https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/4/18/HPL_125th_Text0002.pdf f6aa4097222571ec18fc501ef3a0d290 PDF Text Text MICHIGAN STATE LIBRARY 735 EAST MICHIGAN AVENUE LANSING GEORGE ROMNEY Governor August 13, 1963 MICHIGAN STATE BOARD FOR LIBRARIES Mrs. Dorothy S. McAllister, Grand Rapids, Chairman G. Flint Purdy, Detroit, Vice-Chairman Mrs. Mary Daume, Monroe Andrew B. Lemke, Allegan Clair L. Taylor, Lansing Hiss Genev evieve M. Casey, Lansing, eg. Secretary of the Board at and State Librarian Mrs. Robert T. Groos RR 3 Hastings Point Middleville, Michigan Dear Mrs. Groos: Your recent letter outlining tthe procedures and conclusions of the Specicial Library Committee report h; las been called to my attention by Miss McKinley, tthe State Library consultant in your area, I would like to congratulat ite your committee for its forthright it and comprehensive investigation of tlthe library situation in Hastingss and for its sensible and worthwhile recommend;lations to the city authori rities. The committee's conclusion that Hastings5 needs both a public and a school library seems inescapable. Your commit Lttee's methods of investigation were thorough and objective and certaii inly the data you collected supports your recommendation that the city1 of Hastings act now to acquire the present post office building for a dowr mtown public library site. Although the quarters and service of your present combined school­ public library are indeed above average compared to those of other school­ public libraries in Michigan, you do not have enough space nor enough books and staff to give really adequate school or public library service. In 1961 a survey of service and materials available from the Wm. T. Wallace Memorial Library was made by a team of school and public library consult­ ants from the Michigan State Library. They found that, using a rough appraisal of registration and circulation, service to the general public was between five to ten per cent of the total service given. In a few years even normal school attendance growth may well crowd out most of this small percentage. Adding to the present quarters would serve only to accomodate increased school usage. It would not alleviate the major problems of poor location, particularly for older adults and the very young, and needed increase in adult materials. Also additions are apt to be almost as costly per square foot as new buildings. Therefore using the post office building, the adaptation of which would probably cost less than an addition to the school location, seems the more businesslike and economical solution to both building and location problems. sponsibility to the There is also the consideration of Hastings' resj rest of Barry County. As the only city of any size, twith considerable small industry and solid >olid business acumen centered zcr.tcrcd in it, : and with very �Mrs. Robert T. Groos Page 2 August 13, 1963 is a need jut the rest of the county, there tl sparse library service throughoi for a forward looking public lit rectly with Lbrary staff who can work dire municipal officials for the greatest: good of all. The sugge;isted budget popula< is small, but adequate, for a beginniling library serving the city inding tion. It is only good business to eexpect support from the surrour areas in any future expansion of seiirvice to these areas. Any staff can spread its attention and output only so far. The needs of the schools for total school library service could more than absorb the attention of the present staff of the Wm. T. Wallace Memorial Library. The 1961 Michigan St;:ate Library survey pointed out that service to elementary schools was limited to small collections of books with no teacherlibrarian in attendance, With the burden of public library service and complementary service to school age children removed from the present library staff, they iwill be able to give even more attention to superior school library servi< Let me make one last: point ’ in these suggestions which I hope will point up isome of the commi! littee's conclusions. Some duplication of books is inevitssable in any community ,ty in order to provide service to the whole community, Children need pub; iblic library service with its emphasis on jasure and personal enri<.chment, just as they need school reading for plei library servicei for their curriculum relate:ed needs. In the good library situation pub! iblic and school librarians work to­ gether to provide the materials needed by their patrons. The basic difference in the approach to selectioni of library library materials is the fact ited materials; the public that the school librarian chooses curriculum relat librarian chooses community irelated books and magazines. When it comes to more specialized material:Ls or, for instance, some kinds of magazines or periodicals, the public and sclihool libraries might well decide which titles they would not duplicate. May I wish the committee success in this library venture and assure i of our continued assistance. It is gratifying to know that forward hard-workii citizens are committed to the belief that total loo!iking, hard-working superior library service sei is a necessity for our nation. Sincerely, A Genevieve M. Casey Michigan State Librarian GMC:vw � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hastings Public Library's 125th Anniversary Subject The topic of the resource Public History--Michigan--Barry County Description An account of the resource Did you know the Hastings Public Library has been around in one form or another since 1896? It started out as the Women's Club Reading Room and over time, grew into the vital and vibrant public institution we all know and love. Look through this collection to learn about where it all started, see the how the efforts of so many helped the library grow, and have some fun seeing photos of the past. Type The nature or genre of the resource Image and text Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1896 - 2021 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed document Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from State Librarian Genevieve Casey to Mrs. Richard Groos Subject The topic of the resource Commercial correspondence Description An account of the resource Letter from State Librarian Genevieve Casey to Mrs. Richard Groos supporting the Hastings Library Board's recommendation to acquire the post office for a new library location. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Business letters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Genevieve Casey Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1963-08-13 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource unknown