Ohio of the county local 
 option law, making the county the unit in temperance 
 matters. Van Wert County voted dry and the " wets " were 
 
VAN WERT COUNTY 95 
 
 unable at the expiration of the first three-year period, and 
 have been unable at any time since then, to secure enough 
 signers to bring again the question to a vote. Under the dry 
 regime, dry sentiment has been steadily growing, and the 
 likelihood is that the county will never again become wet, 
 even though it is bounded on three sides by wet territory, 
 readily accessible by rail. Never before has the county been 
 so prosperous and so safe. The editor of the American 
 Issue, the Anti-Saloon League organ of the state, says 
 Van Wert County has one of the best organized anti-saloon 
 leagues in Ohio. 
 
 About 16,294 persons out of the population of 29,119 live 
 on farms and make general farming or some special phase 
 of farming their life work. Of the 259,497 acres in the 
 county, 3,902 represent the territory of the cities and towns, 
 about 10 per cent or 25,940 acres are in woodlands and not 
 over fifty acres are waste land, which leaves 229,580 acres 
 that are imder cultivation. A conservative estimate of the 
 value of all the land of the county exclusive of that included 
 in city and town corporations is $125 per acre. Some land 
 runs up to $200 an acre and a limited number of acres are 
 worth, because of location, excellence of improvements or 
 for some other reason, over $200 an acre. There is very 
 little land anywhere in the county that can be bought under 
 $100 an acre. So that $125 an acre as an average would be 
 considered low enough. The entire county farmland at 
 $125 an acre would therefore be worth $32,000,000. 
 
 Van Wert County has only one river, the St. Mary's, 
 which passes through the southwest comer of the county. 
 
 The chief crop of the county is corn and the average 
 yield for the whole county during the past ten years is 
 about fifty bushels per acre. Oats are the chief small grain. 
 They are not considered a paying crop on such valuable 
 land, but ordinarily the most certain crop in getting a 
 stand of clover, which is essential to the maintenance of 
 
96 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 fertility. Wheat, rye and barley are raised only on a small 
 scale. Next to corn and oats comes hay, which is a very 
 important crop in the county. In recent years much atten- 
 tion has been given to the raising of sugar beets, and the 
 likelihood is that alfalfa will greatly gain in favor owing 
 to a recent alfalfa campaign. Hogs and horses are the 
 chief live stock raised for shipment. Possibly a third of 
 the large annual corn crop of the county is used to fatten 
 hogs for shipment to the eastern markets and hundreds of 
 fine draft horses raised in Van Wert County are sold each 
 year in the great horse markets of the cotmtry, and many 
 of them bring fancy prices. Some cattle are raised, some 
 are shipped in and fattened and thousands of pounds of 
 butter-fat are gathered daily by the creamery wagons that 
 go all over the county, and there is scarcely a farmer in the 
 county that does not raise at least one or more hundred 
 chickens annually to sell and for egg production. 
 
 While the 16,294 country people are engaged in the 
 activities of farm life, most of the 12,825 residents of the 
 cities and towns are engaged in lines of business that get 
 their chief support from the people living in the county. 
 Aside from the railroad employees (about 1,000 in number) 
 who make Van Wert County their home, there are not more 
 than 500 persons among the 12,825 inhabitants of the cities 
 and towns whose business or profession is not almost solely 
 dependent on the local population. 
 
 The coimty spirit is very strong, which is evidenced by 
 the popularity of the several county institutions and the 
 many county activities of a varied character. The county 
 institutions of fiirst importance are the county library and 
 the county fair. The County Fair Board has, within a 
 mile of Van Wert City, fair grounds containing fifty- four 
 acres, on which are located excellent buildings for county 
 fair purposes, valued at $55,000. The fame of the Van 
 Wert Coimty Fair has gone abroad. The attendance during 
 
O 
 O 
 
 <: 
 > 
 
THE VAX WERT COUXTY FAIR 
 
 THE VAX WERT COUXTY FAIR 
 
FAN WERT COUNTY 97 
 
 the past four or five years has been for the five days during 
 which the fair is held 50,000 to 75,000. 
 
 That, locally, the value of the county unit is coming to 
 be more and more appreciated in all efforts along the lines 
 of progress is plain to be seen in the following instances. 
 
 When a few years ago a Chautauqua association was 
 organized, it was made a county institution. The County 
 Chautauqua has enabled Van Wert County to enjoy for a 
 number of seasons a Chautauqua program that has been 
 pre-eminently successful both artistically and financially. 
 
 A hospital has for several years been located at the 
 county-seat. Incorporated as The Van Wert County 
 Hospital, it is proving a success, which entitles it to a 
 permanent place among the established county institutions. 
 During the past few months the hospital trustees have 
 received from the estates of two Van Wert citizens, Marvin 
 Woodruff and John Strandler, bequests sufficiently large to 
 provide for a good building and an"adequate endowment. 
 
 By the time this book comes from the press, arrangements 
 will have been consummated whereby Van Wert County 
 will have at its county-seat one of the finest and most heavily 
 endowed Y. M. C. A. buildings in any city of corresponding 
 size in the United States. The will of John Strandler 
 provides for this in full with a stipulation that the Y. M. 
 C. A. must be incorporated under the laws of Ohio and be 
 a county organization. 
 
 County parks, a county fair, a; county library, a county 
 hospital, a county Chautauqua, a county Y. M. C. A. — all 
 the result of the county's own public-spirited citizens, who 
 made these institutions possible not only by generous dona- 
 tions of money but also by unselfish donations of time and 
 effort! All are indicative of a high type of county 
 patriotism. 
 
 In addition to the preceding philanthropies, several others 
 might be mentioned. George Marsh, Sr., deeded to Van 
 
98 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Wert County the ground which now constitutes the several 
 parks in the city of Van Wert. Ferine De Puy left a large 
 sum to the public schools of Van Wert, stipulating that the 
 income be used in buying books and clothing for poor 
 children. Mrs. Rachael Krout bequeathed to the First 
 Methodist Church a large part of her estate, which was 
 used to erect commodious Sunday-school rooms. Mrs. 
 Priscilla Buckingham left a bequest to be used as the best 
 interests of the city dictated. Marvin Woodruff gave a 
 large sum to the Lutheran Church of Van Wert, thereby 
 making possible the present fine stone structure. John 
 Strandler provided in his will for the endowment of an 
 instructorship in mathematics for the grades of the public 
 schools. 
 
 Other donations of smaller amounts have been made for 
 various purposes, but these represent the chief philan- 
 thropies of the county. 
 
 County institutions oi a business character are the Van 
 Wert County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, most of 
 whose business is in Van Wert County, and the Van Wert 
 County Mutual Live Stock Insurance Company, all of 
 whose business is confined to the county, both of which 
 institutions are in a flourishing condition. 
 
 Besides these county institutions there are many county 
 activities along a number of lines; e. g., there are com 
 contests, other crop growing contests, poultry shows, essay 
 contests, singing contests (thanks to the Welsh element in 
 our population) and numerous county gatherings such as 
 Farmers' and Teachers' Institutes and conventions for 
 various purposes, all of which bind the people of the county 
 together and stimulate cooperation and patriotism. 
 
 After this general survey of Van Wert County the reader 
 will be able to study more intelligently the statistical state- 
 ment of the work of the Brumback Library of Van Wert 
 County since it opened its doors to the public Jan. i, 1901. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES 
 
 TT HAS been shown how a library for Van Wert County, 
 ■'■ planned by J. S. Brumback, made possible through his 
 generosity, its future secured as a result of his foresight in 
 providing for its maintenance, was made a reality by the 
 action of the County Commissioners, H. H. Ludwig, Peter 
 Knittle and H. G. Schumm. These men were sufficiently 
 broad-minded and far-seeing to realize how much such an 
 institution might mean to the entire county. When they 
 officially approved the contract binding the county to main- 
 tain the library through all the future, their act was 
 applauded by a public-spirited people. Here it is worthy 
 of remark that the succeeding County Commissioners have 
 been in sympathy with the work of the library and have 
 cordially cooperated with its trustees. Some of them are 
 especially to be commended for their zeal in promoting the 
 moral and intellectual as well as the material interests of 
 the county. The present Commissioners elected in the fall 
 of 1913 are P. M. Weisman, George Fissel and H. G. 
 Schumm. Mr. Schumm was one of the three Commissioners 
 who signed the library contract in 1898. 
 
 After the way had been thus carefully prepared, it 
 remained for the Library Trustees to do their part, namely, 
 to make the county library a practical success. That they 
 fully appreciated the responsibility resting upon them and 
 assumed it successfully, may clearly be seen in the results 
 of fifteen years of conscientious efifort. No board ever 
 entered upon its duties with more zeal and enthusiasm 
 than did the one which met for the first time June 2, 1899, 
 
 99 
 
100 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 in the reading-room of the Ladies' Library Association, 
 and organized by electing J. P. Reed president, Thomas M. 
 Thorpe vice-president, and Saida M. Brumback (Mrs. E. I. 
 Antrim) secretary. The other members were Mrs. R. J. 
 Cavette, Mrs. W. H. Hiestand, Joseph L. Tossey and J. M. 
 Laudick. This same spirit of enthusiasm has characterized 
 the work of the succeeding members of the board. 
 
 Fifteen years ago, library work was not so fully 
 organized as today, library schools were not so generally 
 attended, library architecture had been given but little 
 special thought, library helps were less numerous and library 
 cooperation was less common. On this point Mr. C. B. 
 Galbreath, formerly Ohio State Librarian, in a book * com- 
 piled by him says : " By reference to the following pages 
 it will be found that the free library movement in Ohio is 
 still in its infancy. Only sixty-seven free circulating 
 reference libraries are reported in this state. Ohio suffers 
 by comparison with many other states. There was a time 
 when she held high rank in this important field. Recent 
 years have witnessed a revival of interest which the friends 
 of the library movement believe to be prophetic of better 
 things to follow. This has been accentuated and accelerated 
 by the intelligent philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie. Many 
 of his gifts have been made since the following sketches 
 went to press." 
 
 It is a matter of congratulation, therefore, that this first 
 Board had the wisdom to employ a trained library 
 organizer to introduce approved technical methods in the 
 routine work of the library. But when they turned their 
 attention to the matter of making the library available to 
 the remote rural districts of the county they could get no 
 assistance along this line, they found no established prece- 
 dent to follow, no county library to serve as a model. The 
 
 ♦ " Sketches of Ohio Libraries," published in 19M and being the 
 first attempt to give a detailed account of the condition and work of 
 the public libraries of Ohio. 
 
THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES 101 
 
 great awakening to rural problems had not yet taken place. 
 As a library owned and maintained by the people of the 
 county, to all of whom library service was due, it entered 
 upon a new field of library work, with conditions in the 
 county, as shall be seen, less favorable for carrying on rural 
 extension work than they. are today. 
 
 Fourteen years ago Van Wert County had the same 
 institutions which all counties have in connection with their 
 political and economic life. There had been considerable 
 demand for better roads and for such other improvements 
 as were necessary for the material welfare of the people of 
 the county. The county fair was the one county activity 
 which tended to unify all the people of the county, rural 
 and urban, in a social way. There were individual organiza- 
 tions in the county of various kinds for the benefit of local 
 communities, which acting separately sometimes operated 
 against rather than for one another. The real county spirit 
 of cooperation and patriotism which today brings the people 
 of the county into closer relationship had not yet developed. 
 When, then, the idea of making the county a unit in library 
 maintenance and service was advanced, it was regarded as 
 an innovation, both at home and abroad. Under these 
 conditions and with many problems peculiar to the situation 
 confronting them, the Board of Trustees was dominated 
 by the idea of making the library available and of real benefit 
 :o all the residents of the county and to this end devised 
 plans for the operation of a county library and gradually 
 worked out their own county library system. 
 
 It has been the purpose of the trustees at all times to 
 hold the administration of the library in their own hands 
 and to maintain a close supervision of its work. This has 
 enabled them to shape a library policy that has been con- 
 sistent through the years. But while the Board controls 
 the administration of the library, it considers the librarian 
 its executive and stands ready to encourage and support 
 
102 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 her efforts. By the careful thought, conscientious effort 
 and business methods of the Board, supplemented by the 
 efficient work of capable librarians, it has been possible to 
 put into successful operation a county library. 
 
 The following is a complete list of the trustees who have 
 cheerfully given of their time, without compensation, to the 
 management of the library. 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE BRUMBACK HEIRS 
 
 Mrs. E. I. Antrim, Secretary, Van Wert, 1899 to date. 
 John P. Reed, President, Van Wert, 1899 to date. 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 
 
 * J. L. Tossey, Hoaglin Township, 1899 to Nov. 13, 1901. 
 f G. B. Hale, Union Township, 1901-1906. 
 
 Mrs. R. J. Cavette, Van Wert, 1906 to date, 
 f J. M. Laudick, Delphos, Washington Township, 1899-1907. 
 
 J. W. Nicodemus, Ridge Township, 1907 to date. 
 *T. M. Thorpe, Willshire, 1899-1910. 
 f Rev. J. A. Gordon, D. D., Van Wert, 1910-1912. 
 
 C. B. Pollock, Vice-president, Van Wert, 1912 to date. 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE LADIES* LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
 
 Mrs. R. J. Cavette, Van Wert, 1899-1906. 
 Mrs. I. H. Malick, Van Wert, 1906 to date. 
 Mrs. W. H. Hiestand, Van Wert, 1899-1900. 
 
 * Mrs. J. Strandler, Van Wert, 1900-1903. 
 f Mrs. B. F. Troup, Van Wert, 1903-1912. 
 
 f Elmer Scott, Van Wert, 1912 to Oct., 1913. 
 Mrs. J. M. Craig, Van Wert, Jan., 1913, to date. 
 
 Three of this number, Mr. John P. Reed, Mrs. E. I. 
 Antrim and Mrs. R. J. Cavette, have been on the Board 
 since its organization and for their faithful work deserve 
 a special word. 
 
 Too much cannot be said of the service rendered the 
 library by John P. Reed, who has served as president of 
 the Board from the beginning. He is a son-in-law of the 
 
 ♦ Deceased. 
 
 t Changed residence. 
 
THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES 103 
 
 donor, having married Miss Estelle Brumback in 1886, 
 and has ever had the interests of the hbrary close at heart. 
 It is due, in large measure, to him that the building was so 
 substantially constructed, as he personally supervised the 
 work and insisted upon the best of workmanship and 
 materials in the fulfilling of all contracts. Furthermore, 
 because of his knowledge of conditions in the county and 
 wide-spread acquaintance with its people, with whom he has 
 had business dealings extending over a period of thirty-two 
 years in connection with the Oil Well Supply Company and 
 as cashier of the Van Wert National Bank, he has been an 
 important factor in the success of the library. His unselfish 
 work, his business-like methods and his genial disposition 
 have at all times inspired the County Commissioners with 
 confidence in the aims and work of the library, and have 
 wrought for absolute harmony among the in-coming and 
 out-going members of the Board. Mr. Reed was born at 
 Sharon, Pa. In early life he became associated with the 
 Oil Well Supply Company and served them in a responsible 
 capacity in New York and Pennsylvania before coming to 
 Van Wert, Ohio, where he continued with the company 
 until elected in 1889 cashier of the Van Wert National 
 Bank. 
 
 " Mrs. E. I. Antrim, nee Saida Brumback, youngest 
 daughter of J. S. Brumback and joint author of this book, 
 was bom in the city of Van Wert. She graduated from the 
 local High School, attended the Mary Institute of St. Louis 
 and later studied in the Ohio Wesleyan University. In 1899 
 she was married to Ernest Irving Antrim, A. B., De Pauw 
 University and Ph. D., Gottingen University, Germany, 
 since which time his interests have been centered in Van 
 Wert County, which, in 1912, he represented in the Ohio 
 Constitutional Convention. 
 
 " Mrs. Antrim was made one of the two representatives 
 of the Brumback family on the Library Board and has, out 
 
104 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 of pure love for the work, faithfully performed the duties 
 that devolved upon the secretary from the first meeting, 
 June 2, 1899, to date. Her untiring efforts and unlimited 
 enthusiasm have been a source of inspiration to her library 
 co-workers. Because of her long connection with the 
 library and her knowledge of the work in all its details, she 
 has been able to offer timely and valuable suggestions for 
 the consideration of the Board. Mrs. Antrim early got the 
 vision of the mission of a county library and this has been 
 the incentive in her work as a trustee." * 
 
 Another who has been identified with the work of the 
 library from its beginning and had an important part in all 
 its struggles and triumphs is Mrs. R. J. Cavette, nee Clara 
 Conover. Always ready to bear her share of the burden of 
 the work, her sound judgment and painstaking efforts have 
 at all times rendered her services most valuable, whether as 
 vice-president or as a member of the several committees. 
 Born in the city of Van Wert and actively interested in its 
 welfare, she was a charter member of the Ladies' Library 
 Association and acted as one of its representatives on the 
 Brumback Library Board from 1899 to 1906. She was then 
 appointed by the County Commissioners and has served as 
 their appointee since that time. 
 
 Mrs. I. H. Malick has been connected with the Brumback 
 Library as trustee for eight years. She is one of the 
 representatives appointed by the Ladies' Library Associa- 
 tion, of which she was a charter member. Her personal 
 and loyal interest in the library work makes her a useful 
 member and her willingness to do her part is shown by her 
 faithful attendance at Board meetings. Having long been 
 a resident of Van Wert County, she is familiar with its 
 activities and library interests. 
 
 Mr. J. W. Nicodemus, appointed by the County Commis- 
 sioners, has been a trustee for seven years, part of the time 
 
 ♦Written by E. I. Antrim. 
 
LOCATION OF DASIE BRANCH LIBRARY. INTERIOR 
 
LOCATION OF SCOTT BRAXCH LIBRARY, INTERIOR 
 
THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES 105 
 
 acting as vice-president. He wields a strong influence in 
 the county and his opinion is highly respected by scores of 
 citizens as well as his co-workers on the Library Board. He 
 is a recognized progressive farmer, having been for a 
 number of years one of the lecturers sent out by the state 
 to farmers' institutes and is at the present time president of 
 the Van Wert County Agricultural Society. He is a splendid 
 type of that class of men who are continually working for 
 the welfare of the people. 
 
 Mr. C. B. Pollock, vice-president, appointed by the 
 County Commissioners, is a young man of high ideals 
 and is greatly interested in all worthy county activities. He 
 is a scientific farmer, having had a course in agriculture at 
 the Ohio State University. He and his father have one 
 of the model farms of Van Wert County, noted for its 
 handsome buildings surrounded by grounds artistic in their 
 landscape effects. In the two years he has served as library 
 trustee, he has proved himself a very useful member. 
 
 Mrs. J. M. Craig was appointed January, 1914, to fill the 
 unexpired term of Mr. Elmer E. Scott, who recently moved 
 to Bayne, Washington. The Board lost a valuable member 
 when he resigned. The fact that Mrs. Craig was a charter 
 member of the Ladies' Library Association is a guarantee 
 that she will be a helpful member of the Brumback Library 
 Board. 
 
 The rules adopted by the trustees for their government 
 are as follows: 
 
 I. The Brumback Library is managed and controlled by a non- 
 partisan board of seven trustees, three of whom are appointed by 
 the Commissioners of Van Wert County, two by the heirs of J. S. 
 Brumback or his descendants, and two by the Ladies' Library 
 Association, in accordance with the contract entered into by and 
 between the above named parties July 30, 1898. [The method of 
 selecting trustees for a county library is very important. While it 
 is desirable that the County Commissioners have appointive power, 
 it is equally desirable to have some members appointed otherwise, 
 that the Board may be free from political entanglements.] 
 
106 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 2. Regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held 
 at the library building on the last Tuesday of each month at 
 7:30 P. M. 
 
 3. The president or any two members shall have power to call 
 a special meeting of the Board, and it shall be the duty of the 
 secretary to notify each member of any special meeting. 
 
 4. Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for 
 the transaction of business. 
 
 5. The order of business at regular meetings of the Board 
 shall be as follows: 
 
 A. Reading of the minutes. 
 
 B. Reports from standing committees. 
 
 C. Reports from special committees. 
 
 D. Reports from officers and librarian. 
 
 E. Unfinished business. 
 
 F. New business. 
 
 6. The officers of the Board shall consist of a president, vice- 
 president, and secretary, each of whom shall be elected at the 
 regular meeting in February and shall serve for one year, or until 
 their successors are elected. They shall be elected by ballot, a 
 majority of the whole Board being necessary to elect. 
 
 7. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Board, 
 appoint the standing committees, sign all orders on the county 
 treasurer, prepare for the consideration of the Board the annual 
 report of the Board of Trustees and perform such other duties as 
 usually pertain to the office. 
 
 8. The vice-president, in the absence of the president, shall 
 preside at all meetings of the Board, and in case of the death, 
 removal or resignation of the president shall perform his duties 
 until a successor is elected to serve for the unexpired term. 
 
 9. The secretary shall keep accurate minutes of the proceed- 
 ings of the Board of Trustees, together with accurate accounts of 
 all receipts and expenditures for and in behalf of the library. 
 He shall pay over to the treasurer of Van Wert County each 
 month, for the credit of the library fund, all moneys received by 
 the library and shall take and keep on file, for a period of at least 
 six years, vouchers for all moneys expended. He shall render a 
 complete and accurate financial statement of the library as shown 
 by his books, to the County Commissioners, on or before the end 
 of the fiscal year, to-wit, the first day of February, and perform 
 such other duties as usually pertain to the office. 
 
 ID. All orders drawn on the treasurer of Van Wert County 
 for the payment of moneys out of the library fund shall be signed 
 
THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES 107 
 
 by the president and secretary and issued only upon an aye and 
 nay vote of the Board of Trustees, entered upon the minutes. 
 
 11. There shall be five standing committees of the Board, con- 
 sisting of three members each, as follows : 
 
 Committee on Books and Reading-Room, Committee on Build- 
 ings and Grounds, Committee on Finance, Committee on Rules and 
 Regulations, and Committee on Circulation. 
 
 The president shall be ex-officio member of all standing com- 
 mittees. 
 
 12. The Committee on Books and Reading-Room shall have 
 general charge of all matters relating to the selection, purchase, 
 exchange, and binding of books and periodicals ; and of all matters 
 relating to stamps, plates, labels and printed forms in use in the 
 library. 
 
 13. The Committee on Buildings and Grounds shall have gen- 
 eral charge of all matters relating to the maintenance, alteration, 
 repair, furnishing, insurance, heating and lighting of the library 
 building; together with the general charge of the library grounds. 
 
 14. The Committee on Finance shall have general charge of 
 all matters relating to accounts, revenues and salaries, and shall 
 see that the proper tax levy for the maintenance of the library is 
 made by the County Commissioners as per contract. 
 
 15. The Committee on. Rules and Regulations shall have gen- 
 eral charge of all employees, together with the laws, rules and 
 regulations of the library and the enforcement thereof. 
 
 16. The Committee on Circulation shall have general charge 
 of the circulation of all books and maintain a supervision of the 
 branch libraries established by the Board. 
 
 17. All committees shall, at the regular meeting each month, 
 present reports showing in detail their transactions for the pre- 
 ceding month. No unusual or extraordinary indebtedness shall be 
 incurred except by order of the Board of Trustees. 
 
 18. When required by the Board to do so, the librarian shall 
 invite bids for furnishing the Board with such supplies, books, 
 etc., concerning which there can be competition among dealers. 
 Purchases shall be made from the lowest bidder, considering 
 quality, etc., local dealers being given the preference where prac- 
 ticable. All bills, except small expenses, which are to be paid by 
 the librarian as hereinafter mentioned, shall be indorsed by the 
 chairman of the committee under whose supervision said bills 
 were made. When a bill has been allowed by the Board of Trus- 
 tees, the secretary shall draw an order upon the county treasurer. 
 
108 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 payable to the order of the person in whose favor said bill is 
 allowed. 
 
 19. A sum not exceeding twenty-five dollars may be left with 
 the librarian to pay incidental expenses, such as postage, express 
 charges, freight, etc. True statements of such payments shall be 
 made to the Board of Trustees. 
 
 20. In meetings of the Board, all motions and resolutions 
 offered shall be laid over to the next ensuing meeting, on any 
 member of the Board giving notice to discuss. Upon demand of 
 any member, an aye and nay vote of the Board shall be taken and 
 recorded upon any motion or resolution. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE LIBRARY STAFF 
 
 THE work of the library having been properly organized 
 according to approved methods, it has been the policy 
 of the trustees, at all times, to have trained and educated 
 librarians at its head. The position of county librarian 
 offers opportunities to an ambitious person for development 
 in many directions. In connection with the duties, unusual 
 in their character, the librarian has the benefit of a thor- 
 oughly systematized county work, the result of many years 
 of experience in county extension activities. After becom- 
 ing sufficiently familiar with the county system the librarian 
 is given ample opportunity to exercise originality in further 
 development of the work, and frequently has the pleasure 
 of seeing the results of his efforts brought to a successful 
 fruition. While perfection is not to be expected in any 
 person, the model county librarian must have the following 
 qualifications : liberal education, library training or its equiv- 
 alent in library experience, high library ideals, executive 
 ability, tact and originality. 
 
 During the fourteen years of the library's history, four 
 librarians have been connected with it, all of whom have 
 been young women of ability and education and their work 
 has been of high character. The nature of the achievements 
 of each librarian has necessarily differed according to the 
 standards of the profession at large and the needs of the 
 library at the particular time of her incumbency, just as the 
 nature of the work of future librarians will differ from that 
 of today. Each has promoted the welfare of the library in 
 a general way and, at the same time, rendered valuable 
 
 109 
 
110 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 service along specific lines. The Brumback Library has 
 been fortunate in its librarians and much credit is due them 
 for the excellent results achieved. 
 
 Miss Ella L. Smith, the first librarian of the Brumback 
 Library, was born at St. Louis, but has spent most of her 
 life in Van Wert, Ohio, where she graduated from the 
 public schools. She received from the Ohio Wesleyan 
 University the degree of B. A. and from the University of 
 Michigan the degree of M. A. Before becoming librarian 
 of the Brumback Library, in August, 1900, she had had 
 considerable experience as a teacher in high school work. 
 She remained with the library until July, 1905, about which 
 time she accepted a position in the Mercantile Library of 
 San Francisco, remaining there until the earthquake disor- 
 ganized the city. She later became connected with the 
 library at Marion, Ohio. At present she is state library 
 organizer for Ohio. Associated with the Brumback Library 
 during its first five years she materially aided in its pioneer 
 work in the county, and because of her superior education 
 maintained at all times a high standard of literary excellence. 
 
 The members of the Board were pleased to employ as 
 librarian another resident of Van Wert County, Miss Jane 
 W. Brotherton, of Delphos, who was entitled to the position 
 not only because of her excellent preparation but also 
 because of her acquaintance with Van Wert County and its 
 library history. After completing her college course at 
 Denison University, Granville, Ohio, where she graduated 
 in 1899 with the degree of B. S., she attended the library 
 school of the University of Illinois, Urbana, 111., graduating 
 in 1903 with the degree B. L. S. She reorganized the 
 public library of Franklin, Ohio, September-December, 1903. 
 Later she was engaged as cataloguer in the Congressional 
 Library, Washington, D. C, 1904- 1905, which position she 
 resigned to become librarian of the Brumback Library of 
 Van Wert County, Ohio. Owing to the death of her mother 
 
THE LIBRARY STAFF 111 
 
 in 1909, Miss Brotherton tendered her resignation, which 
 was accepted with regret. She has not since taken a hbrary 
 position, but her influence remains at work not only in the 
 newly organized pubHc Hbrary of her home town but in the 
 results accomplished during her librarianship of the Brum- 
 back Library. 
 
 The Board was fortunate in its choice of Miss Corinne 
 
 A. Metz as successor to Miss Brotherton. Miss Metz was 
 ; bom in Newark, Ohio, and received her early education in 
 
 the public schools of that city. After one year at the West- 
 ern College for Women at Oxford, Ohio, she completed 
 her college course at Denison University, Granville, Ohio, 
 where she graduated with the degree of B. L. From 1905 
 to 1907 she attended the New York State Library School, 
 at Albany, N. Y., receiving from that institution the degree 
 
 B. L. S. Her first library experience was obtained at Wash- 
 ington Court House, Ohio, where she was librarian of the 
 public library from September 1907 to March 1909. From 
 March to September, 1909, she organized the Township 
 Library at Conneaut, Ohio. Her services with the Brum- 
 back Library were most successful as indicated by the fruit- 
 ful years of her incumbency, from December 1909 to 
 March 1913. She resigned to become librarian of the 
 Wasco County Library of The Dalles, Oregon. To this new 
 field of labor she carried the good wishes of many friends. 
 
 Miss Anna L. Holding was elected to the librarianship 
 of the Brumback Library in March, 1913. Graduating in 
 1901 from Oberlin College with the degree of A. B., she 
 was elected a Phi Beta Kappa in 1909, when the chapter 
 was established at that school. Beginning in 1901 she 
 taught in the public schools of Morgantown, W. Va., taking 
 at the same time post-graduate work at the University of 
 West Virginia. After teaching several years she entered 
 the New York State Library School and, during the time 
 she spent working for her degree of B. L. S., which she 
 
112 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 received in 1908, she served for a year on the stafif of the 
 New York State Library in the catalogue department. She 
 was an assistant in the Carnegie Library at Pittsburg from 
 1908 to 1 91 3, when she came to the Briunback Library. 
 Although she entered upon her new work but recently, she 
 has quickly gained a comprehensive knowledge of the 
 county work and her influence is felt in all the departments 
 of the library. 
 
 It is a fact worthy of note that the assistants have been 
 Van Wert young women with one exception. Miss Louise 
 Hawley, who was with the library twenty months as school 
 assistant; at the end of which time she returned to her home 
 to become librarian of the township library at Milan, Ohio. 
 The assistants who have been associated with the work of 
 the library have ably seconded the librarians' efforts. Some 
 of these have been imbued with the true library spirit. 
 They have worked together harmoniously and on the whole 
 have been faithful and loyal to the best interests of the 
 library. Much is heard today of the advantage of " team 
 work " in football playing. This same " team work " is 
 necessary to the success of a library, where is foimd a 
 diversity of talent, each individual possessing some needful 
 qualification to a greater or less degree. But when the work 
 of each person supplements that of the others, what strength 
 exists in the combination! 
 
 Much could be said of the efiSciency of the present stafif, 
 but only one characteristic of the work of each will be 
 given. Miss Matthys has been in charge of the loan depart- 
 ment for eight years. Under her faithful care the work 
 of this department is making steady progress. Miss Swart- 
 out as county assistant has the care of the work pertaining 
 to the fifteen county stations. In the six years of her 
 connection with the library she has proved herself syste- 
 matic, a very necessary qualification because of the detail 
 in this department. The work of Mrs. Conn as county 
 
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LOCATION OF CONVERSE BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
 LOCATION OF OHIO CITY BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
THE LIBRARY STAFF 113 
 
 school assistant is marked by enthusiasm, a valuable asset 
 in her dealings with the teachers of the rural schools and in 
 her personal contact with the children at the central library. 
 The library has been represented at every meeting of the 
 Ohio Library Association, 1901-1913 inclusive, except in 
 1907 and 1909, in the last of which years a change of 
 librarians occurred. On some occasions assistants and trus- 
 tees have accompanied the librarian to the meetings. In 
 two instances the librarian attended the meetings of the 
 American Library Association, and once she went to the 
 International meeting. 
 
 RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF EMPLOYEES 
 OF THE LIBRARY 
 
 1. The Board of Trustees shall elect, by ballot, a librarian, one 
 or more assistants, a janitor and such other employees as may be 
 required, a majority of the whole Board being necessary to elect. 
 They shall receive such compensation as the Board may deter- 
 mine, and shall be subject to removal at any time, at the pleasure 
 of the Board. The term of oflfice of all regular employees shall 
 end on the first day of March of each year. 
 
 2. Subject to the directions of the Board of Trustees and the 
 several committees, the librarian shall have charge of the library 
 building and grounds and shall be held responsible for the care 
 and safety of all books and other property contained therein or 
 connected therewith, as well as for the orderly deportment of 
 employees and patrons. The librarian shall also perform the 
 following duties : 
 
 Control, supervise and direct the working force, and as far as 
 practicable assist in the detail work of the several departments. 
 
 Keep in permanent form an account of all receipts and dis- 
 bursements of money in her charge and make a monthly report of 
 the same to the Board of Trustees. 
 
 Make a monthly report of the operations of the library, includ- 
 ing a list of all accessions to the various departments, whether by 
 gift or purchase, with such recommendations as will best promote 
 the efficiency of the library. 
 
 Keep record books of all accessions to the library, with the 
 date of receipt, and in case of donation, the name and place of 
 residence of the donor. Also, see that all accessions are properly 
 classified, shelf-listed and catalogued. 
 
114 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Prepare an annual report showing as fully as is practicable 
 the operations of the library for the preceding year, with an 
 inventory of all books, furniture and the contents of the building. 
 
 Seek in every proper way to promote the work and growth of 
 the library. 
 
 3. The assistant librarians shall perform such duties as the 
 librarian may direct. 
 
 4. The janitor is required to work ten hours per day artd such 
 added time as may be necessary for the proper performance of 
 his duties. He is subject to the direction of the librarian and 
 Board of Trustees during hours of service. 
 
 5. It is required that apprentice applicants accurately fill out the 
 prescribed blanks furnished by the library and return to the 
 librarian. Those desiring to enter the apprentice class must have 
 the equivalent of a high school education and must pass an exami- 
 nation in history, literature, and general information conducted by 
 the librarian. Other necessary qualifications are a fair knowledge 
 of books, good health, courteous manner, neatness in appearance 
 and work, accuracy, speed, reliability, general intelligence and 
 good judgment. These more general qualifications will be tested 
 during a term of apprenticeship, which requires 288 hours, the 
 hours per day to be arranged with the librarian, numbering not 
 more than five nor less than three. For these 288 hours no 
 remuneration is allowed, the opportunity given for training and 
 experience being considered full compensation. Only regular 
 technical training at one of the library schools or a sufficient 
 previous experience in library work can be accepted as an equiva- 
 lent to this experience as an apprentice before receiving a regular 
 appointment. 
 
 The library does not guarantee positions to those who finish 
 the course; an appointment depending upon a vacancy in the staff 
 and the nature of the position to be filled. 
 
 The following is a copy of the blank to be signed by applicants : 
 
 Name 
 
 Age 
 
 Health 
 
 Education 
 
 Library Experience 
 
 Motive for entering apprentice class 
 
 6. The library shall be open week days from 9 A. M. to 9 P. M. 
 The circulating department will be open from 9 A. M. to 8 P. M. 
 
 The length of a working day for members of the library staff 
 
THE LIBRARY STAFF 115 
 
 is seven hours. The hours of the librarian and assistants shall, 
 under the direction of the librarian and the committee on rules 
 and regulations, be arranged by schedule to insure the most 
 efficient service to the public. All employees are required to be in 
 their respective places during the prescribed hours of their 
 employment and to give prompt, cheerful, courteous and impar- 
 tial attendance to the patrons of the library and to their various 
 duties. 
 
 7. The library shall be open and free to all every week day 
 excepting New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, 
 Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day; also one-half day from 
 noon to 6 P. M. during the county fair, at the option of the Board. 
 
 8. A vacation with pay is granted each member of the staff, 
 but it cannot be taken until earned by service. The conditions 
 are as follows: 
 
 The vacation year begins and ends September 10. Those who 
 have been appointed during the year have a proportionate allow- 
 ance of hours to be taken after the end of the vacation year, Sep- 
 tember 10. Those leaving the library during the year are entitled 
 to no vacation. Each member is allowed a stated number of 
 hours for the year. Any absence of one hour or more must be 
 deducted by the librarian from this allowance of hours, any frac- 
 tion of an hour's absence being considered a full hour. The 
 vacation proper consists of hours left to the credit of the indi- 
 vidual. Absences occurring between the expiration of the vacation 
 and September 10 will be deducted from the salary. The librarian 
 must be notified in advance by assistants of any intended absence, 
 or as soon as possible in case of an unforeseen absence. Any 
 absence of seven or more continuous hours must be by special 
 permission of the librarian or rules committee. Exchange of 
 hours or making up lost time is not permitted except in rare cases 
 and subject to the approval of both the librarian and rules com- 
 mittee. It is urged for the sake of good health that the vacation 
 proper be taken during the summer and it should be taken con- 
 tinuously. Ordinarily two members of the staff must not be 
 absent at the same time and vacations must be so arranged that 
 one only will be off duty at any given time. In case of death in 
 the immediate family of an employee, there shall be no deduction 
 of pay on account of absence for a reasonable time. The librarian 
 is held accountable to the Board for the enforcement of scheduled 
 hours and a correct record of absences. 
 
 9. The appointment of apprentices and all regular assistants 
 is made by the Board of Trustees to the general service and all 
 
116 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 definite assignments of work are made by the librarian, being con- 
 ditioned on the special needs of the various departments as well 
 as the qualifications of the individual. Promotions from year to 
 year and from grade to grade, and all salaries for special positions 
 are determined by action of the Board of Trustees. All advances 
 in salaries depend upon growth and increased efficiency. Seniority, 
 the mere addition of another year to the term of service, does not, 
 in itself, justify an advance in salary; this must depend upon an 
 increase in the value of service rendered as compared with pre- 
 vious service. Length of service unaccompanied by increased 
 efficiency is rather a reason against than in favor of an advance 
 in salary; on the other hand, exceptional efficiency and rapid 
 growth may be recognized by more rapid promotion. In com- 
 puting salaries for a fraction of a month, twenty-six days is used 
 as the basis.* 
 
 STAFF OF THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY TO DATE 
 
 Organiser 
 
 Janet M. Green, Chicago. 
 Sept. I, 1900, to Feby. 16, igoi. 
 
 Librarians 
 
 Ella L. Smith, Aug. 15, 1900 — July 11, 1905. 
 Jane W. Brotherton, Sept. i, 1905 — Dec. 20, 1909. 
 Corinne A. Metz, Dec. 20, 1909 — Mch. i, 1913. 
 Anna L. Holding,f April 7, 1913, to date. 
 
 Assistants 
 
 Kathryne Meredith, Loan Department, Nov. i, 1900 — Oct. i, 1901. 
 Zora L. Smith, County Department, Nov., 1901 — Nov. 11, 1906. 
 Florence L. Casto, County Department, Sept. i, 1902 — Sept. i, 1907. 
 Carrie A. Matthys.f Loan Department, Sept. i, 1906, to date. 
 Ethel McDonald, County Department, Oct. i, 1907 — Sept. 2, 1909, 
 Ella Swartout,t County Department, Jan. i, 1908, to date. 
 Hazel Austin, Loan Department, Oct. i, 1909 — Dec. 9, 1909. 
 
 Louise Hawley, County School Department, Oct. i, 1910 Aug. 
 
 I, 1912. 
 Ella Bergert Conn,f School Department, Aug. i, 1912, to date. 
 
 *Free use was made of the Cleveland Library rules relative to 
 apprentices. 
 
 t Present staff. 
 
THE LIBRARY STAFF 
 
 117 
 
 Apprentices 
 
 Florence Casto, 1901. 
 Carrie Matthys, 1903. 
 Nancy Crouch, 1905. 
 Hazel Austin, 1907. 
 Ella Swartout, 1907. 
 Mary Chandler, 1909. 
 Marie Carmody, 1912. 
 Ruth Stupp, 1912. 
 
 Emma Swineford, 1902. 
 Ethel Clark, 1905. 
 Leah Wilson, 1907. 
 Ethel McDonald, 1907. 
 Grace McConahay, 1908. 
 Lucille Cusac, 1910. 
 Marcia Clark, 1912. 
 Gertrude McDonald, 1912. 
 
 Janitors 
 
 Nelson W. Hatfield, Dec. i, 1900 — July 14, 1906. 
 Emmett Gamble,* July 16, 1906 — to date. 
 
 * Present staflF. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE OPENING OF THE CIRCULATING DEPARTMENT 
 
 DURING the time which elapsed between the signing 
 of the library contract, July 30, 1898, and the dedica- 
 tion of the library, January i, 1901, the Trustees, appointed 
 under the provisions of the contract, were at work, prepara- 
 tory to the day when the library should be opened to the 
 public. At their first meeting, June 2, 1899, they appointed 
 two committees : one to request the County Commissioners 
 to levy a tax of one-half mill for library purposes for the 
 ensuing year, and the other to submit rules and regulations 
 governing trustees, employees, and patrons of the library. 
 
 At the next meeting of the Board, held July 11, 1900, it 
 was decided to employ Miss Janet M. Green, of Chicago, a 
 competent library organizer, to catalogue the 1,800 books 
 turned over by the Ladies' Library Association and the 
 3,000 volumes to be purchased with money realized from 
 the tax levy. She began the work September i, 1900, and 
 was assisted by Miss Ella Smith, the librarian-elect, who 
 had been the successful candidate in an examination of the 
 several applicants for the position. 
 
 On January i, 1901, the doors of the library were first 
 thrown open to the public, but owing to the fact that Miss 
 Green had been called home by the death of her mother, the 
 circulating department was not put into operation until 
 January 28. In this connection the following press com- 
 ments are of interest. 
 
 Yesterday was a red-letter day for all Van Wert County, 
 since the Brumback Library was opened to the public. The 
 good which will be derived from this institution cannot be 
 
 118 
 
OPENING OF CIRCULATING DEPARTMENT 119 
 
 estimated. Although the weather was somewhat disagreeable, 
 nevertheless some of the people of the county, not residing 
 in this town, availed themselves of the opportunity and car- 
 ried away several volumes. The first borrower's card was 
 made out to Mrs. E. P. Brumback, the widow of the donor 
 of the building. The first book issued to a resident of this 
 city was " The First Flute and Violin," by James L. Allen, 
 which was taken by T. C. Wilkinson. Mr. Yost, of Pleasant 
 Township, was the first person outside of the city of Van 
 Wert to call for a book, which was the " Biggie Berry Book." 
 Up to one o'clock in the afternoon, about two score books had 
 been taken away. " The Redemption of David Corson " 
 and " L'Aiglon " were two of the books which were in great- 
 est demand. A large majority of the books issued up to 
 this time were books of history and travel ; there were not so 
 many volumes of fiction borrowed as would have been sup- 
 posed. The reading and reference rooms had occupants all 
 day long. Children came into the library by the dozen asking 
 for books; they were given blanks, which had to be filled out 
 by their parents. Several of them hurried out after being 
 presented with slips and were back in ten minutes with the 
 blanks filled out in full and waited their turn to get books. 
 The latest magazines, journals and papers of the day are in 
 the reading room, where all may have access to them. — Van 
 Wert Democrat, Jan. 29, 1901. 
 
 The Van Wert County Public Library is now no more a 
 theme upon which people ponder, nor does it exist merely in 
 thought; it is a reality. Good libraries are of great value 
 to communities and greatly aid in the formation of a better 
 society, and are thus directly a means of better government. 
 We have long since been in need of local libraries, and Har- 
 rison Township can boast of at least one school library, which 
 at present contains something like 100 volumes ; but a county 
 library means something to us entirely different. Any person 
 in the county is entitled to the use of books if he complies 
 with the rules of the library. We were opposed to the county 
 library in the beginning and gave our reasons. However, 
 since we pay taxes and in this way help to keep up the 
 library we ought to be constantly on the alert and make the 
 Van Wert County Library a success; thus showing to other 
 counties that old Van Wert is now no more a backwoods 
 
120 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 settlement, but stands in the front rank of the counties of 
 an enlightened, intelligent commonwealth. Of course we are 
 aware of the fact that country people have to overcome a 
 great many difficulties, but by proper arrangements people 
 from most parts of the county can manage to return the books 
 by the time specified, although it is often very bad getting 
 to town in winter. Now that we have a chance to read mat- 
 ter which we helped to buy, let us one and all embrace the 
 opportunity and show that country people can read to ad- 
 vantage as well as city people, and since we pay most of the 
 county's taxes, let us do most of the county's reading. — Van 
 Wert Democrat (Harrison Township Items), Jan. 29, 1901. 
 
 If one were to go down to the Brumback Library and watch 
 the stream of humanity — young and old — entering its 
 portals from morning till night and every day in the week, 
 it seems to us that such a person would feel proud of the 
 town and county in which he lives. To crave and hunger for 
 more knowledge is the best indication that we are making 
 progress. 
 
 It has been very gratifying to the management to notice 
 that the country people are just as eager to secure the bene- 
 fits of the library as the residents of towns and villages. One 
 farmer came in Tuesday morning who had driven eleven 
 miles, and before he left home he had made out a list of 
 books that he wished to read from the lists already published 
 in The Republican and The Times. He said that he did not 
 want to wait for the establishment of sub-stations. Many 
 have applied for books who had the titles, names of authors 
 and call numbers with them when they came to the building, 
 which indicates that the printed lists are being saved. Up to 
 this morning over 280 volumes have been taken out of the 
 library, which is a remarkably large number for the three 
 days the library has been in running order. — Van Wert Re- 
 publican, Jan. 31, 1901. 
 
 When the circulating department of the library was 
 opened a rule was at once put into operation which, though 
 not in the printed rules, was thoroughly understood and 
 enforced. This rule was the limitation of two borrowers' 
 cards to each family. The Board made this rule because of 
 
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OPENING OF CIRCULATING DEPARTMENT 121 
 
 the comparatively small number of books then in the library, 
 and because it was their intention to make the books avail- 
 able at once to all the residents of the county. Therefore, 
 to give those living' at a greater distance an equal chance 
 with those living in the city of Van Wert it was decided to 
 allow but two books to any one family. The restriction was 
 not removed until 1908, when each person was entitled to a 
 card, with, however, the limitation of two books of fiction 
 in a family. Later, any resident was allowed both a fiction 
 and a non-fiction card. At the present time any resident of 
 eligible age is entitled to a card upon which two books may 
 be drawn, one of which must be non-fiction. In case of any 
 special need a borrower may draw other books on his card. 
 The general rules relative to the use of the library are as 
 follows : 
 
 1. The library shall be open and free to all every week day 
 (excepting New Year's Day, Decoration Day, Fourth of July, 
 Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day), from 9 A. M. to 9 P. M. 
 The circulating department will be open from 9 A. M. to 8 P. M. 
 
 2. Residents of Van Wert County and transient visitors above 
 the age of nine years are entitled to the privileges of the library 
 upon registering their names and residence and signing an agree- 
 ment to comply with the rules and regulations of the library and 
 upon complying with either of the following conditions: 
 
 a. Giving satisfactory bond in the form prescribed by the 
 Board of Trustees, revocable at the pleasure of the Board. 
 
 b. Depositing three dollars, and, in special cases, such further 
 sums as the value of the book asked for may, in the judgment of 
 the librarian, require. For such deposit a receipt will be given, 
 and money will be returned when all liabilities are satisfied. 
 
 3. Money security will be received only where it is impossible 
 to furnish personal security. 
 
 4. When bond security is given it must be renewed at least 
 once in three years, or upon the death of the surety or his removal 
 from the county, or if for any reason the committee on circula- 
 tion consider it insufficient. 
 
 [Note. — The above requirements relating to guarantor's signa- 
 ture are not generally enforced today.] 
 
 5. Non-residents may draw books from the library by com- 
 
122 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 plying with the rules for residents, and by paying three dollars 
 annually in advance. 
 
 6. Each person entitled to draw books from the library will be 
 supplied with a card, inscribed with his name, residence and 
 register number. This card must be presented whenever a book 
 is taken, returned or renewed. Immediate notice of a change of 
 residence must be given. Neglect to do this may subject the card- 
 holder to a forfeiture of privileges. 
 
 7. The registered holder of a card is, in all cases, responsible 
 for books drawn by means of his card, by whomsoever presented, 
 and for all fines and costs accrued on the same. 
 
 8. If a card is lost a duplicate will be given on payment of 
 ten cents, or without fee, at the expiration of two weeks. In 
 order to avoid responsibility and to prevent the use of the card by 
 unauthorized persons, notice of its loss must be given immediately 
 to the librarian. 
 
 9. Only one volume may be taken on account, unless the work 
 be in two volumes, when, at the discretion of the librarian, two 
 volumes may be taken. Special cards may be issued to teachers 
 allowing them the privilege of drawing a number of volumes for 
 use in the class-room. 
 
 [Note. — This rule has been changed to allow a borrower two 
 books on his card, provided one is non-fiction. He is also per- 
 mitted, at the discretion of the librarian, to draw other books 
 when same are needed for special home study. Other special 
 privileges are granted, subject, however, to change.] 
 
 10. Books may be retained two weeks, and may be once 
 renewed for the same period. No book shall be re-issued to the 
 same person until it has been on the shelves twenty-four hours. 
 Books may not be taken and returned on the same day. Books 
 of recent purchase, labeled " Seven Day Book,'' shall not be 
 retained more than one week, and may not be renewed or trans- 
 ferred. 
 
 11. Any one withholding a book beyond the period limit in 
 these rules shall be fined two cents for each volume, for each day 
 over time. No one in the same household shall receive another 
 book until the fine is paid. 
 
 12. Persons drawing books must examine their cards to see 
 that correct entries are made thereon. After a book has been 
 taken from the library the entry therefor will be conclusively 
 presumed to be correct. 
 
 13. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, bound periodicals and other 
 works of reference, elaborately illustrated books, and other volumes 
 
OPENING OF CIRCULATING DEPARTMENT 123 
 
 unsuited for general circulation may be used only in the library 
 rooms. 
 
 14. Books withheld in violation of the rules, after reasonable 
 notice has been mailed to the delinquent, may be sent for, and to 
 the fine shall be added the expense thereby entailed. No book 
 will be loaned to the delinquent, or member of the same household, 
 until such fines or charges are paid. 
 
 15. If any book is not returned within one month after notice 
 is mailed, the librarian may proceed against the borrower and 
 guarantor to collect, by law, the value of the book, with accrued 
 fines and other charges to the date of payment. 
 
 16. In computing the time during which a book may be 
 retained, the day on which the book is taken out is not counted, 
 but Sundays, holidays and other days, on which the library may be 
 closed, are always counted, except when such days happen to be 
 the ones on which the count ends, in which case the count shall end 
 at the close of the first day thereafter on which the library may 
 be open. 
 
 17. Persons having any form of contagious disease in their 
 residence or families shall not be permitted to draw books from 
 the library. Any person in possession of books belonging to the 
 library and on whose premises contagious diseases exist must 
 report the same to the librarian before returning the books, and 
 then await instructions as to their disposal. No fines will be 
 charged under these circumstances. 
 
 18. Books are presumed to be in good condition when issued, 
 and the last borrower shall be held responsible for any mutilation 
 or defacement, unless the same is reported when the book is taken 
 out. All injuries to books, beyond reasonable wear, and all losses 
 must be made good by the borrower, and failure to do so makes 
 the guarantor responsible and may lead to a forfeiture of all 
 privileges to the borrower. 
 
 19. All persons above the age of nine years, of respectable 
 character, and of such orderly conduct as not to interfere with the 
 occupation and comfort of others, shall, during all regular hours, 
 have free use of the papers, periodicals and books of the library 
 for consultation in the building. Children under nine years of 
 age must be accompanied by an adult. 
 
 20. Conversation and conduct inconsistent with quiet and good 
 order in the library are strictly forbidden. Talking to attendants, 
 except on matters pertaining to the use of the library, is not 
 allowed. No person shall be allowed to converse, lounge, sleep, 
 
124 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 partake of refreshments, or use the rooms of the library for any 
 other purpose than that for which they are intended. 
 
 21. Persons mutilating or damaging any book, paper or 
 periodical, bound or unbound, either by turning down leaves, cut- 
 ting, marking, tearing, or in any other way that injures their 
 value, are liable to prosecution under the act passed by the General 
 Assembly of the state of Ohio, entitled " AN ACT TO PROVIDE 
 FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF INJURY DONE TO NEWS- 
 PAPERS AND PERIODICALS IN READING-ROOMS AS 
 FOLLOWS: That if any person shall intentionally deface, 
 obliterate, tear or destroy, in whole or in part, any newspaper, 
 magazine or periodical on file in any library or other association 
 in this state, or shall cut therefrom any article or advertisement, 
 such person shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not 
 exceeding $ioo nor less than $io, or be imprisoned in the coimty 
 jail not exceeding thirty days, or both of said punishments, at the 
 discretion of the Court." 
 
 22. If any person abuses the privileges of the library by 
 unbecoming conduct, or by violation of any of the regulations, the 
 librarian or assistants shall have power to act summarily in the 
 matter, and, if the case is one of gross offense, cause the offender 
 to be at once excluded from the library, reporting all such cases to 
 the Board of Trustees, who may exclude such person from the 
 library for a time, or permanently, according to the nature and 
 degree of the offense. 
 
 23. Patrons of the library who feel aggrieved from any cause 
 are requested to report their grievance to the librarian, who will 
 see that the matter is righted, or will refer it to the Board of 
 Trustees. 
 
 24. These rules and regulations, or any of them, may be sus- 
 pended by the affirmative vote of five members of the full Board 
 of Trustees. 
 
 25. Amendments to the rules and regulations shall be referred 
 to the committee on rules and regulations, and shall be reported 
 back by it to the Board of Trustees before action is taken thereon. 
 It shall require a majority vote of the full Board of Trustees to 
 amend or change. 
 
 The work of the library will be considered under the 
 three heads : Central Library, Branch Libraries, and Schools. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE CENTRAL LIBRARY 
 
 rp HE work done at the central library in so far as it has 
 ■■■ to do with the city of Van Wert is very similar to that 
 of the average municipal library; but this is only part of 
 the work, since the central library is headquarters for all 
 the coimty rural extension service. The routine work of 
 the library is carried on in three distinct departments, with 
 .an assistant at the head of each: that of central library 
 proper, that of the county branch libraries and that of the 
 schools of the county (both city and country). In con- 
 sidering the work of the central library, only such special 
 features as may be of interest are given. 
 
 No one at the opening of the library had any idea that it 
 would grow and develop so rapidly. Its history is one of 
 expansion in all directions in an endeavor to meet the 
 increasing demands upon it for books and library service of 
 all kinds ; and this expansion naturally made necessary more 
 funds, more lal;>or, more working space, more storage 
 accommodations, more library tools, etc. As evidence of 
 this growth, in the first year a new wall-stack was placed in 
 the west reference room; the following year the east room 
 was fitted with wall-stacks for reference collections; also 
 one additional double stack and two wall-stacks were placed 
 in the stack-room; in 1907 the walls of the west reference 
 room were lined with shelving, another double stack was 
 added and the stacks in the book-room were re-arranged, 
 permitting working space at the rear of the room. In the 
 meantime cupboards and shelves with glass doors had been 
 built in a basement room. Later, in another basement room, 
 
 135 
 
126 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the county school collection was placed on rough shelving, 
 while in a third the government documents were temporarily 
 housed. In 19 13 a second stack-room was placed over the 
 first floor book-room with the same number of stacks, which 
 almost doubles the shelving capacity of the library. 
 
 The stairway leading to the upper stack-room and all 
 shelving and stacks in the library, except those in the 
 basement, are of steel, and the upper stack floor is of 
 glass. The additional shelving permits of a more convenient 
 arrangement of the bound periodicals and makes it possible 
 to set aside a room exclusively for children. 
 
 Juvenile books represent 40% to 50% of the total circula- 
 tion in spite of the fact that the children have not received 
 as much attention as has been desired. They have had a 
 comer of their own and their needs have been as carefully 
 looked after as possible under existing conditions. But 
 now they have the direct supervision of an interested assist- 
 ant, in a small room of their own, which is filled with their 
 own books. Even this is inadequate for the children, but 
 it may shortly lead to something better, as it is the intention 
 of the Board next to utilize the large and valuable space in 
 the basement in making provision not only for a com- 
 modious children's room but also for a meeting-place for 
 county committees, teachers, debate workers and others. 
 This can be made as delightful as any other part of the 
 building, but would require an outlay of considerable money, 
 which will necessitate its postponement for a time owing 
 to the extensive improvements of 1913. 
 
 Up to the present time the income of the library has been 
 used largely in establishing, extending and maintaining the 
 service of the library in the county and in providing the 
 necessary equipment of books. In the future, with 25,000 
 volumes on hand, it will not be necessary to buy books so 
 rapidly. The needs of each department can be more accu- 
 rately estimated and books bought accordingly. 
 
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY 127 
 
 To a certain extent each library must needs be a law unto 
 itself. A university library must be large and well adapted 
 to take care of all kinds of research work, a city library 
 must be prepared to meet the varied demands of a cosmo- 
 politan people representing innumerable phases of city activ- 
 ity. The mission of the county library is neither of these. 
 Accordingly, the policy for the future will not be to build 
 up a great library of books (although the time will soon 
 come when there will be as many books as there are people 
 in the county) , but rather to secure a moderate-sized library 
 and to keep it such, a library that can be properly cared for 
 and yet amply large to provide for the county work easily, 
 successfully and without handicap. To make the library 
 most effective it is necessary that a sufficient sum be expended 
 annually to keep the collection in good working order by a 
 system of elimination, substitution and renewal. In other 
 words, it would seem advisable, after having built up a 
 working library of books fairly adequate to the service 
 expected of it, to expend more of the library's income in 
 getting the most use and good out of these books. Money 
 spent for books to remain in idleness is ill spent ; but when it 
 takes them to the people or brings the people to them, it is 
 well spent. Persuaded by this system of reasoning, the 
 Board may feel justified ere long in using, if necessary, 
 some of the book fund each year wherewith to equip the 
 basement for the good of the library patrons and to attract 
 other patrons. 
 
 Because the work of the several departments of the library 
 in connection with the county extension service is done at 
 the central library, the general public does not have access 
 to the main stacks, but access is given special workers, 
 such as teachers, ministers or others seeking the privilege 
 for particular reasons. However, changing and varied col- 
 lections are always to be found in special cases in the read- 
 ing-room. In 1904 and again in 1908 the rotation plan was 
 
128 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 used. In order that the patrons of the Hbrary might have 
 an opportunity to examine all the books on the shelves, a 
 section of books from each class was placed periodically in 
 the display case holding 200 volumes and located at the 
 right of the delivery desk. This was continued until the 
 entire collection had been reviewed. Other general col- 
 lections placed in the reading-room are selected from various 
 lists of best books. Here are also to be found special col- 
 lections on timely subjects of interest to the general public. 
 
 In the course of time, it became the custom among cer- 
 tain cliques to monopolize the popular books of fiction. To 
 break this up, in 1906 the postal reserve system was inaug- 
 urated by which anyone could have a book held for him on 
 registering his name and depositing a cent to cover cost of 
 notification. Six hundred and forty-seven took advantage 
 of this the first year. 
 
 In 191 1, in addition to a borrower's card allowing the 
 holder to draw two books, one non-fiction, as well as other 
 books for special work, another special privilege was granted. 
 This permits library borrowers who leave home for an 
 extended stay during the summer months to draw five 
 books other than seven-day books, which may be retained 
 without renewal until October i, after which a fine of two 
 cents a day accrues on each book. 
 
 The city of Van Wert has a remarkable number of clubs 
 and other organizations. The library has always aimed to 
 serve the book needs of all these. To do this more effectually 
 a clipping collection was started in 1910. Moreover, in 1913 
 the accumulated material for a picture collection was assem- 
 bled, catalogued and made available for use. At times 
 shelves have been reserved for the books in use by the clubs, 
 and assistance is always given, when desired, in making 
 programmes based on the library collection. 
 
 In 1 910 the library passed through an experience which it 
 is hoped will not soon be repeated, when small-pox assumed 
 
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY 129 
 
 the proportions of a mild epidemic in Van Wert City and 
 some parts of the county. The library took steps imme- 
 diately to use every precaution to prevent any possible spread 
 of the contagion through the library books. The station 
 at Elgin was closed for a month owing to the prevalence 
 of the disease in that locality. Although the central library 
 was not closed at any time, no effort was made to increase 
 the use of the books. Daily communication with the health 
 officer was maintained and any books which were in homes 
 where there was known to be infection were burned. Each 
 day's return of books over the desk was thoroughly fumi- 
 gated, as were all those returned from the county. This 
 fumigation continued from March 3 to April 26. The fact 
 that no one in the library has ever contracted any form of 
 contagious disease, which seems to be the experience of 
 other libraries, would indicate that the danger of infection 
 from library books is slight. 
 
 One of the pleasing events in the history of the library 
 was a lecture at the library by Miss Edna Lyman, of Oak 
 Park, Illinois, on the subject of " The Listening Child." 
 Teachers of the county and town schools and Sunday 
 schools and all other interested persons were invited to be 
 present. Another treat of a similar nature was afforded 
 both adults and children during the summer of 1913 at the 
 Chautauqua in the sessions conducted by Miss Georgene 
 Faulkner, " The Story Lady." At one of the Chautauqua 
 sessions for teachers the librarian was invited to give a talk 
 on children's books. Such opportunities are gladly em- 
 braced, as they aid in disseminating a knowledge of the 
 library's resources. Other speakers at the Chautauqua said 
 a good word concerning the usefulness of the Brumback 
 Library to the county. The sentiment of the librarian in 
 her fourth annual report is heartily to be endorsed. " Much 
 good has been done by the timely word spoken by those who 
 come among us as strangers; notably by the instructors of 
 
130 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the different fanners' and teachers' institutes held in the 
 county. Often a word spoken at the right moment by a 
 wholly disinterested person carries more weight than all 
 that can be said by those closely connected with an institu- 
 tion and presumably personally interested in its success; 
 and to those we gratefully acknowledge our debt of grati- 
 tude." Another pleasing Chautauqua incident of special 
 interest to the library was the planting, by special request, 
 of two elm trees in the library park by Ex-Gov. J. Frank 
 Hanley and Congressman Richmond Pearson Hobson, 
 whose famous debate on the question, " Should the nations 
 of the earth disarm," was the chief Chautauqua attraction 
 for 1913. At five o'clock on the afternoon of July 31, after 
 preparations for planting the trees had been made, Ex-Gov. 
 Hanley said, " I plant this tree in the name of fraternity 
 and peace " and Congressman Hobson said, " I plant this 
 tree in the name of fraternity and peace and in the hope 
 that it will receive all the protection necessary during its 
 young life." 
 
 Some of the special work done by the central library has 
 been that of preparing suggestive book lists on various sub- 
 jects. A few of the lists are as follows : Some of the best 
 books of each year compiled by the New York State Library ; 
 Recent books on agriculture (frequent lists of these) ; Col- 
 lege stories for girls; Legal novels; Book notice calling 
 attention to the set of books entitled " Modern Medicine," 
 compiled by Dr. Edward William Osier (recommended 
 for purchase by the Van Wert County Medical Associa- 
 tion) ; Books on kindness to animals (by request of the local 
 Humane Society) ; Books for the Ohio Teachers' Reading 
 Circle ; Books for Sunday school workers ; Books of interest 
 to business men ; Book notice of " Reminiscences " by Carl 
 Schurz, whom Van Wert had the honor to entertain ; Books 
 on the drama; Books on com growing; Books for parents 
 and teachers; Novels of the American Revolution for the 
 
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY 131 
 
 D. A. R. ; Books on Woman's Suffrage ; Books of interest 
 to housekeepers; Books for children, etc. Brief Hsts on 
 special and timely subjects were also prepared and printed 
 each week in the daily papers, and copies of these were run 
 off for distribution. This plan was so successfully carried 
 out for some time that it will again be put into operation. 
 
 Free use has been made of bulletin boards with the object 
 of attracting attention to special days and events of the year 
 and to books on particular subjects. Occasional exhibits 
 are also made, a few of which are herewith mentioned. 
 An exhibit on home economics was made in 1908 when 
 Van Wert was becoming interested in domestic science and 
 manual training for the public schools. A large new high 
 school building has now a complete equipment for these 
 departments. A book-binding display from the Newark, 
 N. J., public library attracted many people to the reading- 
 room. Books were shown in the various stages of binding, 
 together with one hundred or more mounts containing 
 samples of the materials used in book-binding. Attractive 
 pictures illustrating the uniforms of the army were pre- 
 sented to the library by the War Department and placed 
 on exhibition. Another collection of pictures showing the 
 use and protection of our national forests, loaned to the 
 library for a limited period by the United States Forest 
 Service Bureau at Washington, was displayed to the public. 
 Both of these collections were of general interest. Exhibits 
 of books for Christmas gifts are made annually, together 
 with other suggestive Christmas features. 
 
 In this connection, it might be added that a clearing- 
 house of suitable library exhibits having to do with the arts 
 and trades, which would loan such exhibits at a reasonable 
 rental, would be a boon to many libraries. Or, if loans of 
 various kinds are available from any one source at the 
 present time, let it be made more generally known to libra- 
 ries of towns and cities which do not have the advantage of 
 
132 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 art museums. There has lately been some general discus- 
 sion in the Library Journal as to how the American Library 
 Association might become more serviceable. Would it be 
 out of keeping to suggest here that in addition to its present 
 helpful work some such work as this along more general 
 lines might lie within the province of the A. L. A. ? If it 
 were to do specific work of this kind whereby the smaller 
 libraries would be strengthened, this would be an added 
 inducement to them to seek membership in the National 
 Association and there would be mutual helpfulness. 
 
 Mr. Percy F. Bicknell, a distinguished literary critic, has 
 the following to say of the eleventh annual report of the 
 Brumback Library: 
 
 A county library in Ohio, founded eleven years ago, con- 
 siderably in advance of the now famous California county 
 library system, issues its annual report in a readable pamphlet 
 entitled " The Brumback Library of Van Wert County." 
 Especially notable in this eleventh annual record of progress 
 is the largeness of result as compared with the smallness of 
 outlay. At an expense of only seven thousand dollars (or 
 $7,013.64, to be exact,) the activities of the central library 
 at Van Wert and of its fifteen branch stations and school 
 libraries have gone on for a year. It is true that the entire 
 county numbers less than 30,000 inhabitants, but even so the 
 maintenance of so good a library service (including purchase 
 of new books and payment of all other expenses) at so small 
 a cost to those served is worthy of note. The Van Wert 
 library workers deserve, of course, more generous financial 
 support.* 
 
 ♦ The Dial, July 16, igiz. 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 
 I9OI 
 
 THE Board at their first meeting after the opening of 
 the library turned their attention to the matter of the 
 extension of Hbrary privileges to the rural districts. They 
 realized that it was desirable to make the library of value 
 to the entire county by wide-spread library service and thus 
 eliminate possible criticism of its work. They considered it 
 just and right that special attention should be shown those 
 who, living at a distance from Van Wert, could not have 
 immediate access to the library's resources. Since the peo- 
 ple in all cases could not come to the library for books, it 
 only remained for the books to be sent to the people. In 
 pursuance of this policy, the Board at once began to consider 
 plans. Having no precedent or model to follow in this 
 rural extension library service they could only proceed 
 experimentally. 
 
 The town of Willshire as one of the most remote points 
 in the county was the first to receive a collection of books. 
 This was fitting for another reason, since Willshire Town- 
 ship was the first part of the county to be settled and the 
 town Willshire was the first county-seat. Accordingly, 
 on February 19, 1901, about one hundred books were sent 
 to the hardware store of Hurless and Brown, where, placed 
 in a neat book-case, they were cared for by Ellsworth 
 Brown. Willshire at present has a population of 653 and 
 lies eighteen miles southwest of Van Wert. It has no 
 direct connection by railroad. The Clover Leaf Railroad 
 
 133 
 
134 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 passes through it and books are shipped to the station with 
 a change of cars. Visits are made to the branch by 
 automobile. 
 
 Saturday was the opening day of the Willshire Branch of 
 the Brumback Library. We made a visit to the Hurless and 
 Brown hardware store, where the hbrary is located, and found 
 that the library contained 105 up-to-date and educational 
 books. Twenty-five of our young people availed themselves 
 of the books. Willshire has long needed a library of this 
 kind and is" well pleased with its branch library, which will 
 be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The only 
 drawback now is that many found the books so interesting 
 that they soon read them and could get no more until Tuesday. 
 The young men' and women of Willshire feel that they owe 
 a debt of gratitude to the Brumback heirs. — Van Wert Repub- 
 lican, Feb. 28, 1901. 
 
 The present location of the branch is the drug store of 
 W. W. Parks, who gives it interested attention. 
 
 And now followed the establishment of branches as 
 quickly as satisfactory arrangements could be made. March 
 7, 1901, fifty books were sent to Ohio City, Liberty Town- 
 ship, and located in the drug store of J. A. Swoveland. 
 Ohio City has a population of 860 and lies eight miles south 
 of Van Wert on the Erie, Clover Leaf, and Cincinnati 
 Northern railroads, the last of which connects it with 
 Yan Wert. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that our original T opposed 
 
 the Brumback Library movement somewhat, we should like 
 to have a branch library established in Ohio City as soon as 
 possible. Good books are the best of companions and our 
 young people would greatly appreciate the opportunity to read 
 them. Other towns in the county are hustling to get their 
 sub-stations started and it is high time that we should share 
 in the benefits as well as in the expense. — Van Wert Bulletin 
 (Ohio City Items), March 15, 1901. 
 
 March 11, 1901, fifty vokunes were placed in the drug 
 store of B. F. Leslie, at Convoy, Tully Township. Convoy 
 

 X 
 
 > 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 135 
 
 has a population of 741 and is located eight miles west of 
 Van Wert on the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Ohio Elec- 
 tric Traction Line, both of which connect it with Van Wert. 
 From its establishment to the present time the branch has 
 remained with Mr. Leslie, and for six consecutive years, 
 beginning with 1908, it has led the circulation of all the 
 branches. 
 
 Fifty books were sent March 12, 1901, to Middlepoint, 
 Washington Township, where H. A. Mohler took charge 
 of them in his drug store. The branch remains in this loca- 
 tion at the present time. Middlepoint has a population of 
 607 and is located eight miles east of Van Wert on the 
 Pennsylvania Railroad and the Ohio Electric Traction Line. 
 
 March 14, 1901, there were placed one hundred books 
 in the law office of Judge B. J. Brotherton, of Delphos, 
 which were cared for by his daughter. Miss Jane Brother- 
 ton, and later by other members of the family. It remained 
 in this location until April, 1913, when it was transferred to 
 the new public library. Delphos has a population of 5,038, 
 2,482 of whom live in Van Wert County and the remainder 
 in Allen County. The city is about fourteen miles east of 
 Van Wert and is connected with it by the Pennsylvania 
 Railroad and the Ohio Electric Traction Line. The follow- 
 ing article from the Delphos Courant of May 8, 1901, is of 
 interest, giving, as it does, a, list of one of the first county 
 collections : 
 
 Miss Jennie Brotherton in charge of the Delphos Delivery 
 Station of the Brumback Library has kindly furnished us 
 with the following list of the books now here. Over fifty 
 cards have been taken out for the privilege already. Our 
 readers should file this list away, since it will be found a con- 
 venience in the use of the library. The station is at the law 
 office of Judge Brotherton and will be open on Tuesdays from 
 2 to 5 P. M., and on Saturdays from 9 A. M. to 12 M. 
 As Miss Brotherton is serving without any compensation, the 
 public should be as considerate in the observance of the rules 
 as possible. 
 
136 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Portrait of a Lady, Henry James; We All, Octave Thanet; 
 The Golden Age in Transylvania, Maurus Jokai; Gustav Adolf, 
 Topelius; The Regent's Daughter, Alexander Dumas; The 
 Chevalier D'Harmental, Alexander Dumas; The Sowers, H. 
 Seton Merriman; A Humble Romance, Mary E. Wilkins; Three 
 Men on Wheels, Jerome K. Jerome; Pudd'nhead Wilson, Mark 
 Twain; Stalky & Co., Rudyard Kipling; The Bicyclers and Three 
 Other Farces, J. K. Bangs; The Sleeping Car and Other Farces, 
 W. D. Howells; The King's Henchman, W. H. Johnson; History 
 of Pendennis, W. M. Thackeray; Ninety-Three, Victor Hugo; 
 The Monastery, The Abbot, Walter Scott; Rienzi, Bulwer; The 
 Pilgrims of the Rhine, Bulwer; An Independent Daughter, Amy 
 Blanchard; In Vain, H. Sienkiewicz; Uncle Remus and His Say- 
 ings, J. C. Harris; The Premier and the Painter, Israel Zangwill; 
 Alice of Old Vincennes, Maurice Thompson; The Redemption of 
 David Corson, Charles F. Goss; L'Aiglon, English Translation; 
 Richard, Yea and Nay, Maurice Hewlitt; Eben Holden, I. Bach- 
 eller ; Bits of Travel at Home, H. H. Jackson ; An American Girl 
 in London, Mrs. E. Cotes ; Old England, James M. Hoppin ; Excur- 
 sions, H. D. Thoreau ; Walden, H. D. Thoreau ; In the Dozy 
 Hours, Agnes Repplier; Essays on Work and Culture, Hamilton 
 W. Mabie; Representative Men, R. W. Emerson; John Gabriel 
 Borkman, Henrik Ibsen; The Aztecs, Biart; Primitive Industry, 
 C. C. Abbot; Stories from the Greek Tragedies, Church; Greek 
 Gods, Heroes and Men, Harding; The Story of the Nations 
 (Mexico), Hale; The Conspiracy of Pontiac (2 vols.), Parkman; 
 Boys of 1812, James E. Soley; History of Romulus, John Abbott; 
 History of Louis the Fourteenth, John Abbott; History of Louis 
 Philippe, John Abbott; Richelieu, Richard Dodge; The French 
 War and the Revolution, Sloan; Twelve Naval Captains, Sewell; 
 Czar and Sultan, Archibald Forbes; Kit Carson, Abbott; The 
 Evolution of Christianity, Lyman Abbott; Origin of Religion, F. 
 Max Miiller; Darwinism and Other Essays, John Fiske; A Popu- 
 lar History of Music, Matthews ; What is Good Music, Henderson ; 
 The Standard Operas, Upton; Love Songs of Childhood, Eugene 
 Field; Open Sesame (3 vols.), compiled by Bellany and Goodwin; 
 Electricity in Modern Life, C. W. de Tunzelman; The Story of 
 Architecture, Matthews; History of Ancient Art, Reber; History 
 of Mediaeval Art, Reber; European Schools, Klem; Jimty and 
 Others, M. S. Brisco; Two Prisoners, Thomas N. Page; Boys of 
 Scrooby; The Red Fairy Book, Andrew Lang; The Story Hour, 
 Kate D. Wiggin ; The Hero of Manila, Johnson ; The Young Me- 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 137 
 
 chanic, James Lukin ; Historic Boys, E. S. Brooks ; Against Heavy 
 Odds, H. H. Boyeson ; The Swordmaker's Son ; Child of Tuscany, 
 M. Bouvet; Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood, Geo. MacDonald; 
 Arabian Nights, Andrew Lang ; Dorothy Deane ; Jolly Good Times ; 
 Stories for Boys, Richard Harding Davis; Little Royal Highness, 
 Ogden; Tales of the Enchanted Islands of the Atlantic, T. W. Hig- 
 ginson; Wee Dorothy, Updegraff; Eye-spy, William H. Gibson; 
 Every Day Butterflies, Samuel H. Scudder; Short Stories of our 
 Shy Neighbors, Kelly ; Little Beasts of Field and Wood, Cram ; The 
 Insect World, Weed; The First Book of Birds, Miller; In Bird 
 Land, Keyser ; Bird Studies with a Camera, Chapman ; A Guide to 
 the Trees, Alice Lounsberry; Tales from Shakespeare, Lamb; 
 American Indians, Starr. 
 
 Since half of the city of Delphos lies in Van Wert County 
 and the other half in Allen County, the question arose as to 
 whether those living in the Allen County half of Delphos 
 but who paid taxes on property in Van Wert County might 
 have the use of the books in the Delphos branch of the 
 Brumback Library. Subsequently the question came up in 
 the case of other towns in the county, one of which, Scott, 
 lies half in Van Wert County and half in Paulding County, 
 and another of which, Dixon, lies half in Van Wert County 
 and half in Indiana. In each case the ruling that the library 
 is free to all residents, those having their actual abode 
 within the county, has been adhered to. It is quite evident 
 that any other arrangement would result in many compli- 
 cations. However, the annual fee for non-residents was 
 reduced from five to three dollars, making it possible for 
 a non-resident, for the price of a popular magazine, to 
 enjoy all the privileges of the county library. A few living 
 in adjoining counties have made use of the county stations 
 on payment of this fee. 
 
 A branch was established at Venedocia, York Township, 
 May 17, 1901, in the hardware store of Jones and Jones. 
 Venedocia has a population of 247 and is located eleven 
 miles from Van Wert in the southeastern portion of the 
 
138 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 county. The Clover Leaf Railroad passes through the town, 
 and books are sent to the station with one change. This 
 town is a Welsh settlement and noted for the sweet singing 
 of its people. Its male choruses have carried away prizes 
 in a number of Eisteddfodau and received honorable men- 
 tion in national and international contests. Since 1903, this 
 branch has been in the store of D. J. Evans, postmaster. 
 
 Dasie, Harrison Township, is a trading-center, not being 
 an incorporated town. Here a branch was established May 
 25, 1 901, and placed in the general store of L. B. Springer, 
 who has had charge of it to the present time. Dasie has no 
 railroad or traction line facilities and has communication 
 with Van Wert only by wagon road. It lies ten miles south- 
 west of the county-seat and its boxes of books are carried 
 back and forth by the proprietor of the store, who makes 
 regular trips to Van Wert in connection with his business. 
 He is allowed transportation charges. Many of the men 
 from the surrounding country congregate in this store dur- 
 ing the winter evenings to talk and read books. 
 
 Cavett, Union Township, is also only a trading-center, not 
 being an incorporated town. A branch was established 
 here June 3, 1901, and was placed in charge of W. M. 
 Hoaglin, postmaster and proprietor of a general store. The 
 place is on the Cincinnati Northern Railroad, which connects 
 it with Van Wert, and lies about five miles north of the 
 county-seat. In 19 10, C. L. Gordon purchased the store 
 and assumed charge of the branch. 
 
 Not until this time did the Board reach a conclusion as 
 to the proper remuneration for those in charge of the 
 branches. Many were glad, without recompense, to have 
 these libraries in their places of business, prompted by the 
 generous motive of assisting in the good work, though at 
 the same time they realized that the books would be an 
 inducement to bring customers to their stores. On the other 
 hand, the Board, appreciative of the fact that there would 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 139 
 
 be some duties connected with the care of the branches on 
 the part of those assuming charge of them, felt that the 
 custodians were entitled to some remuneration; and if they 
 were paid a nominal sum a few necessary requirements 
 could be more freely exacted of them. Consequently the 
 Board decided to pay each custodian of a branch $50 a year 
 in semi-annual payments. 
 
 It has been suggested, since the work of the branches 
 varies, being more in some cases, less in others, that the 
 branch librarians be paid according to the circulation of 
 their respective branches. There are serious objections 
 to this plan. It would be difficult to put it into practical 
 operation, and, besides, it is opposed to the real spirit of the 
 work. The keynote of the county work has been and is today 
 the cultivation of virgin soil in the extension of library serv- 
 ice. The only justification for the existence of a county 
 library at all is that it may reach the rural population as well 
 as the residents of towns and cities. The circulation of 
 books at a cross-roads center, while comparatively small, is 
 just as important as the circulation of books in a town. The 
 branch librarian who seeks to render library service to those 
 living in less accessible territory is just as worthy of remu- 
 neration as the branch librarian whose efforts more easily 
 meet with success because of a larger and more compact con- 
 stituency. It is always most gratifying to have a large cir- 
 culation, and the efforts that produce it are to be commended ; 
 nor is it desired to minimize the importance of statistics, 
 since they are in a great measure indicative of the work done. 
 But often the best work of the library cannot be expressed in 
 figures. That feature which commends the work of the 
 county library is not the number of books which circulate, 
 but to what extent are the people, hitherto deprived of 
 library privileges, reached and influenced by library service. 
 
 As illustrative of this thought, the following incident is 
 given, which was recently told the librarian in her round of 
 
140 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 visits to the county stations by a branch librarian in charge 
 of a station near the foot of the list because of its small 
 circulation. He said a boy who some time ago chanced to 
 read one of " our books " on electricity became so interested 
 that he returned for another, and, as there happened to be 
 three books on electricity in that collection, he took them 
 all in turn and then begged his father to send him away to 
 school. The father did so and the young man is doing well 
 now in the electrical business in one of the larger towns of 
 the county. Even one such case is well worth the labor 
 expended, and since this incident is only one of many the 
 value of the work can be more truly estimated. If by reason 
 of inspiring books the young people of the country districts 
 arrive at a knowledge of the true values of life, and if, by 
 timely books, they are led to know for what they are best 
 adapted, the library has fulfilled its mission. 
 
 It is the aim of the county library to aid those living in 
 the country to appreciate the wonderful opportunities for 
 pleasure and profit that lie within the " Home Acre " or the 
 " Home Ten Acres " or the " Home Farm." The time has 
 arrived when farming is looked upon as a science and when 
 the raising of farm standards will help solve many of the 
 problems of the day. However, all young men in the coun- 
 try are not fitted for farming any more than all ministers' 
 sons are fitted to become ministers. It is said of a certain 
 man that he spoiled a good preacher to become a poor busi- 
 ness man. In the above incident the boy whose bent was 
 electricity " found himself " through a library book. 
 
 The policy of the library has always been not so much to 
 make records in circulation as to place books where they 
 will do the most good. In view of this, the Board have not 
 yet seen fit to change from a uniform remuneration of the 
 branch librarians to a sliding scale of remuneration based 
 on circulation. It is not their desire to place a premium on 
 circulation so much as to place a premium on helpful service. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 141 
 
 In the management of the county work existing conditions 
 determine the best policy to pursue. Future conditions may 
 result in changes along various lines. 
 
 The branch at Hutchinson, Union Township, was estab- 
 lished December 31, 1901, in the general store of C. L. 
 Gordon. This is a trading-center, eight miles northwest of 
 Van Wert, and is reached only by wagon road. The branch 
 was maintained until August i, 1909, when it was closed, 
 other branches having been placed in the vicinity. 
 
 During this first year, as the number of branches 
 increased, with numerous requests being made for others, it 
 became evident that to avoid confusion some system must 
 be devised to carry on the county work successfully. One 
 thousand books were purchased for the branch libraries' 
 department. Owing to the pressure of work on all sides 
 nothing more than necessary was done to these books. They 
 were collated, pocketed, accessioned, and stamped with their 
 accession numbers, and were then sent out in lots of a hun- 
 dred to each station. 
 
 According to the first plan each station, after keeping 
 its 100 books two months, was to sencl them on to one of 
 the other stations, at the same time receiving a second 100 
 books from one of its neighbors to take their place. The 
 books would thus pass from station, to station until each 
 branch had had the thousand books, when they would be 
 returned to the central library, and there shelf -listed, cata- 
 logued and placed on the shelves. In the meantime another 
 thousand or more would be purchased and made ready to 
 repeat the experiment of the first thousand. Fortunately 
 the unwisdom of this rotation plan was discovered before 
 it was put into practice. Unwise, because of possible fail- 
 ures on the part of inexperienced branch librarians to make 
 the exchange of boxes of books on schedule time; because 
 of the impossibility of getting proper statistics, since there 
 would be no one to look after the repair of the books and 
 
142 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 to see that each book was forwarded with its collection ; and 
 because of the length of time (two months at each station 
 would be one year and eight months) that the books would 
 be removed from the supervision and inspection of the 
 central library, which might result in the loss of books and 
 general confusion. 
 
 The plan adopted was that of having each branch librarian 
 return his collection to the central library, whence it was 
 sent on to its next place as scheduled.* 
 
 Since it required much thought, effort and time to get 
 the library as a whole in running order, extension work 
 could not be given the desired attention the first year. How- 
 ever, a good beginning had been made, 2,800 volumes having 
 been sent to the nine branches established during the year : 
 400 books to each of the four branches — Willshire, Con- 
 voy, Delphos and Cavett ; 300 to each of the three branches 
 — Middlepoint, Ohio City and Venedocia ; 200 to Dasie, 
 and 100 to Hutchinson. Unfortunately no statistics of the 
 circulation through the branches could be gathered the first 
 year, but the keeping of records and the sending of monthly 
 reports of their work to the central library have been 
 required of the branch librarians ever since. 
 
 In considering what was done or left undone, it must be 
 remembered that there was as yet a very small library of 
 books to serve a large constituency. The following quo- 
 tations from the Van Wert papers give an idea as to the 
 attitude of the home people toward the library after its first 
 year of operation. 
 
 One year ago yesterday. Van Wert County's temple of 
 knowledge — the Brumback County Library — for the first 
 time opened its doors to the public. True it seems but yester- 
 day that we stood in the throng of happy, grateful people, who 
 had gathered to help dedicate the library, the pride of every 
 citizen of the county ; yet since that time who can estimate the 
 work done and the good accomplished? The more we review 
 
 ♦This plan is given in detail, see pp. 169-181. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 143 
 
 the achievements of the past twelve months the harder seems 
 the task of giving the institution due credit for what it has 
 done. 
 
 When the doors of the hbrary opened a year ago, there were 
 4,500 books on the shelves. During the year 2,250 books have 
 been added, making a total of 6,750 books in the library at the 
 present time. Pretty good library, is it not ? Better still, it is 
 accessible to every boy and girl in the county, rich and poor. 
 In the central library the average circulation for the past 
 month has been one hundred and seven a day. Saturday is 
 always a banner day, as many of the farmers of the surround- 
 ing country come in on that day for their books. The records 
 for the past two Saturdays of books taken or exchanged are 
 217 and 220 respectively. We cannot enter into the many 
 pleasant features of the past year's work, but will give one 
 incident to show that after all much depends on the men and 
 women of the community surrounding the sub-stations as to 
 the demand for books and the class of books read. At Ohio 
 City it has been observed for some time that the greatest 
 demand was for juvenile books of the highest character. 
 Nothing but the very best literature was wanted. The secret 
 of this was learned when it was ascertained that one of the 
 lady teachers in the public schools of that town had organized 
 a society consisting mainly of the members of her class and 
 that they had taken a pledge, one requirement of which was to 
 read only the best books. Thus, her influence on the minds of 
 the children under her care was great. This is an example 
 that should be followed by every parent and teacher in the 
 county. — Van Wert Republican, January, 1902. 
 
 The first annual report of the Brumback Library has been 
 published and carefully read by the thoughtful citizens of Van 
 Wert County. The showing it makes is pleasing to every per- 
 son who is interested in the educational and literary advance- 
 ment of the people and justifies the strong stand the friends of 
 the library have taken in favor of a liberal, substantial pro- 
 vision for its support and rewards them for the work they 
 have voluntarily done, without pecuniary return, for its suc- 
 cess. It is the first county library in the United States, and 
 where there was a division of opinion before the experiment 
 was tried, all agree now that John Sanford Brumback was 
 wiser than he knew when he donated this magnificent gift to 
 
144 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the citizens of Van Wert County. Thousands of books have 
 been circulated, free of cost to the patrons. The Brumback 
 Library is no longer an experiment. Its possibilities are almost 
 without limit. — Van Wert Times, January, 1902. 
 
 The first year of the Brumback Public Library has endeared 
 it to the hearts of the people. One year ago today a gift of 
 a public-spirited citizen, an institution rich in educational 
 advantages, was dedicated to Van Wert County. The record 
 of the first year of the operation of the Brumback Library 
 and its branches is a compliment to both its donor and the 
 people upon whom it was bestowed. John S. Brumback's 
 highest expectations have been fulfilled. The library, popular 
 with the masses, the pride of the town and county, is gradually 
 growing in favor with the few who opposed the plan adopted 
 for its maintenance. — Van Wert Bulletin, January, 1902. 
 
 To quote again from Mr. C. B. Galbreath : 
 
 . . . Ohio has recently contributed to the library cause 
 some features that are unique, original and worthy of imitation. 
 The county library . . . has become a reality. The plan is 
 on trial and reference to the sketches of the Cincinnati Public 
 Library and the Brumback Library of Van Wert County can- 
 not fail to convince the reader that the plan is a demonstrated 
 success and inspire the hope that an important step has been 
 taken toward the solution of the library problem. It is encour- 
 aging, in this connection, to note that very recently a county 
 library law, including among its provisions practically all of 
 the features of the act which made the Brumback Library 
 possible, has been enacted in one of our most progressive states. 
 [Reference is made to Wisconsin]. Someone has said that 
 in educational matters Ohio is a good follower. In the county 
 library movement she bids fair to lead.* 
 
 On January 16, 1901, an article by E. I. Antrim, entitled 
 " Library Privileges for Rural Districts," appeared in The 
 Dial, of Chicago. Another article by the same author, 
 entitled " Latest Stage in Library Development," appeared 
 in the New York Forum, of May, 1901. This last article, 
 which told of the work and ideals of the Brumback Library 
 
 * " Sketches of Ohio Libraries," C. B. Galbreath. 
 
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THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 145 
 
 of Van Wert County, was quoted at some length in the 
 Literary Digest of June 8, 1901 ; in the Minneapolis Times, 
 of May 14, 1901; in the Racine (Wisconsin) Times, of 
 May 15, 1901, and in the Commoner, of Lincoln, Nebraska, 
 of June, 1901. These and other references indicate that the 
 idea of a movement for making " life on the farm happier, 
 better and sweeter," thereby counteracting the migration 
 from country to city, was fast taking root in the popular 
 mind. In this connection it is interesting to add that 
 Wisconsin passed a county library law in 1901, Minnesota 
 in 1905, and Nebraska in 191 1. The following article 
 appeared in the Minneapolis Times and the Racine Times. 
 
 In the last Forum there is an account of a new develop- 
 ment in the library system which suggests a possibility for 
 farm life. A good many years ago New York started the 
 old district school libraries, which had a few of the same 
 features as this method, but in a crude and unsystematic way. 
 The old way left too much to the individual; but the Brum- 
 back Library of Van Wert County, Ohio, takes its books 
 almost to the farm itself. 
 
 The especial fitness of such a system either to a semi-rural 
 community or to the more widely scattered farming com- 
 munities of the west is easily seen. By care in the selection 
 of books for the particular needs and conditions of the local- 
 ity, such a library cannot only promote intellectual, but social 
 and business interests. It has a power of adaptability about 
 it which makes it flexible to the general tastes of the sur- 
 rounding population. With telephones, trolley lines, free pos- 
 tal delivery and a circulating library, of which it practically 
 dictates the management, the farming community has the 
 world for its neighbor. 
 
 1902 
 
 The branch libraries as located in 1901 were fairly well 
 distributed over the county except in the northeastern part. 
 Hence, steps were at once taken with the opening of the 
 new year to care for this territory. Accordingly, January 
 
146 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 8, 1902, a branch was established in Jackson Township at 
 the office of Dr. John Wolfe, of Wetsel, a trading-center 
 located fourteen miles northeast of Van Wert. Books were 
 taken to and from the station in a covered wagon by 
 the proprietor of a neighboring general store, who makes 
 frequent trips to Van Wert for merchandise and who is paid 
 one dollar and a half a round trip for the transportation of 
 the boxes of books. When Dr. Wolfe moved away in 1909, 
 the branch was transferred to a general store, where it is 
 now in charge of the proprietor, C. Ditto. 
 
 A branch was located at Glenmore, Willshire Township, 
 July 25, 1902, in the store of L. S. Cully, with James R. 
 Conn in charge. Glenmore is a small trading-center through 
 which passes the Erie Railroad, and is located ten miles 
 southwest of Van Wert. In 191 1, C. F. Germann became 
 proprietor of the store and is an excellent branch librarian. 
 
 In the southeastern comer of the county, in Jennings 
 Township, at the intersection of six wagon roads, is a small 
 trading-center called Converse, also known as Five Points. 
 There is one store here called the Farmers' Grocery. This 
 was deemed a good distributing point; therefore, August 
 12, 1902, a branch was placed in this store in charge of the 
 proprietor, R. W. Hance, and has remained in his care to 
 date. Converse is sixteen miles from Van Wert by wagon 
 road. Books are sent to the station via the Erie Railroad 
 to Elgin, three miles distant, whence they are hauled to and 
 fro by wagon. 
 
 In February, 1902, the Board planned to have the branch 
 librarians meet with the library board and staflF at the cen- 
 tral library to discuss matters pertaining to the work of the 
 branches. But, owing to the fact that this is a busy time 
 of the year, the meeting was postponed to a later date. 
 Branch librarians were urged to keep during this year sta- 
 tistics of circulation, yet the end of the year revealed the 
 regrettable fact that complete records of the branch circula- 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 147 
 
 tion had not been kept. This was due to several causes: 
 the inexperience of those in charge of the stations ; the press 
 of work at the central library, which prevented many visits 
 to the branches; and the difficulty of explaining by letter 
 just what was desired. It may have been due, too, in a large 
 measure, to the inadequate methods used by the branch 
 librarians in keeping their records. The following year 
 special book cards were provided for the purpose, which 
 simplified the work and from which the record of the cir- 
 culation of the branches can be easily gathered. These 
 cards also enable the county assistant to know the classes 
 of books circulated. 
 
 Owing to the growing needs and demands of the 
 branches, an assistant. Miss Zora Smith, was placed at the 
 head of this work, which now assumed the dignity of a sep- 
 arate department. Fifteen hundred new books purchased 
 for the branches were being made ready to replace those in 
 the county when the latter should finally be returned to 
 the central library. This time a separate shelf list of the 
 books was prepared, to be consulted for information con- 
 cerning the books in the county. Besides, an additional small 
 collection was set aside as " county reserve books," to be 
 drawn upon in replacing books of the county collections sent 
 to the bindery or books which occasionally fail to come in 
 with the collections. A schedule of dates for the exchange 
 of the collections was sent to each of the branches and there- 
 after a box of books remained at each station three instead 
 of two months. The task of the second year consisted 
 largely in placing on a more systematic basis the work begun 
 in the first year. It remained for the third year to see some 
 special effort made for the welfare of the branches and the 
 encouragement of their growth. 
 
 The librarian, Miss Ella Smith, in her second annual 
 report says : " Two years is a very brief space of time in 
 the life of a public institution. The library has not yet 
 
148 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 passed its formative stage and to those wiio view its work- 
 ings from without there must appear imperfections in its 
 methods of operation. Only those who see from within 
 can know of the difficulties met and overcome, of the prob- 
 lems solved and of the many more yet awaiting solution." 
 
 1903 
 
 In the beginning of the third year a request of long stand- 
 ing from Scott for a branch library was granted. Action 
 had been delayed owing to the close proximity of the 
 Cavett branch, which is less than three miles from Scott, 
 and because half of Scott lies in Paulding County. Febru- 
 ary 10, 1903, a branch was located in the Fasig drug store 
 of Scott, with Mrs. Alice Reeb as the very efficient cus- 
 todian. If a branch librarian is sufficiently interested to do 
 some personal work in connection with the duties attendant 
 upon the care of the books, his or her efforts meet with 
 ready response and pleasing results. The wave line of 
 progress at a branch flows up or down in accordance with 
 the interest or neglect of the branch librarian in charge. 
 The work done at Scott has been of a high character. It 
 is located in Union Township, about eight miles north of 
 Van Wert, on the Cincinnati Northern Railroad, and has 
 a population of 472, of whom 279 are in Van Wert County. 
 The branch today is under the interested supervision of 
 W. F. Leidy, who purchased the drug store and became 
 branch librarian in 1909. 
 
 February 13, 1903, Dixon, located in Tully Township, 
 on the Ohio-Indiana state line, received a branch library, 
 which was placed in the general store of Charles Hoeken, 
 who also has the post office. Dixon is fourteen miles west 
 of Van Wert on the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Ohio 
 Electric Traction Line and is an unincorporated village. A 
 branch is desirable at this point to permit of books being 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 149 
 
 made accessible to the residents of the western border of 
 the county. 
 
 A branch was established at Wren, Willshire Township, 
 February 13, 1903, in the Swoveland drug store, with Mrs. 
 Alice Swoveland acting as librarian. A fire at this location 
 necessitated the removal of the branch to the telephone 
 exchange in an upstairs room. Owing to the inconvenience 
 of this new location, recently another change was made, by 
 which the books were placed in the general store of Dudley 
 and Dull, with Mrs. Dull as the branch librarian. With a 
 population of 277 Wren promises to be one of the leading 
 county library stations. It is situated on the C. & E. Rail- 
 road and is fourteen miles from Van Wert. 
 
 To facilitate and make clear the work of the branches, 
 about this time rules governing the branch librarians and for 
 the guidance of those using the branches were prepared and 
 distributed.* With the idea, too, of giving to the people 
 in the rural communities as well as to the residents of the 
 towns a better knowledge of the varied resources of the 
 library, lists of books on special subjects were widely scat- 
 tered. For example, lists of books on agricultural subjects 
 were sent to farmers' institutes. In some instances the 
 books themselves were sent for review by those present. 
 
 Besides the regular collections sent to the stations every 
 three months, it was found necessary in some cases to send 
 additional volumes in order adequately to meet the demands 
 of the borrowers. Furthermore, some requests now for the 
 first time began to come in from the branches for special 
 books for the use of literary clubs, and were in all cases 
 complied with by the librarian to the best of her ability. 
 The close of the third year found " all departments of the 
 library well organized, and it would seem that it is now 
 ready to enter upon a career of greater usefulness and wider 
 influence than has hitherto been possible." 
 
 * See p. 170. 
 
150 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 1904 
 
 The last of the sixteen branches to be established was 
 that at Elgin, situated on the Erie Railroad and about four- 
 teen miles southeast of Van Wert. Elgin is in York Town- 
 ship and has a population of 129. On October 10, 1904, 
 books were placed in the office of Dr. A. Pfeiffer and cared 
 for by Mrs. Pfeiffer, who succeeded in interesting a niunber 
 of young people of the community in the formation of a 
 reading club. This being the time of the Russo-Japanese 
 War, when Japan more than ever before in its history 
 attracted the attention of the world, bright and readable 
 books about the Japanese people and nation were sent from 
 the central library to Elgin for this club. The Elgin branch 
 has been subject to many changes of location and librarians. 
 It is now in charge of C. L. Clantz, who recently became the 
 proprietor of the store where the branch is located. 
 
 Another evidence of the general interest taken in the 
 county work was the fact that several of the county papers 
 in the towns having branches published free of charge the 
 lists of books received at their stations, which especially 
 led the children in the country and county towns to make 
 good use of the books, a gratifying fact, as the best of 
 juvenile books were included in the collections sent to the 
 branches. 
 
 The routine work of the branches was now moving along 
 more smoothly. Those in charge began better to understand 
 what was expected of them and to realize the impor- 
 tance of seemingly insignificant details; records of circula- 
 tion were more systematically reported ; the boxes of books 
 were returned more promptly, and, with the exception of 
 general wear and tear, naturally to be expected, they came 
 from the branches in good condition. There still remained 
 some difficulty, however, in getting the branch librarians to 
 return all books in the boxes to which they belonged; and 
 to send in belated books at the expense of the borrowers. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 151 
 
 This last rule was disregarded by them in the beginning, 
 perhaps wisely, lest its strict enforcement might lose the 
 library some friends. In later years these difficulties have 
 been reduced to a minimum. 
 
 Almost daily new names from all parts of the county 
 were added to the list of borrowers, many of whom a year 
 previously scarcely knew of the existence of the library, 
 but now became its most interested patrons. The annual 
 report at the end of the fourth year says : " With the knowl- 
 edge of the constantly increasing interest in the library 
 everywhere manifest, we can confidently assert that the 
 county library is no longer an experiment in this county, 
 but an undoubted success, an institution resting upon the 
 firm foundation of proved usefulness and of general 
 approval, strong in the earnest and enthusiastic support of 
 the intelligent citizenship of the county." 
 
 1906 
 In 1906 another lot of 2,000 books was purchased for the 
 branches. Since the selection of these was based largely 
 on the A. L. A. catalogue, sixteen copies of the catalogue 
 were bought to serve as finding-lists, one for each station. 
 The need of a dictionary card catalogue of the books in 
 the county collections had been felt so frequently at the cen- 
 tral library that such a catalogue was prepared for the new 
 books bought to replace those which had been in circulation 
 at the branches for three years. Whatever books of these 
 old collections were fit were repaired, rebound, catalogued 
 and placed upon the shelves at the central library. A letter 
 to each branch librarian was sent in advance of the boxes 
 calling attention to the new books and asking him to inter- 
 est his patrons and friends in the books. 
 
 1907 
 The work of the Brumback Library was assuming greater 
 significance each year. The Board were engrossed in 
 
152 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 planning to make it successful in reaching the people of the 
 entire county, in solving the problems which often unex- 
 pectedly presented themselves, and in overcoming obstacles 
 as they arose. They were engaged in the work of proving 
 to Van Wert County as a whole that the Brumback Library 
 could and should be of value to the entire county, rural as 
 well as municipal. They had not stopped to think much 
 about the fact that the experiment was being watched by 
 others outside of the county, although frequent requests 
 for information concerning the methods employed had been 
 received from the beginning of the library. As these grew 
 more numerous it became very evident that the county 
 library idea was attracting considerable outside attention. 
 In a book * of 47 small type pages almost a page is devoted 
 to the Brumback Library of Van Wert County and the pos- 
 sibilities of the county library movement in the United 
 States. The author says, " die grosse Bedeutung der Ein- 
 richtung ftir die Zukunft, da an ihrer Entwicklungsfahig- 
 keit nicht zu zweifein ist, kann nicht hoch genug ange- 
 schlagen werden." f 
 
 The Ohio State Library Bulletin for April, 1907, has the 
 following to say regarding the county library : " The system 
 is ideal with the central library at the county-seat and sta- 
 tions for the delivery of books at convenient points of 
 access in the rural districts. The people of the entire 
 county can have the uplifting influence that springs from the 
 companionship of books. This ideal system is practical as 
 well. It has been tested in the counties of Van Wert and 
 Hamilton of this state and in both it has been most popular." 
 
 1908 
 
 The new feature of circulating current periodicals through 
 the branclies was introduced in 1908. Duplicate periodicals 
 
 * " Atnerikanische Biblioteken und ihre Bestrebungen,'' 1905, Dr. A. 
 B. Meyer, Dresden, Germany. 
 
 tThe great significance of the county library system for the 
 future, regarding whose possibilities for development there is no 
 doubt, cannot be estimated too highly. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 153 
 
 were subscribed for by the central library and some of the 
 current magazine numbers were sent in each box to the 
 stations to be circulated the same as books. It was the 
 endeavor to place at least one monthly and two weekly 
 periodicals in each box. This was continued until 1910, 
 when another plan was put into operation as follows : Har- 
 per's was ordered for Delphos and for Convoy, Scribner's 
 for Ohio City, the Century for Scott and St. Nicholas for 
 Willshire. These were ordered sent direct from the pub- 
 lisher to the stations. Delphos reported the circulation of 
 Harper's magazine to be 148, over twelve circulations for 
 each issue. At the present time the Delphos branch is sup- 
 plied by the county library with Harper's, the Century, 
 Scribner's, World's Work and St. Nicholas. The circula- 
 tion of the periodicals was much less at the other branches. 
 But it must be remembered in this connection that it nat- 
 urally takes some time for borrowers at the branches to 
 become aware of special privileges. The custodians are 
 busy men and neglect to remind customers of new features. 
 
 In 1 914, a different plan has been inaugurated. Delphos 
 still receives its magazines direct from the publishers, but in 
 all other cases the duplicate copies come to the central library, 
 which serves as the magazine clearing-house. Each of the 
 stations for which magazines have been ordered still con- 
 tinues to receive all the numbers of its particular magazines. 
 As these come to the central library they are held in readi- 
 ness to be sent in the boxes going to the stations for which 
 magazines were ordered. The back numbers returned from 
 the branches are utilized at other stations. 
 
 To quote from the report of the librarian for 1908: " We 
 are glad to report a substantial progress in the work as a 
 whole, including a growing recognition on the part of the 
 people of the county as to the value of the library not only 
 as a means of recreation and general culture, but as one of 
 the active and leading educational forces of the county." 
 
154 THE GOUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 1910 
 
 An innovation in 19 10 was that of a library exhibit at the 
 county fair in September. Since this is a gathering place for 
 people from all parts of the county (the attendance on the 
 big clay each year, weather permitting, is equal to and 
 often greater than the population of the whole county), 
 it affords a most excellent opportunity for advertising the 
 library. A small space in the school exhibition hall was set 
 aside as library headquarters and during the entire week of 
 the fair some member of the library stafif was there to talk 
 to visitors about the library and to distribute the pamphlets, 
 application cards and book lists, which were kept in the 
 booth. While this first experiment was on a small scale it 
 was productive of results such as effective, personal work 
 only can accomplish. The opportunities offered by the 
 library to one and all were discussed and any misunder- 
 standings as to its purpose and scope were explained away. 
 The oft repeated expression, " We never knew that before," 
 indicated the need of this method of library advertising. 
 
 It was in 19 10 that the new method of renewing four 
 county collections each year instead of replacing the entire 
 sixteen collections every fourth year was adopted.* A 
 rough estimate of the number of books sent to the county 
 stations and county schools during this year was 8,000 
 books. 
 
 In July, 1910, the branch librarians attended a meeting in 
 Van Wert, at which were also present the members of the 
 board and the library staff. A dinner at the hotel was 
 enjoyed, after which there was an informal discussion of 
 the work, which brought out from the branch librarians 
 many interesting facts and valuable suggestions as to ways 
 in which the central library might prove more helpful to the 
 county stations. While the attendance was smaller than 
 desired the value of the meeting was unquestioned. Largely 
 
 * See p. 171. 
 

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LOCATION OF 
 CAVETT BRANCH LIBRARY, INTERIOR 
 
 LOCATION OF DASIE BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 155 
 
 as a result of this conference annotated lists of the books of 
 the boxes of the sixteen collections were printed in small 
 pamphlet form and sent with the boxes to the stations. It 
 was hoped that these lists, which gave brief synopses of the 
 books' contents and which were to be taken to the homes 
 of borrowers for consultation, would be another step toward 
 better service for rural residents. Increased circulation 
 from the stations first receiving these lists and reports as to 
 their use were a sufficient indication of their value. 
 
 191 1 
 
 Early in 191 1 printed cards giving the location of the 
 county branch stations with a cordial invitation to the peo- 
 ple of the county to make use of the library's resources were 
 framed and hung in the railroad stations, hotels and other 
 public places. 
 
 The increasing demands made upon the library demon- 
 strated that the time and thought constantly given to the 
 county work with the idea of making the library of use and 
 accessible to the entire county had been productive of good 
 results. Not only club workers, teachers, ministers, students 
 and business men of the county were familiar with the 
 resources of the library at their command, but farmers were 
 coming more and more to depend on its collections of agri- 
 cultural works, many of them too expensive for individual 
 purchase ; such, for example, as Bailey's " Cyclopedia of 
 Agriculture," etc., which could be consulted not only in 
 person but by letter of inquiry to the librarian. Exhibits 
 of books and book lists on related subjects were often 
 requested for com shows, poultry shows, farmers' institutes, 
 county teachers' institutes, Sunday school conventions, etc. 
 
 On some occasions of this kind the librarian is requested 
 by those in charge to give talks on varied subjects. These 
 talks are brief, sometimes calling attention to the library 
 resources, sometimes considering such subjects as " Reading 
 
156 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 in the Farm Home," "Right Reading for Children," 
 " What are the Best Magazines," etc. This has proved very 
 helpful, enabling the librarian to know at close range the 
 people of the county and their needs, while they in turn are 
 brought into closer touch with the library, its purposes and 
 aims.* 
 
 Frequent visits by the librarian or trustees to the county 
 stations, visits by the librarian and assistants to the schools, 
 to ministers and to individuals of the county also serve to 
 bring about a closer relationship between the people and 
 the library. Furthermore, an effort has been made to ren- 
 der reference service at long range to county residents. The 
 following are some of the specific questions asked and 
 answered by letter : Have you any material on the lighting 
 of country school houses? Send me a recent book on the 
 spraying of fruit trees. Have you any printed lists of books 
 for girls from ten to fourteen? What are the entrance 
 requirements for the State University? What states have 
 woman's suffrage ? Have you a list of the experiment sta- 
 tions of the United States? What are some good recent 
 books on poultry? What is the best edition of Shake- 
 speare ? What is the population of Ohio by counties ? Send 
 me a book on women's colleges, etc. 
 
 This year the library made an extensive exhibit at the 
 county fair. A large tent provided for the purpose by the 
 fair and library boards was equipped by the library as a 
 reading and rest room for the visitors from all parts of the 
 county, who, spending the entire day on the grounds, were 
 glad to seek an occasional bit of rest and quiet. Some of 
 the best and latest books, magazines and newspapers were 
 
 * To illustrate the value of personal work in advancing the cause of 
 the library, one of the trustees a few months ago delivered an address 
 at a Farmers' Institute held at Wetsel, where one of the branches is 
 located. In his address he spoke of the library and urged the people to 
 avail themselves more freely of its resources. As a result, during the 
 month following his address the circulation of the branch was double 
 that of the preceding month. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 157 
 
 to be found there. Collections of recent books on agricul- 
 ture and allied subjects, also a model collection of chil- 
 dren's books, were shown. A member of the library staff 
 was present each day. 
 
 1912 
 
 In this year the library was complimented by a visit from 
 Mr. Samuel Ranck, librarian of the Grand Rapids, Michi- 
 gan, library, by whom a very comprehensive and Readable 
 article * on " Rural Library Extension " was later piibRshed. 
 In this he says: 
 
 The Brumback Library is a pioneer in being started as a 
 county library. Last summer I had the pleasure of visiting 
 the Van Wert library and a number of its branches, riding 
 some forty miles in an automobile through the county to see 
 them and to get pictures for some slides [to be used in 
 lecture work]. Van Wert County is wholly an agricultural 
 county. . . . The teachers and country people come 
 to Van Wert to do their shopping, at the same time getting 
 books at the library ... In conclusion it may be said 
 with reference to Van Wert County that although it is a 
 community of farmers (many of them Germans) they believe 
 thoroughly in education. . . . Altogether I am sure Van 
 Wert is a splendid model to follow in the county development 
 of rural library service. 
 
 1913 
 
 During this year there arose a knotty problem whose solu- 
 tion required the best thought of all those interested in the 
 welfare of the library. But before taking up this problem, 
 it will be necessary to consider several matters by way of 
 introduction. As already indicated, Delphos, a city of 5,038 
 inhabitants, lies on the eastern boundary line of the county, 
 the east half being located in Allen County and the west 
 half in Washington Township, Van Wert County. Since 
 
 * " Rural Library Extension," December, 1912, number of Michi- 
 gan Libraries, official organ of the State Library Commissioners. 
 
158 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 the opening of the Bruraback Library a branch had been 
 maintained in Delphos for the use of those Hving in Van 
 Wert County. The Delphos grade schools and high school 
 being located in Van Wert County have had special collec- 
 tions in their class-rooms from the main library, and books 
 have frequently been sent on request to clubs, pupils and 
 teachers for special work. In addition to this, many of the 
 pupils of the Delphos high school have visited the central 
 library to use its reference department in preparing essays 
 and debates. All possible assistance has been accorded them 
 by the librarian not only in person but by correspondence. 
 The Van Wert County half of Delphos is by far the largest 
 town, outside of Van Wert itself, served by the library, and 
 for this reason their special needs have always been con- 
 sidered as fully as possible in all the work and especially in 
 the supplementary collections. As already stated, this 
 branch has also been supplied with magazines. But the 
 people of Delphos living on the Allen County side unfortu- 
 nately had to be denied the use of the branch unless they 
 . paid three dollars a year each for the privilege. 
 
 It is therefore not surprising that there arose a desire for 
 a library that would serve the interests of the whole city. 
 Accordingly, an effort was made to secure a city library, 
 which resulted in a Carnegie library on the usual terms. 
 The dedication of the new library occurred almost simulta- 
 neously with the resignation of the branch librarian of the 
 Delphos branch of the Brumback Library, which made it 
 necessary for the county library trustees to secure a new 
 branch librarian. A committee was appointed to visit Del- 
 phos with this purpose in view. The committee went to 
 several available places of business, also to the new library, 
 which commended itself to them as the logical place for the 
 branch if the two library boards could agree on a satis- 
 factory arrangement for its operation in the Delphos city 
 library. A few days later, January 21, 1913, an article 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 159 
 
 appeared in the Van Wert Bulletin, which had been copied 
 from the Delphos Herald, from which is quoted the 
 following : 
 
 Since the local people on the west side of Delphos are 
 helping to support the county library and are entitled to the 
 privileges of a branch library, why would it not be a good 
 idea to have the books placed in the public library where 
 they would be easy of access to those entitled to their use, 
 and could be taken care of by the city librarian? Delphos 
 is entitled to the continuation of the branch library so long 
 as the tax-payers on the west side are bearing their share for 
 its maintenance, and it will be necessary to have a place for 
 keeping the books, pay rent for same and engage a librarian 
 to distribute them. The Delphos public library is a new insti- 
 tution, and the trustees are finding it difficult to make both 
 ends meet with the allowance in their hands, many expenses 
 arising from the opening of the library. If the branch of the 
 Brumback Library could be placed in the public library and 
 the amount paid for rent and the services of a librarian be 
 given to this new institution, it would assist in no small 
 measure in securing the necessary amount to pay the expenses 
 incurred. If this arrangement could be made it would meet 
 with the approval of the users of the branch library and at 
 the same time be a benefit to the local institution. No doubt 
 the Van Wert County library trustees will grant this if a 
 request is made. 
 
 At their meeting on January 27, 191 3, the Brumback 
 Library Board on motion indicated their willingness to place 
 their Delphos branch in the new Delphos library for those 
 entitled to its use. Thereupon the Delphos Board sent a 
 committee to confer with the Brumback Library Board. 
 This meeting was a most happy one, in which the spirit of 
 cooperation was clearly manifest. The advisability of 
 placing the county branch in the Delphos library hinged 
 upon the question of whether the books of the county branch 
 might or might not circulate in the whole of Delphos. It 
 was plainly evident to both boards that with the county 
 branch in the Delphos library restricted to half of Delphos, 
 
160 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 there would be three sets of borrowers using the Delphos 
 library: first, those from the Allen County side of Del- 
 phos, who might borrow only the Delphos library books, 
 and not the Van Wert County books ; secondly, those from 
 the Van Wert County side of Delphos who might use any 
 of the books; and thirdly, residents of Van Wert County 
 outside of Delphos, who might use only the county books. 
 The confusion arising from this restriction of privileges in 
 some cases and double privileges in others would naturally 
 result in dissatisfaction on the part of all patrons of the 
 library. On the other hand, it was just as plainly evident to 
 both boards that the Brumback Library Board had not the 
 right to furnish library service free to the residents of Allen 
 County for which the residents of Van Wert County were 
 paying. 
 
 As a result of earnest thought the following plan was 
 evolved. The privilege of using the books of the county 
 branch was extended to all the residents of Delphos and, in 
 return for this, all residents of Washington Township, in 
 addition to their present privileges, were allowed the free 
 use of the Delphos Library. This happy arrangement went 
 into effect early in April, 19 13, and by it the Delphos 
 Library and the Brumback County Library are of mutual 
 benefit. Every three months the Delphos Library receives 
 from the Brumback Library a balanced collection of 200 or 
 more up-to-date books. Books especially requested are 
 included whenever possible. The magazines subscribed for 
 the county branch are sent to the Delphos Library or such 
 magazines as they desire at a cost not to exceed fifteen dol- 
 lars. The $50 hitherto paid to the branch librarian is paid 
 to the Delphos librarian for her care of the branch. 
 
 A great part of the Delphos income is necessarily needed 
 for maintenance and particularly is this true in the beginning. 
 Hence they are glad to get the books from the county library, 
 since the changing collections provide them with about 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 161 
 
 1,000 voiumes of up-to-date books of all classes during each 
 year. This permits them to use their limited book fund for 
 the purchase of reference works and other books so essen- 
 tial to every library whether large or small. Nothing in the 
 history of the library has been more pleasing than this 
 cooperation of the two library boards, as it shows they are 
 working for the general good and not for library 
 aggrandizement. 
 
 During the summer of 1913 the circuit of all the sta- 
 tions was made in an automobile. The chief purpose of the 
 jaunts was to secure exterior and interior views of the 
 branches. The local color was carefully preserved in these 
 pictures as much as possible and since the reproductions are 
 given in this book they may speak for themselves. One 
 set of these pictures is framed and on display at the central 
 library; another set is used for exhibit purposes; and a 
 third set was sent to the branches, each branch receiving its 
 own pictures framed to be hung over its bookcase. 
 
 This " photo campaign " was the occasion of much enjoy- 
 ment for all concerned and it is needless to say that all 
 restraint was absent on these jaunts, since the slogan was 
 — " Look pleasant, please." By means of some " pointed 
 suggestions " and " sharp reminders " many preconceived 
 notions with respect to the county work were " punctured," 
 and " collapsed " as did one of the well-inflated tires when 
 it ran on the sharp end of a horse shoe nail on one of the 
 return trips. 
 
 Before forwarding the framed pictures to the stations 
 they were used in the library exhibit at the county fair in 
 September, 1913. The following account of the fair 
 exhibit is taken from the librarian's report: 
 
 This exhibit occupied a space 8x10 feet. It was fitted up 
 with cases of books, pertaining mostly to agriculture and 
 housekeeping, together with other library appurtenances. On 
 the walls was displayed the collection of pictures of the 
 
162 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 library branches uniformly framed and plainly labeled as to 
 the names of the several communities. These attracted many 
 persons who were pleased to see pictures of places and people 
 familiar to them. In addition to this interesting exhibit in 
 the main hall, placards calling attention to the library's facil- 
 ities for helping farmers and their wives were placed among 
 the various exhibits and in numerous appropriate places 
 throughout the grounds, where they would readily catch the 
 eye and attention of all present. These cards, 9x24 inches, 
 were attractively lettered in colors by a sign painter. Just 
 above the pen containing the largest hogs at the fair, a place 
 that was always surrounded by interested spectators, was a 
 placard reading: 
 
 Your Hogs — Are they fat and hungry or lean and overfed? 
 See Brumback Library Exhibit — A book on Swine. 
 
 In the fancy work display was a card reading: Book of 
 Stitches and Home Needle Work Magazine. — Ask at the Brum- 
 back Library Exhibit. [This one exhibit alone brought numerous 
 women to the library booth to see the books.] 
 
 At the entrance to the grandstand there was one reading: Are 
 your boys learning to farm? The Brumback Library has books 
 to help beginners. 
 
 Other placards appropriately placed were as follows : Do you 
 know how to make a tile drain? Ask for book telling how at the 
 Brumback County Library Exhibit in Art Hall. 
 
 Is your farm big enough or too big? The Brumback Library 
 has books on such subjects, written by farm experts. 
 
 Does Live Stock Pay? Ask at the Brumback Library Exhibit 
 in Art Hall for " Profitable Stockraising.'' 
 
 Do you know what your corn costs per acre? See the agri- 
 cultural books at the Brumback Library Exhibit in Art Hall. 
 
 Have you read up on alfalfa? Ask for " Book of Alfalfa " at 
 Brumback Library Exhibit in Art Hall. 
 
 Who does the milking? "Farm Dairying" is a good book for 
 milk men and milk maids to read. Brumback Library Exhibit. 
 
 " How to Keep Hens for Profit." Brumback Library Exhibit 
 in Art Hall. 
 
 Before preserving and pickling read new recipes. The Brum- 
 back Library has cook books. 
 
 Does housing farm machinery pay? Read a book on farm 
 machinery, Brumback Library Exhibit in Art Hall. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 163 
 
 From an article in the Van Wert Times (September 13, 
 I9i3)> entitled "Banner County Fair is very Successful," 
 the following is quoted : 
 
 The largest and most successful fair ever held in Van Wert 
 County has become a matter of history and the Agricultural 
 Society as well as the residents of this county may be proud 
 of their success. For many years it has been conceded that 
 this county has one of the best fairs in the state, ranking per- 
 haps third * in the matter of attendance and first when the 
 quality and character of the exhibits are considered. At least 
 forty thousand people were on the grounds Thursday. The 
 liberality of the crowd in attendance Thursday can be gauged 
 by the fact that investigation showed $4,163 spent for red 
 lemonade, hot hamberger and other fair delicacies. 
 
 The Brumback Library had one of the most attractive dis- 
 plays at the big fair, and perhaps the one which carried with 
 it a greater meaning for the advancement of the community 
 than any of the creditable showings on display. The institu- 
 tion had arranged in their booth in the Art Hall photographs 
 of the interior and exterior of all the fifteen stations they have 
 in the county and impressed the visitor very strongly with the 
 great range of country they cover and the large number of 
 readers they reach, far more than any other library in the state 
 which is operated as a city library in any of the small-sized 
 county-seats. At all the displays the library management had 
 posted signs calling attention to the fact that they had books 
 on various topics. At the poultry tent the visitor was informed 
 that at the Brumback Library could be found books treating on 
 subjects of interest to poultry fanciers, while at the Art Hall, 
 at the hog, cattle and horse displays the same scheme was 
 carried out. By this it was hoped to bring to the free institu- 
 tion as many different kinds of readers as possible and to im- 
 press on as great a number as possible the fact that Van Wert 
 has an educational institution which c£m be and at all times is 
 ready to be of service to all the people of the county. 
 
 When it comes to giving a high class exhibition in every par- 
 ticular other fairs in this section will have to "go some." 
 A visitor remarked while on the ground Friday, " Well, if 
 
 * In point of population Van Wert County is fifty-first of the eighty- 
 eight counties. 
 
164 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 that isn't the limit — the grind-organ on the merry-go-round 
 is playing grand opera; " and it was a fact, Verdi's music was 
 the accompaniment for the rotary joy riders. 
 
 A recent article * by Miss Sarah Comstock, entitled 
 " Byways of Library Work," says: 
 
 The remarkable Brumback Library of Van Wert County, 
 Ohio, resorts to most ingenious methods to reach the 29,000 
 people who are scattered over 423 [405] square miles of agri- 
 cultural land. It does not rest with sending books to its fifteen 
 county stations and the county schools, and leaving the people 
 to read or not as they like. It lays traps for the reader. At 
 the Van Wert County Fair, in September, 191 3, it not only 
 presented its own exhibit, but it took advantage of everybody 
 else's exhibit to call attention to itself .... 
 
 A year's circulation of 31,815 [for 1911; figures for 1913 
 are 35,897] in the county stations and schools alone, the two 
 rural distributing agencies, says much for the value of up-to- 
 date commercial methods applied to literature. 
 
 Some of the pictures of the branches were utilized in a 
 library bulletin which was made up by the librarian upon 
 the request of Mr. J. P. Sharkey, superintendent of the 
 Van Wert city schools, to accompany the local school 
 exhibit to the State Fair. This bulletin was made use of 
 by the librarian in a talk given by her in the round table 
 discussion on County Libraries at the Oberlin meeting of 
 the Ohio Library Association. Again it was used by a 
 librarian who desired to show it to her trustees, and at a 
 street fair, with the hope of giving an impetus to the county 
 library idea fast taking root in her county. 
 
 Bulletin material and pictures representative of Van 
 Wert County library rural extension work were also sent 
 in compliance with a request from Mr. Carl Milam, presi- 
 dent of the League of Library Commissioners, to be used 
 in the library exhibit of the National Educational Associa- 
 tion at Salt Lake City, in 1913. 
 
 * The Outlook, January 24, 1914. 
 
o 
 
 S 
 w 
 
 Pi 
 < 
 
 « 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 ffl 
 
 o 
 
 X 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 o 
 
 k4 
 
LOCATION OF DIXOX BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
 LOCATION OF GLEN>fORE BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 165 
 
 Because of the surprisingly great number of automobiles 
 owned and operated in this, a rural county, a brief list of 
 books for autoists was printed and distributed in the county. 
 Some of these lists were sent to each of the eleven garages 
 in Van Wert County with a note asking that they be 
 placed where their patrons can see and use them. This met 
 with immediate response and at least served the purpose of 
 apprising many people that the library has books of inter- 
 est for all needs. 
 
 How a neighboring county regards the Brumback 
 Library and its work is shown by the following. A resi- 
 dent of Paulding County recently gave the librarian $50 
 with which to purchase books for a district school library. 
 He was neither a school director nor a school trustee, but 
 was interested in having good reading and wanted the best 
 books for this particular school. This incident indicates 
 that there is not only a growing demand for better books in 
 rural communities but a desire for expert advice in the 
 selection of books. The Brumback Library learned with 
 pleasure that Paulding County, Van Wert's neighbor on the 
 north, was trying to secure a county library and gladly 
 gave any desired information as to its own work. The fol- 
 lowing article appeared in the Van Wert Times of June 14, 
 1913, since which time the Paulding County Library has 
 become an assured fact and is the first county library estab- 
 lished by Mr. Carnegie in Ohio. 
 
 The town of Paulding was rejoicing Friday night over the 
 prospects of having a library of consequence in the very near 
 future. The situation in the town to the north has been very 
 similar to the one existing here before the late J. S. Brum- 
 back made possible the magnificent institution of which all 
 local citizens are justly proud. 
 
 For some time the library association at Paulding, which 
 has maintained a small institution, together with several of the 
 leading citizens, have had a movement on foot to secure a 
 Carnegie building for their county, and several propositions 
 
166 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 were considered. The announcement Friday evening that Mrs. 
 A. L. Latty would donate two lots in the business section of 
 the town, valued at $2,500, for a site, makes it certain that the 
 county commissioners will provide the necessary tax levy, so 
 that the town will have an institution for the use and receiving 
 the support of the county. It is the plan now to arrange for an 
 income of $4,000 a year for the library and under the Carnegie 
 offer this will provide for the county a $40,000 building. 
 
 Van Wert citizens are in a position to speak from experience 
 of the good arising from institutions of this kind and con- 
 gratulate the neighboring town upon its good fortune. 
 
 Mr. Carnegie gives as his reasons for contributing so 
 magnificently to the library movement the following : 
 
 I choose free libraries as the best agencies for improving 
 the masses of the people, because they give nothing for noth- 
 ing. They only help those who help themselves. They never 
 pauperize. They reach the aspiring, and open to these the 
 chief treasures of the world — those stored up in books. A 
 taste for read'ng drives out lower tastes. Besides this, I 
 believe good fiction one of the most beneficial reliefs to the 
 monotonous lives of the poor. For these and other reasons I 
 prefer the free public library to most if not any other agencies 
 for the happiness and improvement of a community. 
 
 The following is a list of the books in one of the present 
 county collections: 
 
 PHILOSOPHY 
 
 Ross, E. A. Sin and society. 
 
 Sangster, Margaret. Happy school days. 
 
 RELIGION 
 
 Stelzle, Charles. American social and religious conditions. 
 Wilson, W. H. Evolution of the country community. 
 
 SOCIOLOGY 
 
 Cocroft, Susanna. The woman worth while. 
 Dinsmore, J. W. Teaching a district school. 
 Laselle & Wiley. Vocations for girls. 
 Wilson, Woodrow. The new freedom. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 167 
 
 SCIENCE 
 
 Bostock, F. C. Training wild animals. 
 Gibbs, W. E. Lighting by acetylene. 
 Turner, C. C. Romance of aeronautics. 
 
 USEFUL ARTS 
 
 Hunt, T. F. The young farmer ; some things he should know. 
 
 Hutchinson, Woods. Common diseases. 
 
 Scott, W. R. Americans in Panama. 
 
 Sill, E. M. The child. 
 
 Slauson, H. W. Car troubles. 
 
 Smith, W. C. How to grow loo bushels of corn per acre on 
 
 worn soil. 
 
 FINE ARTS 
 
 Bevier, Isabel. The house; its plan, decoration and care. 
 Hornaday, W. T. Our vanishing wild life. 
 
 LITERATURE 
 
 Bunyan, John. Pilgrim's Progress. 
 
 Matter, John. Three farms. 
 
 Rittenhouse, J. B. The younger American poets. 
 
 TRAVEL 
 
 Bostwick, A. E. The different West. 
 Carl, K. A. With the Empress Dowager. 
 DeForest, Katharine. Paris as it is. 
 Spears, J. R. Master mariners. 
 Tozier, Josephine. Among English inns. 
 
 BIOGRAPHY 
 
 Adams & Foster. Heroines of modern progress. 
 Bevan, W. L. The world's leading conquerors. 
 Home, C. S. David Livingstone. 
 Hess, George. Leading American inventors. 
 Trevelyan, G. M. Garibaldi and the Thousand. 
 Wiggin, Mrs. K. D. S. A child's journey with Dickens. 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 Headlam, Cecil. Story of Nuremberg. 
 
 Rhodes, J. F. Lectures on the American Civil War. 
 
16^68 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Schaff, Morris. The sunset of the Confederacy. 
 Young, Alexander. History of the Netherlands. 
 
 FICTION 
 
 Aldrich, T. B. Marjorie Daw and other stories. 
 
 Allen, Mrs. F. N. S. The invaders. 
 
 Barclay, Mrs. Hubert. A dream of blue roses. 
 
 Bentley, E. C. The woman in black. 
 
 Bindloss, Harold. Ranching for Sylvia. 
 
 Bordeaux, Henry. The fear of living. 
 
 Buckrose, J. E. Love in a little town. 
 
 Comfort, W. L. Fate knocks at the door. 
 
 Crichton, F. E. Soundless tide. 
 
 Dickens, Charles. Old curiosity shop. 
 
 Duncan, Norman. The measure of a man. 
 
 Ferber, Edna. Roast-beef, medium. 
 
 Ford, P. L. Wanted — A chaperon. 
 
 Fox, John, Jr. Little shepherd of Kingdom Come. 
 
 Gale, Zona. Mothers to men. 
 
 Gerry, M. S. Flowers. 
 
 Gilson, R. R. Katrina. 
 
 Gordon, C. W. The doctor. 
 
 Grimshaw, Beatrice. When the red gods call. 
 
 Harrison, H. S. V. V.'s eyes. 
 
 Johnson, Owen. The sixty-first second. 
 
 Marriott, Crittenden. Sally Castleton. 
 
 Maxwell, W. B. General Mallock's shadow. 
 
 Morris, Gouverneur. The penalty. 
 
 Munger, D. H. The wind before the dawn. 
 
 Richards, Mrs. L. E. H. Miss Jimmy. 
 
 Rinehart, Mrs. M. R. The case of Jennie Brice. 
 
 Scott, Sir Walter. Quentin Durward. 
 
 Stevenson, B. E. The young section hand. 
 
 Stewart, C. D. Finerty of the sandhouse. 
 
 Stockton, F. R. Vizier of the two-horned Alexander. 
 
 Stringer, A. J. A. The shadow. 
 
 Tarkington, Booth. The flirt. 
 
 Ward, Mrs. M. A. A. The mating of Lydia. 
 
 BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 
 
 Allen, C. F. David Crockett, scout. 
 Altsheler, J. A. The Texan star. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 169 
 
 Bailey, O. S. Girl's make-at-home things. 
 
 Baldwin, James. The sampo. 
 
 Carroll, Lewis. Alice's adventures in Wonderland. 
 
 Carruth, Haydon. Track's end. 
 
 DuBois, M. C. The lass of the silver sword. 
 
 DuBois, M. C. The league of the signet ring. 
 
 Finnemore, John. Barbary rovers. 
 
 Griewold, Latta. Deering of Deal. 
 
 Gulliver, Lucile. The friendship of nations. 
 
 Hall and Lenox. Red letter days and facts. 
 
 Hodges, George. Saints and heroes. 
 
 Holbrook, Florence. The Hiawatha primer. 
 
 Hough, Emerson. Young Alaskans on the trail. 
 
 How to Flay Baseball. 
 
 Kipling, Rudyard. The Kipling reader. 
 
 Lamb, Charles. Adventures of Ulysses. 
 
 Marshall, Mrs. E. M. In four reigns. 
 
 Masefield, John. Jim Davis. 
 
 Mix, J. I. Mighty animals. 
 
 Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Peter Rabbit. 
 
 Quirk, L. W. The fourth down. 
 
 Schutiz, J. W. With the Indians in the Rockies. 
 
 Zwilgmeyer, Dikken. Johnny Blossom. 
 
 PRESENT METHOD OF OPERATING THE BRANCHES 
 
 In the early establishment of the Brumback county 
 library system, vifhen collections of books from the main 
 library were located in a number of places of business in 
 the county, these were called " branch libraries " and those 
 in charge of them were called " branch librarians." These 
 terms were used for convenience and as the most expressive. 
 Such names as sub-stations, branch stations, delivery sta- 
 tions, deposit stations and county stations have also been 
 used, and later the word " custodian " has come into vogue 
 as a synonym of branch librarian. 
 
 In this book all of these terms are employed, but the words 
 " branch library " and " branch librarian " seem to be the 
 most suitable. The term " branch library " conveys the 
 
170 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 idea of both books and location, and while it may be less 
 than a branch library in the strict sense of the words, it is 
 more than a delivery or deposit station; and while the one 
 in charge of a branch library is less than a branch librarian, 
 in the full sense of the term, he is more than a mere custo- 
 dian. Hence, for the lack of better terms these are used as 
 the most expressive. 
 
 Van Wert as the county-seat is the logical location for a 
 county library, and, being centrally located, it is well 
 adapted to the administration of a county traveling library 
 system. It lies at the intersection of the Pennsylvania Rail- 
 road, the Cincinnati Northern Railroad and the Ohio Elec- 
 tric Interurban Line, which render it easily accessible from 
 all parts of the county and afford convenient transportation 
 in all directions. 
 
 In order to reach the people of the county, books are 
 placed at the various trading points, whether they be villages 
 or cross-roads. It chances that, at present, the fifteen 
 branches are located in five drug stores, seven general stores, 
 two post offices and the Delphos Public Library. Five fac- 
 tors enter into the work of the branches. 
 
 A. BORROWERS OF THE BRANCHES 
 
 Rules for the government of the patrons of the branches : 
 
 1. Residents of Van Wert County, above the age of nine 
 years, are entitled to the privileges of the library or any of 
 its branches, by signing an agreement to comply with the rules 
 and regulations of the library. Such application blanks may 
 be found at the library or at any of the stations, where appli- 
 cants may be supplied with borrowers' cards. 
 
 2. A borrower's card entitles the holder to draw books from 
 the central library at Van Wert or from any of the branch 
 libraries established by the Board of Trustees in different parts 
 of the county, provided each book is returned to the same 
 place from which it was taken. 
 
 3. Each branch is furnished with a placard specifying dates 
 upon which the books are to be returned by the librarian of the 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 171 
 
 station to Van Wert. A book withheld beyond these dates, 
 necessitating its return separately, must be sent by the librarian 
 at the borrower's expense. 
 
 4. All regulations in the " Book of Rules " with respect to 
 the care of books, fines, etc., applicable to borrowers from the 
 central library will be enforced against patrons obtaining books 
 at the branches. 
 
 B. BOOKS FOR THE BRANCHES 
 
 Selection. In the selection of books for the branches 
 exceeding care is exercised to provide the latest and most 
 highly commended works on the various sciences and arts, 
 the most interesting books of travel and the best of litera- 
 ture. Book lists and reviews which are recognized as 
 authoritative are consulted in choosing the most desirable 
 of the recent books, while some of the standard works are 
 always included in the collections. Order slips are kept on 
 file of especially new and attractive books, in readiness for 
 the time when purchase of county books shall be made. In 
 the consideration of all tastes it is the aim to have each 100 
 books representative of all the classes of literature, the 
 basis of which is as follows : 26 juvenile, 30 fiction, i 
 philosophy, 3 religion, 4 sociology, i philology, 4 science, 
 5 useful arts, 3 fine arts, 6 literature, 5 biography, 6 history, 
 7 travel. This apportionment varies slightly in each collec- 
 tion, depending upon the desirable books available at the 
 time of purchase. 
 
 Purchase. For a number of years balanced collections 
 were purchased periodically for the branches. Under this 
 arrangement the seventeen packing boxes (an extra one 
 for emergencies) with their collections completed the cir- 
 cuit of the stations in forty-eight months, each box having 
 remained at each station three months. Consequently at 
 the end of the fourth year the 2,000 books in the county 
 boxes were transferred to the shelves of the main library, 
 another lot having been purchased and made ready to refill 
 the county boxes. The task of selecting 2,000 books which 
 
172 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 would not duplicate to any great extent those previously in 
 the county collections nor the books on the library shelves, 
 and which would yet be readable, popular and of more than 
 ephemeral value, grew increasingly more difficult. There- 
 fore, in 1910 the better plan of renewing four boxes each 
 year was adopted, whereby each year takes care of its own 
 work, and thenceforward there ceased to be a quadrennial 
 task so great that other work of the library had to be neg- 
 lected pending its completion. Thus, a definite sum for 
 county books can be set aside each year and the heavy out- 
 lay every fourth year is avoided. 
 
 Preparation. These books are collated, pocketed, 
 stamped, labeled, accessioned, classified and catalogued the 
 same as books for the central library, but they have their 
 own separate shelf-list as long as they are kept in the county. 
 They are provided with the regulation book card to be kept 
 at the central library. In addition to this, in each book 
 pocket is placed another book card (see opposite page for 
 illustration). 
 
 A balanced collection of about 125 books is then placed in 
 a packing case, which is a substantially made box with tray, 
 hinged lid, handles and lock and key. These boxes are 
 painted gray and have the name and address of the library, 
 also the words, " Books — Keep Dry," lettered on them in 
 black. On the end of each box is painted its number (i 
 up to 17), which is always retained by the box or its sub- 
 stitute. Each box has a capacity of from 125 to 200 books 
 and the collection placed in it travels with the box as long 
 as that collection is in use in the county, or until the books 
 are finally returned to the central library shelves. Upon 
 the inside of the lid of each book is tacked a typewritten, 
 classified list of the books sent in the box with any changes 
 that may be made from time to time. Printed booklets con- 
 taining annotated lists of the books in the box are placed 
 in the box to be distributed by the branch librarians to their 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 
 
 173 
 
 patrons for home reference. The box is then shipped, 
 freight prepaid, to its branch as per schedule. Extra boxes 
 averaging loo books each are sent to some of the stations 
 regularly and to others as needed. 
 
 Author 
 
 Title 
 
 
 
 
 DATE- 
 LENT 
 
 THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY 
 
 BORROWER'S NAME 
 
 DATE 
 RETURNED 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C. BRANCH LIBRARIANS 
 
 At each location of a branch is hung on the outside of the 
 building a metal sign, in blue and white enamel : " Branch 
 of the Brumback Library of Van Wert County. Books 
 free to all residents of the county." Each branch is also 
 supplied with a neat book-case holding from 150 to 200 
 
174 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 books and a small tin tray for the filing of book cards. At 
 the first of every year a placard 6xio inches is sent from 
 the main library to each branch librarian. On this is printed 
 in heavy type the dates for that year on which the boxes are 
 to be returned to the central library from that particular 
 station ; for example : 
 
 
 CONVOY 
 
 
 28 
 
 February, 
 
 1911. 
 
 25 
 
 May, 
 
 1911. 
 
 21 
 
 August, . . 
 
 1911. 
 
 14 
 
 November, 
 
 1911. 
 
 These placards are hung in a prominent place, where the 
 patrons as well as the branch librarian can note the dates. 
 Promptness in the following of this schedule both by custo- 
 dian and patrons is expected, so that there need be no delay 
 in the transfer of boxes from one station to another. When 
 the branch librarian receives his box of books he checks oflf 
 the books with the list on the lid of the box and places them 
 in the book-case. When a borrower comes for a book, the 
 branch librarian removes the book card * from the book 
 pocket and writes on it the name of the borrower and date 
 of the loan. He then places the card on file alphabetically 
 in the tin tray provided for the purpose, where it remains 
 until the return of the book. Every evening he counts and 
 makes a note of the number of book cards issued that day 
 on a circulation sheet provided for the purpose, and at the 
 end of the month sends in to the county assistant the circu- 
 lation for the month on a post card printed with the library's 
 address and provided by the central library for the purpose. 
 The printed form of the card is : 
 
 * See p. 173. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES lib 
 
 books circulated from during the month 
 
 of 
 
 (Signature) 
 
 On the return of the book by the borrower the date is 
 written on the book card and the card is replaced in the 
 book. These book cards remain in the books when they are 
 returned at the end of twelve weeks to the central library. 
 The branch librarian pays the drayage (for which he is 
 reimbursed), but all freight is paid at the central library. 
 Any requests for special books by patrons of a branch are 
 forwarded to the county assistant by whom the books are 
 sent in the next box to the station. If the need is urgent they 
 are sent by mail or express. 
 
 Each branch librarian is paid $50 a year for his services. 
 Promptness, intelligence and personal interest are neces- 
 sary qualifications for a good branch librarian and the suc- 
 cess of the branch depends in a great measure upon his 
 enthusiasm in the work. Beginning with the year 1907 a 
 monthly report was sent to each of the sixteen branch 
 librarians containing a statement of the number of books 
 circulated from all the branches during the month, the total 
 number of applications received, the total number of cards 
 renewed, and giving each station its rank according to the 
 number of books circulated during the month. In this way 
 the branches are kept informed as to the progress of the 
 work. In addition to this, tables are occasionally sent to 
 the branches showing the highest and lowest circulation since 
 the installation of each branch. 
 
 The rules governing the librarians of the branches are as 
 follows : 
 
 1. All applications must be sent to central library to be 
 registered, on receipt of which corresponding borrowers' cards 
 are returned to the branch librarians. 
 
 2. On the lid of each box sent to the stations is a classified 
 list of the books contained in the box. Librarians of the 
 
176 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 various stations are expected to check off books with these 
 lists. If any discrepancies are found notice must be sent at 
 once to the county Hbrarian, who takes for granted the correct- 
 ness of lists unless informed to the contrary, and holds the 
 branch librarian responsible for the books. He must collect all 
 fines for books overdue, impose fines for books damaged and 
 collect price of books lost or destroyed through carelessness. 
 In case books are injured, lost or destroyed through the negli- 
 gence of the branch librarian, a proper amount is deducted 
 from his salary. 
 
 3. The branch librarian must return books to Van Wert on 
 the date specified in the schedule provided by the county 
 librarian. Any books not returned with the boxes must be sent 
 at the expense of those holding the books. 
 
 4. It is required by the board that each branch librarian 
 send to the county librarian at the end of every month an 
 accurate report of the circulation of the books at his station, 
 to be submitted to the board in her report at their monthly 
 meetings. Failure to comply with this rule may result in the 
 removal of the branch. If the report is delayed beyond a rea- 
 sonable time and several notices from the county librarian fail 
 to obtain it and it becomes necessary to telephone concerning 
 same to the branch librarian, the telephone toll shall be 
 deducted from the salary of the branch librarian. 
 
 5. Persons having any form of contagious disease in their 
 residence or families shall not be permitted to draw books. 
 In case there are books in the possession of those where con- 
 tagion exists, it is the duty of the branch librarian to notify 
 the county librarian, who forwards instructions as to the dis- 
 posal of such books. He should also use his best judgment in 
 closing the branch library in the event of an epidemic and 
 notify the county librarian. 
 
 6. The first of January a yearly itemized account of expen- 
 ditures and receipts in connection with each branch library 
 must be submitted to the board. 
 
 D. BRANCHES AND COUNTY ASSISTANT 
 
 The box returned to the central library by the branch 
 librarian is taken in charge by the county assistant, who 
 compares the books returned in the box with her packet of 
 book cards (representing the books in that box), which are 
 
m 
 
 o 
 <; 
 
 W 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 o 
 o 
 
LOCATION OF WREN BRANCH LIBRARY, INTERIOR 
 
 LOCATION OF ELGIN BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 177 
 
 kept by her on file under the label of the number of that box. 
 She is thus able to know just what, if any, books are missing 
 and the branch librarian is at once notified. She mends 
 any books in need of repair, sends books to the bindery 
 when necessary, substituting others from the county reserve 
 and making a corresponding change in the typewritten 
 list on the lid of the box. From the book cards returned in 
 the books from the station she gathers statistics of the num- 
 ber of books read, the number of each class read, and, if 
 desired, the number and names of active readers as shown 
 by the cards. Since these statistics of the county assistant 
 cover the period of twelve weeks during which the books 
 were at the branch without regard to calendar months, while 
 the statistics of the branch librarian represent only calendar 
 months, the two sets of statistics cannot be identical; but 
 at the end of the year they should be close enough to reveal 
 any undue discrepancy in reports. 
 
 When all is ready she re-packs the books with annotated 
 lists, etc., and sends the box on to its next station as per 
 schedule. 
 
 E. SCHEDULE OF BRANCHES 
 
 The time schedule of the exchange of county boxes is a 
 very important factor in the county work, and not easily 
 explained in a few words. It has to be carefully worked out 
 in advance and should not be interfered with or confusion 
 and complications will arise in the operation of the branch 
 libraries. There are sixteen * stations, but seventeen boxed 
 collections of books. All of these circulate as per sched- 
 ule, but having an extra box permits of one box being on 
 hand at all times at the central library to be utilized in case 
 of some special emergency. However, in arranging the 
 schedule, care is taken to provide, in the transfer of the 
 
 * At present there are fifteen stations, but the schedule arranged 
 for sixteen stations remains unchanged, thus providing for any new 
 branch that might be established. 
 
178 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 boxes, for an ample margin of time to cover reasonable 
 delays in transportation. To make the round of sixteen 
 stations, remaining at each station three months, each box 
 of books is on duty for forty-eight months, at the end of 
 which time it is refilled with a new collection. Therefore, 
 in preparing a schedule governing the exchange of the 
 boxes, it is necessary to have a calendar of dates for five 
 years in advance. 
 
 The county branches have been operating on a schedule 
 which dates from 1910 and provides for sixteen stations. 
 This will soon need to be replaced by another one covering 
 the years to 1919. With her calendars prepared, the county 
 assistant can arrange her schedule for five years for each 
 station and for each box. To illustrate, a part of the old 
 schedule is shown, which may be carried out on the same 
 principle indefinitely through the years. 
 
 station 
 
 Date for 
 Box to 
 Reach 
 
 Station 
 
 Box 
 
 Date for 
 Box to 
 Reach 
 
 Station 
 
 Box 
 
 Date for 
 Box to 
 Reach 
 
 Station 
 
 Date for 
 Box to 
 Reach 
 Station 
 
 Box 
 
 Scott 
 
 Dixon 
 
 Wren 
 
 Willshire . . . 
 Middlepoint 
 Hutchinson. 
 Ohio City . . 
 Delphos. . . . 
 Convoy .... 
 
 Cavett 
 
 Dasie 
 
 Venedocia . . 
 Glenmore . . 
 
 Wetsel 
 
 Converse . . . 
 Elgin 
 
 Jan. 21 
 Jan. 26 
 Jan. 30 
 Feb. 3 
 Feb. 8 
 Feb. 13 
 Feb. 18 
 Feb. 23 
 Feb. 28 
 Mar. 6 
 Mar. 11 
 Mar. 16 
 Mar. 21 
 Mar. 27 
 Apr. 1 
 Apr. 6 
 
 Apr. 11 
 Apr. 17 
 Apr. 24 
 Apr. 29 
 May 4 
 May 9 
 May IS 
 May 20 
 May 25 
 May 30 
 June 5 
 June 10 
 June IS 
 June 20 
 June 26 
 July 1 
 
 July 6 
 July 11 
 July 17 
 July 24 
 July 31 
 Aug. 5 
 Aug. 10 
 Aug. IS 
 Aug. 21 
 Aug. 26 
 Aug. 31 
 Sept. S 
 Sept. 11 
 Sept. 16 
 Sept. 21 
 Sept. 26 
 
 Oct. 2 
 Oct. 7 
 Oct. 12 
 Oct. 17 
 Oct. 23 
 Oct. 30 
 Nov. 4 
 Nov. 9 
 Nov. 14 
 Nov. 20 
 Nov. 25 
 Nov. 30 
 Dec. S 
 Dec. 11 
 Dec. 16 
 Dec. 21 
 
 14 
 
 IS 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 S 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 A study of the above shows Box i, for instance, at 
 Dixon, January 26, at Wren, April 24, at Willshire, July 
 24, at Middlepoint, Oct. 23, and so on until it has visited 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 179 
 
 each station and returns to Dixon in January, 191 5. 
 (Between visits the box is always returned to the central 
 library.) But before it is sent to Dixon again, the books 
 in the box are replaced by an entirely new collection. While 
 the collection as a whole is changed at this particular time, 
 during its four years of travel it is kept up-to-date by fresh 
 books, which replace those worn out or dropped for special 
 reasons. Since this method of refilling each box every four 
 years results in four new collections each year for the 
 branches, the people using the branch libraries have at all 
 times access to recent and well selected books. In order to 
 put into operation this method by which four boxes may be 
 refilled every year, it was at first necessary to have four col- 
 lections replaced after the first year, four after the second 
 year, four after the third year, since which time each col- 
 lection is renewed every four years. 
 
 A study of the above schedule will also show that a box 
 is received at the central library and sent out every five days. 
 The dates and the numbers of the boxes to be refilled are 
 taken from the schedule and for ready reference are grouped 
 under each year. To illustrate : 
 
 fFeby. 
 
 I May 
 ^ I Aug. 
 
 [Dec. 
 In 1915 the above is repeated. In 1916 the above is repeated. 
 
 BRANCH LIBRARIANS 
 
 Willshire Branch. 
 
 Ellsworth Brown, hardware store, Feb. 19, 1901 — Feb. I, 1909. 
 
 Jesse L. Crowe, restaurant, Feb. 4, 1909 — Dec. S, 1909. 
 
 W. W. Parks, drug store, Feb. 14, 1910, to date. 
 Ohio City Branch. 
 
 J. A. Swoveland, drug store, March 7, 1901 — July i, 1903. 
 
 H. M. Agner, drug store, Jan. I, 1903 — July i, 1904. 
 
 J. A. Swoveland, drug store, July I, 1904, to date. 
 
 18 — Box 6 
 
 
 Jan. 
 
 I — Box 14 
 
 25 — Box 7 
 
 
 Apr. 
 
 XI — Box 16 
 
 31 — Box 8 
 
 1912 
 
 July 
 
 6 — Box 15 
 
 5 — B0X9 
 
 
 Oct. 
 
 19 — Box 17 
 
180 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Convoy Branch. 
 
 D. W. Leslie, drug store, March ii, 1901, to date. 
 Middlepoint Branch. 
 
 H. A. Mohler, drug store, March 12, 1901, to date. 
 Delphos Branch. 
 
 Jane Brotherton 1 , _, ■,«• f 
 
 ;, T, ^f . 'aw office, March 14, igoi — 
 
 Mary Brotherton J. . 
 
 Mrs. B. J. Brotherton | J^"" ^3. I9I3- 
 
 Delphos public library, April 7, 1913, to date. 
 Venedocia Branch. 
 
 Jones & Jones, hardware store. May 17, 1901 — Oct. 21, 1903. 
 
 D. J. Evans, post office, Oct. 21, 1903, to date. 
 Cavett Branch. 
 
 W. M. Hoaglin, general store, June 3, 1901 — Sept. 16, 1910. 
 
 C. L. Gordon, general store, Sept. 16, 1910, to date. 
 Dasie Branch. 
 
 L. B. Springer, general store. May 25, 1901, to date. 
 Hutchinson Branch. 
 
 C. L. Gordon, general store, Dec. 31, 1901 — Aug. i, 1909. 
 (Closed) 
 Wetsel Branch. 
 
 Dr. J. Wolfe, office, Jan. 8, 1902 — Aug. 11, 1909. 
 
 F. C. Myers, general store, Aug. 11, 1909 — Sept. 15, 1911. 
 
 C. Ditto, general store, Sept. 15, 191 1, to date. 
 Glenmore Branch. 
 
 James R. Conn, general store, July 25, 1902 — Sept. 15, 1903. 
 
 L. S. Cully, general store, July i, 1901 — Jan. 23, 1905. 
 
 Franklin Myers, general store, Jan. 23, 1905 — Jan. i, 1906. 
 
 Charles W. Kiracofe, general store, Jan. i, 1906 — April i, 1911. 
 
 F. C. Germann, general store, April i, 191 1, to date. 
 Converse Branch. 
 
 R. W. Hance, Farmers' Grocery, Aug. 12, 1902, to date. 
 Scott Branch. 
 
 Mrs. Alice Reeb, Fasig drug store, Feb. 10, 1903 — June i, 1907. 
 
 W. M. Merlin, general store, Aug. 12, 1907 — Nov. i, 1909. 
 
 W. F. Leidy, drug store, Nov. 22, 1909, to date. 
 Dixon Branch. 
 
 Charles Hoeken, post office, Feb. 13, 1903, to date. 
 
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 181 
 
 IVren Branch. 
 
 Mrs. Arthur Swoveland, drug store, Feb. 19, 1903 — Feb. i, 
 1907. 
 
 Mrs. C. C. Bowen, drug store, Feb. i, 1907 — Feb. 19, 1909. 
 
 F. M. German, telephone exchange, April 2, 1909 — July i, 1913. 
 
 Dudley & Dull, general store, July i, 1913, to date. 
 Elgin Branch. 
 
 Mrs. A. Pfeiffer, doctor's office, Oct. 20, 1904 — Nov. i, 1905. 
 
 Bessie Hughes, private house, Sept. 25, 1905 — Dec. i, 1908. 
 
 L. L. Wolfe, general store, Feb. i, 1909 — Jan. i, 1912. 
 
 B. B. Doughton, general store, Jan. 29, 1912 — May i, 1912. 
 V. H. Strete, general store, Aug. i, 1912 — Dec. i, 1912. 
 Elvin Clark, general store, Feb. 24, 1913 — Sept. 17, 1913. 
 
 C. T. Clantz, general store, Sept. 17, 1913, to date. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 SCHOOLS 
 
 r I'^HE work of the schools is considered under the 
 ■^ two heads : County Schools * and Van Wert City 
 Schools. 
 
 In studying the growth of the county library, it is inter- 
 esting to note how spontaneously it spreads and propagates 
 itself by offshoots, which, seeking outlet for their energies, 
 finally take root in fresh fields of library activity. With 
 judicious care and cultivation these tender little offshoots 
 put forth by the main stock, finally become strong and hardy 
 and in the end bear choicest fruit. In the fifth year of the 
 library it happily became apparent that an offshoot from the 
 main library had taken root in fallow soil. Hesitatingly 
 but voluntarily came scattered requests from the teachers 
 and pupils of the county schools for books, which requests 
 were gladly welcomed and cordially granted. Special priv- 
 ileges were accorded any and all teachers of the county, 
 and all possible encouragement was given to the movement 
 tending to a cooperation of the county library and the 
 county rural schools. 
 
 This work of the rural schools and of the schools of the 
 small towns of the county, resulting in a circulation equal to 
 or greater than that of the branches, is now an important 
 factor in the activities of the library and is cared for in a 
 special department by a special assistant at central library. 
 The offshoot, to continue the analogy, finally became sturdy 
 and strong and today is as productive of results as the parent 
 stock or its branches. 
 
 ♦County Schools refer to all schools outside of Van Wert City. 
 
 183 
 
SCHOOLS 183 
 
 This chapter will trace this growth. It is necessary to 
 remember here that, for reasons previously stated, only two 
 borrowers' cards were at first issued to any one family, and 
 not until 1908 was this limitation removed. In the second 
 year of the library's operations, 1902, Mr. J. P. Sharkey, 
 superintendent of the Van Wert schools, requested that 
 his teachers might have teachers' cards. The request was 
 granted by the Board. Furthermore, in order to give all 
 the schools of the county equal opportunities with those 
 of the city of Van Wert, it was decided to grant to any 
 teacher in Van Wert County, making proper application, a 
 special teacher's card entitling the holder to draw at one 
 time fotlr volumes for use in her school work. A number 
 of the city teachers at once took advantage of the privilege, 
 the result of which was an increased demand for good books 
 for young people. However, at the end of the year but 
 few county teachers had availed themselves of the opportu- 
 nity, which is probably explained by the fact that few of 
 them as yet knew of the arrangement. The close of another 
 year — 1903 — showed a total of fifty-two of these teach- 
 ers' cards issued, indicating that the knowledge and use of 
 the special library privileges granted to the teachers had 
 become more general, largely due to the efforts of the 
 teachers themselves, since no attempt was made then, nor 
 has any attempt been made since, by the library to thrust the 
 privilege upon the teachers. Ministers and other special 
 workers were now included among those entitled to special 
 cards. 
 
 When in 1904 the records showed that fifty-eight teachers 
 in the county schools outside of Van Wert city schools had 
 special cards, it was evident that the teachers of the county, 
 " leaders as they should be in all that tends to uplift and 
 enlighten," were fast availing themselves of the opportunity 
 offered them by the library. Most of the teachers came to 
 the central library for their books, where they were invited 
 
184 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 to go to the shelves and make their own selection. If, how- 
 ever, they desired the librarian to assist in the selection of 
 books she was at their service. Because of the increasing 
 interest on the part of the county teachers, in 1905 action 
 was taken permitting all teachers of the county schools to 
 have collections of books for their class-rooms, provided 
 they kept accurate records of the circulation of these books. 
 For this purpose the teachers are provided with necessary 
 blanks, similar to those used by the branch librarians, also 
 post cards for forwarding the monthly circulation to cen- 
 tral library, which require simply the insertion of the num- 
 ber of volumes circulated and the teachers' signatures. 
 Later in the work, it became the custom to send, at the end 
 of each month, post cards to the ten teachers having the 
 largest circulation for the month. Among the teachers who 
 first made use of these school collections were Mr. Red- 
 field, superintendent of the Willshire schools, who had 
 books sent for the use of his teachers; Mr. J. M. Distler, 
 who took books to his school near Middlepoint; and Mr. 
 Ray Fife, teacher of a school near Cavett. 
 
 To show that the library appreciated the cooperation ot 
 the teachers, it was arranged to have a meeting of all teach- 
 ers of the county at the library, but the project was not 
 carried out until a later date and then with great success. 
 A second meeting on a subsequent occasion was equally suc- 
 cessful. The librarian. Miss Brotherton, in her report for 
 1906 says, " The use of the library by the county teachers 
 and pupils is growing constantly. The circulation through 
 the country schools marks one of the greatest developments 
 of the year in the work. The day is swiftly passing when a 
 teacher is content to teach a particular text-book rather than 
 the subject, and with that day comes the closer cooperation 
 of libraries and schools, each supplementing the work of 
 the other." 
 
 It became very evident that in order properly to care for 
 
SCHOOLS 185 
 
 and encourage this rapidly growing work with the schools of 
 the county, some systematic provision for it would have to 
 be made. It had assumed such proportions that in 1906 the 
 separate department of school libraries for the use of the 
 country schools was established. This department was 
 started on a small scale with less than 500 volumes. The 
 collection was selected with great care from the list of books 
 for boys and girls compiled by Miss Caroline N. Hewins 
 and from other critical lists. Only books that were of true 
 educational value were included, though stories and books 
 of a popular nature were not excluded; no attempt was 
 made to provide text-books or books for merely recreational 
 reading. The surprising and unexpected demand for these 
 school libraries by teachers of the county soon exhausted the 
 special collection provided for this purpose, and made serious 
 inroads on the general juvenile collection. In addition to 
 meeting the teachers who came to the library, the librarian, 
 by frequently attending the county teachers' institute ses- 
 sions, came into personal touch with the teachers who had 
 not as yet made use of the library's resources. 
 
 And now an old question, in new form, again presented 
 itself, and again it was the situation at Delphos, explained 
 elsewhere, which gave rise to it. This question was whether 
 teachers who were non-residents of but teachers in Van 
 Wert County might have library privileges ; and on the other 
 hand, whether teachers residents of Van Wert County but 
 teaching in another county might have school-room collec- 
 tions. The ruling of the Board was that a teacher not a 
 resident of, but teaching in. Van Wert County might have 
 a school-room collection, but not a teacher's card ; but that 
 a teacher, a resident of the county but teaching in a school 
 outside of Van Wert County, might have a teacher's card 
 but not a school-room collection. Teachers making their 
 abode in the county while teaching here have the same 
 privileges during that period as any resident. 
 
186 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 In 1907 the total number of special cards registered was 
 192. Every township in the county had at least one school 
 library, some townships having as many as seven. The 
 teachers of the county schools were doing truly remarkable 
 work in carrying a knowledge of the library and its 
 resources into their districts, some of these remote from 
 the central library. Literally speaking, they " carried " this 
 knowledge, for they took the books in cases and baskets or 
 in bundles to their destination. The number of books taken 
 varied from ten to fifty. The only rule governing the size 
 of these collections is that they shall not exceed the number 
 of pupils in the schools. A county teacher may keep a col- 
 lection, as a whole or in part, for as long a period of the 
 school year as he may desire, or he may exchange it, in 
 whole or in part, as he desires. During this year there was 
 an appreciable increase in the amount of reference work 
 done at the central library for the county schools and sta- 
 tions. The circulation through the county school libraries 
 showed a gain of 24% over that of the preceding year. The 
 librarian says that " the books loaned to the teachers were 
 chiefly of their own selection and the use made of them 
 was especially praiseworthy." At this time the county 
 school collection proper contained 678 volumes and during 
 the year it was necessary to supplement it with 313 volumes 
 from the shelves of the central library. 
 
 Statistics from the county school-libraries department in 
 1 910 denoted a steady growth, although the actual number 
 of volumes circulated was less than during the year previ- 
 ous. But this was the case in all of the departments owing 
 to a mild epidemic of small-pox. As eloquent evidence of 
 the progress in the school department, it is only needful to 
 cite the two following instances in connection with its work. 
 Mr. C. L. Shaffer, superintendent of the schools in Liberty 
 Township, in the latter part of 19 10, requested 200 books for 
 distribution among his teachers. These were placed in his 
 
LOCATION OF CONVOY BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
 LOCATION OF SCOTT BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
SCHOOLS 187 
 
 office at Ohio City for the convenient use of the township 
 teachers and of those in the Ohio City schools. Mr. Ray 
 Fife, new supervisor of schools in Union and Tully town- 
 ships, at about the same time, made a similar request, viz., 
 for five collections of thirty-five volumes each, which he 
 carried from school to school in his round of visits. Too 
 much cannot be said in praise of superintendents, super- 
 visors and teachers who show such interest and enthusiasm 
 in their work as to be willing to assume added responsibility 
 in their desire to raise the standards of their schools. When 
 they appeal to the library for assistance in this work, the 
 library is enabled better to fulfill its mission as a county 
 library. 
 
 The following instance illustrates the personal interest 
 and careful supervision of a township superintendent in con- 
 nection with the schools under his care. He told the libra- 
 rian he had made the discovery that in one of his schools the 
 boys had got into the way of reading books of a " blood 
 and thunder " type, and he asked her opinion as to how 
 the matter could best be handled. She wisely suggested 
 that he satisfy this natural craving of the boys for adven- 
 ture by supplying them with wholesome books of adventure 
 of the right sort and on subjects of interest to every normal 
 boy. Accordingly, a list was made up including tales about 
 Indians and the real West, stories of Daniel Boone and 
 pioneer days, inspiring books of true heroism and real 
 exploits. The teacher reported that the good books soon 
 displaced the " cheap literature." 
 
 In this connection the following quotation is of interest : 
 
 . . . These statistics [circulation of the different depart- 
 ments for several years] tell their own most interesting and 
 suggestive story. They plainly show that good books carefully 
 selected will be read by the people and the school children, 
 when placed within their reach. The great pity, as well as 
 danger, is that unless good books are furnished, bad ones will 
 be read. It is useless to rail against the evil of reading bad 
 
188 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 books and provide nothing in their stead. A vacuum is 
 abhorred in the moral as well as in the physical atmosphere. 
 " Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." 
 
 The success of the County Library in Van Wert County fur- 
 nishes an object lesson which should be carefully studied by 
 all who have the welfare of the schools and the people at heart. 
 Such a library is an important factor in solving many of the 
 pressing problems in the intellectual and spiritual life of the 
 people of both country and town. 
 
 We trust that the library may serve as a model for many 
 other counties in Ohio, and that the great work which is being 
 accomplished through it may furnish an incentive to other men 
 of means to make bequests similar to that of Mr. Brumback, 
 or to the people of the different counties to provide, in some 
 manner, wholesome reading for the schools and homes in their 
 territory. The small cost of maintenance would not be bur- 
 densome to anyone and the large value to all cannot be esti- 
 mated in money.* 
 
 In 1 910 forty-nine school libraries were in use in the Van 
 Wert County schools and in 191 1 the number was increased 
 to eighty-nine. The school collection numbering 863 
 volumes was augmented in 191 1 to 2,206 volimies. In this 
 same year 1,000 volumes were borrowed for a time from the 
 State Library at Columbus, Ohio, to aid in carrying on the 
 work with the county schools. Occasionally some parent or 
 member of a school board objects to the use of the books in 
 the school-room, but this objection usually arises from a 
 misunderstanding of the purpose of the books. It is more 
 frequently the case that books, taken from these school 
 libraries by the children into their homes, are read by the 
 parents and older brothers and sisters, and lead to a further 
 interest in the library on the part of the older members of 
 the family, resulting in new adult patrons for the library. 
 There comes to mind, in this connection, a teacher who 
 always asks for books for older readers for circulation in 
 the surrounding country. 
 
 * Excerpts from remarks^ by the Editor of the Ohio Educational 
 Monthly of April, 1912, relative to an article on the Brumback Library. 
 
SCHOOLS 189 
 
 The year 19 12 saw 1,000 more volumes in the county 
 schools, seventeen more teachers with school collections 
 and a gain of 8,521 in circulation as compared with 1911. 
 In considering the statistics of circulation it should be 
 remembered that some of these school collections are used 
 wholly for reference in the class-rooms and do not circulate. 
 Miss Corinne Metz, who was librarian from the fall of 1909 
 to the spring 1913, has in the March, 1912, number of 
 Public Libraries a very good article concerning the work 
 of the library with the rural schools of the county, selections 
 ^ from which are herewith quoted: 
 
 The collections as a rule are returned in excellent condi- 
 tion, but we ask each teacher to give a talk to her pupils on the 
 care of books and a brief sketch of their county library. The 
 teachers report greater interest in such studies as geography 
 and history as a result of supplementary reading on these sub- 
 jects; better order and discipline where books are at hand for 
 the restless parts of the day ; and more rapid progress in read- 
 ing when the simple readers and picture books are used with 
 the youngest children. 
 
 The books included in the initial purchase for the school 
 collections were books of recognized literary merit and sound 
 ethical value. Since the department is primarily educational, 
 these qualities are still considered in purchasing books for the 
 schools, but we include a much wider range of subjects than at 
 the beginning and occasionally add books which, though of 
 slight value from a literary standpoint, are useful as stepping 
 stones. Simple primers and picture books are most in demand, 
 since the youngest pupils in the country schools are of neces- 
 sity left much to themselves. Easy books on science and 
 nature study are also popular, especially since the study of 
 agriculture has been introduced into the schools of the state. 
 Geography, history and biography are liked, while fairy tales 
 and myths and legends are especially useful because they stimu- 
 late the child's imaginative faculties. " Thick " books are not 
 popular and there is little demand for books for older boys 
 and girls, since most of the country boys and girls of high 
 school age attend the high school at Van Wert and the other 
 towns of the county. This limits our selection to books 
 
190 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 suitable for children between the ages of five and fourteen, 
 and since the demand is similar in all the schools we duplicate 
 freely. Lists of books of special interest to teachers are fre- 
 quently printed in the daily papers and additional lists are 
 struck off for general distribution. Recent examples are, 
 " Some books on debating " ; " Books on story telling " ; lists 
 compiled by other libraries are also used, notably the Cleve- 
 land graded lists for schools. The list compiled by Miss 
 Kennedy and recommended by the Wisconsin Library Com- 
 mission has been bought in quantities for distribution. With 
 about 125 teachers in the county we shall consider 100 school 
 stations a fair number, taking into account the proximity of 
 some of the schools to the central library and the unwilling- 
 ness of some of the teachers to do any extra work. The 
 library is the natural meeting place for the county teachers; 
 hence an effort is made to have them feel at home there. 
 
 Each year the personnel of the county teachers changes 
 somewhat, some of the teachers dropping out and new ones 
 taking their places. This renders it necessary each year to 
 explain to the teachers how the library may be of assistance 
 to them in their school work. The librarian does this usually 
 through the agency of the county teachers' institutes held 
 at Van Wert, by personal letters, by printed information or 
 in any other way suggesting itself to her. It should be 
 mentioned here that those in charge of the county institute 
 work have at all times been most thoughtful in the exten- 
 sion of courtesies to the library and in giving the librarian 
 opportunities to present the cause of the library. In return, 
 the library has been careful not to abuse the privilege. Both 
 institutions work side by side, each independent, and yet 
 cooperating with one another to the advantage of both. 
 
 In August of 1913, having arranged with the committee 
 in charge, the librarian invited the members of the county 
 institute to come to the library for a social hour on Tuesday 
 of institute week. They responded by coming in a body 
 at the appointed time. In the words of the librarian, " Our 
 aim was three- fold: (i) to show the teachers the library 
 
SCHOOLS 191 
 
 and explain its facilities for helping the county teachers, 
 (2) to obtain as complete a register as possible of those 
 present for future use and (3) to promote and strengthen 
 the friendly and cordial relationship existing between the 
 teachers of the county and the library. We feel that we 
 accomplished these three things to an even greater extent 
 than had been hoped. 
 
 " For the accomplishment of the first, we simply put 
 before their eyes as many evidences of our school work as 
 possible, by having on display sample collections of books, 
 juvenile lists for distribution, maps showing the county 
 work, pictures for the use of schools, etc. For the second, 
 we had suspended, from the low wall chandeliers, cards 
 bearing the names of the twelve townships. Each teacher 
 was requested to sign his name on the card of the township 
 wherein was located his school. A tiny ribbon bow pinned 
 on the teacher while signing helped indicate to the library 
 assistants those who had signed the cards, thus enabling 
 them to seek out and urge to do so those who had not. We 
 thus obtained 113 names, while there were no doubt some 
 who did not sign. The third purpose was accomplished by 
 the informality of the whole affair and by the serving of 
 refreshing lemonade and wafers. The only ' speech ' was 
 a very informal talk by the librarian, who explained the 
 manner of obtaining and the use of school libraries." 
 
 Many teachers came during the remainder of institute 
 week to select their school libraries. Cards bearing the 
 following instructions are sent or given to all teachers. 
 
 SCHOOL LIBRARIES OF THE BRUMBACK LIBRARY OF VAN WERT COUNTY. 
 
 HOW TO USE 
 
 1. Report to the librarian on the first day of each month the 
 total number of books issued during the previous month. Keep 
 the daily statistics on the blank provided for the purpose. 
 
 2. When a pupil borrows a book, write his name on the book 
 card. 
 
192 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 3. We prefer that the books be taken home by the children, but 
 the teacher may use them in the school for reference or for supple- 
 mentary reading. 
 
 4. State in your monthly report whether the books were used 
 in school or taken home. 
 
 5. Principals and teachers are held responsible for the return 
 of all books loaned them. Lost or mutilated books must be paid 
 for. If leaves become loose or torn, put the book aside until the 
 return of the collection. 
 
 6. Please do not deny a child full use of the books as a punish- 
 ment for low standing or poor deportment. 
 
 7. Write to the librarian whenever you would like a bit of 
 information on any subject. You can thus consult the library's 
 reference books at any time by correspondence. 
 
 8. If at any time books on special subjects are needed, tell us. 
 
 9. Pictures, mounted and provided with hangers, can be bor- 
 rowed for use in the school room. 
 
 As a result of No. 7, in the above, many questions are 
 asked and answered. A few of these have been given in 
 another place. Occasionally it takes the combined efforts of 
 the school assistant and librarian to find answers to some 
 of them. A recent question was, " How is a hay-stack 
 weighed ? " This was a little out of the librarian's Hne, 
 but she " wrestled " with it until she could send the required 
 information. 
 
 The three following letters are self-explanatory. The 
 Ohio Legislature, in 191 3, on the recommendation of a 
 school commission that had thoroughly investigated edu- 
 cational conditions in the state, passed a comprehensive pub- 
 lic school law, which goes into effect September, 1914. One 
 of the requirements of this law is that every rural school 
 shall have a collection of at least fifty books. Since the 
 Brumback Library has for years been supplying the schools 
 of Van Wert County with books, the State Superintendent 
 was asked to permit the Brumback Library to furnish the 
 rural schools the requisite number of books, which request 
 was granted. 
 
o 
 o 
 
 2; 
 
 > 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 < 
 
A RURAL SCHOOL IX VAX WERT COUXTY 
 
 A RURAL SCHOOL IX VAX WERT COUXTY 
 
SCHOOLS 193 
 
 This will save all the schools of the county the expense of 
 buying a library, will give them well-selected books, will 
 furnish them changing collections, will keep all books in 
 repair and will enable the teachers to enjoy the benefit of 
 expert library advice. In the past all the schools have not 
 had library collections (this year the number is 86 out of 
 113), but in the future all the schools will be obliged to 
 secure collections, which will make it possible for the library 
 to do a greater work than has thus far been accomplished. 
 
 Van Wert, Ohio, April 8, 1914. 
 To the Teachers and Trustees of Van Wert County Schools : — 
 
 One of the requirements of the new school law for a rural 
 elementary school of the first grade is that it have a library of 
 not less than fifty volumes. 
 
 As the following letters indicate, it will not be necessary for 
 any of the rural schools of Van Wert County to purchase fifty 
 volumes if they borrow them from the Brumback Library. The 
 Library offers the further privilege of allowing the teachers to 
 exchange the collections in whole or in part during the school 
 year, and will keep the books in repair. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 The Trustees of The Brumback Library of Van Wert 
 
 County. 
 
 Van Wert, Ohio, April 7, 1914. 
 Mr. Frank Miller, Superintendent of Public Instruction, 
 
 Columbus, Ohio. 
 My Dear Mr. Miller : — 
 
 The section of the School Laws, designated (e) of the 
 requirements for a first grade rural elementary school, has been 
 brought to our attention. 
 
 Van Wert County is taxed for library purposes. 
 
 Since 1906 The Brumback Library of Van Wert County has 
 had a School-Libraries Department, from which any teacher in 
 Van Wert County may borrow a school library, which collection 
 of books he may exchange for different ones whenever he 
 desires during the school year. 
 
194 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 In this way 4,222 volumes were loaned to teachers of this 
 county last year. This year 86 of the 113 schools of the county 
 have availed themselves of this privilege of obtaining school 
 libraries. 
 
 The Library maintains a high standard of selection of books 
 for these school libraries, and the supply is constantly being 
 renewed, replenished and supplemented. 
 
 It would therefore seem unnecessary for the rural schools of 
 this county to have to raise funds to buy books for their schools 
 in order to fulfill this clause of the new law, when the County 
 Library has been provided to meet just such needs. 
 
 Therefore, in view of what we have already done and can do 
 in the future, will you give us the authority to assure the 
 teachers of this county that for them to obtain school library 
 collections from the County Library will fulfill the require- 
 ments of the law in this respect. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 J. P. Reed, 
 President of the Board of Trustees 
 of the Brumback Library of Van 
 Wert County. 
 
 Columbus, Ohio, April 8, 1914. 
 Mr. J. P. Reed, Van Wert, Ohio. 
 My Dear Sir : — 
 
 Your letter of April 7 has just been received. If a school can 
 guarantee that it will always have the required number of books 
 at hand, although it should get them from The Brumback 
 Library, we will accept such a library as meeting the require- 
 ments. 
 
 Trusting that I have answered your question, I am 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Frank W. Miller, 
 
 Superintendent. 
 
 Locally the people are awake to the significance of the 
 county unit idea and utilize it to a large degree in county 
 development. In 1912 the Business Men's Association of 
 Van Wert instituted a movement for " Boosting Van Wert 
 
SCHOOLS 195 
 
 County." This was an essay contest to be participated in 
 by all the schools of the county on the subject : " Possi- 
 bilities of Van Wert County," " Possibilities of Van Wert," 
 " Boosting Van Wert," " How Best to Promote the Mutual 
 Interests of our City and County," " Why We Should Buy 
 Goods at Home," "Why We are Proud of Van Wert 
 County," "The Van Wert of Tomorrow." It was 
 announced that ■ — 
 
 " The object of this movement is to promote good feel- 
 ing, loyalty to home interests, and the prosperity and geii- 
 eral welfare of all the people in Van Wert County. It is our 
 purpose to make our children realize what splendid 
 resources are at hand and to help all to see more clearly the 
 boundless possibilities of our county, so that we may build 
 for the future. The county fair, the county library, the 
 county Chautauqua are each and all for the same general 
 good. These institutions are neither selfish nor mercenary, 
 but broad and liberal. They promote culture, happiness and 
 good citizenship. The present movement is along the same 
 line, and will you not give your loyal cooperation and 
 support to these interests of the best county in Ohio? " 
 
 Many prizes, which were articles of merchandise varying 
 in price from two to five dollars, were offered by the dif- 
 ferent business firms: four to each class of the Van Wert 
 high school; four to each of the grades of the Van Wert 
 schools; four to each of the county towns; four to the 
 schools of each township exclusive of the town schools of 
 the townships ; a first and a second prize to all pupils in the 
 above over twelve years of age and a first and second prize 
 to those in the above under twelve years. Sweepstake prizes 
 were also given: $15 for the best essay from the Van Wert 
 high school; $10 for the best essay from the Van Wert 
 grade schools; $10 for the best essay from the towns out- 
 side of Van Wert; $10 for the best essay from the town- 
 ships. 
 
196 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Prizes were awarded at the Auditorium in the city of 
 Van Wert, Dec. i6, 191 1. All contestants were urged to be 
 present and were addressed by Hon. A. P. Sandles, secre- 
 tary of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, who also 
 awarded the prizes. Four sets of judges, each set compris- 
 ing three members, passed on the large number of essays, 
 which according to the rules governing the contest, had 
 been deposited at the Brumback Library on or before 
 December i, 1911. Whether or not the giving of prizes in 
 all cases is a proper incentive, in this case it proved advan- 
 tageous. 
 
 In this day a great deal is heard about conservation of 
 energy. Much that formerly went to waste or lay dormant 
 is now utilized. This applies not only to the forces of 
 nature but to the powers of man as well. It is fully expected 
 of man in his work that he get maximum results with a 
 minimum of effort ; in short, that efficiency characterize his 
 activities. To promote efficiency on the farm, a law was 
 passed in Ohio requiring the teaching of agriculture in the 
 schools. Efficiency on the farm is also promoted through 
 extension school work. As a result of this law and these 
 extension schools, there is an increasing demand at the 
 library for books on agriculture. 
 
 As briefly explanatory of some of the work done in Van 
 Wert County by way of extension schools, part of an article 
 from a Van Wert paper of Nov. 8, 191 1, is given. 
 
 Various departments of the Ohio State University have for 
 some time been engaged in widening the scope of the institu- 
 tion by establishing extension schools at different county-seats, 
 thus bringing instruction to the door of those who have no 
 opportunity to go to the university. 
 
 The latest department of the university to take up this work 
 is the college of education. It is following closely the plan 
 adopted by the agricultural department, which sent to this 
 county last year a corps of very efficient instructors, who are 
 arranging to visit here again. Van Wert is fortunate in being 
 one of the chosen places for a proposed school. 
 
SCHOOLS 197 
 
 On account of the present pressing demand of teachers for 
 instruction in elementary agriculture, practically all the time 
 of the school will be devoted to this one subject. The work 
 is intended primarily for the teachers of rural and village 
 schools; and will be adapted especially for use in the sixth, 
 seventh and eighth grades, although teachers who are teach- 
 ing or who expect to teach agriculture in the high school for 
 the first time will find the course helpful. 
 
 The nature of the work will be very practical from the 
 teacher's point of view. The course will be illustrated, and the 
 exercises in elementary agriculture will be of such a character 
 that the teachers may make immediate use of them in their 
 schools. Those who attend this school will not only get some- 
 thing definite to teach in agriculture, but will also be given the 
 correct methods of teaching it. 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL LIBRARIES 
 
 In January, 191 2, it was decided to try the experiment of 
 placing small collections of books in several of the more 
 isolated rural churches, with the idea of serving portions of 
 the county not hitherto reached by the central library or any 
 of its stations. The location of the churches was carefully 
 considered and collections were forwarded to Sunday school 
 superintendents or other officials after arrangements had 
 been previously made with them personally to oversee the 
 work. The degree of interest on the part of the people in 
 these collections varied greatly; e. g., in one case a second 
 collection was requested with a definite statement of what 
 was desired, while in another case there was not a great 
 deal of active interest displayed. Owing to the pressure of 
 work on all sides no special efifort will be made for the 
 present to extend this work except as pressing need arises 
 justifying additional trouble and expense. 
 
 That there are great possibilities in this field of work goes 
 without saying. For example, by keeping in close touch 
 with the many Sunday school conventions held each year in 
 all parts of the county, the library has an excellent opportu- 
 nity for furthering the cause of good and helpful books. 
 
198 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 At the central library some work has been done for Sunday 
 school workers by preparing and distributing printed lists 
 of books dealing with the Sunday school lessons and by 
 placing the books where they can be readily consulted. 
 Notices in the county papers and announcements by the 
 ministers in their pulpits assist in making this arrangement 
 known. 
 
 CITY SCHOOLS 
 
 The most cordial relations have at all times existed 
 between the Van Wert schools and the library, and it is 
 due in a measure to their hearty cooperation that the library 
 is able to extend its usefulness to so large an extent to the 
 young people of the community. The schools of the city 
 depend entirely upon the library for reference material and 
 for books for supplementary reading and study. The 
 busiest parts of the day are those which follow the closing 
 of school and the evening hours. The library is fortunately 
 located within two hundred yards of the high school build- 
 ing, which renders it easily accessible to the high school 
 pupils, almost all of whom are now able to do a great part 
 of their own reference work, needing only occasional sug- 
 gestions as to the finding of what might not be readily dis- 
 coverable. 
 
 Skill in the use of reference books as well as "library 
 tools " has been acquired by the pupils through instruction 
 more or less formally given by the librarian. In the earlier 
 years this instruction was imparted at the schools, but in 
 recent years it has been the custom for the pupils to come to 
 the library to secure a working knowledge of the library. 
 To this end the principal of the high school makes out a 
 schedule for the Freshman class, which usually numbers 
 about 1 20, and in groups of ten they come to the library, 
 where the librarian gives each group an hour. The latter 
 is much the preferable way since pupils can more readily 
 understand explanations with respect to the arrangement 
 
SCHOOLS 199 
 
 of books on the shelves and the use of the card catalogue, 
 indexes and the more important reference books when all 
 these are at hand. Questions on this work are prepared by 
 the librarian for inclusion in the examinations in the Fresh- 
 man English course. 
 
 It is the purpose of the library also to do some such work 
 with the upper grades, for the child who leaves school before 
 he reaches high school will, in after years, have the greater 
 need of the library. If he has acquired a working knowl- 
 edge of the resources of a well-equipped library he can 
 apply this to his advantage in making up for his lost 
 schooling. 
 
 To facilitate the work with the schools, certain books are 
 withheld temporarily from circulation at the request of 
 teachers, for use at the library only, in order that all con- 
 cerned may have equal opportunities in consulting them. 
 Furthermore, in a floor case provided for the purpose are 
 placed the books which the several high school teachers 
 desire their pupils to use in connection with their class work. 
 For several years it has been the custom of the principal of 
 the high school to compile a " Home Reading Book List " 
 for the use of the high school pupils. This list is given 
 in pamphlet form with a cut of the high school on one 
 cover and of the library on the other, and under the name 
 of each teacher appear the books on which he will receive 
 reviews from the pupils. For 1913 the number of books 
 was 100, of pupils 340, of teachers 12. 
 
 The High School Principal, Mr. Orrin Bowland, issued 
 the following to pupils. 
 
 Nine years ago an attempt was made to supervise the home 
 reading of our high school pupils. The plan adopted proved 
 so successful and the results have been so satisfactory that it 
 has now become a regular part of the high school course. The 
 present list, containing about one hundred titles, is the fifth 
 revision. Much time and care have been given in making the 
 selections and we believe that these books are all good. 
 
200 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 wholesome and suitable for young people. We want you to 
 read at home four of them a year, one each quarter. On at 
 least two days, each quarter, reviews and reports will be heard. 
 Then the pupil and teacher are to have a friendly and informal 
 talk about the book read. A record is kept and graduates are 
 given a typewritten list of books thus read and reviewed with 
 a credit statement signed by the Principal and Superintendent. 
 
 Report to the teacher under whose name the book is listed. 
 The figures i, 2, 3, 4, indicate the year in which the books 
 should be read. However, with the approval of the pupil's 
 teacher in English, a latitude of one year either way is per- 
 mitted. 
 
 The classics sufficient to fully meet college entrance require- 
 ments are read in the class-room and are not in this list. The 
 books in this list are all found in the Brumback Library, and 
 Miss Holding, the librarian, and her three assistants are always 
 ready and willing to aid pupils in their reading and reference 
 work. We are indeed fortunate in having this helpful institu- 
 tion located near, and you must not fail to improve the splen- 
 did opportunity which the library and the high school together 
 afford. 
 
 Owing to the proximity of the library to the schools, 
 school-room collections have not been needed, especially 
 for older pupils. But on the suggestion of Mrs. Conn, the 
 library assistant in charge of the school department, who 
 was at one time a primary teacher in the city schools, it was 
 decided to make a trial of placing small collections in the 
 first four grades of the four ward schools. At a meeting 
 of the sixteen teachers of these grades this plan was sub- 
 mitted and approved with the result that a carefully selected 
 collection of ten volumes is loaned to each of the sixteen 
 teachers and by her loaned to the pupils for home reading. 
 At the end of two months the books are returned to the 
 library for repairs, statistics are t.aken from the book cards 
 and the collection is sent on to the next teacher of the same 
 grade. The results shown by the second year of this experi- 
 ment are such that it is to be repeated. The teachers express 
 their appreciation of the privilege, while the children are 
 
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LOCATIOX OF MIDDLEPOINT BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
 LOCATIOX OF VENEDOCIA BRANCH LIBRARY 
 
SCHOOLS 201 
 
 more than pleased. The chief objections urged thus far are 
 that the collections are too small and that some of the 
 books are wanted for a longer period than the allotted two 
 months. 
 
 The circulation on these i6o books from November to 
 June was 5,732, or thirty-six circulations for each book. 
 Needless to say, the books were much worn and many were 
 in need of replacement, but since nearly all of them are 
 small and inexpensive the cost per circulation is slight. If 
 the entire collection had to be replaced at fifty cents per copy 
 the cost per circulation would be little more than a cent 
 and a half ; while if only half of the books had to be replaced 
 the cost would be still further reduced. The time and effort 
 will be fully repaid when these little folk become regular 
 library patrons at the age of nine years. 
 
 On several occasions the library has observed what it 
 called " College Week." To quote from the report of Miss 
 Jane Brotherton, one of the former librarians, " College 
 Week was celebrated the week commencing June 4, 1906. 
 Its object was to call the attention of the high school pupils 
 to the advantages and opportunities of a college course, as 
 offered at the different colleges and universities, particularly 
 those of our own state. Through the cooperation of former 
 college students and the officials of the colleges and uni- 
 versities, we had on display college catalogues, photographs 
 of college scenes, buildings and organizations, and college 
 pennants ; in fact, everything we could collect suggestive of 
 the best and most attractive features of college life. On 
 our display shelves we placed a collection of books treating 
 of the colleges, and a list of the most popular periodical 
 articles on the subject. It was our second annual college 
 week and the interest shown would warrant us in making it 
 a regular feature of our work. A letter from the president 
 of one of our best universities expresses the attitude of the 
 colleges themselves toward such a display. In this letter he 
 
202 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 says, ' What a capital idea this is ! I am very glad to aid 
 you to the best of my ability in carrying this out.' " 
 
 The large number of young men and women who go to 
 college from Van Wert County indicates that the many and 
 varied efforts on the part of the library and schools to 
 acquaint the young people of the county with the educa- 
 tional resources of the state and nation have not been in 
 vain. 
 
 Among the valuable educational privileges enjoyed by the 
 teachers, pupils and general public of Van Wert County are 
 those afforded by the city and county teachers' institutes. 
 Van Wert is fortunately in a circuit of several cities visited 
 by some of the best educators and speakers of the day, 
 who come with special messages for the inspiration and 
 encouragement of their listeners. In 191 1 Dr. P. P. Clax- 
 ton. National Commissioner of Education, came to Van 
 Wert to address the institute. At this time he visited the 
 Brumback Library and took note of its county work, with 
 the result that shortly afterwards an article from the 
 National Bureau of Education was published in which Dr. 
 Claxton commended the county library idea and praised 
 the successful operation of the Brumback Library in its 
 county activities. The publication of this article or extracts 
 from it in papers and periodicals in many parts of the coun- 
 try aroused, because of its source, great interest in libraries 
 for the people in rural communities all over the country, and 
 gave a decided impetus to the county library movement. In 
 the next chapter selections from this article are given. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 FUTURE POSSIBILITIES 
 
 T T HAS been made plain that the work of the Brumback 
 •■■ Library has been to supply with library service the 
 12,825 people of the two cities and eight towns and the 
 16,294 people of the farms of Van Wert County, a terri- 
 tory of 405 square miles. 
 
 Now, the question arises, what of the future? Will the 
 library retrograde, hold its own, or make further progress ? 
 Retrogression would be a misfortune. Holding its own 
 would be creditable. " Billy Sunday " tells a story of two 
 Irishmen who were walking to London town. After having 
 been on the way for a time they came to a guide-post which 
 said " Twenty miles to London." Encouraged by this 
 information they continued on their journey. In a short 
 while they were greeted by another guide-post, which read, 
 — " Twenty miles to London." Drawing their belts up 
 another notch they pressed onward with grim determina- 
 tion. When a third guide-post confronted them — 
 " Twenty miles to London " — Pat exclaimed, " Begorra, 
 we 're holding our own ! " 
 
 If the library should simply hold its own in the future it 
 would be doing well, but it will do more than this. It will 
 continue to make progress, although progress should be slow 
 for the reason that in any movement that has to do with 
 social service each step must be preceded by a preparation, 
 and even a demand, for the step taken. The quickest way 
 to interrupt progress along any line is to thrust upon the 
 people something for which they are not prepared and which 
 they do not demand. For example, if the Brumback Library 
 
 303 
 
204 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 had from the beginning put into operation in rapid suc- 
 cession all of the innovations that characterize its thirteen 
 years of history, the result would have been — 
 
 (i) The antagonism of other county institutions would 
 have been aroused, which would have greatly handicapped 
 the library in its work. 
 
 (2) Students of economy would have seen from a study 
 of the work that accomplishments were hardly commensu- 
 rate with their cost. 
 
 (3) An enduring foundation would not have been laid 
 for future activities. 
 
 But, as a matter of fact, the work has been such that the 
 library has at all times had the cooperation of other county 
 institutions and develops unity in county activities; the 
 most exacting economist cannot point to a single year dur- 
 ing which large results have not been obtained with the 
 money expended; and an enduring foundation has been 
 laid for future development. 
 
 Today with an enthusiastic Board of Trustees and a 
 hard-working library staff, with a well-balanced collection 
 of almost 25,000 volumes adapted to the needs of its con- 
 stituency, with a first-class library plant and equipment, 
 with fifteen branch libraries well distributed over the county, 
 all in the hands of good custodians, with nearly all of the 
 113 schools of the county using collections of books during 
 the school year, with scores of clubs, societies and other 
 organizations working in harmony with the library, with 
 an annual income not so large as could be used but yet an 
 income that has gradually increased with the years, the 
 library is ready for other advance steps. 
 
 A future possibility which might be considered would be 
 the employment of a library field-worker, which would 
 make for greater progress, since his work would be that of 
 looking after the outside interests of the library throughout 
 the county in a systematic way. A library field-worker, to 
 
FUTURE POSSIBILITIES 205 
 
 be an unqualified success, would have to understand human 
 nature, be well educated, possess enthusiasm for his work 
 and above all have tact. In his activities he would take 
 care not to trespass on the work of the teacher or of any 
 organization, nor would he assume any of the prerogatives 
 of the librarian proper, who has supervision of all the work 
 of the library. He would be subject to the direction of the 
 librarian the same as any other member of the staff and his 
 work should be in perfect harmony with the policy adopted 
 by the Board and put into operation by the librarian. 
 
 He would make frequent visits during the year to the 
 fifteen branches of the library and in all possible ways assist 
 them in their efforts to do better work. He would go 
 among the schools of the county and do all he could to aid 
 each school in the most profitable use of the library. He 
 would aim to develop the habit of reading the best books 
 and promote the serviceability of the library in those parts 
 of the county that might lag somewhat behind other parts 
 of the county. He would cooperate with the County Fair, 
 the County Chautauqua, the County Y. M. C. A., the County 
 Sunday School Association, farmers' and teachers' insti- 
 tutes and all other distinctively county organizations that 
 are not operated for a profit but for uplift purposes. 
 
 All this has been and is being done to a large extent, but 
 with the aid of a field-worker it could be done more effect- 
 ively. 
 
 There are great possibilities for the cooperation of the 
 county library and the county schools in the field of debate 
 work. Many teachers of the district schools, both young 
 women and young men, frequently have in their schools 
 spirited debates on subjects of the day. These are always 
 interesting and the mere announcement of a debate in one 
 of the school houses of the country means a large audience. 
 The demand for debate material at the library is continuous 
 throughout the school year. The collection of debate books 
 
206 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 is much in use and sometimes books are temporarily hidden 
 by too zealous contestants that their opponents may suffer 
 a handicap. There is also a constant request for debate 
 material by correspondence and the librarian sometimes 
 finds that on the same day she has mailed briefs of argu- 
 ments on the opposing sides of the same question to distant 
 debaters. 
 
 It would be possible to arrange for all the townships of 
 the county to have annual debates, with a great final contest 
 of the winners at the county-seat once each year. There is 
 not so much debating as there was some years ago, and yet 
 there is more demand now for efficiency in public speaking 
 than at any other time in our national history. Already 
 eighteen states have adopted the Initiative and Referendum 
 and have made representative government subordinate to 
 popular rule. In these states the people are legislators. 
 This being the case, it is incumbent on all the people to 
 infomi themselves on the questions of the day, and the 
 spoken word has always been and will ever continue to be 
 one of the most effective means of instructing the people. 
 It is necessary then to develop more speakers if direct legis- 
 lation is to be made a success, and there is no better way to 
 develop speakers than by means of debates. A rivalry 
 among the townships would quickly reflect itself in all of 
 the schools of the county and the result would be the devel- 
 opment of a generation of men and women who would be 
 remarkably at home before an audience. At the same time, 
 the people of the various communities would hear and 
 become interested in arguments on the issues of the day 
 demanding their attention. 
 
 Last fall eleven boys belonging to the Freshman class of 
 the Van Wert high school played a game of football with 
 eleven boys from the Freshman class of the high school of a 
 neighboring town. These boys were only from thirteen to 
 sixteen years of age, but their playing was a revelation. Not 
 
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FUTURE POSSIBILITIES 207 
 
 a boy was hurt, though some of the clever plays which char- 
 acterize the games of the college elevens these boys used 
 with the dexterity of adults. 
 
 If boys, under the spell of the inspiration that comes from 
 the colleges and universities, can be trained to such per- 
 fection in athletic contests, they can be trained to a high 
 degree of proficiency in debates, musical performances, dec- 
 lamations, etc., if the inspiration is forthcoming, and the 
 county library is in a position to aid in supplying this inspi- 
 ration to the county. 
 
 Other advance steps would be the use of moving pictures, 
 especially for the benefit of the rural schools and smaller 
 county towns, and cooperation with the movements in the 
 county or its several communities which express the higher 
 social interests. Then, too, if in centralized schools or 
 township houses provision were made for a reading-room 
 for the use of the community, the county library could most 
 effectively supply the books and aid in the development of 
 both township and county spirit. 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARY, A CLEARING HOUSE OF BOOKS * 
 
 Every inhabitant of the United States, no matter how far 
 from the centers of population, will have practically as good 
 library facilities as are now enjoyed by the average city 
 dweller, if plans for the establishment of a new type of book- 
 distributing agency work out according to the anticipations of 
 the United States Commissioner of Education, Dr. P. P. 
 Claxton, who is personally interested in their development. As 
 the rural population of the United States numbers about 55 
 per cent of the total population, the new library plan may have 
 the effect of doubling the effectiveness of libraries, and of 
 raising the standard of culture in this country to a correspond- 
 ing degree. 
 
 The basis of the new scheme of book distribution is the 
 establishment of libraries supported not by the state, city, or 
 town, as at present, but by the county, with a central clearing- 
 house and branches at every postoffice, town-hall, school, or 
 
 *From the U. S. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. 
 
208 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 other center of community life. Under this plan, many sec- 
 tions of the country which at present have no libraries will be 
 enabled to establish them. If a given county has no community 
 large enough to support a library unaided, the county library 
 plan will enable all the communities to club their resources by 
 levying a county tax for library purposes, a free use of the 
 books so obtained being insured by a system of branches main- 
 tained at common meeting places. Thus every time a rural 
 resident goes to the nearest store, or every time his child goes 
 to school, he will find a well-equipped library at his elbow. 
 
 Like the traveling libraries maintained by a number of 
 states, the county library aims to find " a book for every man, 
 and a man for every book." Although the two institutions 
 have much in common, the more restricted territory covered by 
 the county library allows it to adapt itself more closely to local 
 needs than is possible for the state book-distributing agency. 
 
 The county library plan has already been put into successful 
 operation in Van Wert County, Ohio. . . . 
 
 " I consider the county library plan an important step in 
 the educational development of this country," said Dr. Clax- 
 ton yesterday. "As is well known, the schooling of most per- 
 sons is of such short duration that their cultural development 
 must be obtained principally by their own efforts from books, 
 and any plan which will increase the number and availability 
 of the books at their command will naturally be an important 
 factor in raising the standard of the average person's educa- 
 tion. 
 
 " Generally speaking, the cities of the United States are 
 well supplied with library facilities. However, there still 
 remains the great problem of giving the rural citizen the same 
 opportunities of contact with the world of books as are enjoyed 
 by his city brother. Personally, I believe that the inhabitants 
 of rural districts profit even more from reading than do those 
 who live in our centers of population. My own experience, 
 as well as that of other educators, has been that country 
 people read better books than town folk; they read better 
 books, and get more out of them. 
 
 " The ultimate effect of aiding the reading habit among 
 the rural citizens, therefore, may readily be not only to increase 
 the number of readers in this country but also to raise the 
 standard of reading, and consequently the standards of life 
 and culture." 
 
FUTURE POSSIBILITIES 209 
 
 Dr. Claxton went on to say that his advocacy of the 
 county library was based on his personal observation of the 
 Brumback Library of Van Wert County, Ohio, which is 
 at present one of the few institutions of this kind in the 
 country. . . . 
 
 The kind of books read by the country people of Van 
 Wert County are of an unusually high character. . . . 
 
 Van Wert County provides that the whole world of books 
 is brought to the very doorsteps of the remotest farmstead in 
 its borders by a clearing-house system of libraries which 
 Commissioner Qaxton wishes to see in equally successful 
 operation throughout the United States. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 TABLES OF STATISTICS 
 
 WHILE statistics may, in a measure, be self-explana- 
 tory, they are also frequently misleading. It is 
 therefore necessary to bear a few facts in mind in the con- 
 sideration of the tables dealing with the work of the Brum- 
 back Library. 
 
 1. The statistics do not in any way exaggerate the work 
 but rather tend to underrate results, as later explanations 
 will show. 
 
 2. In all cases it should be remembered that the rule 
 allowing but two borrowers' cards to any one family 
 remained in force until 1908 and necessarily limited the 
 circulation accordingly. 
 
 3. All statistics apply only to books taken from the cen- 
 tral library, branches, and schools to the homes, and do not 
 include books used in reference, reading and school rooms. 
 
 4. Finally, the work of the library cannot as fairly be 
 represented by figures as by what it has accomplished in 
 establishing itself and in making its resources available 
 throughout the entire county. 
 
 The table on page 213 shows 11,070 registered borrowers, 
 who are not, by any means, all the borrowers using the library. 
 
 I. This number does not include those borrowing books 
 from the county school libraries, although the use of the 
 books in the schools in 1913 represented a circulation of 
 21,773 volumes. No record of these borrowers had ever been 
 sought until the fall of 1913, when the names of the pupils 
 using the school collections were obtained from the teachers. 
 In checking these names with the application file but three 
 
 310 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 211 
 
 out of 392 are found registered so far. Out of 2,435 names, 
 it would be safe to say that 2,400 have never been registered 
 as borrowers. 
 
 2. All residents of Delphos taking advantage of the privi- 
 leges of their public library may use the books and periodicals 
 furnished by the Brumback County Library. However, 
 without a complicated system it is not possible to determine 
 just how many Delphos borrowers chance to use these books. 
 In the course of a year it is likely that every one of them will 
 have had county library books and periodicals. At present 
 the number of Delphos borrowers is 1,035. Of this number 
 385 were originally registered as borrowers of the Brumback 
 branch. This would leave 650 of their borrowers using the 
 county library books and periodicals of whom no record has 
 been kept. 
 
 3. It does not include as borrowers the pupils in the first 
 four grades of the four city ward schools, whose use of the 
 books of the sixteen collections in the school year 1912-1913 
 represented a circulation of 5,732 volumes. Since the 654 
 pupils of the sixteen school-classes are all under nine years of 
 age, they are not registered as borrowers. 
 
 4. If all the foregoing were added to the registered bor- 
 rowers the total number of borrowers would be 14,774. 
 
 Under the new school law of Ohio, referred to in the pre- 
 ceding chapter, pages 192-193, the number of pupils in the 
 rural schools of the county that will be library borrowers will 
 be greatly increased, since the Brumback Library will have a 
 collection of at least fifty books in every one of the loi rural 
 schools. At the present time the twelve graded schools of 
 the county have library collections. So, with the beginning 
 of next fall (1914), when the school law goes into effect, the 
 Brumback Library as headquarters will serve the book needs 
 of 113 schools, and all the 6,000 pupils of the county will 
 enjoy library privileges. This of course will add greatly to 
 the constituency of the library, which now conservatively rep- 
 resents over 50 per cent of the county's population. 
 
 Reference to the map will show the location of the 113 
 schools, as well as of the fifteen branches and the four Sun- 
 day school libraries. And a study of the map will reveal the 
 fact that there is not a section of the country, however 
 remote, that will not enjoy library privileges. 
 
 The most interesting work in any library is naturally the 
 
212 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 work with the schools, since pupils respond so intelligently 
 and enthusiastically to the helpful stimuli that emanate from 
 the library. 
 
 A recent writer told of a high school girl in a town of over 
 5,000 inhabitants that did not have a free public library, who, 
 although she came from a very good family and was an excel- 
 lent student, asserted that she never in her life had read a 
 single book outside of the books in her school course. 
 
 The table of accessions on page 213 does not include several 
 thousand unaccessioned government documents. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 
 
 213 
 
 
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214 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 The circulation from the central library not only represents 
 the books taken by Van Wert City residents and by the pupils 
 in the first four grades of the four ward schools, but includes 
 the circulation of books taken by some of the residents of the 
 county outside of the city corporation. Therefore, the total 
 circulation in the county outside of Van Wert City is repre- 
 sented by that of the county stations (14,124) and county 
 schools (21,773) plus some of the central library circulation. 
 Residents of the county living outside of Van Wert, the 
 county-seat, are coming more and more to use the central 
 library itself, since the more general use of electric railways 
 and automobiles permits more frequent visits to the central 
 library by those living at a distance. 
 
 The circulation of the county schools does not include that 
 of the Van Wert City schools. 
 
 In 1910 an epidemic of a contagious disease in Van Wert 
 reduced the statistics in all departments. 
 
 In 1913 the circulation through the branches and county 
 schools was somewhat less owing to the spring flood which 
 paralyzed traffic for a time in Ohio. 
 
 Other known causes have at times affected the circulation 
 in the county as a whole or in certain of its localities. One 
 or more branches are sometimes closed for a period pending 
 change of location, etc. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 
 
 215 
 
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216 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 In considering the branch libraries' circulation the fact 
 should not be forgotten that the many school libraries, estab- 
 lished in 1906, in the vicinity of the branches may have had 
 a tendency to reduce the circulation through the branches, 
 since the children naturally used the former more freely. It 
 was expected that the school libraries would largely affect 
 the branch circulation, and it was a pleasing surprise to find 
 the branches holding their own remarkably well. 
 
 In 191 3, pending changes made in business rooms where 
 the branches are located, four county stations were closed in 
 the aggregate eight months, resulting in eight months' loss 
 of circulation. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 
 
 217 
 
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218 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 The statistics of the county school libraries do not include 
 those of the Van Wert City schools. 
 
 Some school collections are retained for school room use 
 only and no statistics of these are reported. 
 
 Much of the loss shown for 1913 is occasioned by the flood 
 conditions in the spring of 1913, when, through the country 
 districts, bridges were washed out and roads were made almost 
 impassable. 
 
 There are 109 schools in the county outside of the city of 
 Van Wert : loi district and 8 graded schools. 
 
 1912-13 
 
 Volumes in county school col- 
 lection* 
 
 Volumes sent to county 
 schools 
 
 Teachers with school libraries 
 
 County district school li- 
 braries 
 
 County graded school li- 
 braries 
 
 Circulation through school 
 libraries 
 
 472 
 
 735 
 29 
 
 20 
 
 9 
 
 3,756 
 
 658 
 
 1,184 
 28 
 
 22 
 
 6 
 
 3,658 
 
 716 
 
 1,203 
 28 
 
 21 
 
 5 
 
 3,786 
 
 863 
 
 1,040 
 26 
 
 3,709 
 
 1,359 
 
 1,036 
 49 
 
 42 
 
 7 
 
 7,945 
 
 4,469 
 95 
 
 70 
 
 22 
 
 22,497 
 
 4,257 
 73t 
 
 59 
 
 14 
 
 22,108 
 
 * Supplemented by worlcs from main collection and by books from Ohio State Library, 
 t Teachers with school libraries (1913-14) 86. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 
 
 219 
 
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 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
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TABLES OF STATISTICS 
 
 221 
 
 STATISTICS OF COUNTY SCHOOL-LIBRARIES DEPARTMENT FOR THE 
 SCHOOL YEAR, SEPTEMBER, 1912 — JUNE, 1913 
 
 Township 
 
 Harrison. . . 
 
 Hoaglin 
 
 Jackson*. . . 
 Jennings. . . 
 Liberty. . . . 
 Pleasantt. . 
 
 Ridge 
 
 TuUy 
 
 Union 
 
 Washington 
 WiUshire... 
 York 
 
 County Schools with 
 Collections 
 
 District 
 
 S9 
 
 Graded 
 
 14 
 
 Volumes in 
 Use 
 
 91 
 
 477 
 
 69 
 670 
 414 
 301 
 653 
 677 
 416 
 296 
 223 
 
 Circulation 
 
 323 
 2,672 
 
 432 
 4,744 
 2,608 
 
 792 
 3,378 
 2,413 
 2,020 
 2,030 
 
 696 
 
 22,108 
 
 * Jackson township has always been represented hitherto and has collections at the 
 present time. 
 
 t Van Wert city schools not included. 
 
 SUMMARY OF STATISTICS 
 
 Area of Van Wert County (square miles) 405 
 
 Area of Van Wert City (acres) 2,080 
 
 Population of Van Wert County (1910 census) 29,119 
 
 Population of Van Wert City 7,i57 
 
 Total income (1913) $8,489.48 
 
 Per cent of tax income per capita of county population .29 
 Per cent of income devoted to books and periodicals 
 
 (1913) 14 
 
 Per cent of income for binding (1913) .03 
 
 Per cent for salaries of library staff (1913) .37 
 
 Per cent for salaries (including 15 branch librarians) . .46 
 
 Number employees on full time for 10,000 population. . 1.72 
 
 Total volumes accessioned to Jan. i, 1914 23,319 
 
 Volumes added in 1913 972 
 
 Central library 686 
 
 Branch department 209 
 
 County school department yy 
 
 Volumes withdrawn ( 1913) 392 
 
222 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 * Volumes in library Jan. i, 1914 20,282 
 
 Per cent of volumes per capita of county population. . . .70 
 Per cent of volumes loaned per capita of county popu- 
 lation 3.12 
 
 Volumes reserved 554 
 
 Volumes repaired 1.857 
 
 Volumes bound 117 
 
 Volumes rebound 237 
 
 Total number borrowers, 50% of county 
 
 population i4,774 
 
 Registered borrowers, 38% 11,070 
 
 Central library 7>854 
 
 Branch stations 3,216 
 
 Unregistered borrowers, 12% 3,704 
 
 Active borrowers, 32% 9,486 
 
 Registered 5,782 
 
 Active but unregistered 3>704 
 
 New borrowers (1913) 684 
 
 Van Wert (corporation) residents.... 343 
 
 Rural residents using Central library.. 164 
 County residents using Branches 177 341 
 
 Number of County Branches 15 
 
 Number of school collections in use 89 
 
 Van Wert City schools 16 
 
 County district schools 59 
 
 County graded schools 14 73 
 
 Volumes sent to distributing agen,cies 
 
 (1913) ■••• 12,161 
 
 Volumes sent to County stations 7,904 
 
 Volumes sent to County schools 4.257 
 
 Total circulation ( 1913) 90,853 
 
 Central library 54.956 
 
 Adult department 31436 
 
 Children's department 17,788 
 
 16 Van Wert school collections 5.732 
 
 15 County stations 14,124 
 
 73 County school collections 21,773 
 
 Total adult fiction 38.24%; adult classed 9.78%; juvenile 51.98% 
 
 * Several thousand unaccessioned government documents not 
 included. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 223 
 
 Per cents in relation to each department's totals of circulation. 
 
 Adult fiction Adult classed Juvenile 
 
 Central library 45.15 12.05 42-8o 
 
 Branch stations 57.03 12.58 30.39 
 
 County schools 1. 14 .36 98.50 
 
 A careful study of the table representing the classes of 
 books loaned by the county stations and by the central library 
 reveals some interesting facts. In order to make the table 
 a comparative one, it is given in terms of percentage, showing 
 what proportion of books in each class is read. 
 
 It should be remembered that the choice of books by the 
 patrons of the county stations is limited to the fixed collec- 
 tions sent them, each one hundred books, however, being 
 representative of all classes of books based on a percentage 
 scale (see p. 228). At the same time the patrons of the 
 central library have all the books in the main collection to 
 choose from and this also represents a balanced collection. 
 But when the larger demand made upon the larger collection 
 of books of the main library is considered in comparison with 
 the smaller demand made upon the smaller collections at 
 the stations, the choice of the central library patrons may be 
 almost as limited, after all, as the choice of the patrons of the 
 county stations. 
 
 No one year is selected as the basis of comparison, but 
 averages for nine years, 1904-1912, are used. These are given 
 in the order of the popularity of the classes read. 
 
 COUNTY STATIONS CENTRAL LIBRARY 
 
 Fiction 54-36 Fiction 56.3 
 
 Juvenile 30.98 Juvenile 3014 
 
 Travel 2.73 Literature 2.7 
 
 Biography 1.96 Travel 1.86 
 
 Literature 1.90 History 1.40 
 
 History 1.63 Biography 1.32 
 
 Sociology 1. 12 Sociology 1.17 
 
 Science i.oi Science 1.06 
 
 Useful Arts 86 Fine Arts 93 
 
 Fine Arts 75 Useful Arts 70 
 
 Religion 66 Religion 56 
 
 Philosophy 53 Philosophy 49 
 
 General works 08 General works 41 
 
 Philology 01 Philology 03 
 
224 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 On the basis of 10,000 books the patrons of the county sta- 
 tions read 87 more of travel, 64 more of biography, 23 more 
 of history, 16 more of useful arts, 10 more of religion, 4 
 more of philosophy, 84 more of juvenile; 80 fewrer of litera- 
 ture, 5 fewer of sociology, 5 fewer of science, 18 fewer of 
 fine arts, 2 fewer of philology and 194 fewer of fiction than 
 do the patrons of the central library. 
 
 While on the whole the books read and the popularity of the 
 different classes of books are much the same at the county sta- 
 tions as at the central library, the reading done by patrons of 
 the county stations is of a somewhat higher grade, especially 
 when the fact is considered that they do not have, to so 
 large an extent, the stimulus which the schools and clubs 
 give to the patrons of the central library. 
 
 In a given representative collection of books the people of 
 the country and the people of the town would select and read 
 much the same literature. Since human nature is very much 
 the same everywhere, farmers as a class possess all the innate 
 characteristics of any other body of men and women. The 
 general reading done by a rural county is no doubt similar to 
 that of an urban county, barring special research work done 
 in the cities by men and women in the trades and professions. 
 The average reader in both country and town is looking for 
 something entertaining as well as helpful. The average reader 
 likes a good story of adventure, and, since " all the world loves 
 a lover," he enjoys a certain amount of the love element in the 
 story. The large number of books of travel read shows a 
 desire on the part of all to escape from accustomed sights and 
 scenes for a time and live in other environments, while the 
 popularity of biography indicates a longing to view life from 
 other standpoints and for a period to forget the pressing daily 
 round of duties. In the rural county the people are indi- 
 vidually as different from one another as city dwellers differ 
 from one another, and represent as many different phases of 
 human nature. Just so the reading done by individuals in 
 a rural county covers all fields of literature. 
 
 In fact, the tendency of the cities being to standardize their 
 inhabitants, and of the country to favor the growth of eccen- 
 tricities and the development of personal peculiarities, tastes, 
 etc., there is more difference among the latter than among the 
 former. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 225 
 
 The various, communities of the county differ in their read- 
 ing. One branch hbrarian asks for historical fiction, another 
 wants the latest fiction, another calls for good home stories 
 and so on. 
 
 The farmer does not employ his leisure time reading agri- 
 cultural books any more than a physician spends his spare 
 hours with medical treatises. But he does read and consult 
 them frequently, and, as the need arises, makes good use of 
 them. Those desiring books on agriculture usually apply for 
 them at the central library, where they may have access to a 
 larger collection. Some agricultural books, especially recent 
 works on the subject, are placed in the collections for the 
 county stations to attract the attention of those who may not 
 know of the resources of the library in this department, and 
 who in this way may be led to make further use of the library's 
 books. Special collections of agricultural books and allied 
 subjects are frequently requested and sent to meetings of 
 farmers' institutes or other agricultural societies. 
 
 Recent observation shows that the popular fiction read 
 by patrons of the county stations covers a wide range. It 
 includes stories of the West, some of the popular ones being 
 those by Ralph Connor (" The Doctor," " The Prospector," 
 "The Sky Pilot," etc.), "Last of the Chiefs," by Altsheler, 
 " Wind before the Dawn," by Munger, and some of the 
 Canadian stories by Bindloss. Other popular novels are "A 
 Gentleman from Indiana," " A Circuit Rider's Wife," " Roast 
 Beef .Medium," " Wild Olive," " Illustrious Prince," " Man 
 Higher Up," " Hiram Golf's Religion," and an occasional 
 detective story such as Rinehart's " Man in Lower Ten." 
 
 Some non-fiction books recently noted as popular are: 
 
 Codd, M. J. With Evans to the Pacific. 
 
 Wright, W. H. Grizzly Bear. 
 
 Sonnichsen, Albert. Confessions of a Macedonian Bandit. 
 
 Gilliat, Edward. Heroes of Modern Crusades. 
 
 Forsythe, G. A. Thrilling Days of Army Life. 
 
 Hadley, A. T. Education of the American Citizen. 
 
 VanDyke, H. J. Fisherman's Luck. 
 
 Munson, J. W. Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla. 
 
 Pittenger, Wm. Great Locomotive Chase. 
 
 VanVorst, Bessie. Cry of the Children. 
 
226 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Avary, M. L. Virginia Girl in the Civil War. 
 
 Good, Arthur. Magical Experiments. 
 
 Faxon, F. L. Last American Frontier. 
 
 Marden, O. S. Do It to a Finish. 
 
 Burns, E. E. Story of Great Inventions. 
 
 Evers, J. J. Touching Second. 
 
 Binnie-Clark, Georgina. Summer on the Canadian Prairie. 
 
 Edwardes, Tickner. Lift-Luck on Southern Roads. 
 
 Bronson, E. B. Reminiscences of a Ranchman. 
 
 Henson, M. A. Negro Explorer at the North Pole. 
 
 Franck, H. A. Zone Policeman 88. 
 
 Grayson, David. Friendly Road. 
 
 Carl, K. A. With the Dowager Empress. 
 
 Howard, Arthur. Man Who Bucked Up. 
 
 Stanley, H. M. My Dark Companions. 
 
 Doubleday, Russel. Gunner Aboard the Yankee. 
 
 Lindsay, Maud. Mother Stories. 
 
 Many more titles might be added to this list, but these are 
 enough to give the reader an idea of the kind of books that 
 interest the people living in the villages and on the farms of 
 Van Wert County, a typical county of the great Corn Belt 
 as well as of the Mississippi Valley. 
 
 A careful study of the books read by the country patrons 
 of the library is especially inviting to the student of Rural 
 Life. One might pursue it along many lines with pleasure 
 and profit. In a recent book * edited by Mr. Joseph K. Hart, 
 the statement t is made by one of the contributors. Miss 
 Mary E. Downey, that the average collection of books is of 
 a " motley " character and may not be considered " whole- 
 some reading for the developing years of childhood." 
 
 While this may be true in many rural homes that have 
 never had access to the resources of a first-class library, it is 
 quite likely that an investigation of the rural homes enjoying 
 library service would reveal two very interesting facts: (i) 
 that the members of such homes select books for purchase 
 
 * " Educational Resources of Villages and Rural Communities," 1913. 
 t See chapter entitled " The Intellectual Life of the Community," 
 page 199. 
 
TABLES OF STATISTICS 227 
 
 with unusual discrimination; and (2) that they have as a 
 rule larger home libraries. 
 
 The more good books one comes into contact with, the bet- 
 ter books one buys, and the more books one wants. 
 
 Good books have a way of displacing " cheap literature," 
 and, because of the fact that they wonderfully broaden the 
 horizon of the reader, they inevitably lead to the habit of 
 acquiring books for purposes of information, pleasure and 
 culture. 
 
22S 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
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PART III 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARY MOVEMENT 
 IN THE UNITED STATES 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 LIBRARY ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES 
 
 rilHE trend of the past decade, in the library activities of 
 -*■ the country, has been along the line of rural extension, 
 with the idea of placing books in the homes of those living 
 on the farms as well as of those living in the towns and 
 cities. In earlier years books were accessible only to the 
 few. Today a majority of the people enjoy library priv- 
 ileges, and the drift of library legislation in the several 
 states indicates a purpose to make provision for the country 
 people, many of whom still have no opportunities to get 
 books, except through purchase. 
 
 All the states of the Union now have state libraries. 
 Some of these take a very important part in the educational 
 and cultural development of their respective states; others 
 work along more special lines, being limited in their activ- 
 ities; still others are all too narrow and restricted in their 
 work, and a few represent little more than mere reposi- 
 tories of books. 
 
 All of the states except the following, viz., Arizona, 
 Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New 
 Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia and 
 Wyoming have library commissions. The object of these 
 commissions is to promote the library interests of their 
 respective states. Some of the commissions, because of 
 liberal appropriations and the power granted them through 
 progressive legislation, are doing wonderful work, thereby 
 placing their states in the front rank in library matters; 
 others, because of small appropriations and inability to 
 secure progressive laws, are handicapped in their work. 
 
 233 
 
234 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Available statistics indicate that Wisconsin spends more 
 money per capita through her state library and library com- 
 mission than any other state in the Union, and consequently 
 of all the states does most for her people in library matters. 
 Wisconsin belongs to the growing group of states that are 
 getting the best results in the furnishing of library service. 
 Moreover, she is progressive not only along library lines 
 but in all things, and her many reforms and innovations 
 for the benefit of the whole people are worthy of the most 
 careful study. 
 
 One of the many functions of state library commissions 
 is the organization and management of traveling library 
 systems. Traveling libraries are usually sent in small col- 
 lections of twenty-five or fifty volumes, and the expenses 
 are paid wholly or in part by the state or altogether by the 
 recipients. Such libraries consist of general and special 
 collections. The former are for the most part available 
 to all the people ; while the latter consist largely of libraries 
 for children, for foreigners, for the blind, for study clubs, 
 for granges, for public and private schools and for Sunday 
 schools and churches. During the year 1912-13 there were 
 sent out in New York, the state in which the traveling 
 library system seems to be most highly developed, " 1,114 
 traveling libraries containing 45,651 books."* 
 
 Making the county the unit represents a comparatively 
 new movement in the library history of this country. In 
 Part I an account is given of the origin of the first county 
 library law passed by a state (Ohio law), and in Part II a 
 detailed statement is presented of the first county library 
 organized under this law (The Bmmback Library of Van 
 Wert County). This part is devoted to a consideration of 
 the county library movement in the United States; there- 
 fore it is necessary only to mention here that California 
 
 * From a letter received from the Secretary of the State Library 
 Commission of New York. 
 
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES IN THE U. S. 235 
 
 has made more rapid progress in the estabUshment of county 
 Hbraries than any other state in the Union. 
 
 Quite a number of states have passed township library 
 laws, which enable the people of townships to tax them- 
 selves for library purposes. The state in which the town- 
 ship has been used most extensively as a unit is Indiana. 
 The Indiana township law passed a number of years ago, 
 modified in 1909 and again revised in 191 1, provides for 
 the cooperation of a city or town and one or more town- 
 ships in library work, and for the establishment of libraries 
 by townships, singly or in groups, independent of cities or 
 towns. A liberal tax has made the plan successful to the 
 extent that already " sixty towns and cities have united 
 with seventy townships to support libraries under the town- 
 ship law." * But this system lacks the strength and unity 
 of the county system with its larger resources and more 
 centralized efif'ort. 
 
 The establishment of municipal libraries has reached its 
 greatest development in the state of Massachusetts, which 
 " is unique in having a library in every city and town of 
 the state, with one exception — Newbury — and that town 
 has library privileges in Newburyport, one and one-half 
 miles distant, making appropriations toward its mainte- 
 nance." t A law passed in 191 1 permits all city or town 
 libraries to loan to one another, and since there are over six 
 million volumes in the free public libraries of the state, 
 about two volumes to each inhabitant, it can be seen that 
 the residents of the cities and towns of Massachusetts should 
 be well-read. 
 
 School district libraries are receiving the greatest en- 
 couragement and most adequate support in the state of 
 Oregon, where " the county courts of the several counties 
 
 ♦From a letter received from the Secretary of the State Library 
 Commission of Indiana. 
 
 fFrom a letter received from the Secretary of the State Library 
 Commission of Massachusetts. 
 
236 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 . . . are . . . required to levy, at the same time 
 that they levy other taxes, a tax upon all the taxable prop- 
 erty in their county for school library purposes, which shall 
 aggregate an amount which shall not be less than ten cents 
 per capita for each and all the children within the county 
 between the ages of four and twenty years . . ." * 
 The only counties excepted are those having a population of 
 over 100,000, and since Oregon has only one such county, 
 this law applies to all the counties of the state except Mult- 
 nomah, the county-seat of which is Portland. 
 
 The library history of the country represented by the 
 work of the state libraries and library commissions and 
 by county, township, municipal and school district libraries 
 does not include all the library activities of the people. Mil- 
 lions of books belong to university, college and other school 
 collections. Besides, there are many endowed, special and 
 subscription libraries. Then, mention should be made of 
 the libraries of clubs, societies, learned bodies, etc. The 
 chief interest of the people, however, concerns itself with 
 the larger library work of the country, that of the state, 
 county, township, municipality and school district, which is 
 supported by all the people and devoted to the interests 
 of all the people. 
 
 Unquestionably every state should have a state library 
 and a library commission. As a matter of fact, all the 
 states do have state libraries, although some of them ac- 
 complish much less than others. All the states, except the 
 eleven previously mentioned in this chapter, have library 
 commissions. It is very unfortunate for a state if its legis- 
 lature fails to create and make an adequate appropriation 
 for the maintenance of a first-class library commission. 
 
 Likewise, it would seem desirable that all the states should 
 have county, township and municipal library laws adapted 
 to their respective needs. No two states are exactly alike, 
 
 ♦From the library laws of the state of Oregon. 
 
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES IN THE U. S. 237 
 
 and there are few cases where the laws of one state would 
 fit perfectly into the conditions of another state. Some 
 states desire to emphasize the county as a unit, as is the 
 case in California, and to adapt all libraries organized under 
 other laws to the county system. Then, some states make 
 the township the predominating unit, as Indiana does, and 
 strive to bring library privileges to all the people of the state 
 through township extension. Finally, a number of states, 
 following the lead of Massachusetts, make the municipality 
 the library center and bend every effort to reach as many of 
 the people as possible from the town and city. 
 
 No state makes a school district law the most important 
 library law on its statute books, but a school district library 
 law that supplements the other library laws of a state is 
 certainly conducive to the progress of the state along educa- 
 tional lines. 
 
 Recent experience points to the fact that of the library 
 laws thus far enacted the county library law seems to pro- 
 vide best for the extension of library privileges to all the 
 people. And a careful study of the library movement of 
 the country indicates that, if all the people are to be reached 
 in the matter of library service, the county should be made 
 the unit in library legislation. States which emphasize the 
 other library laws mentioned in this chapter are doing ex- 
 cellent work, but in none of these states is it likely that all 
 the people will enjoy library privileges to the extent that 
 would be possible under a county law. The status of agri- 
 culture in Massachusetts, where all the towns and cities have 
 libraries, leads one to believe that the situation might be 
 different if more attention ivere to be directed to the im- 
 provement of rural life, and the purpose of the county 
 library is to emphasize its work among the people on the 
 farms. The last annual report of the State Library Commis- 
 sion of Indiana, in which the township extension idea has 
 been most highly developed, shows that but one rural 
 
238 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 resident out of every eleven in the state enjoys library 
 service. And the few people reached compared with the 
 great rural population of the state of New York, wherein 
 the traveling library under the direction of the State Library 
 Commission seems to be more widely used than in any other 
 state of the Union, indicates the futility of trying, by means 
 of a traveling library system operated from the capital of 
 the state, to supply farm homes with library privileges. 
 
 During the year 191 3 the legislatures of forty- four of the 
 forty-eight states were in session. Thirty-one of these acted 
 on library matters, and their work may be summarized in 
 the words of Mr. W. R. Eastman. 
 
 Library commissions were created in two states. The func- 
 tions and titles of some existing commissions were changed, 
 marking a clear tendency toward giving them a larger share of 
 responsibility for the state library and its work. There was 
 also a gratifying increase of commission funds in ten states. 
 
 In several states the library laws are being adjusted and 
 improved by careful revision. 
 
 The limit for library taxation, where any such limit exists, 
 is being questioned and restated. 
 
 Rural library extension is receiving more nearly the atten- 
 tion it deserves. County systems are being brought into 
 operation and the power to contract for library facilities is 
 extended. 
 
 In three states the state library is being reorganized for 
 more active service to the public, and the subject of legisla- 
 tive reference is being pushed to the front in four states. 
 
 A new retirement pension scheme for librarians appears in 
 one state.* 
 
 It might be stated here by way of conclusion that a hasty 
 study of the library legislation of the country covering the 
 past twelve or fourteen years reveals several interesting 
 facts : 
 
 ( I ) A tendency to make state libraries more serviceable. 
 
 * " Library Legislation in 1913,'' W. R. Eastman, The Library 
 Journal for January, 1914. 
 
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES IN THE U. S. 239 
 
 (2) A gradual increase in the number of state library 
 commissions and in the amounts of the appropriations for 
 their work. 
 
 (3) The passage of many measures that place on a more 
 substantial basis hundreds of the libraries of the country 
 organized under county, township, municipal or school dis- 
 trict library laws. 
 
 (4) A steady improvement in the matter of drafting bills 
 for passage as a result of the establishment of legislative 
 reference departments in a number of the states. 
 
 (5) The gathering of greater and greater momentum 
 from year to year on the part of the rural extension library 
 movement. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS 
 
 rr^HE county library laws are given in the order of their 
 ■^ passage. 
 
 I. Ohio, 1898-1906 
 
 As stated in Part I of this book, on f>age 25, the Ohio 
 Legislature, in the month of April, 1898, passed a county 
 library law, which made possible the acceptance of a county 
 library building by Van Wert County, under the will of 
 John Sanford Brumback. This law is given in full on 
 page 24. In the year 1906 it was modified by the Legis- 
 lature to broaden it for more general use and now reads 
 thus: 
 
 The county commissioners may receive a bequest or a gift 
 of a building or of money or property wherewith to construct 
 a building for or to furnish and equip a county public library. 
 They may accept the gift of a library or of its use for a term 
 of years or permanently, and may agree on behalf of such 
 county to provide and maintain such a library. 
 
 A library association or other organization, owning or having 
 the full management or control of a library, or a board of 
 trustees appointed by authority of law and having the manage- 
 ment or control of a library free to the whole or a part of a 
 county, may contract with the county commissioners for the 
 use thereof by the people of such county. 
 
 A county accepting such bequest or gift, or entering into 
 such agreement, shall faithfully maintain and provide for such 
 library. At their June session each year, the commissioners 
 
 240 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS 241 
 
 thereof may levy a tax not to exceed a half-mill on each dollar 
 of the taxable property in such county. The fund derived 
 from such levy shall be a special fund, known as the library 
 fund, and shall be used only for the purpose contemplated in 
 this section. 
 
 2. Wyoming, i8pp-ipoi-ipo/ 
 
 According to the Wyoming county library law. 
 
 When the county commissioners of any county have received 
 proper and sufficient guarantees, whether in the form of con- 
 veyances, or bonds of citizens, or associations or corporations, 
 that a suitable place will be permanently furnished for the 
 protection and use of a public library as a condition precedent 
 to their own action, under the provisions of this chapter, it 
 shall be their duty to levy annually a tax of not less than one- 
 eighth of a mill nor more than one-half of a mill on the dollar 
 on all taxable property in the county, for the establishment and 
 maintenance of a public library to be located at the county-seat 
 of such county. And whenever a suitable place is furnished 
 without rent for the use of any county library, the directors 
 thereof shall have the power to pay such incidental expenses 
 as may be necessary in keeping in repair and properly jani- 
 tored, lighted, heated and cared for, the place so furnished, 
 and to pay the expense thereof out of the taxes levied here- 
 under. 
 
 The law provides that a board of three members shall 
 be appointed by the county commissioners to supervise the 
 work of the county library. Said board may receive dona- 
 tions of real estate, money or books for county library pur- 
 poses. County libraries are free to all the residents of the 
 county. The three trustees shall make their report to the 
 commissioners once each year. 
 
 J. Wisconsin, ipoi 
 
 The Wisconsin county library law provides that 
 
 Any county may receive by devise, bequests or gifts of land, 
 buildings, money, books or other property, for the purpose 
 of establishing a public library for the county, and may enter 
 
242 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 into an agreement to maintain a public library in consideration 
 thereof, and shall be bound to faithfully perform such agree- 
 ment. In such case the said board of libraries have full 
 power to properly administer the same. 
 
 According to the law the board of libraries of a county 
 consists of five members, who are elected and who have 
 charge of all the county library activities, including the 
 appointment of a supervising librarian, whose salary is lim- 
 ited to $50 a year. Their report is made annually to the 
 county board of supervisors. The first appropriation for 
 a county may be $500, although thereafter it must not 
 exceed $200 a year. 
 
 4. Minnesota, 1905 
 
 The Minnesota county library law permits any library 
 board to 
 
 contract with the board of county commissioners of the 
 county in which the library is situated or of adjacent counties, 
 or with the village trustees or governing body of any neighbor- 
 ing town, city or village to loan the books of said library, either 
 singly or in traveling libraries, to the residents of said county, 
 town, city or village, upon such terms as shall be agreed upon 
 in such contract. 
 
 Under the law, boards of county commissioners make 
 appropriations for the maintenance of county work, but in 
 no case has the appropriation for any county exceeded $500 
 a year. In some cases it is as low as $150. 
 
 In the Seventh Annual Report of the Minnesota Library 
 Commission is the following statement relative to the law : 
 
 This law authorizes two distinct plans (i) that of county 
 extension, whereby a centrally located library may extend 
 its privileges to all residents of the county upon contract made 
 with the county commissioners, and (2) that of township ex- 
 tension, whereby a library may extend its privileges to adjoin- 
 ing townships or villages upon contract made with the 
 governing body of the township or village. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS 243 
 
 Although good results have been obtained through the opera- 
 tion of this law, comparison with work in other states seems 
 to indicate that a more permanent system could be established 
 if the law provided for a definite basis of taxation for the 
 county library, and accordingly a bill authorizing such taxation 
 will be introduced in the 1913 session of the Legislature. 
 
 Unfortunately this bill never got beyond the committee 
 to which it was referred. 
 
 5. Missouri, Jpop 
 
 The county library law of Missouri contains the following 
 provisions : 
 
 The county court in any county wherein is situated an incor- 
 porated city containing a free public library, whenever peti- 
 tioned by one hundred or more tax-paying citizens of said 
 city and one hundred or more tax-paying citizens of said 
 county, residing outside of said city, for the use of the citizens 
 of said county residing outside of said city of said library, 
 shall have the right to contract with the officers of said library 
 for such use thereof by said citizens of said county residing 
 outside of the city, and to appropriate moneys from the county 
 revenue of said county therefor, and thereafter to continue 
 such contract or renewals thereof from year to year: provided 
 that the annual amount so contracted to be paid and appro- 
 priated shall not exceed three per cent of the county revenue 
 for the year out of which payment is to be made. 
 
 6. California, ipop-ipii 
 
 Under the county library law of California, the board 
 of supervisors of a county may issue bonds to buy a lot and 
 build a library building, may receive the donation of a lot 
 and building or may enter into a contract with the trustees 
 of a library of any incorporated town or city to manage a 
 county library, and may levy a one mill tax for library pur- 
 poses on all the taxable property of the county excepting 
 that of towns, cities or library districts maintaining libraries 
 of their own and not choosing to be a part of the county 
 
244 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 system. — One county may join another county in the estab- 
 Hshment of a county library. 
 
 There is a state board of Hbrary examiners consisting 
 of the state Hbrarian, the San Francisco city and county 
 librarian and the Los Angeles librarian, which passes on the 
 qualification of all persons desiring to become county 
 librarians or library employees, issuing three grades of cer- 
 tificates, each good for five years. This board is appointed 
 for four years and is removable only for cause. 
 
 All county librarians are imder the supervision of the 
 state librarian, to whom annual reports are made and who 
 calls a convention of county librarians once a year. 
 
 Coimty teachers' and county law libraries may be united 
 with county libraries. 
 
 The state cooperates with county libraries ( i ) by making 
 them large initial loans of books for the purpose of getting 
 them started, (2) by supplying them with photographic 
 views, and (3) by placing at their service books of a spe- 
 cial nature that they would not care to purchase. 
 
 7. Maryland, ipio 
 
 Under the provisions of the library laws of Maryland the 
 state library commission may expend for each new library 
 established in the state one hundred dollars for books. 
 
 The boards of county commissioners of the several coun- 
 ties have the right to establish and maintain central free 
 public libraries at all the county-seats of their respective 
 counties with branches. For this purpose an annual tax, 
 not exceeding five cents on each one hundred dollars of the 
 assessed valuation of the taxable property of the county, 
 may be levied. 
 
 Nine directors are chosen by county commissioners for 
 county libraries. The directors have the power to provide 
 or erect buildings for library purposes, and have charge of 
 all gifts, donations, devises, bequests and legacies, even to 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS 245 
 
 the extent of selling any of the same, unless this is forbid- 
 den by the tenns of the gifts, donations, devises, bequests 
 or legacies. 
 
 The county library law applies to all counties of the 
 state except Baltimore County. 
 
 8. Washington, ipio-ipi^ 
 
 The county library law of the state of Washington con- 
 tains the following provisions : 
 
 The county superintendent of each county of this state may 
 establish a circulating library for the use and benefit of the 
 pupils of the common schools of such county. 
 
 A tax not exceeding one-tenth of one mill may be levied 
 by the county commissioners for this purpose. 
 
 Liberal provisions may be made by all free libraries of 
 whatever character to loan books to non-residents and to 
 exchange books with one another. 
 
 In the year 19 13 the following paragraph was added to 
 the library laws of the state: 
 
 By a majority vote at any election, any county, city, vil- 
 lage, town or other body authorized to levy and collect taxes, 
 or by a vote of its county commissioners on petition of 100 
 voters voting at the last election, any county, or by a vote of 
 its common council, any city may establish and maintain a 
 free public library with or without branches, either by itself 
 or in connection with any other body authorized to maintain 
 such library. Whenever twenty-five tax-payers shall peti- 
 tion, the question of providing facilities shall be voted on at 
 the next election or meeting at which taxes may be levied: 
 provided, that due public notice shall have been given of the 
 proposed action. 
 
 The librarian of the Washington State Library stated in 
 a letter written July 3, 1913, that they had hoped to secure 
 a county library law modeled after the California county 
 library law, but only succeeded in getting the section above 
 quoted. 
 
246 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 p. Oregon, ipii 
 
 The following are the most important provisions of the 
 Oregon county library law : 
 
 Any county of the state may assess, levy and collect a 
 special tax, not to exceed one-half mill on all the taxable 
 property in the county, for establishing and maintaining a 
 county library within the county at the county-seat. If, 
 however, there should be a library at the county-seat, 
 arrangements may be made with the same to perform the 
 functions of a county library. 
 
 All library funds are in the hands of the county court. 
 
 Counties having a population of 50,000 or more may levy 
 a special tax of one and one-half mills to erect a county 
 library building in the county-seat. 
 
 JO. Nebraska, ipii 
 
 The county library law of Nebraska reads thus in con- 
 densed form: 
 
 The city council of any city, the board of trustees of any 
 incorporated village, the county board of any county and 
 the electors of any township at their annual meeting, shall 
 have the power to establish a public library free for the 
 use of the inhabitants of such city, village, county or town- 
 ship, or to contract for the use of a public library already 
 established, and may levy a tax of not more than three mills 
 on the dollar annually to be levied and collected in like man- 
 ner as other taxes in said city, village, county or township 
 and to be known as the library fund : provided, that when 
 any county board makes a levy for a county library, it 
 shall omit from the levy of the library tax all property within 
 the limits of any city, village, or township in said county, 
 which already maintains a library by public tax; provided, 
 further, that before establishing such county library, or levy- 
 ing such tax, the county board shall submit the question to 
 the voters of such county, and a majority of the voters 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS 247 
 
 voting thereon shall have authorized the establishment of 
 such county library and the levying of such tax. Such ques- 
 tion shall be submitted at a general election only. 
 
 The law provides that a county library board of five shall 
 be appointed by the county board. It may contract with a 
 library in its own county or in any adjoining county to fur- 
 nish it library privileges. 
 
 Each library board has the power to purchase or lease 
 ground and to erect, lease or occupy an appropriate build- 
 ing for library purposes. 
 
 II. New York, ipii 
 
 The following is the New York county library law : 
 
 A board of supervisors of a county may contract with the 
 trustees of a public library within such county or with any 
 other municipal or district body having control of such a 
 library to furnish library privileges to the people of the 
 county, under such terms and conditions as may be stated in 
 such contract. The amount agreed to be paid for such priv- 
 ileges under such contract shall be a charge upon the county 
 and shall be paid in the same manner as other county 
 charges. 
 
 12. Iowa, ipi3 
 
 The following is the substance of the county library law 
 of Iowa: 
 
 Any free public library may contract with any school cor- 
 poration, township, town, city, or county wherein the said 
 library is located, whether such school corporation, town- 
 ship, town or city be in the same county in which the 
 library is located or in an adjoining coimty, for the free 
 use of said library by the residents of such school corpora- 
 tion, township, town, city or county by one or more of the 
 following methods in whole or in part : 
 
 ( 1 ) Through direct loans to all on equal terms. 
 
 (2) By the establishment of depositories. 
 
248 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 (3) By the use of wagons or other conveyances. 
 
 (4) By organizing branch libraries. 
 
 Contracts remain in force five years unless terminated by 
 a majority vote of the electors. 
 
 A tax of not to exceed one mill shall be levied annually 
 for library purposes after the execution of a library contract. 
 
 Towns and cities may be excluded from a county tax for 
 library purposes if they desire, but in that event they do not 
 participate in the county library service. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS DISCUSSED 
 
 rr\ HE first thought suggested by a study of the preceding 
 ■■■ chapter is that most of the county library laws have 
 been passed within very recent years. This is a source of 
 great encouragement to the friends of the county library 
 movement because it indicates that although much time was 
 required to arouse public sentiment on the importance of 
 the movement, perseverance has in many cases been 
 rewarded. 
 
 It is also to be noticed from a perusal of the preceding 
 chapter that the county library laws of the twelve states 
 show some marked similarities and some marked differences. 
 All except three of these states, viz., Wisconsin, Minnesota 
 and New York, provide for a county tax. In these three 
 states the county commissioners are permitted to make 
 appropriations, which in Wisconsin and Minnesota have a 
 limit of $500 annually. In Missouri the maximum amount 
 provided for county library purposes is 3% of the county's 
 total revenue. In Ohio, Maryland and Oregon the tax 
 shall not exceed one-half mill, in Wyoming it shall not ex- 
 ceed one-half mill nor be less than one-eighth of a mill, and 
 in Washington it shall not exceed one-tenth of a mill on all 
 the taxable property of the county. But in Washington the 
 proceeds are used only for school libraries. In California 
 and Iowa the tax shall not exceed one mill and in Nebraska 
 it shall not exceed three mills on all the unexempted taxable 
 property of the county. In these three states under certain 
 conditions parts of the county may be exempted from the 
 
 249 
 
250 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 library tax, although no exempted territory is given library 
 service. 
 
 The great difference in the rates of taxation for library 
 purposes does not necessarily mean that some states provide 
 larger revenues than other states, since no two states in the 
 Union are on exactly the same taxation basis. Most of the 
 states still cling to the old uniform rule or so-called general 
 property tax, which provides for the taxation of all prop- 
 erty according to its money value, but they differ greatly 
 in their appraisement of property with a resulting variation 
 in tax rates. A few states, like Ohio, for example, insist 
 on all real estate going on the tax duplicate at its actual 
 value, which makes the rate low and encourages owners to 
 make liberal returns of personal property. Other states 
 appraise real estate below its actual value, which makes the 
 rate high and has a tendency to cause owners of personal 
 property to withhold much of it. So it is apparent that a 
 levy for library purposes in one state cannot well be com- 
 pared with a levy in another state. 
 
 The first essential in the case of a county library, after 
 its maintenance has been provided for, is a building for its 
 home. The most widely used method of establishing a 
 county library is for the commissioners of a county, in which 
 a county library is desired, to enter into an agreement with 
 the trustees of some library in the county to assume the 
 management of the county library. This plan may be 
 adopted in Ohio, Minnesota, California, Oregon, Nebraska, 
 New York and Iowa. In four states, viz., Ohio, Wisconsin, 
 California and Wyoming, county commissioners are au- 
 thorized to receive bequests, etc., for county library pur- 
 poses, such as lots, buildings, or money with which to buy 
 a lot and erect a building, and are required on the accept- 
 ance of any such gift to provide for county library main- 
 tenance. A few states may issue bonds to build a county 
 library building. California may do this in any county in 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS DISCUSSED 251 
 
 which the need may arise. Oregon may issue bonds for 
 building purposes only in counties with a population of 
 50,000 or more. In Nebraska the county commissioners, 
 and in Maryland the library directors, of a county library 
 are given the power to purchase grounds and erect county 
 library buildings, but in neither state is the law very explicit. 
 
 In Minnesota, Nebraska and California, if no existing 
 library in the county can be found to assume the manage- 
 ment of a proposed county library, the county commissioners 
 may enter into an arrangement with some library in an 
 adjoining county to furnish library privileges. While this 
 might prove a good temporary expedient, it should not be 
 considered permanent, for the reason that a county should 
 be independent in all of its activities and allowed to develop 
 as a unit. In California one county is permitted to unite 
 with another in the establishment of a county library. This 
 likewise might prove a good arrangement for the time being, 
 but as soon as a county is able to take care of itself in all 
 things it should sever the ties that bind it to a neighboring 
 county and operate single-handed for its own good. 
 
 The states of Oregon, Wyoming and Maryland allow the 
 establishment of county libraries only at county-seat towns 
 or cities. While the county-seat is as a rule to be preferred, 
 this requirement would seem to be inadvisable, for the rea- 
 son that there are some county-seats not so well suited for 
 the location of a county library as other cities or towns in 
 the counties. Since the main purpose of a county library is 
 to furnish library service to all parts of a county, the most 
 advantageously located town or city of a county, from the 
 standpoint of accessibility, should be the center from which 
 county library activities should radiate. There are other 
 factors that enter into the selection of a county library 
 location, but it is believed the law should leave the selection 
 open. 
 
 The states of Missouri, Nebraska and Washington place 
 
252 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 a large obstacle in the way of the establishment of a county 
 library by requiring the matter to be submitted to a vote of 
 the people. The result is, none of these three states has a 
 county library organized under its county library law. The 
 experience of the counties that for years have had county 
 libraries is, that while in the beginning there may be some 
 objection to taxing a county for county library purposes, in 
 the end objection disappears and counties are as willingly 
 taxed for library purposes as for school purposes. This 
 being the rule, it is inexpedient to make it so difficult to get 
 a county library that even the most courageous and enthusi- 
 astic shrink from the undertaking. 
 
 California stands alone in having a state board of library 
 examiners and in making eligible to county library positions 
 only such persons as receive certificates from the board. 
 This may prove to be an excellent provision. Time will 
 show whether it is best for a state to restrict itself in the 
 appointment of county librarians to the limited number of 
 persons who have passed the county library examination in 
 the state. 
 
 The position of county librarian in any state, and espe- 
 cially in states in which ample provision is made by taxation 
 for a large work, is one that is very difficult to fill. What is 
 desired is not alone a person who can pass a brilliant exami- 
 nation, but a person who has executive ability with an 
 appreciation of rural life in its manifold activities; a per- 
 son who has a superior knowledge of books and library 
 science and is capable of increasing a library's circulation 
 coincidentally with a raising of the standard of the books 
 purchased ; a person who is possessed of tact and can inspire 
 enthusiasm in a working force and the custodians of branch 
 libraries as well as among scores of county school teachers, 
 whose work means much to the future educational and cul- 
 tural standards of a county. The position of county 
 librarian is so very important that the whole country should 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS DISCUSSED 253 
 
 be laid under contribution in the selection of the best avail- 
 able persons. 
 
 It is seen that in the matter of county library trustees the 
 laws of the several states dififer considerably. Several of 
 the states make no provision for the selection of trustees, 
 leaving the matter open. In the other states the rule is, the 
 county commissioners appoint the trustees. The number 
 varies from three in Wyoming to nine in Maryland. Wis- 
 consin is the only state that elects its trustees. Experience 
 recommends appointment and suggests that the number be 
 five or seven. Moreover, to eliminate the danger of poli- 
 tics entering into appointments it has proved satisfactory to 
 have the trustees selected by different representative bodies 
 in the county. 
 
 A study of the twelve laws suggests two provisions that 
 should be embodied in every county library law. 
 
 (i) Every county library law should provide for a 
 county tax either on all or on a greater portion of the tax- 
 able property of the county, preferably on all the taxable 
 property of the county in order that the county unit may 
 not be broken up, to preserve which in county development 
 is one of the chief purposes of the county library.* 
 
 Furthermore, towns, cities and townships having libraries 
 receive in many cases support inadequate for efificient library 
 service and the building up of well-balanced libraries. If 
 on the other hand they cooperate with a county library, 
 they have the benefit of a superior county librarian, they 
 have more and better books at their disposal, they have 
 access to a complete reference department, and standards 
 are raised. The small extra tax is nominal and the added 
 advantages are worth many times the cost. Of course a 
 county library with untaxed and unserved sections is to be 
 
 * It is likely that none of the county library laws would provide for 
 tax-exempted areas in counties, if it were not for the fact that exist- 
 ing libraries in county subdivisions are not always willing to join in 
 the county work. 
 
254 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 preferred to no county library at all, but a county library 
 having the county as a perfect unit is much better for the 
 county ELS well as the library. 
 
 (2) Every county library law should provide that the 
 county commissioners of a county may enter into an agree- 
 ment with the library trustees of some established library 
 in the county to furnish the county library service. This is 
 the easiest way to secure a county library, and such a county 
 library is to be preferred to no county library. However, it 
 is much better if the law permits a county so desiring to 
 erect its own library building. 
 
 A state having these fundamental provisions in its county 
 library law would have a workable law that would, if libra- 
 ries were to be organized under it, promote the library 
 movement in the state. 
 
 The county library movement has for its chief ideal the 
 betterment of all the people. It is a movement that is in 
 perfect accord and harmony with the progressive tenden- 
 cies of the age. It is a democratic movement. Within the 
 past ten or twelve years, eighteen states in the Union have 
 embodied in their organic laws the principle of the Initiative 
 and Referendum. It is a matter of interest that of the 
 twelve states that have passed county library laws, six, viz., 
 Oregon, Nebraska, Ohio, California, Missouri and Wash- 
 ington, are Initiative and Referendum states ; two, Wiscon- 
 sin and Minnesota, have taken the preliminary steps in the 
 matter of adopting such a constitutional amendment; one, 
 Wyoming, would have direct legislation as a part of its con- 
 stitution, according to a report from the state, but for a 
 recognized defect in its election laws ; and three. New York, 
 Maryland and Iowa, have not the Initiative and Referen- 
 dum. To recapitulate: of the eighteen direct legislation 
 states, six are county library states, and the six will be 
 increased to nine by the addition of the three states just 
 mentioned. So that of the twelve county library states nine 
 
COUNTY LIBRARY LAWS DISCUSSED 255 
 
 will belong to the twenty-one Initiative and Referendum 
 states. 
 
 There is great diversity of opinion as to the desirability 
 of the Initiative and Referendum for the states. Whether 
 in the end the voice of the whole people will unqualifiedly 
 sanction the subordination of representative government is 
 a matter of much speculation and must be left to the future. 
 But as to the desirability of the extension of library service 
 to all the people there is unanimity of opinion, and the 
 future will unquestionably endorse the sentiment of the 
 present on this important matter. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE UNITED STATES 
 
 I. Ohio, 1898-1906 
 
 OHIO is called the pioneer state in county library work. 
 It is noted on page 270 that Indiana passed a primitive 
 county library law in 181 6 and that there were several 
 county libraries organized under this law. But the law 
 was long ago discarded and none of the libraries organized 
 under it has survived. In Wyoming the Territorial Legis- 
 lature passed a county library law in 1886, but the real 
 county library movement in Wyoming was not inaugurated 
 until the early years of the present century, and, besides, 
 the purpose of the original law, three times amended since 
 its passage, was not so much to establish a rural library 
 system as to give the towns and cities more money for 
 library maintenance. The ten states that have passed county 
 library laws since 1898 got their inspiration from Ohio and 
 this is why Ohio is known as the pioneer state in county 
 library work. 
 
 The Brumback Library established under the Ohio law is 
 called the pioneer county library. On page 15 it is seen 
 that J. S. Brumback contemplated the building of a county 
 library long before his death, which occurred in 1897; and 
 after his death provision was found in his will for such a 
 library. His will is dated March 31, 1897. The Bill (Sen- 
 ate Bill No. 435) empowering county commissioners to 
 receive bequests, etc., for county library buildings and to 
 bind counties to maintain such buildings (sometimes called 
 " The Van Wert Bill " and applicable to all of Ohio's coun- 
 
 256 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 257 
 
 ties) was drafted several months before it was introduced 
 in the Senate, and appeared in a number of the leading daily 
 papers of the state. It was introduced in the Senate March 
 25, 1898, and became a law April 26, 1898. The Cincinnati 
 Special Bill (House Bill No. 753), under the provisions of 
 which only two counties of the state can establish county 
 libraries — Hamilton and Cuyahoga — was introduced in 
 the House April i, 1898, and became a law April 21, 1898. 
 The preceding statement of facts seems to justify the 
 Brumback Library's use of the title " Pioneer County 
 Library of the United States," since an investigation of the 
 claims of all the county libraries of the United States would 
 indicate that no other county library in the country, except- 
 ing the Hamilton County Library, has ever laid claim to 
 priority. 
 
 The Jewett Norris Library, of Trenton, Mo., and the 
 Warren County Library, of Monmouth, 111., are much older 
 than the Brumback Library, but they are county libraries 
 only in name. The Jewett Norris Library has always per- 
 mitted residents of the county to secure books free, but it 
 has never made any effort to extend its privileges to the 
 rural districts of Grundy County, and hence is not unlike 
 hundreds of other libraries whose service covers so large a 
 territory that residents from far and wide enjoy the ad- 
 vantages of the libraries. The Warren County Library 
 charges all its patrons a yearly fee. The fact that its 
 service is limited to those who pay for it really excludes it 
 from consideration in the history of a great free public li- 
 brary movement in the country. Neither of these libraries 
 is supported by a county tax or any other kind of tax, both 
 being endowed libraries. 
 
 In this connection, the Washington County Library of 
 Hagerstown, Md., is mentioned. This library had its origin 
 in 1898 and opened its doors to the public in 1901. In point 
 of time it comes a little later than the two pioneer libraries 
 
258 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 of Van Wert and Hamilton counties, Ohio, but the char- 
 acter of its work is such that it is fairly entitled to a place 
 beside these two libraries in the activities that have led to 
 the successful inauguration of a great library movement. 
 
 The Brumback Library, the Hamilton County Library, 
 the Jewett Norris Library, the Warren County Library 
 and the Washington County Library are briefly considered 
 here together that the reader may form a clear conception 
 of the beginnings of the county library movement in the 
 United States. 
 
 The Brumback Library having already been considered 
 at length, a discussion of the other county libraries of Ohio 
 follows. Although many counties of the state have at dif- 
 ferent times taken the preliminary steps in the establish- 
 ment of county libraries, yet the number of such libraries 
 remained two until recent months. In the year 1913, the 
 following county libraries were started : the Paulding County 
 Library, of Paulding; the Richland County Library, of 
 Mansfield; the Green County Library, of Xenia; the Erie 
 County Library, of Sandusky; and the Ross County 
 Library, of Chillicothe. The Paulding County Library is 
 a $40,000 gift of Andrew Carnegie and requires a minimum 
 income of $4,000 annually for maintenance. The other four 
 are operated through the libraries of their coimty-seats. 
 Some statistics from these libraries are given in the last 
 chapter. At the present writing there is considerable county 
 library agitation in the state and more than a score of coun- 
 ties are making efiforts to secure county libraries. Another 
 decade ought to see many of the eighty-eight counties of 
 the state possessed of coimty libraries. 
 
 Ohio has one private county library, The Birchard 
 Library, which was given to Sandusky County by Mr. 
 Birchard. However, it is stated : " county extension work 
 has never been undertaken; nor has it been made generally 
 known that the library belongs to the county." 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 259 
 
 The Hamilton County Library was originally the Cin- 
 cinnati Library, which was established by the city board 
 of education in 1855 and consequently is one of the first 
 free public libraries in the United States. It became the 
 Hamilton County Library under a special law passed by 
 the Legislature on the 21st day of April, 1898. It has 
 S50>7S6 books, pamphlets and pictures on its shelves and its 
 last annual circulation of books, pamphlets and pictures was 
 1,939,433. Its books number 443,126 and its 1912 circu- 
 lation of books alone amounted to 1,534,883. The library 
 is supported by a county tax of .273 of a mill on each dol- 
 lar of taxable property in Hamilton County, and the annual 
 income is about $170,000. The population of Cincinnati is 
 364,463 and of Hamilton County 460,732. A great many 
 branches and numerous collections of various kinds provide 
 the whole of the county with the very best of library service. 
 
 These figures indicate that the Hamilton County Library 
 is doing a wonderful work. Of course this is a city county 
 (the area being 407 square miles and the number of inhabi- 
 tants to the square mile being 1,132) and demonstrates that 
 there is not a city in the country that should not extend its 
 library service to the whole county. There are several 
 reasons for its advisability based on the experience of Cin- 
 cinnati in her extension work. 
 
 Library service in the suburbs and surrounding country 
 tends to encourage the building of dwellings far enough 
 from the heart of the city to make possible the ownership of 
 a little ground for cultivation, and the enjoyment of pure 
 air and a wholesome environment. If the person doing 
 business in the city has all the advantages of city life in 
 the country he will surely live in the country. Rousseau 
 says, " Men were never meant to be heaped together in ant- 
 hills." One of the very greatest privileges of the city is 
 access to a great library. Highly trained librarians, large 
 numbers of books, etc., etc., are not possible in suburban 
 
260 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 towns or rural districts in large city counties unless the 
 county is a unit in library work. 
 
 If the privileges and advantages (and what is a greater 
 privilege and advantage than a great library?) of the city 
 are transferred to the country, flat life is in a measure 
 changed into the life of the private, separate home, the 
 birth rate among the very people from whom superior chil- 
 dren may be expected is increased, and there is greater 
 stimulus to intellectual and religious activity, since a quiet 
 environment is more conducive than a noisy one to intel- 
 lectual and spiritual development. 
 
 The people should be made contented, happy and pros- 
 perous in the suburbs and remoter districts of city counties, 
 as well as on the farms in the rural counties, and one of the 
 best means to this laudable end is to supply them with the 
 best library service that the country affords. 
 
 A detailed study of the work of the Hamilton County 
 Library would reveal as many interesting and valuable facts 
 as the detailed study of the work of the Brumback Library 
 of Van Wert County has revealed. The former is a study 
 of suburban life with library privileges; the latter is a 
 study of rural life with library privileges. 
 
 2. Wyoming, 1899-1901-1^07 
 
 Wyoming has been a state since 1890. Four years before 
 it became a state its Territorial Legislature passed a 
 library law which contained some county features, but at 
 that time the state had possibly not over 50,000 people scat- 
 tered over its 97,594 miles of territory, its towns were 
 very small and widely remote from one another, and there 
 was no county life in the proper sense of the term. The 
 purpose of none of the county libraries has ever been to 
 emphasize, even in a limited way, the extension of library 
 service to the rural inhabitants (of whom there are compar- 
 atively few even now in the state), but to raise as much 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 261 
 
 money as possible for the support of county-seat libraries. 
 In 1899 the law was modified, and it was in accordance 
 with this law (revised in 1901 and 1907) that the nine Car- 
 negie county libraries now in the state were organized. It 
 is noted that the first was established in 1900, and the 
 returns from these libraries indicate that all of them were 
 organized simultaneously as city and county libraries, al- 
 though several of them operated under the name of county 
 libraries before 1900. 
 
 The state of Wyoming is a unique phenomenon in the 
 county library movement of the nation. It is one of the 
 last states one would expect to pass a county library law, 
 since the whole state contains a population of only 145, 
 965. It has no county so small as Rhode Island, and several 
 counties that are larger than some of the other states. Al- 
 though little work has thus far been done in the way of rural 
 extension, some of the libraries reporting no work of this 
 character, the opportunities of aiding isolated schools and 
 remote trading-centers, and of establishing traveling libra- 
 ries for the purpose of reaching all the people of the state 
 at little expense are excellent. It is expected that Wyoming 
 will be the first state in the Union that can boast of the 
 fact that all its people contribute toward and enjoy library 
 privileges. Wyoming has made a great start and deserves 
 recognition accordingly at the hands of the library world. 
 
 Wyoming has nine counties with libraries and six with- 
 out; and the likelihood is that these will soon take advan- 
 tage of the law and also establish county libraries. The sta- 
 tistics of the nine libraries will be found in Chapter XXII. 
 
 J. Wisconsin, ipoi 
 
 Regarding the libraries that have availed themselves of 
 
 the provisions of the Wisconsin county library law, the 
 
 secretary of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, Hon. 
 
 M. S. Dudgeon, makes this statement in a letter dated April 
 
 30. 1913: 
 
262 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 It is impossible for me to give you the names of all the 
 libraries in our state which extend library privileges in whole 
 or in part to the surrounding country. Some time ago we sent 
 out an inquiry to one hundred libraries relative to their serv- 
 ice to county residents. Seventy-one replied. Of these 
 seventy-one, forty-four granted free privileges to country 
 people; twenty- four granted full privileges upon the payment 
 of a small fee, usually about one dollar; two reported that 
 they had not granted any such privileges under any circum- 
 stances, and one reported that they had no application from 
 country people. 
 
 The letter of the State Library Commissioner indicates 
 that they are beginning to do a great work in the state, and 
 though no statistics have been received from the forty-four 
 libraries that grant free library privileges to country people, 
 yet it is believed that few states in the Union reach more 
 people in the country with library service than Wisconsin. 
 
 The Wisconsin law, like those of Minnesota and New 
 York, cannot be considered a satisfactory law, since it does 
 not permit a county tax for library purposes. But the time 
 is not far distant when all three of these states will embody 
 the tax feature in their county library laws and thereby 
 make them much more serviceable. 
 
 4. Minnesota, 1905 
 
 Minnesota has eleven counties that receive appropriations 
 from the county commissioners for the support of county 
 library work. A study of the statistics of these libraries 
 shows that few of them receive sufficient funds to do the 
 work of a county library efifectively. But the figures indi- 
 cate that good work is being done, and, when public senti- 
 ment is strong enough to secure the passage of a more 
 serviceable county library law, Minnesota will be prepared 
 through what has already been accomplished in the eleven 
 counties for a vigorous county library movement. The 
 statistics of the eleven county libraries will be found in 
 Chapter XXII. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 263 
 
 5. Missouri, ipop 
 
 The secretary of the Missouri Library Commission, under 
 date of May 27, 1913, writes: 
 
 The hbraries of Carthage, Fulton and Sedalia, being county- 
 seat libraries, consider their resources at the service of the 
 people of the county and have some liberal rules concerning 
 the holding of cards by county borrowers; no fee is 
 charged. — None of our counties have as yet taken advantage 
 of the county library law. 
 
 However, Missouri has a library that has been in existence 
 since 1890 which permits books to circulate throughout the 
 county. It is called the Jewett Norris Library and is located 
 in Trenton. The building is valued at $25,000 and the 
 equipment at $10,000. The library was founded by Jewett 
 Norris, who likewise endowed it, creating a fund of $15,000. 
 Aside from the income from this endowment the library 
 receives some aid from the Trenton School District, under 
 whose control it has been operated from the beginning. 
 The librarian states that the library and its equipment really 
 belong to the School District and city of Trenton, although 
 there is no tax levy of any kind for its support. The num- 
 ber of volumes in the library is 6,910 and the last annual 
 circulation was 10,000. Although the library is free to all 
 the residents of Grundy County, no work of any sort is done 
 outside of the library itself. Hence, residents of the county 
 who would avail themselves of the privileges of the library 
 must come to the library. The population of Trenton is 
 7,000 and that of Grundy County 18,000. The county has 
 an area of 433 square miles. 
 
 6. California, ipop-ipii 
 
 California has twenty-two county libraries. News Notes 
 of California Libraries * says that " inquiries have come 
 
 * Vol. 8, No. 3. July, 1913- 
 
264 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 in from nearly every county asking that some one be sent 
 to help in county library organization." So it looks as if 
 it would not be long before nearly all the fifty-eight coun- 
 ties of the state would have county libraries. All the twenty- 
 two county libraries thus far established were organized 
 under the law of 1909 (amended in 191 1) except the San 
 Francisco City and County Library and the Sacramento 
 County Library. The former as a city library was estab- 
 lished in 1878, and since the city and county are cotermi- 
 nous, practically all the library had to do on the passage of 
 the county law by the state legislature was to change its 
 name. The latter was established in 1908, one year before 
 the passage of the county library law, " under an agreement 
 between the Board of Supervisors of Sacramento county 
 and the Board of Trustees of the Sacramento Public 
 Library." The county library law gave this agreement 
 legal sanction. 
 
 All but five of the county libraries now in operation are 
 located in town or city library buildings, and the county 
 supervisors have made arrangements with the boards of 
 trustees for the management of the county work. The Kem 
 and San Diego county libraries are located in the court 
 house; the Los Angeles Coimty Library occupies rooms in 
 the Hall of Records; and the Madera and Tulare county 
 libraries have rented quarters. None of the twenty-two 
 county libraries has a building of its own. 
 
 The tax levy varies in the different counties, but the 
 amount of money provided in practically all the twenty- 
 two counties is ample for the accomplishment of a wonder- 
 ful work. Of course too little time has elapsed since the 
 establishment of even the oldest of these libraries to justify 
 a critical analysis of their work. At the end of a few 
 more years it will be possible to draw some further 
 interesting inferences from the county library activities of 
 California. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 265 
 
 The reader will note from the figures in Chapter XXII 
 that in only three counties does the circulation exceed the 
 population. Still, in none of the counties is all of the prop- 
 erty taxed for library purposes, which limits the library 
 benefits to those residents of the counties living in taxed 
 areas. Then, too, the area of most of the counties is very 
 large, which makes the problem of transportation and dis- 
 tribution difficult. For example, Kern County is about 
 twenty times as large as the average Ohio county and equal 
 to the area of several of the states of the Union. Further- 
 more, the climate and the large transitory population of 
 California should be taken into consideration in a study of 
 the library work of the state and in comparing it with the 
 library work of the other states of the Union. The statistics 
 of the eighteen * California libraries will be found in Chap- 
 ter XXII. 
 
 7. Maryland, ipio 
 
 Maryland has one county library. This library, the 
 Washington County Free Library, of Hagerstown, was 
 incorporated in 1898, and opened to the public in 1901. In 
 the beginning its chief income was received from an endow- 
 ment. At the present time it derives an additional income 
 from two other sources, viz., the city of Hagerstown and 
 the county of Washington, having received $1,000 from the 
 former and $1,500 from the latter last year. Its total 
 income for 1912 was $7,500. The valuable building and 
 equipment belong to the trustees and cannot be considered 
 either city or county property. The population of Hagers- 
 town is 20,000 and the population of the county 50,000. 
 The area of the county is 459 square miles. The library 
 contains 25,000 volumes and the last annual circulation 
 was 125,000. The library does an extensive work all over 
 the county, having three branches, seventy stations and 
 
 * Four additional libraries have not yet completed their first year. 
 
266 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 one hundred and sixty-two class-room collections. Some 
 of the county work is done by automobile delivery. 
 
 The Washington County Free Library is the only county 
 library east of the Allegheny Mountains and it is old 
 enough to determine what effect its work has had on the 
 50,000 people of the county. A careful study of Washing- 
 ton county with special reference to the work of the library 
 during the past twelve or thirteen years would be a valuable 
 contribution to the library history of the country, and 
 would no doubt aid in establishing the fact that the county 
 library is one of the greatest agencies in the nation today 
 contributing to the welfare of rural life. 
 
 A detailed history of the Washington County Free 
 Library should be of especial interest to the New England 
 and Middle States, where rural conditions are very similar, 
 just as the detail history of the Brumback Library of Van 
 Wert County, Ohio, is of especial interest to the Great 
 Mississippi Valley, where rural conditions are very differ- 
 ent from those that prevail in the East; and as a detailed 
 history of the California county library, after a lapse of 
 possibly ten years, will be of especial interest to the Great 
 West* 
 
 8. Washington, ipio-ipi^ 
 
 There are three counties in the state of Washington that 
 operate county libraries, viz.. Pierce County (county-seat 
 Tacoma), King County (county-seat Seattle) and Walla 
 Walla County (county-seat Walla Walla). The libr^y 
 service in these three counties, however, extends only to 
 the schools. But so excellent is the library work done in 
 the schools of this progressive state that when the state 
 
 * On the death of the philanthropic president of the Washington 
 County Library Board, some time ago, it was found he had left the 
 institution a large sum of money to be added to the endowment. Praise- 
 worthy as the work of this library has been during the past decade, its 
 increased income will enable it to do much more for Washington County 
 by way of library service than was ever possible before. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 267 
 
 finally secures a satisfactory amendment to its state library 
 laws permitting county libraries to be readily organized for 
 the extension of library privileges to all the people of the 
 counties taking advantage of the laws, it will be able to 
 confer library benefits on its people equal to those con- 
 ferred by any other state in the Union. 
 
 However, if Washington is unable to secure a more 
 liberal county library law, it is quite likely that some of the 
 counties of the state will take advantage of the provisions 
 of the amendment of 191 3. From a letter dated October 
 6, 1913, from the Tacoma librarian, Mr. Franklin F. 
 Hopper, the following is quoted : " We hope that within a 
 year or two this library may make such a contract with the 
 county commissioners of Pierce County that we may be able 
 to extend our services to the citizens of the county." 
 
 p. Oregon, ipii 
 
 Oregon has three county libraries, all operating under 
 the county library law of 191 1 and doing excellent work. 
 The oldest is the Multnomah County Library, of Portland. 
 This library was established in 1864 by the Library Asso- 
 ciation of Portland, became free to all the residents of the 
 city in 1902, and under a legislative act of 1903 extended 
 its privileges to all the residents of Multnomah County. The 
 central building is the property of the county, although the 
 branch buildings and the equipment belong to the Associa- 
 tion. The number of volumes is 167,222 and the 1912 
 circulation was 1,036,894. The population of the city is 
 207,214 and of the county 226,261. The area of the county 
 is 429 square miles. Aside from the work done at the 
 central library, work is done through three branches, eleven 
 sub-stations, twelve deposit stations, three high-school 
 libraries, and class-room libraries in both city and rural 
 schools. Funds are provided for the work by a .40 mill 
 county tax. The most eloquent fact with respect to the 
 
268 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Multnomah County Library is the circulation, which is 
 exceeded by very few public libraries anywhere in the 
 country. Every resident of the county averages during the 
 year, in round numbers, four volumes. 
 
 The other two county libraries of Oregon were more 
 recently established. The Hood River County Library, of 
 Hood River, was opened in September, 1912. It has 3,000 
 volumes, but as yet there is no record of a complete year's 
 circulation. The population of the city is 2,331 and of the 
 county 8,016. The area of the county is 543 square miles. 
 Already seven county stations have been established and 
 three school collections have been placed. The library is 
 supported by a county tax of one-fifth of a mill. This 
 county contains the famous Hood River Orchard Valley, 
 the residents of which represent a very high class of citizen- 
 ship, and good work is to be expected in Hood River County. 
 
 The Wasco County Library, of The Dalles, like the Hood 
 River County Library, was opened in September, 1912. 
 Including the school libraries and their circulation it has 
 9,039 volumes, with a circulation, for the first year, of 
 44,942. The population of The Dalles is 6,000 and of 
 Wasco County 16,336. The area of the county is 2,343 
 square miles. 
 
 During the first year four county branches and ten county 
 stations were established. Besides, there is much work 
 being done in the public schools. The library is supported 
 by a city tax of seven-eighths of a mill and by a county tax 
 of one-fifth of a mill. Considering the short time the library 
 has been in operation, a great deal has been accomplished. 
 
 10. Nebraska, ipii 
 
 Nebraska has an excellent traveling library system and a 
 number of township libraries have been established, but no 
 county has as yet taken advantage of the recently passed 
 county library law, although there has been a great deal of 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 269 
 
 activity in one or more counties looking to an election such 
 as the law requires. Nebraska has some very progressive 
 library people and there is no doubt that something will 
 happen one of these days in the way of furthering the county 
 library movement. An eflfort will be made either to amend 
 the law so as to make it more workable, or libraries will 
 be established under the law of 191 1, difficult as it will be 
 to establish them. 
 
 II. New York, 1911 
 
 For some reason or other no county in the state has taken 
 advantage of the New York county library law, although 
 its provisions are simple and counties would experience no 
 difficulty in putting it into effect. Of course the omission 
 from the law of the tax feature greatly limits its service- 
 ability and possibly accounts for the fact that it has never 
 been used. It is as liberal as the county library laws of the 
 states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, and yet in these two 
 states much good has come from the county library move- 
 ment. 
 
 12. Iowa, IQ13 
 
 Iowa enacted the last of the twelve county library laws 
 and it is certainly one of the best. The state has had large 
 success in its township work, and the county library law 
 was passed that rural library extension might be emphasized 
 to a greater degree than was possible under any of the other 
 library laws. Iowa being one of the greatest agricultural 
 states, its population being largely rural and its citizenship 
 being of a high type, there is no other state in the Union 
 wherein greater benefits would follow through the estab- 
 lishment of numerous county libraries. 
 
 jj. Indiana 
 
 Although Indiana has no general county library law, it 
 can nevertheless boast of one county library. Bedford, 
 
270 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 under a special law passed in 1901, operates a county library- 
 supported by a county tax. It was originally a city library 
 and was established by three persons, Mrs. A. C. Voris, 
 G. R. Voris and R. N. Palmer. It has 10,948 volumes and 
 its last circulation was 50,000, which is a very good show- 
 ing for a city with a population of 8,716 and a county with 
 a population of 30,625, when one considers the fact that 
 no branches have been established and there are no county 
 stations and no school collections. The area of Bedford 
 County is 456 square miles. 
 
 It is a matter of interest that Indiana passed a county 
 library law in the year 1816. Regarding this bit of library 
 history * Mr. Samuel H. Ranck says : 
 
 So far as my knowledge goes the first county libraries estab- 
 lished by law in the United States were under the provision of 
 Article 9, Section 5, of the constitution of Indiana, adopted 
 in 1816. This section reads as follows: 
 
 " The General Assembly, at the time they lay oif a new 
 county, shall cause at least 10% to be reserved out of the 
 proceeds of the sale of town lots in the seat of justice of 
 such county, for the use of a public library for such county, 
 and at the same time they shall incorporate a library com- 
 pany under such rules and regulations as will best secure 
 its permanence and extend its benefits." 
 
 At the first session of the General Assembly of Indiana 
 in 1817 provision was made for the establishment, according 
 to the terms of the constitution, of a library for Pike County 
 and three other counties. A number of laws and amendments 
 to laws were passed by Indiana under this constitutional pro- 
 vision, one of them in 1847, permitting county boards to 
 make an annual appropriation for their libraries " in any sum 
 not exceeding twenty-five dollars in any one year." 
 
 The Biennial Report of the Public Library Commission of 
 Indiana for 1904-1906, sums up the general results of this 
 first county library law as follows : 
 
 " Because of the defects of the system due to lack of trans- 
 portation and communicating facilities, and to the lack of the 
 
 * See article entitled " Rural Library Extension " in Michigan Li- 
 braries, for December, 1912. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 271 
 
 personal supervision of efficient librarians, this first county 
 law failed of its purpose, though it performed a valuable 
 service to the people of the state." 
 
 14. Illinois 
 
 Illinois also has a county library, although no general 
 county library law has even been passed by the state. The 
 Warren County Library, of Monmouth, was a gift of W. P. 
 Pressly, who in 1868 erected " the first building given in 
 the state of Illinois for a People's Library." During his 
 life he gave for building, books and endowment about 
 $25,000. From all other sources has been received to date 
 a like amount. The library from the beginning extended its 
 privileges to all the residents of the county, but this was not 
 done without charge. At the present time all residents of 
 Monmouth and those living less than two miles from the 
 city, must pay three dollars a year to become borrowers of 
 the library; the fee for all other residents of the county is 
 one dollar and fifty cents a year. All expenses in connection 
 with collections of books sent out in the county to clubs or 
 other organizations must be met by the recipients, who have 
 to be paying patrons of the library. The reading-room, 
 however, is free to all. The collection of books numbers 
 24,424 and the last annual circulation amounted to 60,000, 
 which includes all books taken from shelves and used in 
 the library itself. The circulation is only an estimate, as 
 no accurate record is kept of the books used in the reading- 
 room of the library. The income of the library is derived 
 from the endowment and from the fees paid by borrowers. 
 No money is received from taxation. The population of 
 Monmouth is 9,128 and of Warren County 23,313. The 
 area of the county is 540 square miles. 
 
 A little extension work is done in the county, but, as has 
 been stated, its cost must be met by those benefited, who 
 each pay either three dollars or half that amount yearly. 
 
272 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 according to their location in the county. Of course under 
 such an arrangement a very large class of people is unable 
 to enjoy the privileges of the library; and the very people 
 for whom the library could do the most good do not for 
 pecuniary reasons become its patrons. The Warren County 
 library could do a wonderful work if it received revenue 
 from the county to supplement its income received from the 
 endowment and from fees. 
 
 75. Texas 
 
 In Texas a law was passed in 191 3 whereby 
 
 Provision is made for a farmers' county library at each 
 county-seat. On petition of 100 voters in a county, the propo- 
 sition for such a library is submitted to the voters at the next 
 regular election. If the vote is affirmative, the commissioners' 
 court of each county shall provide room in the county court 
 house and make an appropriation sufficient to establish and 
 support such a library. They shall have entire control of the 
 library, and employ a librarian to gather information pertain- 
 ing to agriculture, horticulture and kindred subjects and com- 
 pile and catalogue the same for ready reference and use 
 under the commissioners' rules.* 
 
 This law is not given under the county library laws of 
 Chapter XVII for the reason that it is a county library law 
 having to do solely with agriculture. 
 
 This chapter gives an account of the county library move- 
 ment in fourteen states. It is not asserted that the fifty- 
 seven libraries here discussed are all the libraries doing 
 rural extension work. For example, there are forty-four 
 libraries in the state of Wisconsin alone that are engaged 
 in rural extension work although none of these are county 
 libraries in the proper sense of the word.f Besides, there 
 
 _ * See article, " Library Legislation in 1913," by W. R. Eastman, in 
 Library Journal, January, 1914. 
 
 t A county library might be defined as a library owned and main- 
 tained through taxation by a county of a state and having a circula- 
 tion co-extensive with the county. The more nearly a library fulfills 
 the requirements of this definition the more nearly is it a real 
 county library. 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE U. S. 273 
 
 are scores of town and city libraries in many of the states 
 of the Union that extend hbrary privileges without cost to 
 country residents. But it is believed that this is the first 
 attempt yet made on an extensive scale to assemble the 
 scattered data that have to do with the county library move- 
 ment in the United States, and it is hoped that it may prove 
 a help to future historians of the library movement. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 THE ADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 THE following conclusions are based on the experiences 
 of the Brumback Library of Van Wert County and 
 show the advantages and requirements of the county library. 
 ( I ) The most important advantage of the county library 
 is educational and cultural, therefore : 
 
 (a) The coimty library should have collections of books 
 in charge of paid custodians in all the cities, towns and 
 trading-centers of the county, so that even the most remote 
 rural homes of the county may enjoy library privileges. In 
 several states the experiment of reaching the rural homes 
 by means of the book wagon or book automobile has been 
 tried and has proved a success. The present generation has 
 given the farmer the telephone, rural free delivery, parcel 
 post, postal savings banks, electric lights, good roads, town- 
 ship schools, the automobile and innumerable improve- 
 ments that largely eliminate drudgery both on the farm and 
 in the home. If to these is added access to the best litera- 
 ture of the world, the country home enjoys almost all the 
 advantages of the city with none of the latter 's disadvan- 
 tages. This may in a measure retard the migration from 
 country to city, which will prove a big factor in the reduc- 
 tion of the cost of living. 
 
 (b) The county library should have collections of books 
 under the supervision of teachers in all the schools of the 
 county. This is of inestimable benefit to teachers, since it 
 brings them into intimate and constant contact with well- 
 trained librarians. It is equally helpful to pupils because it 
 
 274 
 
ADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY LIBRARY 275 
 
 adds an element to their school work which makes many 
 of their studies much more interesting. Give the pupil some 
 first-class books that in an attractive manner supplement 
 his work, and these will arouse in him an interest that will 
 make him eager to learn. Then, it has a good effect on the 
 homes of the children in the school because books taken 
 home by the children are frequently read by the parents 
 and older brothers and sisters. Thus, a county library makes 
 better teachers, better pupils and better homes. 
 
 (c) The county library should devote a good deal of 
 time to the needs of the ministers of the county. It should 
 supply them with the very best books that appear from year 
 to year on all the subjects that are of most vital interest to 
 them: books on matters pertaining to theology and the 
 church, books on matters pertaining to the problems of the 
 city and the equally important problems of the country, and 
 all sorts of books whose perusal will make them better 
 preachers and better pastors. The preachers need all the 
 help they can get in their work and particularly is this 
 true of country pastors. Life is very dififerent today from 
 what it was a generation ago. Then the church had less 
 difficulty in getting and holding the people because the 
 magnetic power of the world was not so strong. But the 
 interests and activities of the people have become so numer- 
 ous in these latter days, the attractions and fascinations of a 
 complex life have become so irresistible, and the earth has 
 grown so much smaller because of the greater facilities of 
 communication and travel, that the church finds it increas- 
 ingly more difficult to compete with the world and retain 
 its ideals. So anything that can be done to enable the church 
 to keep fully abreast of the times, without sacrificing any 
 of its spirituality, supplies an additional element of strength 
 to our nation. 
 
 (d) The county library should aid all praiseworthy 
 organizations both of the county and of a local character. 
 
276 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 Through book lists, exhibits and addresses, it should help 
 farmers' institutes and seek to foster an interest in them 
 among all the farmers. In various ways it should cooperate 
 with county fair boards and do what it can to make the 
 County Fair the one big event of the year in county activi- 
 ties. It should work with township Sunday school con- 
 ventions, that the most important department in the church 
 in the matter of spiritual instruction of the youth of the 
 county may flourish. It should encourage essay and ora- 
 torical contests and debates through its work in the schools ; 
 it should stimulate crop-growing movements, poultry shows 
 and the like; it should seek to arouse an interest in music 
 festivals in order that the people may become interested in 
 the best music and in dramatic performances that a healthy 
 love of only the best in dramatic art may be developed; it 
 should encourage all kinds of civic and county activities that 
 make for the welfare of the county physically, mentally and 
 morally; it should aim to keep all the people in intimate 
 touch with local, state and national activities through ref- 
 erences to articles and books and through exhibits of all 
 kinds. Through printed book lists designed for all the 
 county and through published lists of books and helpful 
 library items in many of the papers of the county, the library 
 should keep its resources constantly before its entire con- 
 stituency. 
 
 (2) Another advantage of the county library is its 
 emphasis of the idea of unity in the county, its constant 
 encouragement of cooperation in all county activities and its 
 development of county patriotism. The library's work 
 among the homes of the county, among the teachers and 
 pupils of all the schools of the county, among the pastors of 
 the county and among the great number of county clubs, 
 associations and organizations has the effect of bringing all 
 the people of the county close together. By taking advan- 
 tage of the opportunities ofifered it in its work among all 
 
ADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY LIBRARY 277 
 
 the people, the county library is able to develop to a wonder- 
 ful degree the spirit of cooperation. And from its exten- 
 sive work among the people and its fostering of the spirit 
 of cooperation, it prepares the way for a high type of 
 patriotism. 
 
 Unity, cooperation and patriotism, this trinity is the salva- 
 tion of the county. Furthermore, all this gives the county 
 a good name, it keeps it on the highway of progress, and it 
 makes it a good place in which to establish a home, to earn 
 a living and to rear a family. 
 
 (3) The county library develops the philanthropic spirit, 
 since it is maintained by a county tax either on all or on 
 a large part of the property of the county, and many of 
 those who contribute the most toward the library's main- 
 tenance apparently receive the least benefit. The poorest 
 resident of the county and his entire family have just as 
 much right to its services as the largest tax-payer. And yet 
 the largest tax-payer gets value received for his contribution 
 to the support of the library, however much it may be. 
 
 A few figures will verify the statement that all tax-payers 
 get value received. If a county with a tax duplicate of 
 fifty million dollars allows its county library ten thousand 
 dollars a year for maintenance (and this amount will suc- 
 cessfully run a county library in a county of from thirty to 
 fifty thousand people having from fifteen to twenty 
 branches and collections in a himdred or more country 
 schools), each person on .one thousand dollars' worth of 
 property would contribute only twenty cents a year to the 
 support of the library. Very few farmers in any county pay 
 taxes on more than ten thousand dollars' worth of property, 
 and even such well-to-do farmers would contribute only two 
 dollars a year toward the maintenance of the library for the 
 threefold advantages enjoyed by themselves and their fam- 
 ilies. He would be unwise who should enter the slightest 
 objection to paying so little for the privilege of getting so 
 
278 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 much. Inquiry of county auditors will show that the number 
 of people in any county who pay on less than ten thousand 
 dollars' worth of property is many times the number who 
 pay on property in excess of this amount ; so that the great 
 mass of the people would enjoy privileges for which they 
 would pay nominal amounts into the county treasury. 
 
 It is the railroads, the traction and street car lines, the 
 banks, the factories, the merchants and the few persons 
 having large investments or large interests in the county 
 that make the large payments toward the support of the 
 county library. Do they enter any objection? Not at all, 
 and for the reason that progressive people make use of 
 the railroads and the traction and street car lines, acquire 
 and deposit money in the banks, buy goods made by the 
 factories, patronize the merchants and keep up the value 
 of the property of the large property owners of the county. 
 
 (4) Another advantage of the county library is that its 
 funds are ample to employ a well-educated and experienced 
 librarian and an intelligent force of assistants, which would 
 be impossible on an income ranging from one thousand to 
 twenty-five hundred dollars annually, and yet the incomes 
 of a majority of the libraries of the country will not exceed 
 the latter figure. It is difficult to employ a trained librarian 
 for fifty dollars a month, and on such an income more can- 
 not be paid. And if the librarian receives only fifty dollars 
 a month, of course assistants are paid less. A library should 
 be an institution presided over by a trained librarian. Such 
 a person commands the respect of the library trustees, assist- 
 ants and patrons, is able to select suitable books and 
 periodicals from the thousands offered, knows how to direct 
 students and others in all kinds of reference work, succeeds 
 by degrees in elevating the literary tastes of readers, and 
 develops into a great force in the county in all matters that 
 pertain to education and culture. Likewise the assistants 
 of a library should be sufficiently well paid to enable the 
 
ADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY LIBRARY 279 
 
 trustees to secure the highest type of young women for such 
 positions. 
 
 (S) Another advantage of a county library is that its 
 funds are ample to provide a first-class library equipment 
 including a well-selected number of the best periodicals 
 specializing in the different fields of human endeavor, the 
 best and latest reference works (some of which are very 
 high-priced and can be bought only by libraries enjoying 
 good incomes) and the choice books of every class as soon 
 as they are published. How many of the libraries of the 
 country can be live-wire repositories of the best products of 
 the human brain on the income they receive? 
 
 A library should be much more than a place where libra- 
 rians do the routine work of looking after books and peri- 
 odicals and where books are indiscriminately borrowed and 
 periodicals read ; and yet many of the libraries of the coun- 
 try are little more than just such places, and will continue 
 to be as long as funds for library maintenance are insuffi- 
 cient. 
 
 Arguments (4) and (5) suggest a word on township 
 libraries. Making the township the unit in the extension 
 of library benefits enables many people to enjoy library 
 privileges that had hitherto been denied such service. Argu- 
 ments can be found for and against both the township and 
 the county plan. It is even probable that the township plan 
 would be better in some instances than the county plan. But, 
 generally speaking, there is one objection to the township 
 plan that cannot be urged against the county plan, and that 
 is, it leaves some territory in the county without library 
 privileges. 
 
 (a) It is not likely that every township in any county 
 would establish a township library: some townships could 
 and would, some townships would and could not, and some 
 townships could and would not. Even though several 
 townships might combine, as is the case in several states, 
 there would still remain districts without library service. 
 
280 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 (b) The progressive townships would establish township 
 libraries, which would lead to greater educational progress 
 in them than in the backward townships. 
 
 (c) The very townships in a county which would have 
 greatest need of library service would be the last to secure 
 township libraries. 
 
 (d) The township library would work against rather 
 than contribute to county unity, cooperation and patriotism. 
 
 In place of making several efforts in a county to secure a 
 number of township libraries, why not as a result of one 
 campaign provide for a county library that would be 
 adequate to the needs of the whole county? 
 
 The question reduces itself to this : Which plan is more 
 likely in the end to secure library service for all the people ? 
 If the township plan, let that be emphasized. If the county 
 plan, let that be emphasized. 
 
 (6) A final advantage of the county library is that it 
 makes a good government and state depository and is the 
 logical place for the collection and preservation of all data 
 that have to do with the history of the county. In past 
 years schools emphasized general history to the neglect of 
 local history. But that time is past. Now the curricula of 
 the schools are giving local history its true place, and pupils 
 are coming to have a better knowledge of, and more love 
 for, the home county. Why should not every child know 
 all the important dates and incidents in the history of his 
 home county and be informed on its agricultural, manu- 
 facturing, social, religious and educational activities? The 
 history of every county (and especially is this true of the 
 older counties of the country) is full of incidents that are 
 worthy of preservation. Furthermore, relics and exhibits 
 that have a bearing on the life of the county should be pre- 
 served for the future. 
 
 When one thinks of the almost countless ways that the 
 people living in the cities have benefited by the philanthropies 
 
ADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY LIBRARY 281 
 
 of generous men and women, one wonders that so few 
 benefactors have remembered the people living in the rural 
 districts of the United States. They enjoy many advantages 
 now that they did not have years ago, although they pay 
 for practically all of them. Of course, if they have library 
 privileges through a county library they pay for these also, 
 but they are willing to pay for them because they know that 
 they are getting large returns for a small outlay. 
 
 More should be done for the farmer, since the future of 
 the country depends upon the progress he makes. It is his 
 sons and daughters that recruit the ranks of the cities. If 
 these reinforcements come from homes of education, cul- 
 ture and spirituality, city standards are raised and there is 
 a better municipal and national citizenship. 
 
 For a decade and a half the farmer has grown rich, but 
 not so much from his farming operations as from an 
 increase in the value of his land. From the time of the 
 Civil War to the year 1896, money was scarce and the things 
 for which money was exchanged were cheap. But since 
 1896 money has grown year by year more plentiful and the 
 result is that things for which money is exchanged have 
 become dear. And among these things is land. Land, 
 worth very little per acre in the early nineties, has in many 
 cases doubled and trebled in value and it may also be said 
 of farm tools, implements, live stock and farm products 
 that they too have greatly increased in value. This advan- 
 tage to the farmer, however, is partially offset by the fact 
 that all the things that he buys are much higher and, besides, 
 he has to pay much more for farm labor. Nevertheless, the 
 farmer has grown rich as a result of the fact that his land 
 and products have increased in value during the past fifteen 
 or twenty years, and his possession of those things that 
 have greatly depreciated in value, viz., money, stock, bonds 
 and other intangible personal property, has been limited. 
 
 But this increase in value of the property of the farmer 
 
282 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 cannot go on forever. Even now it looks as though a halt 
 had come in the upward trend of prices. And when land 
 ceases to go higher and the products of the farm discontinue 
 to enhance in value, or fall off in price, then the farmer will 
 be almost solely dependent on what he can get out of his 
 land. The business of farming under stable prices is very- 
 safe, but it is not very conducive to affluence. Further- 
 more, if the nation-wide campaign to reduce the high cost of 
 living is successful, the man who will be affected most will 
 be the farmer. Since, therefore, the likelihood is that one 
 great element of the past that contributed to the large prof- 
 its of the farmer, viz., the gradual increase in value of his 
 land as well as his stock in trade, is to disappear coinci- 
 dentally with a national and international effort to force 
 down the prices on all the things that the farmer sells, the 
 farmer of tomorrow must make some gains to compensate 
 him for the loss of those things enjoyed by the fanner of 
 yesterday, or rural life will decline. One of the compensat- 
 ing features may be that of library service, which would 
 mean a mental and spiritual gain to offset a material loss. 
 
 Nor need there be any material loss if the attention of the 
 whole people is directed to the elevation of educational 
 standards among the forty-five to fifty millions of the rural 
 population. The main cause of the unsatisfactory condi- 
 tion of agriculture in the nation is its failure to keep pace 
 in its attractiveness and advantages with the other callings 
 of the people. Let agriculture take its true place in the 
 nation's activities through a more attractive home and social 
 life, through better schools and churches, through a greater 
 conservation of effort and through a higher type of farm- 
 ing, and many of the problems of rural life will disappear. 
 Supplying the farmer with the world's knowkdge by library 
 service is one of the means that will enable agriculture to 
 take its true place in the nation's activities. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE 
 
 "O INALLY, the question arises, What of the future of 
 •■■ the county library movement? Will it be, like many 
 Other movements, short-lived? Or will it gather strength 
 with each year and eventually come to be one of the great 
 factors in our national progress, a movement so wide-spread 
 and far-reaching that in the end few people of the whole 
 country will be denied the best of library service? The 
 future may be regarded with optimism since a study of the 
 movement establishes three encouraging facts: (i) some 
 of the states that have county library laws are seeking to 
 make them better adapted to conditions; (2) all of the 
 twelve states are showing an abundance of enthusiasm in 
 their county library activities ; and (3) other states are mak- 
 ing efforts to secure the passage of county library laws. 
 
 One purpose of this book is to give the county library 
 movement an impetus. Hitherto county library activities 
 have been somewhat isolated and sporadic, records of them 
 have been partly lost in the tremendous mass of literature 
 that concerns itself with the library progress of the nation, 
 and busy men and women have found it almost impossible, in 
 the midst of the many demands on their time, to devote 
 enough attention to this phase of library work to enable 
 them to get a clear conception of its place in library develop- 
 ment. A perusal of this book will enable those interested 
 in library progress to get an understanding of the status and 
 significance of the county library movement. 
 
 The future of the movement is assured because it is in 
 
 283 
 
284 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 harmony with the national spirit of the times, yea, the world 
 Zeitgeist. The student of contemporary history is impressed 
 with the fact that the whole nation is taking a great inter- 
 est in social service. The past decade has witnessed a 
 phenomenal growth in the missionary activities of the nation 
 with the result that every field of missionary endeavor has 
 been enlarged and supplied with more workers. More 
 and more attention is being devoted to a solution of the 
 many vexing problems of industrial life, leading to the 
 passage of progressive laws both by Congress and by the 
 several state legislatures. 
 
 The public school system and the churches are receiving 
 the best thought and commanding a large portion of the 
 time of men and women from every walk of life, and the 
 former is to a greater extent becoming responsive to the 
 needs of the present while the latter are strengthening their 
 hold on the people. The evils that threaten the national 
 life — the liquor traffic, the use of drugs, the business of 
 white slavery, impurity, etc., etc. — are weighing so heavily 
 on the consciences of the good people of the country that 
 herculean efforts are being made by consecrated thousands 
 to preserve the health of the nation through their elimina- 
 tion. The work among the boys and girls of the country 
 has increased amazingly in recent years. It is realized that 
 if they be surrounded with elevating and stimulating influ- 
 ences during the formative periods of their lives they will 
 develop into a citizenship in whose hands the nation will 
 be safe and able to continue in its great progress. The 
 thousands of foreigners who seek " The Promised Land " 
 every year with the view of making it their permanent home 
 are finding the American people a people interested in 
 humanity, and desirous that the citizenship which emerges 
 from the great Melting Pot shall be a citizenship freed from 
 the dross of evil habits and customs and fitted for a great 
 destiny in the nation of their adoption. 
 
A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE 285 
 
 This magnificent work of a virile people will not stop 
 short of fruition. 
 
 The most important thing in every man's life is his life 
 purpose. The purpose of a man's life determines the value 
 of the man to society. If the purpose be selfish the life is 
 useless. If the purpose be unselfish the life is valuable in 
 proportion to the activity of the man in the field of unselfish 
 endeavor. Real happiness never came and never can come 
 to the man with a selfish life purpose. True happiness comes 
 only to him who contributes something to the world that is 
 of benefit to humanity. 
 
 Dedicating a part of one's time to the cause of the county 
 library movement is a worthy purpose. But any one doing 
 this meets with many obstacles. Yet who ever entered the 
 field of philanthropy that did not encounter opposition? 
 Some one has said, " Righteousness is potential energy won 
 by fighting evil; the moment fighting stops, growth stops 
 and righteousness languishes." There is no such thing as 
 latent or dormant righteousness. It may likewise be said of 
 all other virtues that they are potential energy and that 
 the moment cultivation stops in the case of any of them 
 development ceases. The one big obstacle in the way of the 
 more rapid growth- of the county library idea is selfishness, 
 selfishness which takes the form of a refusal to be taxed for 
 the benefit of all the people. Many object to being taxed for 
 county libraries who would willingly advocate taxation for 
 such purpose if they were shown the great benefit to be 
 derived therefrom. In the case of such men all that is neces- 
 sary is that they be enlightened to make them " boosters " 
 instead of " knockers." But there is another class of men 
 who are so narrow in their ideas that they resist taxation 
 on general principles. And in those communities where the 
 majority of the people are influenced by such persons, little 
 progress is made. 
 
 Every state in the Union should have people who resolve 
 
286 THE COUNTY LIBRARY 
 
 that they will not rest until their legislature passes a county 
 library law, if such a law has not already been passed. And 
 after a law has been enacted they should bend their energies 
 to urging upon counties the desirability of establishing 
 county libraries under the law. This would give the move- 
 ment a tremendous impetus. The beginning has been made 
 and it is a good beginning. If, therefore, willing workers 
 in every state become interested in the county library pro- 
 paganda, the movement will gradually gather momentum. 
 
 If librarians would realize their ambition along this line, 
 they must get a vision. Is it not true that the only people 
 in this world who ever accomplish anything worth while 
 are the people who have a vision? Life is full of so very 
 much that retards and hinders and discourages in one's 
 ambitions, but if a person has caught the vision the many 
 obstacles that impede his progress will never stop him 
 because of the lofty purpose that dominates his life. 
 
 But after one has the vision the next important thing is 
 that he properly interpret it. Some get the vision and 
 fancy they are inspired to ascend the heights and work 
 with the leaders of the forces of Progress. How many such 
 are like the hero in Hawthorne's beautiful story of " The 
 Threefold Destiny," who imagined the world had great 
 things for him to do, but whose work lay right at his own 
 door-step. The librarians of the smallest libraries in the 
 land have a great work right at home. And if they do 
 their work well at home the world will be compelled to take 
 notice and they may be called higher, with the result that 
 their final activities might be among the leaders of men. 
 
 Some months ago, Chavez, the French aviator, had aspira- 
 tions to fly across the Alps into Italy. Finally, he started 
 on the perilous trip, but " on reaching his destination his 
 machine suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground and he 
 was crushed. During his wonderful flight in the blinding 
 whirlwinds of snow, crossing peak after peak, and in the 
 
A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE 287 
 
 delirium of his death, he cried again and again : ' One more 
 peak, O God, one more peak.' " 
 
 To the heights of an unknown sky, alone, 
 
 On the wings of man, to the face of God, 
 
 An evangel of onward, straight has flown. 
 
 Where demon or seraph had never trod; 
 
 And the thought of his heart, which we all must speak. 
 
 Was: Bear me, O God, o'er another peak. 
 
 And on and on to Italian skies. 
 By glaciered Alpine gulfs and snows. 
 On impetuous wings the birdman flies. 
 While the wheels whirl fast, but, as he goes 
 Like a sunlit meteor's passing streak. 
 The cry of his heart is — one more peak. 
 
 O val'rous heart! The steepest, last, 
 
 Of the menacing mountain chain. 
 
 The uppermost pinnacle's pride is passed; 
 
 But it smiles in a strange disdain — 
 
 For the vulture gloats o'er the paling cheek 
 
 Of him who mastered that one last peak. 
 
 See him stretched on the plain, the dying bird. 
 The conqueror crushed by his car! 
 Yet sublimer strain was never heard 
 Than he voiced to the earth, and air — 
 That eternal prayer man must ever speak. 
 To Him who is Lord of the plain and peak. 
 
 Full often around the world has rung 
 An immortal, fateful phrase. 
 But no victor or martyr has ever sung 
 A nobler psalm than thine, Chavez! 
 That the soul is dead that will not seek, 
 Whate'er its triumphs — ^another peak.* 
 
 The w^orld is what it is today because of the men and 
 women whose prayer has ever been — " One more peak, 
 O God, one more peak." Some have failed to scale every 
 peak and to reach Italy; some, like Chavez, have met death 
 at the goal ; some have lived to enjoy the fruits of the jour- 
 ney. But all have rendered a service to mankind. 
 
 *M. F. Tighe. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 THE COUNTY LIBRARIES OF THE UNITED STATES CLASSIFIED 
 
 THE fifty-three * county libraries of the United States 
 may be divided into three classes : 
 
 ( 1 ) those organized under general laws ; 
 
 (2) those organized under special laws; 
 
 (3) and those organized under no laws. 
 Under the first class are five groups : 
 
 (a) The first group consists of county libraries in their 
 own buildings and maintained by a tax on all the taxable 
 property of the county ; 
 
 (b) The second group consists of county libraries oper- 
 ated through town or city libraries and maintained by a 
 tax on all the taxable property of the county; 
 
 (c) The third group consists of county libraries in their 
 own or rented qiMrters and maintained by a tax on only part 
 of the taxable property of the county; 
 
 (d) The fourth group consists of county libraries oper- 
 ated through town or city libraries and maintained by a 
 tax on only part of the taxable property of the county; 
 
 (e) The fifth group consists of county libraries operated 
 through town or city libraries and maintained by a county 
 appropriation. 
 
 *Four other county libraries authorized but not yet in operation 
 (July, 1913), viz., Del Norte, Monterey, San Mateo and Santa Clara 
 County libraries, all of California. Besides, there are three county- 
 seat libraries in Missouri (see page 263) that serve the book needs of 
 their respective counties. These are the Carthage, Fulton and Sedalia 
 libraries. Then, Wisconsin has forty-four libraries (see page 262) 
 that " grant free privileges to country people." Furthermore, in almost 
 all parts of the country will be found libraries that have become 
 liberal enough to supply country people with library service. The 
 trend seems to be in the direction of granting library privileges to the 
 people in the small _ villages and on the farms, _ and town and city 
 libraries are responding to the challenge of the millions who represent 
 Rural America and township and county libraries are rapidly increasing 
 in number. 
 
 288 
 
COUNTY LIBRARIES OF U. S. CLASSIFIED 289 
 
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INDEX 
 
 Access to shelves, 127 
 
 Advantages of the County Library, 
 274-82. See also Arguments for 
 the County library 
 
 Agricultural books, reading of by 
 farmers, 225; sent to farmers' 
 institutes, 225 
 
 Agriculture, in Van Wert County, 
 95-96 ; taught in the schools, 189, 
 196. See also Farming 
 
 Alfalfa, see Crops in Van Wert 
 County 
 
 American Library Association, 
 suggestion for, 132 
 
 Amerikanische biblioteken und 
 ihre Bestrebungen, quotation 
 from, 152 
 
 Annotated lists of the Branch col- 
 lections, use of, ISS 
 
 Annual reports of the Brumback 
 Library, quoted, 142-44, 147, 
 151, 153, 184; notice of nth an- 
 nual report in the Dial, 132 
 
 Antrim, Ernest Irving, sketch of 
 Mrs. Antrim by, 103-4; articles 
 quoted, I44-4S 
 
 Antrim, Mrs. Ernest Irving, 103-4 
 
 Apprentices of Brumback Library, 
 117 
 
 Area of Van Wert County, 91 
 
 Arguments for the County library, 
 presented by the Brumback 
 heirs, 20; by the press, 23, 26, 
 28, 41-43, 45; outlined in ad- 
 dresses at laying of corner- 
 stone, 50-54; in report of Ohio 
 State Library Commissioners, 
 58; presented in addresses at 
 dedication, 70-71, 82-83 ; as dem- 
 onstrated by the work of the 
 Brumback Library, 140, 145, 152. 
 See also Advantages of the 
 County Library; Opposition to 
 County Library idea 
 
 Assistants of the Brumback Li- 
 brary, 116 
 
 Autoists, list of books for, 165 
 Average reader, 224 
 
 Banks, large taxpayers for County 
 
 Library, 278 
 Bedford (Ind.), a county library 
 
 under a special law, 269, 295 
 Benefits of the County Library, 
 
 see Advantages of the County 
 
 Library; Arguments for the 
 
 County Library 
 Bequests to Van Wert County, 
 
 97-98 
 Best work not expressed by 
 
 figures, 139 
 Bicknell, Percy F., quoted, 132 
 Biography, Books of, popularity, 
 
 224 
 Birchard library, Fremont, O., 258, 
 
 296 
 Board of Trustees, see Trustees 
 
 of Brumback Library 
 Bonds, to build a county library, 
 
 250 
 Book card, illustration of, 173; 
 
 tray for filing, 174 
 Book-cases, supplied to Branch 
 
 libraries, 173 
 Book lists, issued by Brumback 
 
 Library, 130, 165, 190, 198 
 Book wagon, 274 
 Books for the Branch libraries, a 
 
 sample early collection, 136-37; 
 
 a recent collection, 166; selec- 
 tion of, 171 ; purchase, 171 ; 
 
 preparation, 172; how they 
 
 travel, 172 
 "Boosting Van Wert County," 
 
 essay contest, 195 
 Borrowers, residents of county 
 
 only, 137 ; fee for non-residents, 
 
 137; of Branch libraries, rules, 
 
 170; only two in a family at 
 
 first, 120, 210; statistics of, 210- 
 
 13; rural school pupils, 210; 
 
 Delphos borrowers not regis- 
 
 297 
 
298 
 
 INDEX 
 
 tered, 211; not registered under 
 nine years of age, 211; table, 
 213 
 
 Borrowers' cards, see Borrowers 
 
 Bowland, Orrin, 199 
 
 Boxes for Branch libraries, 172 
 
 Branch librarians, how chosen, 133 
 et seq; salaries of, why uni- 
 form, 138-40; amount of salary, 
 17s; meeting of, 154; nomen- 
 clature, 169-70; duties, 173-76; 
 rules governing, 175; list of, 
 179-81 
 
 Branch libraries of Brumback Li- 
 brary, first ones established, 133- 
 38; first purchase of books for, 
 141 ; first preparation of books 
 for, 141 ; first plan for rotation 
 of books, 141 ; plan adopted, 
 142; summary of first year of 
 operation, 142 ; work of, in 1902, 
 145-48; in 1903, 148-49; in 1904, 
 150-51; in 1906, 151; in 1907, 
 151-52; in 1908, 152-53; in IQIO, 
 IS4-SS; in 191 1, 155-57; in 1912, 
 157; in 1913, 157-69; photo- 
 graphs secured, 161 ; present 
 methods of operation, 169-79; 
 tables of statistics, 217, 220 
 
 Branch stations, see Branch Li- 
 braries of Brumback Library 
 
 Brotherton, Jane W., no, 116; 
 quoted, 184, 201 
 
 Brumback, John Sanford, early 
 life, 3-4; marriage, 4; came to 
 Van Wert, 5 ; business interests, 
 6; prompted to build a public 
 library, 6 ; unique idea that it be 
 a County library, 7; death, 7; 
 press comments on, 7-10; a 
 letter showing his interest in the 
 Van Wert Library Association 
 library, 11-12; proposition in his 
 will regarding erection of a li- 
 brary, 13-14; text of will, 14- 
 16; press comments on, 16-18; 
 heirs, 19-34; character as de- 
 scribed by his son at dedication 
 of library, 69-70 ; priority of his 
 idea for a county library, 256 
 
 Brumback, Mrs. John Sanford, 4-5 
 
 Brumback, Orville S., author of 
 bill drawn and presented to 
 Ohio Legislature for County li- 
 brary law, 22, 24; address at 
 cornerstone laying of Brumback 
 
 Library, 53-55; address at dedi- 
 cation, 65-75 
 
 Brumback, Saida, see Antrim, 
 Mrs. Ernest Irving 
 
 Brumback heirs, proposition re- 
 garding erection of library, ig- 
 22; press comments, 22-30; 
 contract with County Commis- 
 sioners, 32-39; erection and fur- 
 nishing of building, 60 
 
 Brumback Library of Van Wert 
 County, donor, 1-16; contract 
 stipulating terms of Brumback 
 heirs, 32-36; signing of contract 
 by County Commissioners, 37- 
 39 ; architect selected, 40, 41 ; 
 contract for building awarded, 
 43; laying of corner-stone, 44- 
 57; dedication, 61-86; trustees, 
 99-108; staff, 109-117; opening 
 of circulating department, 118- 
 24; Central library, growth and 
 development, 125-32 ; County 
 branches, 133-81 ; work with 
 schools of the county, 182-202; 
 future possibilities, 203-9; pres- 
 ent condition, 204; statistics, 
 210-224; law under which estab- 
 lished, 256-57; basis of claims 
 for priority of establishment, 
 256; advantages of a county li- 
 brary as illustrated by, 274-82; 
 only one other similar to in 
 U. S., 289 
 
 Brumback Library, County 
 branches, see Branch libraries of 
 Brumback Library 
 
 Budget, table, 219. See also Funds 
 
 Buildings to house county libraries, 
 250 
 
 Bulletin board, 131 
 
 Business men's association, essay 
 contest, 19s 
 
 California, rapid progress in estab- 
 lishing county libraries, 234; 
 county as a unit, 237; county 
 library law, 243, 249, 250, 251; 
 board of examiners, 252; initia- 
 tive and referendum state, 254; 
 county libraries, 263-65; tables, 
 292-93, 296 
 
 Carnegie county libraries, 165, 258, 
 261 
 
 Carnegie library of Paulding 
 County, (O.), see Paulding 
 (O.) County library 
 
INDEX 
 
 299 
 
 Carthage, Mo., County-seat li- 
 brary, 263, 288 
 
 Cavett, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 138, 217, 220 
 
 Cavette, Mrs. R. J., 11, 104 
 
 Celina, (O.), Standard, quoted, 57 
 
 Centralized schools, reading room 
 in, 207 
 
 Chautauqua association in Van 
 Wert County, 97 
 
 Chautauqua lecturers and Brum- 
 back Library, 129-30 
 
 Chavez, French aviator, 286 
 
 Children's department, 126 
 
 Chillicothe, (O.), Ross County 
 library, 258, 290 
 
 Churches in Van Wert County, 94. 
 See also Ministers 
 
 Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, 
 quoted, 23-25 
 
 Cincinnati library, see Hamilton 
 County library 
 
 " Cincinnati Special Bill," applied 
 only to Hamilton and Cuyahoga 
 counties, 25, 257 
 
 Circulation statistics, at Branch 
 libraries, how kept, 174; in rural 
 schools, igi ; table showing all 
 departments since beginning of 
 Brumback Library, 215, table of 
 Branch libraries, 217; summary 
 of 1913, 222 ; do not express best 
 work of a library, 139 
 
 City libraries, reasons for their be- 
 coming county libraries, 259 
 
 City life vs. country life, 260 
 
 Clark, Charles W., soloist at dedi- 
 cation of Brumback Library, 61 
 
 Classed books, see Non-fiction 
 
 Claxton, P. P., addresses Van 
 Wert County Teachers' insti- 
 tute, 202; visits Brumback Li- 
 brary, 202; articles commending 
 Brumback Library, quoted, 207 
 
 " Clearing house of books," 207 
 
 Clipping collection, 128 
 
 Clubs, work with, 128 
 
 College week, 201 
 
 Columbus, (O.), Dispatch, quoted, 
 
 8S . 
 Commissioners, County, see 
 
 County commissioners ; Van 
 
 Wert County Commissioners _ 
 
 Commissions, State, states which 
 
 have none, 233; functions of, 
 
 234; every state should have, 
 
 236; increase in, 239 
 
 Conn, Mrs. Ella, 112, 116, 200 
 
 Contagious disease, see Fumiga- 
 tion of books 
 
 Contract, text of, relating to 
 Brumback Library, 32-36; ac- 
 cepted by County commis- 
 sioners, 37-40 
 
 Converse, Branch of Brumback 
 Library, 146, 217, 220 
 
 Convoy, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 134, 217, 220 
 
 Convoy Crescent, quoted, 29, 40 
 
 Cooperation, county library helps 
 develop it in a county, 277 
 
 Corn, see Crops in Van Wert 
 County 
 
 Corner-stone laying, Brumback 
 Library, 44-57 
 
 Country people, read better books, 
 208, 224 
 
 County activities, how benefited by 
 County library, 276 
 
 County assistant, duties, 176-77 
 
 County branch libraries, see 
 Branch libraries of Brumback 
 Library 
 
 County commissioners, in some 
 states permitted to make appro- 
 priations, 249; may enter into 
 arrangements with a library in 
 an adjoining county, 251 ; pro- 
 visions that should be made for, 
 254. See also Van Wert County 
 Commissioners 
 
 County Fair, in Van Wert County, 
 96; library exhibits, in 1910, 154; 
 in 191 1, 156; in 1913, 161-64; 
 advantage of county library to, 
 276 
 
 County Institute, Teachers, see 
 Teachers' Institute, County 
 
 County librarian, duties and re- 
 quirements, 109; qualifications 
 desirable, 252; the ones who 
 have served Brumback Library, 
 110-12, 116 
 
 County libraries in U. S., de- 
 scribed, 256-73; classified, 288; 
 statistical tables, 289-96 
 
 County Library, The, justifica- 
 tion of its existence, 139; bene- 
 fits, 253; chief ideal, 254; de- 
 fined, 272; advantages, 274-82; 
 the future, 283-87; classifica- 
 tion of and tables, 288-296 
 
 County library laws, by states, 240- 
 48; comparison of, 249-55. See 
 
300 
 
 INDEX 
 
 also Legislation; Names of 
 states, e. g., Wisconsin 
 
 County spirit in Van Wert County, 
 96 
 
 County stations, see Branch li- 
 braries of Brumback Library 
 
 County Sunday School conven- 
 tions, see Sunday School con- 
 ventions 
 
 Craig, Mrs. J. M., 105 
 
 Crops in Van Wert County, 95 
 
 Custodians of Branch libraries, 
 see Branch librarians 
 
 Cuyahoga County, (O.), library 
 law, see " Cincinnati Special 
 Bill " 
 
 Dalles, The, (Oreg.), Wasco 
 County library, 268, 290 
 
 Dasie, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 138, 217, 220 
 
 Date card, see Schedule of Branch 
 libraries 
 
 Debates, demand for material 
 from library, 205 ; township con- 
 tests, 206; training of young 
 people in, 207 
 
 Dedication of Brumback Library, 
 program, 61 ; addresses, 62-84 ; 
 press comments on, 84-86 
 
 Delivery stations, see Branch li- 
 braries of Brumback Library 
 
 Delphos, Branch of Brumback li- 
 brary, first location, 135; list 
 of first books sent, 13s ; problem 
 concerning borrowers not living 
 in Van Wert County, 137. IS7; 
 placed in Carnegie library of 
 Delphos and final solution of 
 borrower problem, 158-161 ; sta- 
 tistics of, 217, 220 
 
 Delphos Courant, quoted, 135 
 
 Delphos Herald, quoted, 159 
 
 Deposit stations, see Branch li- 
 braries of Brumback Library 
 
 Depository for government docu- 
 ments, 57, 58; a county library 
 is logical place for, 280 
 
 Dial, The, quoted, 132 
 
 Direct legislation, public speaking 
 necessary for its success, 206; 
 states having, which also have 
 county libraries, 254. See also 
 Initiative and referendum 
 
 Disinfection, see Fumigation of 
 books 
 
 Display cases, 128 
 
 Dixon, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 148, 217, 220 
 Downey, Mary E., quoted, 226 
 Dudgeon, M. S., quoted, 261 
 
 Eastman, W. R., quoted, 238, 272 
 
 Electricity, Books on, incident of 
 boy interested in, 140 
 
 Elgin, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 150, 217, 220 
 
 Employees of Brumback Library, 
 rules, 113-116. See also Li- 
 brarian, County ; Assistants ; 
 Apprentices 
 
 Endowed County library, Birchard 
 library, Fremont, O., 258 
 
 Equipment, County library can 
 have first class, 279 
 
 Erie, (O.), County library, 258, 
 290 
 
 Essay contest, 195 
 
 Examiners, State board of, in 
 California, 252 
 
 Exhibits, at the library, 131 ; at 
 County Fair, 154, 156, 161-64; 
 at State Fair, 164; at the N. E. 
 A. in Salt Lake City, 164. See 
 also Loan exhibits 
 
 Expenditures, see Budget; Funds 
 
 Extension schools, agricultural, 
 196 
 
 Extra collections, 173 
 
 Factories, large taxpayers for 
 County library, 278 
 
 Farming, in Van Wert County, 95- 
 96; why the farmer has grown 
 rich, 281 ; land values cannot in- 
 crease forever, 282; compensa- 
 tions for material loss, 282 
 
 Faulkner, Georgene, " story lady," 
 129 
 
 Fiction, comparative percents, 223 ; 
 titles popular with country 
 people, 225 
 
 Field worker, 204 
 
 Fife, Ray, 184, 187 
 
 First county library, Brumback 
 Library, 25, 73, 82, 256-57 
 
 Fish, Rev. A. J., address at comer- 
 stone laying, 49 
 
 Forum, The, quoted, 144 
 
 Freight, see Transportation 
 
 Fremont, (O.), Birchard library, 
 258, 296 
 
 Ft. IVayne Gazette, quoted. 26 
 
INDEX 
 
 301 
 
 Fulton, (Mo.), county-seat library, 
 263, 288 
 
 Fumigation of books, 129 
 
 Funds, County library funds per- 
 mit of trained librarian, 278; 
 provide first class equipment, 279 
 
 Future of the County library, 283 
 et seq 
 
 Galbreath, C. B., address at dedi- 
 cation of Brumback Library, 79 ; 
 quoted, 85-86; quotations from 
 his Sketches of Ohio Libraries, 
 100, 144 
 
 Glenmore, Branch of Brumback 
 Library, 146, 217, 220 
 
 Glenn, Judge H. C, address of 
 acceptance at dedication of 
 Brumback Library, 75 
 
 Gordon, Rev. J. A., prayer at 
 corner-stone laying of Brum- 
 back library, 48; remarks at 
 dedication, 62 
 
 Government documents, 57, 58, 
 126; County library a logical 
 place for, 280 
 
 Green, Janet M., 116, 118 
 
 Green County, (O.), library, 258, 
 290 
 
 Green River, (Wyo.), Sweetwater 
 County library, 290 
 
 Grundy Co., (Mo.), library, 257, 
 263, 296 
 
 Hagerstown, Md., 257, 265, 295 
 
 Hamilton County, (O.), library, 
 73. 257, 258, 259, 295 
 
 Hamilton County, (O.), library 
 law, see " Cincinnati Special 
 Bill" 
 
 Hanley-Hobson, tree-planting, 130 
 
 Hiestand's band, 48 
 
 High School, freshmen instructed 
 in use of library, 198; Home 
 reading book list, 199; "college 
 week," 201 
 
 Holding, Anna L., in, 116, 
 quoted, 190 
 
 Homes, rural, benefited by county 
 library, 227, 275 
 
 Hood River, (Oreg.), county li- 
 brary, 268, 290 
 
 Hospital in Van Wert County, 97 
 
 " How to use " cards of instruc- 
 tions to teachers, 191-92 
 
 Hutchinson, Branch of Brumback 
 Library, 141 
 
 Illinois, no county library law, 
 271 ; Warren County library, 
 271, 296 
 
 Income, see Funds; Tax levy 
 
 Indiana, township libraries used 
 extensively, 23s, 237; a county 
 library law in 1816, 256 ; no gen- 
 eral county library law now, 
 269; has a county library under 
 a special law, 269; text of 1816 
 county library law, 270, table, 
 29s, 296 
 
 Initiative and referendum, 206, 
 
 254-55 
 Institute, County Teachers', see 
 
 Teachers' Institute, County 
 Iowa, county library law, 247, 249, 
 
 250; not an I. and R. state, 254; 
 
 recent law one of the best, 269 
 
 Jewett Norris library, 257, 258, 
 263, 296 
 
 Kern County, (Cal.), library, 264, 
 
 265, 292 
 King County, (Wash.), library 
 
 service in schools, 266 
 
 Ladies' Library Association, see 
 
 Van Wert Library Association 
 Land values in Van Wert county, 
 
 95 
 
 Laws, County library, see County 
 library laws 
 
 League of Library Commissions, 
 exhibit at N. E. A., 164 
 
 Legislation, library, drift of, 233, 
 county as unit, 237, trend in last 
 twelve or fourteen years, 238 ; in 
 19131 238 ; county library laws by 
 states, 240-48; discussed 249- 
 55; two provisions that should 
 be embodied in county library 
 laws, 253. See also County li- 
 brary laws ; Names of state, 
 e. g., Wisconsin 
 
 Librarian, County, requirements, 
 109, 252, 278; Brumback library, 
 109-12, 116 
 
 Library commissions, see Commis- 
 sions, State 
 
 Library journal, quoted, 238, 272 
 
 Library legislation, see Legisla- 
 tion, library 
 
 Library trustees, see Trustees 
 
 Lincoln Highway, 92 
 
 Lists, see Book lists 
 
302 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Literary digest, quoted, 144 
 Live stock in Van Wert County, 
 
 96 
 Loan exhibits, suggestion for A. 
 
 L. A., 131 
 Local history, county library 
 
 should emphasize, 280 
 Los Angeles County library, 264, 
 
 292 
 Lyman, Edna, lecture by, 129 
 
 Madera, (Cal.), county library, 
 264, 292 
 
 Maintenance of a county library, 
 253. See also Tax levy; Budget 
 
 Malick, Mrs. L H., 104 
 
 Mansfield, (O.), Richland county 
 library, 258, 290 
 
 Maryland, county library law, 244, 
 249, 251 ; trustees, 253 ; not an 
 L and R. state; Washington 
 county library of Hagerstown, 
 2S7. 265-66, 29s, 296 
 
 Masonic ceremonies, see Corner- 
 stone laying of Brumback li- 
 brary 
 
 Massachusetts, municipal libraries, 
 23s. 237 
 
 Matthys, Carrie, 112, 116 
 
 Merchants, large taxpayers for 
 county library, 278 
 
 Metal signs at Branch libraries, 
 
 173 
 
 Methods of operating Branch 
 libraries, 169-179 
 
 Metz, Corinne A., iii, 116, quoted, 
 189 
 
 Meyer, A. B., quoted, 152 
 
 Michigan libraries, quoted, 270 
 
 Middlepoint, Branch of Brum- 
 back library, 135, 217, 220 
 
 Minneapolis Times, quoted, 144 
 
 Minnesota, county library law, 242, 
 249, 250, 251, 254, 262; county 
 libraries in, 262, 269, 294, 296 
 
 Ministers, special cards 183 ; bene- 
 fited by county library, 275 
 
 Missouri, county library law, 243, 
 249, 251, 254; county libraries, 
 263, 296 
 
 Monmouth, (Ill.)> Warren County 
 library, 257, 271 
 
 Moving pictures, 207 
 
 Multnomah County, (Oreg.), li- 
 brary, 267, 290 
 
 Municipal libraries, in Massa- 
 chusetts, 23s 
 
 National League of Improvement 
 Association, quoted, 86 
 
 Nebraska, county library law, 246, 
 249, 250, 251, 254; no county li- 
 brary yet, 268 
 
 New York, traveling libraries, 234, 
 238 ; county library law, 247, 249, 
 250 ; not an I. and R. state, 254 ; 
 tax feature not in law, 262; no 
 county library in, 269 
 
 News Notes of California li- 
 braries, quoted, 263 
 
 Newspapers of Van Wert County, 
 92. See also Convoy Crescent; 
 Van Wert Democrat ; Van Wert 
 Bulletin ; Van Wert Republican ; 
 Van Wert Times 
 
 Nicodemus, J. W., 104 
 
 Non-fiction, titles popular with 
 country people, 225-26 
 
 Ohio, county library law, text of 
 bill presented by O. S. Brum- 
 back in i8g8, 24; introduced be- 
 fore Hamilton County law, 25, 
 257; became a law, 25, 257; 
 modified in 1906, 240; tax levy, 
 249, 250; provisions for build- 
 ings, 250; Ohio an I. and R. 
 state, 254; pioneer in county li- 
 brary work, 256; table, 290, 295, 
 296 
 
 Ohio City, Branch of Brumback 
 Library, 134, 217, 220 
 
 Ohio Educational monthly, quoted, 
 59. 188 
 
 Ohio Library Association, resolu- 
 tion regarding Brumback li- 
 brary, 60 
 
 Ohio school law, see School law, 
 Ohio 
 
 Ohio State Journal, (Columbus), 
 quoted, 25 
 
 Ohio State library commissioners, 
 extract from 54th annual report 
 concerning Brumback Library, 
 58 
 
 " One more peak," 287 
 
 Opening day, Brumback library, 
 118-119 
 
 Opposition to county library idea, 
 25-28, 39, 41-43- See also Argu- 
 ments for the county library 
 
 Oregon, school district libraries. 
 
INDEX 
 
 303 
 
 23s ; county library law, 246, 249, 
 250, 251, 254; county libraries, 
 267-8 ; table, 290, 296 
 Outlook, The, quoted, 164 
 
 Packing cases, 172. See also 
 Boxes 
 
 Patriotism, county library fosters 
 it, 277 
 
 Paulding, (O.), county library, 165, 
 258; table, 289 
 
 Percentages, see Percents 
 
 Percents, comparison by depart- 
 ments, 223 ; by classes read, 224 ; 
 table, 228-29 
 
 Periodicals, for Branch libraries, 
 
 IS2 
 
 Personal work, benefits, 156 
 
 Philanthropies, in Van Wert 
 County, 97-98; mostly for city 
 people, 281 
 
 Photographs of Branch libraries, 
 how obtained and uses, 161-64 
 
 Picture books, 189 
 
 Picture collection, 128 
 
 Pierce County, (Wash.), library 
 service in schools, 266 
 
 " Pioneer county library," 256-57 
 
 Placard at Branch libraries for 
 date of return, 174 
 
 Placards at County Fair, 162 
 
 Pollock, C. B., 105 
 
 Pomona Grange, 29 
 
 Pope, Dr. P. R., address at dedi- 
 cation of Brumback Library, 62- 
 
 64 . . 
 
 Popular fiction, see Fiction 
 
 Popular non-fiction, see Non-fic- 
 tion 
 
 Population of Van Wert County, 
 go 
 
 Portland, (Oreg.), Multnomah 
 county library, 267, 290 
 
 Possibilities, future, 203-9 
 
 Postal card forms, 175 
 
 Postal savings banks in Van Wert 
 County, 93 
 
 Preachers, see Ministers 
 
 Primers, 189 
 
 Private county library, 258 
 
 Progress, quickest way to inter- 
 rupt, 203; results of too rapid, 
 204 
 
 Proposition of Brumback heirs, 
 19-22. See also Brumback heirs 
 
 Public libraries, quoted, 189 
 
 Public schools, see Schools, Rural ; 
 
 Schools, Town; High School, 
 Teachers, Rural 
 Public speaking, 206 
 
 Racine (Wis.), Times, quoted, 144 
 
 Railroads of Van Wert county, 92 ; 
 large taxpayers for a county li- 
 brary, 278 
 
 Ranck, Samuel H., 157; quoted 
 concerning Indiana county law 
 of 1816, 270 
 
 Reading, effect of library on, 187- 
 88; comparison of country peo- 
 ple and town people, 224. See 
 also Fiction ; Non-fiction ; Biog- 
 raphy; Travel 
 
 Recreations in Van Wert County, 
 
 Receipts and expenditures, see 
 Budget; Funds 
 
 Records of Branch libraries, kept 
 by county assistant, 176. See 
 also Methods of operating 
 Branch libraries 
 
 Redfield, Supt., 184 
 
 Reed, John P., 60, 102 
 
 Reference questions answered by 
 mail, 156, 192, 206 
 
 Registration, see Borrowers 
 
 Reserve postals, 128 
 
 Richland County, (O.), library, 
 258, 290 
 
 Roads of Van Wert County, 92 
 
 Ross County, (O.), library, 258, 
 290 
 
 Rotation of boxes, 141-42. See 
 also Methods of operating 
 Branch libraries 
 
 Routine for operating Branch li- 
 braries, 169-74 
 
 Rules, governing trustees, 105-108 ; 
 employees, 113-16; patrons, 121- 
 24; patrons of Branch libraries, 
 170-71 ; branch librarians, 175- 
 76; rural school libraries, 191- 
 92 ; special rules, 120, 128, 160 
 
 Rural extension, trend, 233; pur- 
 pose of county library, 237; re- 
 ceiving more attention, 238, 
 greater momentum, 239 ; in Wis- 
 consin, 272 
 
 Rural Free delivery, 92 
 
 Rural population of Van Wert 
 County, 91, 95 
 
 Rural schools, see Schools, Rural, 
 Libraries in 
 
304 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Sacramento County library, 264 
 St. Mary's (O.) Graphic, quoted, 
 
 59 
 Salaries of Branch librarians, 138- 
 
 39; uniform, 140 
 San Kego County, (Cal.), library, 
 
 264, 292 
 San Francisco City afid County 
 
 library, 264 
 Sandusky, (O.). Erie county li- 
 
 brary^ 258, 290 
 Schedule of Branch libraries, 177- 
 
 79 . . ^ 
 
 School district libraries, in Ore- 
 gon, 23s 
 
 School law, Ohio, 192 
 
 School libraries, required by law 
 in Ohio, 192-94; see also 
 Schools, Rural, Libraries in 
 
 School supervisors, see Super- 
 visors, Township 
 
 Schools, Rural, Libraries in, or- 
 igin of, 182; provisions for, 
 184; unexpected demand for, 
 r8s; size and selection of col- 
 lections, 186; good work of 
 school supervisors, 187; wide 
 use of books, 188; value of to 
 the schools, 189; methods of in- 
 teresting the teachers in, 190- 
 91 ; instructions to teachers, 191- 
 92; pictures loaned, 192; re- 
 quirement of new school law in 
 Ohio, 192; provision made to 
 meet it by Brumback Library, 
 193794; pupil borrowers not 
 registered at Central, 210; sta- 
 tistics of, 218, 221. See also 
 Teachers, Rural 
 
 Schools, Town, cooperation with 
 library, 198; pupils of High 
 School instructed in use of 
 library, 198; books reserved 
 for special occasions, 199; 
 school-room collections in low- 
 er grades, 200-1. See also High 
 School 
 
 Schools of Van Wert County, 94 
 
 Scott, Elmer E., los 
 
 Scott, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 148, 217, 220 
 
 Seattle, (Wash.), library service 
 in King County schools, 266 
 
 Sedalia, (Mo.), county seat libra- 
 ry, 263, 288 
 
 Selfishness, main obstacle to 
 growth of County library, 285 
 
 Shaffer, C. L., 186 
 
 Sharkey, J. P., 183 
 
 Signs, metal, see Metal signs 
 
 Sketches of Ohio Libraries, 
 
 quoted, 100, 144 
 Small-pox, see Fumigation o f 
 
 books 
 Smith, Ella Louise, no, 116, 118; 
 
 quoted, 147 
 Social hour for teachers, see 
 
 Teachers' Institute, County 
 Special cards, 183, 186 
 Special collections, 128 
 Stacks, enlargement of, 125-26 
 Staff of the Brumback library, 109- 
 
 17 
 
 State Commissions, see Commis- 
 sions, State 
 
 State libraries, all states have, 236 ; 
 tendency to make more service- 
 able, 238 
 
 Statistics, of Brumback library, 
 210-28; of all county libraries, 
 289-96. See also Circulation sta- 
 tistics 
 
 Stine, D. L., architect of Brum- 
 back library, 40, 41 
 
 Sub-stations, see Branch libraries 
 
 Sugar beets, see Crops in Van 
 Wert County 
 
 Sunday School conventions, bene- 
 fit of County library to, 197, 276 
 
 Sunday School helps, 198 
 
 Sunday School libraries, 197 
 
 Supervisors, Township, interest 
 of, 186-87 
 
 Swartout, Ella, 112, 117 
 
 Sweetwater County, (Wye), li- 
 brary, 290 
 
 Tacoma, (Wash.), library service 
 
 in Pierce County schools, 266 
 Tax basis, no two states alike, 250 
 Tax levy for Brumback library, 34 
 Tax payers, how benefited by 
 county library, 277, all get " val- 
 ue received " for their money, 
 277; railroads, factories, etc., 
 make the largest payments, 278; 
 " knockers " and those who re- 
 sist taxation, 285 
 Teachers, resident vs. non-resi- 
 dent, i8s 
 Teachers, Rural, methods of ob- 
 taining books from Brumback 
 Library, 186; how reached, 190; 
 social hour during County In- 
 
INDEX 
 
 305 
 
 stitute, igo-gi ; instructions 
 "How to use" school libraries, 
 191-92; teachers' reports of cir- 
 culation, 191; reference ques- 
 tions invited, 192; benefited by- 
 County library, 274. See also. 
 Schools, Rural 
 
 Teachers' cards, 183 
 
 Teachers' Institute, County, coop- 
 eration with library, 190; social 
 hour at library, 190-91 
 
 Telephone, service in Van Wert 
 County, 92 
 
 Temperance in Van Wert County, 
 
 Tent at County Fair, 156 
 
 Texas, law providing for farmers' 
 county libraries, 272 
 
 Tighe, M. F., poem "One more 
 peak," 287 
 
 Time schedule, see Schedule of 
 Branch libraries 
 
 Toledo Blade, quoted, 8, 25, 85 
 
 Toledo Courier, quoted, 41 
 
 Township libraries, extensively 
 used in Indiana, 235 ; arguments 
 for and against, 279-80 
 
 Township superintendents of 
 schools, see Supervisors, Town- 
 ship 
 
 Townships of Van Wert County, 
 91, 221 
 
 Trained librarian, advantages of, 
 278 
 
 Transportation of County collec- 
 tions, 17s 
 
 Travel, Books of, popularity, 224 
 
 Traveling libraries, 234; in New 
 York, 234; futility of, in reach- 
 ing farm homes, 238 
 
 Tree-planting at Brumback li- 
 brary, by Hanley and Hobson, 
 130 
 Trenton, (Mo.), Jewett Norris 
 
 Library, 257, 263, 296 
 Trustees of a county library, 253 
 Trustees of Brumback library, 
 method of appointment, 21, 32- 
 36, 72, los ; non-partisan, S9. 81 ; 
 organization, 99 ; policy, loi ; 
 members, 102-5; rules, 105-8; 
 committees, 107; work of, 118, 
 120, 133, 138, 156, 158-61, 193-94 
 
 Tulare, (Gal.) , county library, 264, 
 292 
 
 U. S. Bureau of Education, 207 
 U. S. Commissioner of Education, 
 
 see Claxton, P. P. 
 Unity, county library emphasizes 
 
 county unity, 276 
 
 Vacation privileges, 128 
 
 Van W(a)rt, Isaac, 89 
 
 Van Wert (city), location for ad- 
 ministering the county library, 
 170 
 
 Van Wert (city) schools, see 
 Schools, Town 
 
 Van Wert Bulletin, quoted, 7, 11- 
 12, 12-16, 22-23, 26-27, 29-30, 37- 
 38, 40-41, 42-43, 44, 45-47, 57, 59, 
 
 134. 144. IS9 
 
 Van Wert County, history and de- 
 scription, 89-98, development of 
 the county library idea in, loo-i 
 
 Van Wert County Commissioners, 
 proposition of Brumback heirs 
 to, 19-22, 32, 34; contract with 
 Brumback heirs, 37-39; com- 
 mended by State Librarian Gal- 
 breath, 83; cooperation of com- 
 missioners, 99 ; commissioners 
 in 1913, 99 
 
 Van Wert Democrat, quoted, 28- 
 
 29, Z9, 119. 120 
 
 Van Wert Library Association, 
 origin of, 11, 67, ^(i•, aided by 
 city tax levy, 68; incorporated 
 by contract with Brumback Li- 
 brary, 32-36, 71, 72; mentioned 
 by State Librarian Galbreath, 
 81 ; books turned over to Brum- 
 back Library, 118 
 
 Van Wert Presbyterian, quoted, 
 17-18 
 
 Van Wert Republican, quoted, 8, 
 
 16, 19-22, 27-28, 31-36, 38, 39. 
 41, 42, 45, 58, 60, 84-85, 86, 120, 
 134, 142-43 
 
 Van Wert Ttmes, quoted, 8-io, 16- 
 
 17, 27, 40, 47, 61, 85, 144, 163, 
 
 i6s 
 Venedocia, Branch of Brumback 
 
 Library, 137, 217, 220 
 Visits by librarian and trustees, 
 
 156 
 Volumes in library, table, 214 
 
 Walla Walla County, (Wash.), li- 
 brary service in schools of, 266 
 
 Warren County, (111.), library, 
 2S7, 258, 271, 296 
 
306 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Wasco County, (Oreg.), library, 
 268, 290 
 
 Washington County, (Md.), libra- 
 ry, 257, 258, 26s, 29s 
 
 Washington (state) county libra- 
 ry law, 24s, 249, 251, 254; coun- 
 ty libraries, 266-67 
 
 Wealth of Van Wert County, 93 
 
 Wetsel, Branch of Brumback Li- 
 brary, 146, 156, 217, 220 
 
 Will of J. S. Brumback, provides 
 for erection of a library, in Van 
 Wert county, 6; proposition, 
 13-14; text, 14-16; press com- 
 ments, 16-18. See also Brum- 
 back, John Sanford 
 
 Williams, Nelson, Master of cere- 
 monies at laying of corner stone, 
 
 44. 55 
 Willshire, Branch of Brumback 
 
 Library, 133, 217, 220 
 Wisconsin, work of commission, 
 
 234; county library law, 241-42, 
 
 249, 250; trustees, 253; to be 1. 
 and R. state, 254; county libra- 
 ry work, 262, 269 
 
 Wisconsin Free library commis- 
 sion, 234, 262 
 
 Worman, Rev. I. D., dedicatory 
 prayer, 78 
 
 Wren, Branch of Brumback libra- 
 ry, 149, 217, 220 
 
 Wyoming, county library law, 
 241, 249, 250, 251 ; trustees un- 
 der, 253; would be L and R. 
 state, 254; new laws and libra- 
 ries under, 260-61, 290-91, 296 
 
 Xenia, (O.), Green county library, 
 258, 290 
 
 Y. M. C. A. in Van Wert County, 
 97 
 
 Zook, J. S., contractor and builder 
 of Brumback library, 43