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Vol. 14 No. 6 NEWS LETTER LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 322 &, BROADWAY P. O. Box 111 LOB ANllELEB 53, CALIF"ORNIA December 1960 TO THE STAFF: The past 12 months have seen the County Library provide more books for more readers in better buildings than in any year in our history. Members of the staff deserve the highest praise for this achievement. The challenge of the New Year calls for further growth in services and resources. With pride in your performance in 1960 and full confidence that 1961 will be equally impressive, I wish for all of you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year. J.D.H. SUPERVISOR BONELLI IS NEW LIBRARY CHAIRMAN The Library starts the New Year under the personal aegi s of Supervisor Frank G. Bonelli, who was named Board Chairman of the Library Department by Supervisor Ernest E. Debs when the latter became Chairman of the Board December 6. Supervisor Bonelli takes the helm in the Library's 49th year. The Library became a going concern December 23, 1912, when the first County Librarian was appointed and began building it into the great organization it is today, but no one then dreamed of the proportions it would attain in its 48th year or of the ambitious plans it will attempt to carry out in its 49th. 1960 ACCOMPLISHMENTS TELL PROGRESS STORY As a salute to 1960, before it rushes off to the haven of used-up years, here is a brief inventory of some of the accomplishments left behind. From January 1 to December 31, the borrowers; added by 28,742 square opened an eighth Library circulated 8,182,707 books; registered 97,445 new 241,794 volumes to the bookstock; increased branch buildings feet (more square feet than will go into a regional library); bookmobile route; increased the professional staff by seventeen. It also built the San Vicente library in West Hollywood Park; paid 50% of construction costs of the new Bell library under a jointpowers agreement with the city; enlarged the La Canada branch; and under another joint-powers agreement, this time with the city of Claremont, began enlargement of the library there; purchased and enlarged the Manhattan Beach branch; established three new branches in the East San Gabriel valley; relocated Sunnyslope, La Verne, Lomita and Mountain View in buildings that have three times the space of their old quarters; began construction of the half-million-dollar regional library for East San Gabriel valley; and moved Centinela headquarters to a location large enough to permit building the book collections for the new Culver City library and for the new regional library in Hawthorne. MR. GELLER ATTENDS MID-WINTER MEETING Mr. Geller, who leaves by train January 26 to attend ALA's Mid-Winder Meeting in Chicago, has been authorized by the Board of Supervisors to extend his stay long enough to investigate several matters that could pertain to the future growth of the County Library. He will visit the library schools of the Universities of Chicago and of Michigan to interview students for prospective employment with us when they complete their library education. The Library is interested in filling some of the vacancies in newly budgeted positions that now exist on the professional staff with graduates from these two outstanding schools. A day will be spent at the Detroit Public Library. As Mr. Geller has the immediate responsibility for the County Library's accelerated building program he is anxious to inspect several new branch buildings Detroit has recently completed that are creating considerable interest in the architectural and library worlds. Mr. Geller also plans to visit Wayne County Library headquarters where he will review the mechanized processing of books. Mr. Henderson and Mr. Geller feel the County Library might adopt a similar process to expedite the quarter million volume output we now acquire. Mr. Geller, on arrival in Chicago Saturday the 28th, will attend a meeting with the Board of Editors of Library Trends to confer, as Mr. Henderson's representative, on a forthcoming issue that is to be devoted to the future of library service. Mr. Geller's activities at Mid-Winter will center largely around the meetings of the Library Administration Division. He is the national chairman of the Division's Equipment Section, and as such will conduct meetings relative to equipment standards and replacements. He will also work with the Library Technology Resources Project in establishing bases for determining the best types of mechanized equipment for libraries. As regional chairman of the ALA Membership Committ ee he will take part in recruitment studies and discu~sions. noon of February 8. STAFF MAKES MERRY AT CHRISTMAS PARTY Returning by plane Mr. Geller expects t o be back around Staff talent bubbled and fizzed at the annual Christmas party in the usual snappy manner to which we have become accustomed,with members of the Social Committee , which sponsored it, shining equally as its impresarios and as a goodly portion of its cast. Business Manager and Staff President, Robert M. Davis emceed the affair which included gr oup caroling, seasonal annecdotes by Clarence Bertler and introduction of an honored guest, Merry Old Santa Claus himself, portrayed by Mr. Henderson. But the number whi ch brought down the house was a riotous playlet -2- depicting the Spirits of Christmas of three eras, the "Gay 90's", played by Sarah Razo, the "Roaring 20's" brought to life EY Mrs. Marsha Marx and the "Beat" present,nonchantly impersonated by Mrs. Barbara Flint. Credit for the idea, arrangement and direction of the act goes to Vernola Anderson, chairman of the Social Committee and her committee colleague Sarah Razo. Featured arti-sts were: Luigia Castiello, Beat poetess; dancers, Barbara Wight, Mrs.· Wil·la Mae DeVan, Cecelia Villanueva, Thurma Pankey and Vernola Anderson; vocalists, Mrs. Rosalind Andersen, Barbara Wight and Sam Medrano; and last, but not least, an unforgettable barber shop quartette that blended the voices of William Geller, Jerry Bowles, Fred Leighton and Robert Dennis. BUDGET FACTS GIVEN TO COUNCIL GROUPS Buffet refreshments wound up the festivities. Reeent meetings of the various Library Advisory Councils have been devoted largely to discussions of the 1961-62 budget. Mr •. Henderson has told Council. members that this year t he Library is requesting $750,000 for books, a sum that would permit purchase of an additional 30,000 volumes over the 252,910 that were added to the collection last year. The increase· would mean three to four thousand more books for each of the regions. Mr. Henderson has stressed that the demand for books is constantly mounting at each of the ninety-two community branches. Since Central is now processing an average of 1000 books a day, it has been explained that the added workload will necessitate employment of more help in the processing and purchasing operations. Ne·ed for more supplies and personnel so as . to make the increased book collection availablet-0 the public was also discussed with Council members. One of the prime budget aims, Mr. Henderson has told them, is to bring county salaries up to a level with those paid other professions requiri ng the same academic preparation. If the best qualified librarians are to be attracted to. its se rvice, the County Library should do all it can in this endeavor. Withdrawal in June of the City of Commerce from the Library District and the consequent reduction of the District tax base by $200,000,000 has also been among the main topics on the various agendas. Mr. Henderson has spoken· of the expe.nse involved in small unit operation, explaining that large branches, such as the county is now building and leasing as rapidly as it can, are not only moreefficieRt, what with their larger collections and staffs, but are also. mo:r>e economical. . They are busier and attract a larger and ha~pier clientele and all their resources are called into service. Many of the smaller outlets, he has explained, are being converted to children's libraries as soon as large modern building are opened in nearby locations. These are important since many children must be served in their own neighborhoods or remain unacquainted with libraries. Harry Bartin, Jr., Los Cerritos Council member, representative of branches in the region's unincorporated area, has suggested election of chairmen for each Council, and elections are now scheduled for the next meetings. Welcome is extended to Rev. William R. Patterson, appointed by the City of Lawndale to represent that community on the Torrance-South Bay Council. R. D. McDaniels, a member of that group,has resigned because of his -3- pressure of work with the Torrance School District. James Bristow is a new member of the San Antonio Council, representative of the City of Commerce. AUTHORS PRESENTED . The year's final staff meeting in the Los Cerritos region AT REGIONAL MEETING was a combined author-forum and early morning brunch. Regional librarian Corinne Wicks presented three wellknown writers who live in the area, whose books are popular items in the collection and who are registered borrowers at two of the region branches, Friendly Hills and Bellflower. They were Bob and Janet Young, husband and wife writing team, and Sally Benson, all of whom s pecialize in books for young adults. Mrs. _Benson, whose short stories have long been featured in the New Yorker magazine, said she became a writer because of a "·quirk of fate. 11 In order to meet an actor she had seen in a New York play she made · believe she was a reporter , arranged an interview and then became so i11terested in what the actor had to .:;ay she wrote it up and actually sold it to t he newspaper she claimed had sent her. She has been writing ever since. Among her popular titles are Junior Miss and Meet Me in St. Louis. Two of the Youngs' books, to be released in 1961, One Small Voice and Saddles for Breakfast have already been chosen as Junior Literary Guild selections, as was their first book, Across t he Tracks. LIBRARY SPONSORS UNUSUAL ART SHOW An art collection of especial interest to Southern California, Paul Bartlett's pen and ink illustrations of the fast-disappearing remnants of the old Hacienda Empire of Mexico, will be on display during January in six of the branches; La Mirada, San Vicente, Sunnyslope, Montebello, Compton and Sunkist-La Puente. The collection has been exhibited in many libraries, galleries and museums throughout the country but this is its first showing in this area. Mr. Bartlett was one of the authors presented at the last Harvest Book Breakfast, for he is an author as well as an artist. Much of his art work and his writing is centered on the same theme, the history of the haciendas and of the wealthy, powerful, sometimes brutal hacendados who owned them and ruled with feudal authority for nearly 400 years. Mr. Bartlett's latest book, When the Owl Cries, is a fictional account of the ending of that period. His pen and ink illustrations now on exhibit and more that he intends to make as he continues his research, are .to be used as illustrations in a forthcoming definitive record of the era on which he is now engaged. Included in the collection the Library is showing are drawings of chapels, churches, residences, sun dials, old stairways, grilled windows, bells, leg irons, statuary, fountains, wall plaques, details of paintings, all that now remains of what once constituted those great baronial estates. · CHILDREN'S WORKSHOPS TO START IN JANUARY A series of in-service workshops for branch staffs on children's services, to be held twice in each region during this year and the next, outlined and planned by Mrs. Mary Rogers Smith, will start in January in Region I. Programs being offered are: Purposes and Polices of the Library's Work with Children, including Reading Guidance for Young People, Mrs. Smith; Story Hours for PreSchool Children, Mrs. Mary Pierson, Los -Cerritos regional children's librarianv and Story Hours for Older Children and for Mixed Ages, Mrs. Carmen P. Collier, -4- Centinela re.gional children's librarian; Work With Schools and Class Visits to the Library, Mrs. Mayo Short, regional children's librarian for West San Gabriel Valley; Reference Work for Children, Mrs. Mildred Herndon, regional children's librarian, East San Gabriel Valley. · The first two workshops will be held this fiscal year, the latter two in 1961-62. PUBLISHING FIRM LIKED LIBRARY'S PUBLICITY The Library's participation in the contest staged by publishers , Rand McNally & Company , through America's libraries to find a name for the young colt of Misty of Chincoteague was suitably recorded by the Los .Angeles Times in a threecolumn picture showing three children, Paul Devan, Frank Castiello and Caren Davis dropping their entries in a ballot box beside Mrs. Smith. The picture came to the notice of Lillian McClintock, the firm's editor of children's books, who wrote Mrs. Smith expressing Rand McNally'E? "appreciation and interest." STAFF NEWS AND NOTES Mrs. Hazel Lord returned November 28 from her favorite vacationland with pictures, brochures, data and enthusi-astic reports on the new libraries of Mexico and the regard felt for them by the citizens of that country. She attended the monthlong National Book Fair held in Mexico City that was sponsored by all the libraries of the country as a part of the 150th anniversary celebration of Mexico's independence. She visited the new State Library at Jalisco, Guadalajara, and was duly impressed to learn it had been dedicated by the President of the Republic. A message from the president to the people is carved on the outer front wall of the large, impressive, and beautifully designed building • •••• Dorothy Snell, promoted to senior librarian, was named head of the Acquisitions Section, Central Services, November 16. Miss Sneil joined the staff in March, 1953. A graduate of the library school at Simmons College, Boston, she had worked as cataloger at the Providence Public Library arld with the library of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and had,as a WAC, served as occupational consultant with the AGD, U.S. Army, before coming to use0 ••• Mid-year promotions that go into effect January 1 have been awarded to Robert M. Davis, who goes from Business Manager I to Business Manager IIi to Nellie Frost, elevated from senior librarian to principal librarian; and to Mrs. Helen Mencher, formerly library assistant, now senior typist clerk. Mrs. Alice Boldra, Lennox branch librarian, has been named chairman of the Scholarship Committee of the Lennox Coordinating Council and committee-member of the Council's Teen-Age Advisory group , which is now planning establishment of a community club for boys and girls ages 10 to 13. The Scholar ship Committee awards $500 annually to a qualified high school graduate •••• Mrs. Sue Moore, assistant at the Lennox branch, told Christmas stories to an audience of sixty-nine youngsters on November 17, while her husband, Charles M,?ore, editor of the Northrup News, dressed as Santa Claus, distributed candy canes to all members of the audience • •• • G. Calvin Tooker , East San Gabriel Valley regional librarian, and Barbara Wight, Institutions librarian, contributed time, effort and talent toward making Library· Day at USC a success November 5. Miss Wight was a member of the Planning Committee, a post acquired by reason of her chairmanship of the Recruitment Committee, Southern California, of the Special Libraries Association. Mr. Tooker was one of four librarians, represen- ~5- tatives of various fields of the profession, who spoke on I Would Do It Again. He also led one of the discussion groups. Mrs. Carmen Collier, Centinela regional children's librarian, spoke December 1 to West Hollywood PTA on What Makes a Good Book, and on December 7 to the Beta Chi Chapter, Epsilon Sigma Alpha on Books for Young People •••• Mrs. Mayo Short, children's librarian for the West San Gabriel Vall ey region, was a "local author" guest-speaker at the annual Book Fair of the Los Robles School on the afternoon of November 1 and in t he evening of the s ame day spoke to the El Monte Junior Woman's Club on Helping Children Discover Books. November 9 she spoke to faculty members of the Willard School, on Reading Guidance for Children and service offered at the South San Gabriel branch . November 10 sh~ attented the Book Fair put on by the Shirpser School and acted as consultant to parents and teachers on books for s pecialized needs. On November 15 she ·talked to t eachers at t he Rio Hondo School on services avai l abl e a t t he Live Oak branch. Business Manager Robert M. Davis received his 20-year s ervice pin at t he November staff meeting. His 20-year government career began at the County Hospital where he was a messenger boy. He has been senior account ant at Harbor General Hospital, a member of the s t a f f of t he County Engi neer' s Department and of t he Auditor' s Office and spent four years in the Navy, YlC, in service overseas and in South America •••• Service pins received in December i ncluded 15-year emblems for Mrs. Ella S. Curtis, typist clerk, Institutions, and for Mrs. Margery E. George, branch librarian at Imperial, and a 10-year pin for Herman VanGelder, library assistant, Technical Services •••• January pins i ncl ude one for 30-years service for Mrs . Doris Myers, intermediat e t ypist clerk , Business Administra t i on, and one for 25 years f or Mrs . Genevieve Skel sey, principal l i brarian , Technical Services. Mrs. Leola R, Spry retired this month after twenty years ser vice as assistant at San Dimas branch. Her going-away party , celebr a ted at t he librar y , was attented by representatives of the San Dimas Ci ty Counci l, Chamber of Commerce, Coordinating Council, Bonita Unified School Dist r ic t , and many other local clubs and organizations . She was s hower ed with numerous gifts and messages , all expr essing community appreciati on •••• Mrs . Clara E. Mohlengr aft, Hacienda branch librarian, and her assistant Mrs. Greta Hansson entertained the pr e sident s and literary chairmen of all PTA groups in their area November 29. The party was given to help acquaint the community, in an i nf ormal manner , with servi ces offer ed at the Hacienda library •••• Mrs. Dolores Towns end, I ngl ewood br anch l ibrarian , and Muriel Alexander, children's l i brari an a t t he branch , wer e guest s peakers at t he December mee t i pg, Li t er ary Secti on , I nglewood Woman ' s Cl ub. Both discus s ed Books as Chris t mas Gifts and exhi bi t ed and reviewed sever al of t he outst anding titles on the new winter list. Mrs. Margery George, Imperial br anch l ibrar i an , dis cussed Functions and Activities of a Branch Library at t he November 2 mee ting of t he I ngl ewood chapter, Women of t he Moose •••• Mrs . Mi l dr ed Herndon , regional chi l dr en' s l ibr arian for t he East San Gabriel Valley, and Mrs . Ma r gar et Hawkins , l i brar ian on t he East San Gabriel Valley Mobilibrary, were thi s year ' s judges f or the Monte Vista s chool' s annual StoryBook Parade. Mrs . Hawkins divi s i on incl uded t he 1st, 2nq , and 3rd grader s who dressed as their f avor i t e storybook charact ers; Mr s . Herndon' s , the 4th , 5th, and 6t h graders. UW:bj 12/ 31/60
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Title | News Letter of the Los Angeles County Public Library December 1960 |
Creator | The County Librarian |
Contributors | Henderson, John D. |
Date | December 1960 |
Description | Newsletter produced by the Los Angeles County Public Library for the staffs of the Los Angeles County Library |
Subject | Employees' magazines, newsletters, etc.--California--Los Angeles County; Los Angeles County (Calif.)--Periodicals |
Publisher | Los Angeles County Public Library |
County | Los Angeles (California, United States : county) |
State | California (United States, North and Central America : state) |
Collection | County of Los Angeles Public Library Newsletter Collection |
Source | Box 2; Newsletter; News Letter 1960 July-Dec |
Physical Format | newsletters; 6 pages |
Type | text |
Language | eng |
Digital Collection | County of Los Angeles Public Library History Collection |
Resource Identifier | LACPLNewsLetter1960v14n6.pdf |
File Format | application/pdf |
Date Digital | November 13 2017 |
Rights Statement | In Copyright. Copyright is held by the County of Los Angeles Public Library. For more information, see http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
Creative Commons License | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY 4.0). For more information, please visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Transcription | Vol. 14 No. 6 NEWS LETTER LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 322 &, BROADWAY P. O. Box 111 LOB ANllELEB 53, CALIF"ORNIA December 1960 TO THE STAFF: The past 12 months have seen the County Library provide more books for more readers in better buildings than in any year in our history. Members of the staff deserve the highest praise for this achievement. The challenge of the New Year calls for further growth in services and resources. With pride in your performance in 1960 and full confidence that 1961 will be equally impressive, I wish for all of you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year. J.D.H. SUPERVISOR BONELLI IS NEW LIBRARY CHAIRMAN The Library starts the New Year under the personal aegi s of Supervisor Frank G. Bonelli, who was named Board Chairman of the Library Department by Supervisor Ernest E. Debs when the latter became Chairman of the Board December 6. Supervisor Bonelli takes the helm in the Library's 49th year. The Library became a going concern December 23, 1912, when the first County Librarian was appointed and began building it into the great organization it is today, but no one then dreamed of the proportions it would attain in its 48th year or of the ambitious plans it will attempt to carry out in its 49th. 1960 ACCOMPLISHMENTS TELL PROGRESS STORY As a salute to 1960, before it rushes off to the haven of used-up years, here is a brief inventory of some of the accomplishments left behind. From January 1 to December 31, the borrowers; added by 28,742 square opened an eighth Library circulated 8,182,707 books; registered 97,445 new 241,794 volumes to the bookstock; increased branch buildings feet (more square feet than will go into a regional library); bookmobile route; increased the professional staff by seventeen. It also built the San Vicente library in West Hollywood Park; paid 50% of construction costs of the new Bell library under a jointpowers agreement with the city; enlarged the La Canada branch; and under another joint-powers agreement, this time with the city of Claremont, began enlargement of the library there; purchased and enlarged the Manhattan Beach branch; established three new branches in the East San Gabriel valley; relocated Sunnyslope, La Verne, Lomita and Mountain View in buildings that have three times the space of their old quarters; began construction of the half-million-dollar regional library for East San Gabriel valley; and moved Centinela headquarters to a location large enough to permit building the book collections for the new Culver City library and for the new regional library in Hawthorne. MR. GELLER ATTENDS MID-WINTER MEETING Mr. Geller, who leaves by train January 26 to attend ALA's Mid-Winder Meeting in Chicago, has been authorized by the Board of Supervisors to extend his stay long enough to investigate several matters that could pertain to the future growth of the County Library. He will visit the library schools of the Universities of Chicago and of Michigan to interview students for prospective employment with us when they complete their library education. The Library is interested in filling some of the vacancies in newly budgeted positions that now exist on the professional staff with graduates from these two outstanding schools. A day will be spent at the Detroit Public Library. As Mr. Geller has the immediate responsibility for the County Library's accelerated building program he is anxious to inspect several new branch buildings Detroit has recently completed that are creating considerable interest in the architectural and library worlds. Mr. Geller also plans to visit Wayne County Library headquarters where he will review the mechanized processing of books. Mr. Henderson and Mr. Geller feel the County Library might adopt a similar process to expedite the quarter million volume output we now acquire. Mr. Geller, on arrival in Chicago Saturday the 28th, will attend a meeting with the Board of Editors of Library Trends to confer, as Mr. Henderson's representative, on a forthcoming issue that is to be devoted to the future of library service. Mr. Geller's activities at Mid-Winter will center largely around the meetings of the Library Administration Division. He is the national chairman of the Division's Equipment Section, and as such will conduct meetings relative to equipment standards and replacements. He will also work with the Library Technology Resources Project in establishing bases for determining the best types of mechanized equipment for libraries. As regional chairman of the ALA Membership Committ ee he will take part in recruitment studies and discu~sions. noon of February 8. STAFF MAKES MERRY AT CHRISTMAS PARTY Returning by plane Mr. Geller expects t o be back around Staff talent bubbled and fizzed at the annual Christmas party in the usual snappy manner to which we have become accustomed,with members of the Social Committee , which sponsored it, shining equally as its impresarios and as a goodly portion of its cast. Business Manager and Staff President, Robert M. Davis emceed the affair which included gr oup caroling, seasonal annecdotes by Clarence Bertler and introduction of an honored guest, Merry Old Santa Claus himself, portrayed by Mr. Henderson. But the number whi ch brought down the house was a riotous playlet -2- depicting the Spirits of Christmas of three eras, the "Gay 90's", played by Sarah Razo, the "Roaring 20's" brought to life EY Mrs. Marsha Marx and the "Beat" present,nonchantly impersonated by Mrs. Barbara Flint. Credit for the idea, arrangement and direction of the act goes to Vernola Anderson, chairman of the Social Committee and her committee colleague Sarah Razo. Featured arti-sts were: Luigia Castiello, Beat poetess; dancers, Barbara Wight, Mrs.· Wil·la Mae DeVan, Cecelia Villanueva, Thurma Pankey and Vernola Anderson; vocalists, Mrs. Rosalind Andersen, Barbara Wight and Sam Medrano; and last, but not least, an unforgettable barber shop quartette that blended the voices of William Geller, Jerry Bowles, Fred Leighton and Robert Dennis. BUDGET FACTS GIVEN TO COUNCIL GROUPS Buffet refreshments wound up the festivities. Reeent meetings of the various Library Advisory Councils have been devoted largely to discussions of the 1961-62 budget. Mr •. Henderson has told Council. members that this year t he Library is requesting $750,000 for books, a sum that would permit purchase of an additional 30,000 volumes over the 252,910 that were added to the collection last year. The increase· would mean three to four thousand more books for each of the regions. Mr. Henderson has stressed that the demand for books is constantly mounting at each of the ninety-two community branches. Since Central is now processing an average of 1000 books a day, it has been explained that the added workload will necessitate employment of more help in the processing and purchasing operations. Ne·ed for more supplies and personnel so as . to make the increased book collection availablet-0 the public was also discussed with Council members. One of the prime budget aims, Mr. Henderson has told them, is to bring county salaries up to a level with those paid other professions requiri ng the same academic preparation. If the best qualified librarians are to be attracted to. its se rvice, the County Library should do all it can in this endeavor. Withdrawal in June of the City of Commerce from the Library District and the consequent reduction of the District tax base by $200,000,000 has also been among the main topics on the various agendas. Mr. Henderson has spoken· of the expe.nse involved in small unit operation, explaining that large branches, such as the county is now building and leasing as rapidly as it can, are not only moreefficieRt, what with their larger collections and staffs, but are also. mo:r>e economical. . They are busier and attract a larger and ha~pier clientele and all their resources are called into service. Many of the smaller outlets, he has explained, are being converted to children's libraries as soon as large modern building are opened in nearby locations. These are important since many children must be served in their own neighborhoods or remain unacquainted with libraries. Harry Bartin, Jr., Los Cerritos Council member, representative of branches in the region's unincorporated area, has suggested election of chairmen for each Council, and elections are now scheduled for the next meetings. Welcome is extended to Rev. William R. Patterson, appointed by the City of Lawndale to represent that community on the Torrance-South Bay Council. R. D. McDaniels, a member of that group,has resigned because of his -3- pressure of work with the Torrance School District. James Bristow is a new member of the San Antonio Council, representative of the City of Commerce. AUTHORS PRESENTED . The year's final staff meeting in the Los Cerritos region AT REGIONAL MEETING was a combined author-forum and early morning brunch. Regional librarian Corinne Wicks presented three wellknown writers who live in the area, whose books are popular items in the collection and who are registered borrowers at two of the region branches, Friendly Hills and Bellflower. They were Bob and Janet Young, husband and wife writing team, and Sally Benson, all of whom s pecialize in books for young adults. Mrs. _Benson, whose short stories have long been featured in the New Yorker magazine, said she became a writer because of a "·quirk of fate. 11 In order to meet an actor she had seen in a New York play she made · believe she was a reporter , arranged an interview and then became so i11terested in what the actor had to .:;ay she wrote it up and actually sold it to t he newspaper she claimed had sent her. She has been writing ever since. Among her popular titles are Junior Miss and Meet Me in St. Louis. Two of the Youngs' books, to be released in 1961, One Small Voice and Saddles for Breakfast have already been chosen as Junior Literary Guild selections, as was their first book, Across t he Tracks. LIBRARY SPONSORS UNUSUAL ART SHOW An art collection of especial interest to Southern California, Paul Bartlett's pen and ink illustrations of the fast-disappearing remnants of the old Hacienda Empire of Mexico, will be on display during January in six of the branches; La Mirada, San Vicente, Sunnyslope, Montebello, Compton and Sunkist-La Puente. The collection has been exhibited in many libraries, galleries and museums throughout the country but this is its first showing in this area. Mr. Bartlett was one of the authors presented at the last Harvest Book Breakfast, for he is an author as well as an artist. Much of his art work and his writing is centered on the same theme, the history of the haciendas and of the wealthy, powerful, sometimes brutal hacendados who owned them and ruled with feudal authority for nearly 400 years. Mr. Bartlett's latest book, When the Owl Cries, is a fictional account of the ending of that period. His pen and ink illustrations now on exhibit and more that he intends to make as he continues his research, are .to be used as illustrations in a forthcoming definitive record of the era on which he is now engaged. Included in the collection the Library is showing are drawings of chapels, churches, residences, sun dials, old stairways, grilled windows, bells, leg irons, statuary, fountains, wall plaques, details of paintings, all that now remains of what once constituted those great baronial estates. · CHILDREN'S WORKSHOPS TO START IN JANUARY A series of in-service workshops for branch staffs on children's services, to be held twice in each region during this year and the next, outlined and planned by Mrs. Mary Rogers Smith, will start in January in Region I. Programs being offered are: Purposes and Polices of the Library's Work with Children, including Reading Guidance for Young People, Mrs. Smith; Story Hours for PreSchool Children, Mrs. Mary Pierson, Los -Cerritos regional children's librarianv and Story Hours for Older Children and for Mixed Ages, Mrs. Carmen P. Collier, -4- Centinela re.gional children's librarian; Work With Schools and Class Visits to the Library, Mrs. Mayo Short, regional children's librarian for West San Gabriel Valley; Reference Work for Children, Mrs. Mildred Herndon, regional children's librarian, East San Gabriel Valley. · The first two workshops will be held this fiscal year, the latter two in 1961-62. PUBLISHING FIRM LIKED LIBRARY'S PUBLICITY The Library's participation in the contest staged by publishers , Rand McNally & Company , through America's libraries to find a name for the young colt of Misty of Chincoteague was suitably recorded by the Los .Angeles Times in a threecolumn picture showing three children, Paul Devan, Frank Castiello and Caren Davis dropping their entries in a ballot box beside Mrs. Smith. The picture came to the notice of Lillian McClintock, the firm's editor of children's books, who wrote Mrs. Smith expressing Rand McNally'E? "appreciation and interest." STAFF NEWS AND NOTES Mrs. Hazel Lord returned November 28 from her favorite vacationland with pictures, brochures, data and enthusi-astic reports on the new libraries of Mexico and the regard felt for them by the citizens of that country. She attended the monthlong National Book Fair held in Mexico City that was sponsored by all the libraries of the country as a part of the 150th anniversary celebration of Mexico's independence. She visited the new State Library at Jalisco, Guadalajara, and was duly impressed to learn it had been dedicated by the President of the Republic. A message from the president to the people is carved on the outer front wall of the large, impressive, and beautifully designed building • •••• Dorothy Snell, promoted to senior librarian, was named head of the Acquisitions Section, Central Services, November 16. Miss Sneil joined the staff in March, 1953. A graduate of the library school at Simmons College, Boston, she had worked as cataloger at the Providence Public Library arld with the library of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and had,as a WAC, served as occupational consultant with the AGD, U.S. Army, before coming to use0 ••• Mid-year promotions that go into effect January 1 have been awarded to Robert M. Davis, who goes from Business Manager I to Business Manager IIi to Nellie Frost, elevated from senior librarian to principal librarian; and to Mrs. Helen Mencher, formerly library assistant, now senior typist clerk. Mrs. Alice Boldra, Lennox branch librarian, has been named chairman of the Scholarship Committee of the Lennox Coordinating Council and committee-member of the Council's Teen-Age Advisory group , which is now planning establishment of a community club for boys and girls ages 10 to 13. The Scholar ship Committee awards $500 annually to a qualified high school graduate •••• Mrs. Sue Moore, assistant at the Lennox branch, told Christmas stories to an audience of sixty-nine youngsters on November 17, while her husband, Charles M,?ore, editor of the Northrup News, dressed as Santa Claus, distributed candy canes to all members of the audience • •• • G. Calvin Tooker , East San Gabriel Valley regional librarian, and Barbara Wight, Institutions librarian, contributed time, effort and talent toward making Library· Day at USC a success November 5. Miss Wight was a member of the Planning Committee, a post acquired by reason of her chairmanship of the Recruitment Committee, Southern California, of the Special Libraries Association. Mr. Tooker was one of four librarians, represen- ~5- tatives of various fields of the profession, who spoke on I Would Do It Again. He also led one of the discussion groups. Mrs. Carmen Collier, Centinela regional children's librarian, spoke December 1 to West Hollywood PTA on What Makes a Good Book, and on December 7 to the Beta Chi Chapter, Epsilon Sigma Alpha on Books for Young People •••• Mrs. Mayo Short, children's librarian for the West San Gabriel Vall ey region, was a "local author" guest-speaker at the annual Book Fair of the Los Robles School on the afternoon of November 1 and in t he evening of the s ame day spoke to the El Monte Junior Woman's Club on Helping Children Discover Books. November 9 she spoke to faculty members of the Willard School, on Reading Guidance for Children and service offered at the South San Gabriel branch . November 10 sh~ attented the Book Fair put on by the Shirpser School and acted as consultant to parents and teachers on books for s pecialized needs. On November 15 she ·talked to t eachers at t he Rio Hondo School on services avai l abl e a t t he Live Oak branch. Business Manager Robert M. Davis received his 20-year s ervice pin at t he November staff meeting. His 20-year government career began at the County Hospital where he was a messenger boy. He has been senior account ant at Harbor General Hospital, a member of the s t a f f of t he County Engi neer' s Department and of t he Auditor' s Office and spent four years in the Navy, YlC, in service overseas and in South America •••• Service pins received in December i ncluded 15-year emblems for Mrs. Ella S. Curtis, typist clerk, Institutions, and for Mrs. Margery E. George, branch librarian at Imperial, and a 10-year pin for Herman VanGelder, library assistant, Technical Services •••• January pins i ncl ude one for 30-years service for Mrs . Doris Myers, intermediat e t ypist clerk , Business Administra t i on, and one for 25 years f or Mrs . Genevieve Skel sey, principal l i brarian , Technical Services. Mrs. Leola R, Spry retired this month after twenty years ser vice as assistant at San Dimas branch. Her going-away party , celebr a ted at t he librar y , was attented by representatives of the San Dimas Ci ty Counci l, Chamber of Commerce, Coordinating Council, Bonita Unified School Dist r ic t , and many other local clubs and organizations . She was s hower ed with numerous gifts and messages , all expr essing community appreciati on •••• Mrs . Clara E. Mohlengr aft, Hacienda branch librarian, and her assistant Mrs. Greta Hansson entertained the pr e sident s and literary chairmen of all PTA groups in their area November 29. The party was given to help acquaint the community, in an i nf ormal manner , with servi ces offer ed at the Hacienda library •••• Mrs. Dolores Towns end, I ngl ewood br anch l ibrarian , and Muriel Alexander, children's l i brari an a t t he branch , wer e guest s peakers at t he December mee t i pg, Li t er ary Secti on , I nglewood Woman ' s Cl ub. Both discus s ed Books as Chris t mas Gifts and exhi bi t ed and reviewed sever al of t he outst anding titles on the new winter list. Mrs. Margery George, Imperial br anch l ibrar i an , dis cussed Functions and Activities of a Branch Library at t he November 2 mee ting of t he I ngl ewood chapter, Women of t he Moose •••• Mrs . Mi l dr ed Herndon , regional chi l dr en' s l ibr arian for t he East San Gabriel Valley, and Mrs . Ma r gar et Hawkins , l i brar ian on t he East San Gabriel Valley Mobilibrary, were thi s year ' s judges f or the Monte Vista s chool' s annual StoryBook Parade. Mrs . Hawkins divi s i on incl uded t he 1st, 2nq , and 3rd grader s who dressed as their f avor i t e storybook charact ers; Mr s . Herndon' s , the 4th , 5th, and 6t h graders. UW:bj 12/ 31/60 |
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