News Letter of the Los Angeles County Public Library August 1954

              NEWS L E J T E R
LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
322 S. BROADWAY P.O. Box 111 LOS ANGELES 53, CALIF"ORNIA
Vol. 8 No. 2 August 1954
AMERICAN The American Heritage Project for 1954-55 is rolling and gathering momentum
HERITAGE rapidly. Mr. Verhine, our Coordinator, plans to set up groups in 21
PROJECT branches of the County Library. In addition , two groups - Claremont and
1 Wayside Honor Farm - have already had a successful start. We hope, also,
t o have a number of indepepdent library systems in the County participate in the program.
The County branches where initial recruitment is now going on, or will soon begin, are:
Rosemead, Morningside Park, Pijente, San Fernando, Temple City, La Canada, West Covina,
Montebello, East Los Angeles, South Whittier, South Gate, Willowbrook, Compton,
~ellflo wer, Bloomfield, Mira Loma, Lancaster, Torrance, Gardena, El Monte, and San _
Vicente. Mr. Verhine has reported that the cooperation of the Branch Librarians in t he
sixty or more branches that he has visited in the last month has been most encouragi ng.
We are looking forward to another successful year in the American Heritage Project. We
have reports wh!ch indicate widespread approval of the aims and materials of the Project
fro~ the community leaders visited by our Coordinator during the past year. Through
t hese valuable contacts we not only fulfi 11 the objectives of the American Heritage
Project but we are able to increase the public's ~nderstanding of libraries in general
and the services they offer. The. County Library is proud of its role in the American
Library · Association's Heritage Pr.oj ect and we want our patrons to know about this
nationwide discussion program.
FROM THE REFERENCE DIVISION
UNCLE SAM Recently the Central Library displayed a collection of government publica­PUBLISHER
tions featuring "Uncle Sam, Book Publisher" and this display is now t our ing
t he branches. It illustrates the variety of information that may be
obtained from Central where we have a selective file of city, state, and federal
documents and a depository collection of county publications.
The days when documents we~e thought of as old fusty-dusty dirt catchers has long
since gone. They are live, pertinent reflections of the interests and needs of the
people of the United State$. The publication offices of the Federal, the State, and
t he County issue good material based on sound research. The California Division of
Mines, for instance, bas just issued as its July 1, 1954 issue {vol. 7, no. 7) a
complete number devoted to uranium ores. A rush order for duplicate copies for the
branch pamphlet files has -been placed. In the days of the '49ers t he gold pan was a
very i mportant piece of equipment. Now it is the Geiger counter. So among other
information in this issue of MINERAL INFORMATION SERVICE from the Division of Mi nes
is a list of the firms from which are available portable counters which range in
price from $50 to $1,000!
The Los Angeles County Public Library does not aim to keep complete files of all the
series published by the United States Printing Office for we feel that our responsi­bility,
so far as Federal documents go~ ~ies more in the direction of large quantity
purchases of documents o·f wide interest., . yrocessing them as pamphlets for the branch
pamph~et files. We are a partial depository for C~Hfornia State documents, but the _
ones most in demand are the law codes. Various plans for making these available have
been tried. The problem l~es in the fact that they are now quite expensive and are
reissued every other year. A new plan for making collections of these codes available
at strategically located branches throughout the County has been set up and an explan­ation
of this plan will be coming to each branch soon.
~entral Library is a depository f9r two copies of reports and studies issued by the
many ·offices in County Government. These are not often requested, but since there are
two copies, one is available for lending short time loan upon request. Quite often
you find such materials coming to you in answer to a subject request.
Perhaps ~ need a new word to use instead of documents in speaking of this material
which actually has something of interest to e,veryone. Documents sounds rather
forbidding. Any suggestions?
BOOK CATALOGS
DELIVERED
FROM THE CHILDREN'S DIVISION
We have been delivering the new Catalog of Children's Books. In
eagerness the branch librarians have welcomed the new edition with
its more sturdy binding and many added entries in the subject volume.
The librarians have expressed their extensive use _of the earlier edition. Over
ninety per cent of the old copies show that the Catalogs have been well used by the
boys and girls, too. As you well know, the subject and title volumes have been used
the most.
Usually t~e Book Catalogs are kept on the tables readily available to all . Many of
the librarians told us how they hqve bee~ ~bowing the children the use of the Catalogs.
Several asked for extra copies of the volumes or extra copies of the complete set .
particularly the l?rge branches tha~ already have card catalogs.
A total of t~e subject and title requests received by the Children's Division during
the year shows a considerable increase. Perhaps this reflects wide use of the
Catalogs which list all the book holdings of the Children's Division.
The following, submitted to us for use with our Space Reading Program, was used on
display for two weeks, creating lots of interest.
DREAMS
Some day 1°11 build an airplane.
To go around the world,
First I 0 ll take a little boy.
Then a little girl.
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STORY HOUR
WORKSHOP
It's going to be a jet,
A real crazy job,
Then I'll build a bigger one
So I can take a mob.
Andy Magner
Age 8, 3rd grade
Dominguez School
On July 28, Mrs. Smith, at a well attended meeting, presented creative
use of materials. Miss Phyllis Harris told THE ELEPHANT'S CHILD.
As a special feature at the August 18 meeting Mrs. Fay Dwyer of Moneta told .an
original story of pioneer days such as she has .been telling at her Story Hour at the
Moneta Branch. _ Mrs. Smith told TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH. We also listened to recordings
by famous storytellers Ruth Sawyer and Jack Lester. Those interested helped plan the
TV program scheduled for KTHE August 27, 8 p.m.
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~t the August 25 meeting Mrs. Moody told THE CAT THAT WALKED BY HIMSELF, Mrs. Smith
presented a list of Stories for Older Boys and Girls, and Mrs. Amstell talked about
contemporary presentations of story hour materials. Reading aloud was presented by
Miss Hansen.
There was a complete rehearsal of the TV program for KTHE-TV, August 27, with Mr.
Verhine helping.
The Workshop is closed for this season. Many subjects were suggested for an
advanced workshop.
KEYSTONE
HOSTS
LIBRARIANS
For librarians in the Lennox region all roads led to Keystone Branch
where on August 12 there was a discussion of the kinds of services
branches can give schools.
l\1rs. Klein, Keystone Librarian, had arranged for a number of boys and girls from the
reg~on to come to the library. There were s~x photographers from the newspapers in
the neighborhood. The group was the guest of the Keystone Woman's Club for the
l~ncheon at the home of Mrs. Stamp. The guests included:
Mrs. Dorothy Barker
Mrs. Margery George
Mrs. Irene Klein
Mrs. Helen Smith
Mrs .• Iva D. Aylor
Mrs. Beverly Brooks
Mrs. Ellen McCombe
Miss Virginia Winship
Mrs. Vera Baker
~rs. Nancy Marden
Mrs. Helen McGee
Mr. Frederick B. Leighton
Miss Dorothy Hansen
Mrs. Hope M. Amstell
Miss Alice Anderson
Mrs. Fay Dwyer
Carson
Imperial
Keystone
Lawndale
Lennox
Lennox
Lennox
Lennox
Manhattan Heights
Manhattan Heights
Moneta
Branches Division
Children's Division
Children's Division
Guest
Guest
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LIBRARI.AN The Supers ti ti on Mountain region of Arizona is the background for a
AUTHOR children's book, TREASURE AT BAR X, of which Mary Rogers Smith of the
Children's Division is a co-author. The otber authors are Bettina L.
Kramer, Librarian of the Mark Twain School, Long Beach, and Genevieve Walther 0 an
ethnologist who has worked with various Indian groups in Arizona. Recently accepted
by Dodd, Mead & Co. as the first of a series about Indians of the Southwest to be
written by the same authors, this book is about the Pima Indianso It contains
legends and tribal lore obtained from the son of a former Pima Chief now living in
Phoenix.
The authors hope through this series to acquaint children with
tions which Indians have made and are making to American life.
authentic information incorporated in a regional story written
interest 4th, 5th, and 6th grade childreno
FROM THE BRANCHES DIVISION
some of the contribu­Each
book will contain
in a popular form to
RETURNS
FROM
BRANCHES
It has been observed that a good many Recalls from Branches have been sent
in with the regular Returns Delivery Truck rather than on the Express.
Please put Recalls and Short Time_Loans out for the Express Driver. If
trying especially to g~t a book in quickly it is permissible to give it to
the Delivery Truck with the shelf list pulled if the Express Day is quite a while off.
We realize that it is hard to keep all of the new rules about returning })ooJcs to
Central straight but there have been no changes in the rules for the adult books
although the regular returns are picked up a week after the branch visit by the
supervisor rather than taken in then. The Library Assistant, Mro Paxton, on the
truck, pulls the shelf list when picking up the books. Short Time Loans and Recalls
should be kept in a regular place separate from the other returns .
The new Children's Division ruling to send juvenile books in on the Express with shelf
lists has nothing to do with adult books •
••••••
A strange custom seems to be growing among the younger members of the library patronage.
Several times lately we have had letters from them or their parents protesting that
someone else has taken the book out and signed their names. It may well be true but ~t
is odd how it has developed all of a sudden, or if not the fact at least the excus~ has
spread like wild fire. There is all too much of it. Would you please watch closely to
s.ee that no young person is doing this, or will you help us when they make such claims
to verify their signatures? ••••••
East Los Angeles Junior College has a~nounced that they will hold a class here on
Tuesday morni~gs from 9- 11 on elementary library procedures and related subjects.
Already we have a good number expressing i~terest in attending. We will send out a
notice very shortly with the exact information about _the course. Anyone employed in
the branches or at Central, or anyone interested in becoming an assistant in a branch,
will be welcome to take the course. Civil Service is very interested in this course
as a prerequisite to experience in evaluating for examinations.
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PERSONALS
SICK Encouraging reports come from two staff member~ at Central who have had to spend
BAY some time in the hospital. Lucille Kennedy, of the Catalog Division, is doing
nicely after medical treatment and will be back at her desk in the near fut ure .
l\lr s. Gertrude Hopkins, of the Branches Division, ·found hospitalization necessary follow­ing
her trip to Europe. She is recovering from surgery and is going to be on t he j ob
at Central very soon. '
\"EDD ING
BELLS
Chocolates were enjoyed by the office staff in observance of Leota Wright,
Head Clerk, be<:oming Mrs. Karl Gacsi (pronounced Gottshee). All good wishes
to our Leota. She will return to her desk in another week and we will do our
best to remember "Mrs. G." instead of' "Leota W."
QUARTER
CENTURY FOR
DON HUGHES
In recognition of 25 years .of service to the Public Library Department
QQn Hughes was awar~ed a service.pin at the Board of Supervisors ' meeting
August 10. Don joined the staff on July 1, 1929, as Shipping Clerk and
over the years he has seen many changes in this growing Department .
r.ms. FLORENCE G. Mrs . Davis, Children's Librarian at South Gate Library, left June 30
DAVIS IN EUROPE for a three months European tour. She is accompanied by her daughter ,
_ Miss Betty Berryman, on thf trip which will include six countr ies ,
England, Hollanq, Germany, Switzerland, Italu and --~a'ilce~ They sailed from Quebec anq
will return on the Queen Mary to New York City in September. En route home t hey will
visit in Washington, D.C, and New Orlean~. '
ONLY A
POOR
LI Bl,1ARIAN
"' '
MISCELLANEA .
A recent issue of the Greek Theatre ~gazine quotes in part a letter in
which a check was enclosed as a contribution to the support of the Greek
Theatre Association. In explaining the\ contribution the letter says:
"Much as I would like to be a guarantor because I am interested in every~
thing t hat is being present~d at the Greek Th~atre· ; I am only a poor librarian who
saves yearly for such splurges a~ this." Coanenting on the letter Jamee A. Doolittle,
Managing Di re ctor; said: -" I t - express es-s o· s mpi.y ano s-ospontaneously~wl:lat t h-e 6reek
Theatre Associati on is endeavoring to accomplish t;.hat we felt it more eloquent than any
statement of purpose any of us could write." A compliment to the library profession
and a salute to t he anonymous individual who finds so rewarding the Greek Theatre
programs.
TARGET
BOOK
SLOT
We have found a new use for our mail chute! In the quiet before openi ng time
we heard two small boys on our porQh. One shouted, "Ready - Fire One" = and
whannn! i nto the mailchute banged a book. Before we caught our breath from the
first crash "Fire Two" was called and book two apparently "hit the deck. "
Luckily they ran out of book stock by then. Didn't think t he slot could be hit with
such accuracy from such a distance.
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Mrs. Josephine McAdams
El Monte Branch
PUENTE VALLEY A new bookmobile will go into service about October l, to be known as
BOOKMOBILE the Puente Valley Bookmobile. Headquarters will be at the El Monte
Branch Library. This unit will serve the former locations of the Bassett
and Temple branches, both formerly in schools. The bookmobile will begin on a minimum
service basis and will be operated until buildings can be obtained for these areas, or
until other service arrangements may be made.
KTHE August 27, our Children's Division will be on television stati on KTHE. The
program is televised over Channel 28; it goes on the air at 8 p.m.
Other programs to be offered by the Library are listed below:
October 8 Branch library buildings
Mr. Henderson and Mr. Geller
November 19 Reference Division
December 31 Open
February 11 Branches Division
Channel 28 is an ultra high frequency station. It is the educational station in the area.
ICE-CREAM L~terally buckets of ice-cream soup went down the drain when our cooling
SOUP unit suffered a mechanical failure. The intense hot weather of two weeks
ago produced a high volume sale of the ice-cream bars. During the peak of
heat and sales a fuse blew out and from then on the ice-cream disintegrated at consider­able
inconvenience to the staff members as well as a financial loss to the Staff Association.
ARTHUR C. KNOWLES A man g1v1ng the name of Arthur c. Knowles, 2804 Ocean Drive,
Manhattap B~ach, not being able to identify himself for a library
card used a reference book in the branch at Manhattan. It is reported that at closing
time he took the book with him which he was reaqing, R-317.3 U.S. Census Bureau 1952
Statistical Abstract of the United States. · The man in question stated to Miss Craig
that he was the Postmas.ter at Gardena, but having no identification he was not given a
library application form. A check with the local Postmaster revealed that there was no
such person at the Gardena Post Office.
Branch Librarians are warned to be alert to anyone giving this name and seeking a library
card. A description of Mr. Knowles as reported by ~liss Craig follows: "He was about
5 ft. 11 in. tall, heavy build, fair complexion, pleasant mannered, well dressed, no hat
or coat (it was hot weather) but white shirt. He was in his forties or early fifties . 19
JDH:AW
8/27/54
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1 jl ( 1~ /J.~
/ l John D.. Henderson {J County Librarian