News Letter: Los Angeles County Public Library November 1954

              NEWS L E T T E R
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LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
322 S. BROADWAY P.O. Box 111 LOB ANGELES 53, CALIF'ORNIA Lount.r
Vol . 8 No. 5 November 1954
HARVEST
BOOK
BREAKFAST
Anson Ford,
The Fifth Annual Harvest Book Breakfast was held in the gay, modern
setting of the Ho.tel Statler's Terrace Room on November 17. In
welcoming the 221 staff members and guests Mr. Henderson noted the
absence of two of our usual guests of honor , Supervisor and &~s. John
who are traveling abroad.
After introducing Mr. Ford ' s secretary, Miss Cora Fischer, who represented his
office, anq other guests of honor Mr. Henderson turned the program over to Mrs.
Helen Wright, Chief of the Branches Division. Mrs . Wright presented the seven
guest authors in the following order:
Flora Gregg Iliff, who taught for 35 years in Indian Schools, has written in
People of the Blue Water a w.Jrmly human and dramatic story of her early teaching
experiences among the Walapai and Bavasupai Indians of the Grand Canyon. The
book is based on letters and journals sent by the author to her family and
fortunately preserved throughout the years. Mrs. Iliff credited h~r children
with inspiring her to prepare _this material for publication and voiced her
gratitude to a friend , Helen ·sbaw, for aid in the writing.
A writer of historical novels, Henry Castor is now turning his interest in
history to the writing of books for young adults and has recently written
T-eddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders for the Landmark Series. As a boy, growing
up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Mr. Castor got a sense of history from
playing by Conastoga Creek where Fulton experimented with models which led to
the invention of the steamboat and where the first covered wagons were made.
There were many other experiences which made history live for this author who
summed up his writing creed in the words, "One must feel history as a personal
thing in order to write it."
Charlotte Armstr ong, the popular writer of mystery stories and plays, spoke of
her debt of gratitude to libraries and librarians for many kinds of help. In
an entertaining account of her library experiences she told of her research in
medical volumes for mysterious diseases, novel ways of commdtting murder, the
effects of strange and lethal medicines - all of this deadly lore to be incor­porated
in her books, the latest of which is Better to Eat You. Mrs. Armstrong
expressed her gratitude to librarians for buying many of her books for the
mystery fans, and especial!~ for supplying the variety of materials she finds
in public libraries to satisfy her own wide reading interests and those of her
family. She also paid a sincere tribute to the patience and understanding of
librarians as s~e has known them.
Arthur Marx described some of the special pr;9bl~ms connected with writing about
one's own father, as he did in the book L!fe !ith Groucho. After ~birty years
trying to get away from being known as ~Groucho's son" the author finally
capitulated to what seemed inevitable and followed the advice usually given to
authors to write about something close at hand about which they know. In
elaborating on the difficulties of writing objectively about one's own father
and the reactions of one ' s own father to being written about, the son of Groucho
showed himself to be a wit in his own right and a most entertaining speaker.
In current psychiatric jargon, Richard Haydn gave a satirical explanation of the
writing of his satirical novel Journal of Edwin Carp. Mr. Haydn is a producer
and character actor who warned his audience that he was a "bit of a fraud as a
writer." As a speaker he kept his audience constantly amused with his imperson­ation
of the character about whom he wrote, "Edwin Carp," through whom he ridicules
present day obsessions with psychiatric sysptoms.
\~11 known as a test pilot, Tony LeVier disclaimed being a writer and told the
story of bow the book Pilot was written. The President of Harper's and the
President of Lockheed decided that there was need for an up-to-date book about
a test pilot's work. Because of Tony LeVier's experience flying experimental
planes for 25 years, and because of his present work at Lockheed where he is
flying the fastest airplane in the world, he was asked to supply information to
be written up by John Guenther. As Mr. LeVier talked ~ny of us wished that our
young readers who are so intensely interested in aviation could hear this test
pilot tell his experiences. Later we were glad to hear that Mrs. Greene, in
talking with Mr. LeVier, found him interested in speaking to young people and
arranged with him to give talks in our branches.
It is a heart warming experience to read and hear about The Family Nobody Wanted.
The author, Helen Doss, explained that she and her husband did not start out
with the idea of having a United Nations family. They were anxious to adopt
children and found that those of mixed parentage were available because they
were unwanted. In explaining the way in which these children have adjusted to
each other and become a homogeneous family, Mrs. Doss said, "These chi~dren
~eel just as American as you or I because they do not inherit the cultural
characteristics of their particular nationalities." Mrs. Doss has a fascinating
human interest story to tell and tells it well in writing or in talking.
The program was an unusually stimulating one because of the variety of interests
and talents displayed by the speakers. Books by the guest authors were on sale
after the talks and many of the guests showed their appreciation of having the
opportunity to purchase books and have them autographed.
CIRCULATION
STILL
SOARING
- ~~ry Rogers Smith
The tangible evidence of the work being done by the Library is to
be found in the circulation reports although this, it must be
admitted, is a purely quantitative measure and certainly not to be
considered the be-all and end-all of the service. For the month
of October there was a gain of 33,803 as compared to the previous year; from the
1st of July through October the gain was 177,705. Adult books increased 23,350
with fiction taking the lead at 9,213; magazines were next, 6,269; non-fiction
5000-plus; and paper books 2000-plus. The children's increase was 10,453,
making a total for the month gain of 33,803.
These figures are mentioned as evidence of the physical handling of books
involved in this service, and frankly that is as much as they can be said to
represent. What is behind the service, the informational facilities of the
library, the use made of the reference collections, the inspiration found in
the creative writing represented in the book collection, the precise value the
reader derived from each book read, is indeed another story and one that will
be attempted in the annual report and elsewhere. The essential fact at the
moment is the growth and the tremendous compounding of activities at Central
and at the branches represented by the increase in circulation.
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It is good to know that we are growing, and that more and more readers are making use
of odr service outlets. There is, however, much for us to know about the limita­t~
ons of our service and about the functioning of our organization. Facing these
facts we have asked for a study of the Library Department by the Chief Administra­tive
Officer and are now about ready to receive a report drafted by Arthur Atkisson
and his assistant, Arthur Alexander, who have spent several months in the field and
at Central observing our operations and organizational structure. They have talked
with staff members at branches and Division Chiefs and assistants at Central. The
study will be analyzed by Division Chiefs and others to determine what realignment
of functions and procedures will be involved in providing an improved service to our
rapidly urbanizing service area.
REAL ESTATE Administrative time devoted to the building program working with
AND BUILDINGS lessors and studying branch sites and housing needs for the future
has lately taken a large part out of each working day for Mr. Geller,
Mr. Henderson and Mr. Phillips. Anyone fortunate enough to have planned a home can
appreciate the many details involved in laying out a building for public service.
In recent weeks three buildings have been under study by architects and the Library
Department; two are about to go to contract, Norwalk and Sorensen Branches; the
third one, Lynwood, will be financed by the City a~d is now in the discussion stage
with the preliminary decisions just about completed. Leased buildings designed to
our specifications have been negotiated for Duarte, and three are about to be studied -
West Compton, San Gabriel, and Paramount. It will be some months hence before these
will be completed.
A lease has just been negotiated for store space at the Lakewood Shopping Center
where the library will be housed for a two-year period. By that time a County­owned
building will be constructed. The City of Long Beach will take over the
property occupied by the County Library on Norse Way known as Lakewood Branch,
January 3, 1955. The book stock at the present Norse Way facility will be moved
to the leased store space at the Lakewood Shopping Center for temporary service
until the new building is ready.
A lot has been purchased at Newhall and the plans for the building there will be
drawn later this fiscal year with construction programmed for 1955-56.
The Woman's Club property currently under lease is being purchased from that
organization at Palmdale and two years hence will be re-designed for library
purposes.
VISITORS Representing the firm of Martinus Nijboff, Mr. H. B. Corstius and Mr.
K. Kooymans called on the Librarian November 23. Located in The Hague,
Netherlands, the Nijhoff firm has been providing books for American and
European libraries of a scholarly and popular nature for a full century.
The book business is doing well; the Nijhoff Company, through its broad contacts
in the countries of Free Europe, is in touch with business and cultural developments
which are shaping the future. To talk with two gentlemen from Western Europe in
these times of stress and uncertainty when foreign policy is a matter of such vital
concern in this Country was an informing experience.
On November 23d Dorothy Hansen's brother, Fritz Hansen, of the United States Navy,
visited Central and was taken by his sister to see a number of our branches. This
was Commander Hansen ' s first inspection of the County Library. He was a welcome
visitor and reports that he was well impressed by the situation of Miss Hansen as
a member of this organization.
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On November 26, Clara Breed, Librarian, San Diego Public Library, with the Chief
of her Extension Department, Mrs. Thelma H. Durbin, the Purchasing Agent, Mr.
Van Sant, and Mr. Seuss of their Auto Shops, met Miss Greening ai the Webster
School on the Malibu Bookmobile route where the mobile unit was inspected by the
visiiors from San Diego. Miss Breed is in the market for a bookmobile and was
interested in having the Purchasing Agent and Extension Librarian see our
Malibu unit.
DEATH The Sixth Annual Death Valley '49ers Encampment was held at the National
VALLEY Monument November 11 to 14. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were highlighted
'49ers by the Artists', Photographers', and Authors' Breakfasts, respectively,
with Mr. Henderson as Chairman a! tbe Authors' Breakfast on Sunday morning.
Weeks of contacting author-speakers and program planning preceded this event, which
was held on the Furnace Creek Ranch Golf Course, under perfect skies in a setting
of unmatched beauty. Eleven authors of boots on Death Valley's dramatic history
and geology spoke briefly, and some of its poetry and melody was revealed by the
ballad-singing and guitar-playing J. E. Morhardt.
Besides Mr. Henderson and his family, others making the trip from the Administrative
Office were Catherine Greening, Mrs. Alberta Wallin, Elizabeth Buttress, and Mrs.
Violet Ainley.
SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY LIBRARY
MEETING
At the San Bernardino County Library Eleventh Annual Meeting for
Branch Library Assistants on November 17, one of the guest speakers
for the Authors' Luncheon was Mary Rogers Smith of the Branches
Division. Mrs. Smith spoke from the point of view of a librarian
who is getting started as an author. She encouraged other librarians to consider
writing as an avocation and gave practical examples of the ways in which she used
her library experience for the writing of Aboard a bus and for collaborating on
the writing of Treasure at Bar X.
Another Los Angeles County employee who was a guest author at the luncheon was
Captain Harold L. Stallings of the Wayside Honor Rancho staff, who told of his
experiences in writing Juvenile Officer. Other luncheon speakers represented a
wide variety of interests. Dr. Edmund Jaeger told about the writing of scientific
exploration experience in North American Deserts, a book to include new information
about some of the less known deserts in Mexico and Lower California. Dr. Ward S.
Miller described his work with language students and the writing of his boot
Word Wealth which he hopes will help students of creative writing. L. Burr Belden
talked of his experience in finding a rare document containing new information
about the Death Valley survivors of the tragedy of 1849 and of his writing Death
Valier Heroine. Lillian Aye spoke of her experiences as a Red Cross worker in
the Near East which she has described in Iran Caboose.
BOOK TALKS At a recent meeting of the Woman's Club Juniors at the Paramount
Woman's Club, Virginia Osseo gave a talk on the operation of the
County Library system and featured reviews of current books.
Mary Rogers Smith, of the Branches Division, also reviewed current titles before
the Y.W.C.A. of San Fernando.
A talk on entertaining books and lighter reading was given at the meeting of the
Kiwanee on November 18 by Margretta Marshall at the Fox Hills Country Club.
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On November 18 Mr. Henderson talked before a meeting of the Sorensen Parent­Teacher
Associationi he presented a sketch of the branch building that will
in the near future be constructed for this. community.
FROM THE CHILDREN'S DIVISION
FESTIVAL A Book Week celebration in Santa Monica was one of the Book Week
OF BOOKS highlights for the Children ' s Division. A BOOK FAIR was being held
at the Miles Playhouse that week. Local and nearby bookstores were
showing attractive displays of new and popular titles. The children's librarians
visited the FAIR and saw many of the · new fall titles that are being purchased for
the County Library.
We also attended a program at the McKinley School in Santa Monica. Mrs. Mae
Wooster, author of My Busy Day and a former member of the County Library staff,
was the guest speaker. Mrs. Wooster spoke to the children on the pleasures to be
found in reading.
The tea of the Santa Monica Book Fair was most interesting to us because we met
Mae Wooster and Mr. Clyde Bulla in the Children's Room, and we walked up to the
Ar~ Gallery with them. Authors, parents, and lib~rians mingled together enjoying
the modern· art ·and .the r~freshmen~s · of ,cake and or~nge.punch. Guest authors were
Mae Wooster, Clyde Bulla, Elsa Falk, Leigh Merrell, and Margaret Leighton •
••••••
SUPPLIES We are suggesting that branch librarians order quarterly the supply of
application cards , signature cards, and other forms that are in frequent
use at the branch. This would eliminate your having to order these items so often
and would be a great aid to the Supply Clerk at Central. On your next order for
these items try to estimate your needs for a period of three months and order
accordingly. It may take us a little time to adjust to this procedure, so if you
do not receive your full order do not reorder as the balance will be sent to you
when stock permits.
ZONE Notice has been received from the Post Office reminding us that the
NUMBERS zone number should be included on all mail. Please. be certain that
the zone number is on your mail.
APPOINTMENTS The staff welcomes Jesse Reinburg, Librarian I, Children's
RESIGNATIONS Division, and Dolores Mendelson, Clerk, Order Divisioni and offers
congratulations to Flossie Jo Burson on her appointment as Branch
Librarian II, Antelope Valley Regional Library. Katherine Smith, of the Reference
Division, after 1~ years in the Library, resigned November 1.
WEDDING
BE U.S
Best wishes and felicitations to Kazu Masuda who became Mrs. Douglas
E. Redford, November 27i and to Kevin O'Farrell on his marriage
November 23 to Marian Becker, Librarian in the Law Library at UCLA.
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MEDICAL LIBRARY The meeting was held on the grounds of the Los Angeles College
MEETING OCT. 29 of Optometry. A Round Table on Problems Common to Medical
Libraries was presented by four members of the group, Barbara
Wight, Harbor General Hospital, moderating. Mrs. Barbara Beckner, of the County
General Hospital, emphasized the basic rule that subject headings for catalogs in
medical libraries should be those headings which the readers seek. She listed
difficulties hampering the patron and the librarian, one being the lack of an
adequate subject authority guide. The group was urged to take steps toward
providing an index for medical periodicals, and a solution to the twin problems of
space and money in libraries by the use of microcards was mentioned.
Members were guests of the College of Optometry at a luncheon served in the Commons
on the USC campus. Dr. Knoll, Dean of the College, traced the history of optometry
and of the College in his talk after the luncheon. He ended by defining the place
of optometry today.
Senior students of the College were waiting in the patio after lunch to guide
members, in groups of eight, around the school. Various diagnostic and correctional
devices were shown and explained. At 3 p.m. the group reconvened for a business
meeting. Plans were discussed for the joint meeting with the group in San Francisco,
the National Convention to be held in Los Angeles in 1956, and for the issuing of a
directory.
- Fumiko Oiye, County General Hospital
ART EXHIBIT An exhibit of oils and water colors i s now on display at the Downey
AT DOWNEY Branch of the Los Angeles County Library. It is sponsored by Downey
Chapter of Amateur Artists Association of America, Inc. Persons
interested in art will find the paintings of interest. The show i s changed bi­monthly.
Dates for a juried show scheduled for December will be announced.
JDH:AW
12/ 1/ 54
- Southeast News ~ Nov. 21.
L is for Librarian (maybe it's for you)
I is for inspiring (when tired, hard to do)
B is for the books she tends (but never gets to read)
R is for the reading folk (a public she must heed)
A is for attractive (on no dough to spend for clothes)
R is for the reference work (of which there ts oft a bit)
I is for her income (or what there is of it)
A is Annual Budgeting (for money she won't get)
N is for necessity (or why she's working yet)
Put them all together and they spell LIBRARIAN!
(Shhbh, the poor thing's asleep.)
- Helen w. Prescott
jLJo~ !::::t
County Librarian
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