Tha Bend Bulletin, Wed., August 26, 1959 5A
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CHECKING OUT At tha checkout desk at the Deschutes County Library Mrs. Carson Call,
assistant librarian, stamps due dates in books for library patrons. The hand-stamping system
will soon be replaced by automatic equipment.
Library born in Bend in 1908
By Linda Hambly
Bulletin Staff Writer
Somehow the name and (he
building of the Deschutes County
Library seem to be in antipathy
to one another.
The more usual conception of a
library suggests grey stone steps,
and masses of rough-hewn stone
excised by intermittent steel-rimmed
window-holes. In fact, the ex
terior of such an edifice would
frighten away little children,
imagining the interior to be dark,
foul-aired, and run by old fogies.
This library in Bend, however,
embodies quite a different tale.
Only one year more than half a
century ago, a library was born
to Bend. A small but conscienti
ous group of women organized a
Ladies Library club on February
IB. They met at the home of Mrs.
J. E. Sawhill. Mrs. C. D. Rowe
became the club's president; Mrs.
F. F. Smith, vice - president; and
Miss Mary E. Coleman, secre
tary - treasurer, and later, librar-1
tan.
These women decided to open a
public library and reading room.
Since they had to raise money for
magazines and current expenses,
they began to give dances, sup
pers and other social affairs, the
first on the following Saturday.
Traveling Library
They immediately ordered a list
of 17 magazines and five week
lies, and made arrangements with
the Oregon Library Commission
to send a traveling library con
sisting of 50 books to Bend every
six months, the local club paying
freight charges both ways.
The first book collection con
sisted of 38 volumes, donated by.
the club members and their
friends. j
Just as the library's future
seemed bright, troubles began. Al-;
though 1W3 was a lucky year J.
M. Laurence donated the rent to 1
the library which, from April 6.
occupied his building on V a 1 1
Street two years later he sold
the building. I
Mrs? E. D. Wilson, the lihrar- i
ian. feared that the library would
have to close, since rent was too
expensive. Finally, however, a j
commercial club cared enough for
the library so as to pay one year's
rent for the store room in the
Johnson Building.
When the Bend Company erect
ed a building for its electrical
supplies, the library was trans
ferred to one large room which it
occupied rent-free.
City Contributes
The young library began to wax
stronger nnder nourishment of
$:l.o:)0 which the city appropriated
in I9KI. Liter the county and city
derided to divide the cost of the
library, and in lKifl. the Bend Li
brary became the Deschutes
County Library. '
On January 6 of that year, the
county court appointed the first
Deschutes County Library board.
Mrs. J. M. Lawrence was presi
dent; R. W. Sawyer, treasurer;
George A. Paddock, secretary;
and Mrs. Max Cunning and Fred
Wallace members of Die board.
Once more the Ladies Club came
to the library's rescue, and do
nated their library and funds to
the newly-formed organization.
Like all growing concerns, the
library began to develop loftier
ideas about its future. In 1923,
John Du Buis drew tentative
plans for a new structure. In Feb
ruary of the following year, the
Bend Company donated the lot on
which the new library was to
stand. It also sold the adjoining
lot to the library. The Ladies Li
brary club and the Bend Civic
League raised the funds. A. E.
Doyle, a Portland architect, drew
plans for a brick building, but
later a wooden structure won the
honor.
Steady Growth
Donations for the building fund
from the PEO Sisterhood were
first reported in April 1927. In the
' fall, the Ellis building was en
: larged to house the growing li
brary. Over 1.000 volumes were
given to the library in 1928 from
the estate of Charles Stuart Bcn
! son.
In 1029. Hugh M. Thompson, a
Bend architect, was asked to re
view the library building plans
with the board. He estimated that
a brick structure would cost $36,
(M. With the constant growth of the
library, there arose a query
among many citizens as to wheth
er or not the library was oper
ating as a special agency. On
.Ian. 4, 19.10, Ross Farnham, dis
trict attorney, answered that any
money left over to tlie library at
the end of the year was to stay
with the library, in a special li
brary fund, and not revert to tlie
general city fund. PWA and WPA
applications were approved for
the library. The Board accepted
the PWA grant of $13,500 for con-!
stniction of the $30.ooo building
which remains on Wall Street to
day. The same year, Whitehouse and
Church, architects, used native
woods for the exterior and inter
ior designs of the library. Fred
W. Van Matre was the contractor.
Changos In War Years
During the war years, the li
brary underwent spectacular
changes in reorganization and ex
pansion. In 1942, it procured an
approximate 1000 record collec
tion, free of charge. In '43 and
'44. the periodicals were reorgan
ized. All magazines were encased
in cardboard boxes. Library rules
were worked out. The first glass
showcase was secured for exhib
its. Tlie Oregon collection was
segrated, and there began a
Young Moderns' Corner.
In 1944, a complete inventory of
books 'was taken, and a complete
mending and binding program be
gun. The library acquired fixtures
such as easy chairs and reading
tables.
By the end of tlie war, the rec
ord collection had grown three
fold. The library began to buy rec
ords from the local stores. The
collection has now grown and de
veloped in various categories. The
music includes early through con
temporary serious music; show
music, popular and folk music,
and early and modern jazz.
The collection also includes re
cordings of famous speeches, po
etry readings, and language series
in German, French, Spanish, Ital
ian and Russian.
Aids School Teachers
By 1946, the library had 23,000
volumes. It supplied with room
collections eight teachers at Al
len, four at Kenwood, four at
Reid. and two in the high school.
It served, as to teachers and
rooms, 100 per cent the schools
outside of Bend. It also served tlie
St. Francis school and the three
Seventli Day Adventist schools at
Bend, Redmond and Sisters.
An example of a seemingly phe
nomenal being of both stable and
moving body, the library acquir
ed a one-and one-half-ton Vanette
bookmobile to provide greater ef
ficiency in delivery and pick-up
service to schools, branches, and
stations. As a result, it eliminated
the expense of maintaining a ship
ping department. Trips are made
regularly once a month on defin
ite fixed schedules.
In September, the library will
install an automatic checking sys
tem. Three book charging ma
chines will serve the main library,
the children's room and the book
mobile.' The machine will eliminate
hand charging and save the li
brarian hours of time.
Children are a special interest
to tlie library. They look forward
every Saturday to story hours. In
the summer, tney nave a special
reading project followed by a pic
nic. Every November, they visit
the library in groups. They com
bine fun and skill in organizing
doll shows, hobby shows and spec
ial' exhibits. The library, in fact,
has become a realm of adventure
to them.
This year, the children's room
has a particularly friendly atmos
phere. Two large mural maps of
Oregon greet the incomer, re
minding him of the Centennial.
Other maps stud the walls, as
well as drawings and paintings ;
done by careful little hands.
i
You're sitting pretty on washday when you use our coin
operated machines.
8 out of 10 woman tell us "You have the best laundry deal
in town. Your machines art easy to operate and do su
perior job of washing." It costs lest to use the best!
ALSO
PROFESSIONAL
Laundry Service
DEPARTMENT
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PERIODICALS ON FILE The library keeps a good supply of
newspapers and magazines in open cases for its patrons to
read.
YOUNG READERS BROUSf The children's room at the library is a busy place. In the sum
mer story hours and contests promote interest in reading the many books on the shelves.
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