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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-15-2020 - BLT - Public Comments (2)1 Hetherton, Tim From:Jim Mosher Sent:Monday, June 15, 2020 10:03 AM To:Library Admin Team Subject:Additional material for BLT Attachments:HL Sherman - History of NBPL (1931).pdf [EXTERNAL EMAIL] DO NOT CLICK links or attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.  In honor of last week’s 100th anniversary of the creation of the NBPL and its governing Board, I am attaching H. Lancey Sherman’s account of the early days of the library extracted from his 1931 A History of Newport Beach, starting on page 70. That book was itself published by the City in commemoration of its 25th anniversary. NBPL undoubtedly had a copy at one time, but it is no longer in the catalog. Mr. Sherman was, at the time, Chair of the BLT, so his account is likely accurate. In summary, after a very brief flirtation in late 1910 with the idea of hosting a branch outpost of the State Library, the ladies of the Ebell Club formally created a library of their own, opened to the public on February 16, 1911. After some years, Margaret (Mrs. Ray G.) Burlingame, founder of the newly- created Women’s Civic League, approached the City Trustees with the idea of creating a municipal library, a notion taken up by City Trustee Laurence S. Wilkinson at the City Trustee’s March 22, 1920, meeting. His colleagues embraced the idea, and, after a first reading on May 3, the NBPL, and its board, were formally created by the adoption of City Ordinance No. 166 on June 7, 1920. Through the efforts of the first BLT, appointed on October 1 and organized on November 12, 1920, the City was able to remodel the Ebell facility and open its doors to the public as the first NBPL at a January 19, 1921, reception. The City’s first librarian was Mrs. Elizabeth E. Douglas, a holdover from the Ebell Club. As recounted by Mr. Sherman, the original building at the location of the present Balboa Branch, which he himself designed and supervised the construction of (see City Resolutions No. 493 and 509), when formally dedicated on May 30, 1929, was the third iteration of the NBPL, the intermediate facility having been a repurposed home, nearby, that was informally opened to the public as a library on October 13, 1924, and formally dedicated as the second NBPL on January 7, 1925. I believe photos of the first two iterations of NBPL may be missing from the gallery outside the Conference Room at the present Central Branch, as is a photo of the onetime West Newport facility. According to Mr. Sherman’s history, Mr. Wilkinson, the City Trustee most associated with creation of the NBPL, came to Newport Beach in its early years as an agent for the Santa Ana and Newport Railroad, associated with the McFadden Wharf shipping enterprise at the site of the present Newport Pier, assuming that position in 1894. In 1906, he was City’s original Clerk, and then a City Trustee (the equivalent of our current City Council) from 1918-1928 and a Library Trustee from the BLT’s inception in 1920 until his death in 1931. He also served as a Planning Commissioner in 1928. As to Mr. Sherman, according to the marginally legible obituary on page 1 of the December 2, 1943, Newport-Balboa Press in NBPL’s online historical newspaper archive, he was a civil engineer by 2 training and a Newport resident from 1920. He served on the BLT from his appointment on June 25, 1928 through 1933, and at least briefly as a Planning Commissioner, having been appointed to a six year term on that commission on November 5,1928. He is likely recognized on the 1929 dedicatory plaque at the Balboa Branch as he is in City Resolution No. 509, celebrating construction of the building. In his spare time for many years, according to Judge Gardner’s column on page A4 of the February 27, 1993, edition of the Orange Coast Pilot, Mr. Sherman acted as a kind of self-appointed city watchdog. He was apparently unrelated to M. H. Sherman, after whom the Sherman Library and Gardens is named. His starting date on the BLT is, incidentally, misreported as 1926 in the current Trustee’s Manual, which also misses entirely Mrs. H. C. Sloan, who reportedly served from 1926 through 1929. Mrs. Burlingame, who reportedly is one who suggested the idea of creating a NBPL, is the Margaret Burlingame listed as a Trustee from 1929 through her resignation in 1935. A brief remembrance appears in the left-hand column of the December 11, 1946, Costa Mesa edition of the Newport Balboa – News Times. Yours sincerely, Jim Mosher A History of NEWPORT BEACH Compiled by H.L.SHERMAN Chairman Board of Library Trustccs @ Publzlrbed by THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH California In Cooperation With the NEWPORT HARBOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Published September,1 93 I ue _;Tke TIMES-MIRROR Tress I 18 South Broadway Los Angeles O6 HISTORY OF NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY Shortly after its organization,in 1909,the Ebell Club applied for a branch of the free State library.The State books arrived December 2,1910,and a committee consisting of Mrs.W.W. Wilson,Mrs.J.A.Ricker,and Mrs.M. L.Orcutt,was appointed to attend to their housing and circulation.At the time the Ebell Club was using one of the small buildings belonging to the East Newport Town Company,about where Meurs’ confec tionery store is located at present,and the State books were kept at that location. The library was open to the public at first on Mondays, Wednesday,and Fridays from four to five in the afternoon,and each week a different member of the club volun teered to supervise the loaning of books. Early in 1911,a movement was instituted to acquire by donation books for a library that would belong to the club.On February 16th,the new collection was oficially designated as the Ebell Library,and shortly afterwards the State branch was relinquished.In June of that year,300 volumes were accessible to the public from three to five in the afternoon.This number had grown to 342 the following October,when the books were under the supervision of Mrs.S.R.Jumper,the club treasurer. In the Spring of 1913,a twenty-volume set of the Encyclo pedia Britannica was acquired as well as a number of other books.On August 2,1913 ,the premises occupied by the library were destroyed by fire,but practically all of the books were saved.Following the conflagration the library was moved to the East Newport Pavilion for a period of six months or more,and then was installed in one of the little cottages of the East New port Inn.At this time,Mrs. C. M. Deakins was in charge of the books.In April,1916,the Ebell moved into its present club house,and the library was transferred to that location.In 1918, Mrs.Elizabeth E.Douglas became the club librarian,serving also as custodian of the clubhouse. On March 22,1920,Mrs. R. G.Burlingame,representing the Women’s Civic League,appeared before the city trustees,and asked that a municipal library be created,either through co operation with the Ebell institution,or as a separate unit.City Trustee L.S.Wilkinson was appointed a committee of one to report on the matter, and,on April 5th,stated he had met with 70 HISTORY OF NEWPORT BEACH committees from both the Civic League and Ebell Club,and the latter organization had offered to give its 1,100 books as the nucleus of a city library.He also said the club would loan the use of its building,if the trustees would remodel it to the extent of some three or four hundred dollars. The city decided to accept the generous Ebell ofier,and,on May 3rd,Ordinance No.166 was passed for the first reading. This statute established a free public library in the City of Newport Beach,and created a board of five trustees to manage the institution,its members to serve three-year terms without pay.October 1st,the first library board was appointed.Its members were:Mrs.W. W.Crosier,Mrs.Ida H.Burns,Miss Alice Plummer,J.A.Beek,and L.S.Wilkinson.The new board held an organization meeting,November 12th,when Mrs.W.W. Crosier was elected chairman,and J.A.Beek,secretary. The original Ebell Clubhouse was a private dwelling,and alterations made by the city in pursuance of its agreement with that organization consisted principally of removing the parti tions in the front portion of the building,creating one large room.The library board set the remodelling cost at $350 and estimated the monthly operating expense at $75.The library, as a city institution,was formally opened to the public at a reception held January 19,1921. The growth of the youthful Newport Beach Public Library was so rapid the Ebell Clubhouse soon became inadequate to accommodate both books and borrowers.Consequently,the city purchased a bungalow from Mary E.Egan,on August 21, 1924, for the sum of $3,700.This building is located on Bay Avenue immediately east of the present library.The Egan house was remodelled to accommodate the library,all interior work being removed,and was informally opened to the public as a library, October 13,1924.The formal dedication,however,was not held until January 7,1925. Although members of the library board were supposed to serve three-years terms,for a considerable period of time little attention was paid to the matter of new appointments to that body.Mrs.Crosier,having drawn the one-year term at the organization of the board,was reappointed October 24,1921. No additional appointments were made until September 20, 71 HISTORY OF NEWPORT BEACH 1926,when Mrs.H.C.Sloan and Mrs.Miriam Porter were named to replace Mrs. Burns and Miss Plummer.No further appointments were made until 1928.When the change in city administration was effected in April of that year,Mayor John son reappointed the entire board,and the following first of July named Mrs.Margaret Burlingame and H.L.Sherman to replace Mrs.H.C.Sloan and J.A.Beek,whose terms had expired. The fast-growing demand for literary facilities again quickly outstripped the existing plant,and plans were made to enlarge the library building.The city trustees,on November 21, 1927, set aside $1,300 from the library fund,and $200 from the gen eral fund for the purpose of building an addition to the library. According to current building ordinances it would have been necessary to spend a large portion of this money in rebuilding the old structure to conform with prevailing standards;work that in no manner would have enlarged existing facilities. Con sequently,it was deemed unwise to proceed with the remodel ling program,and the need for a new and modern building became apparent. A library tax has never been formally set in the City of Newport Beach,but the council for some years has made a levy of three cents on the hundred dollars of assessed valuation for this purpose.A referendum proposition,calling for a library tax of five cents,was defeated at the polls on April 9,1928. A program for building a new library in the East Newport Park was inaugurated by the library board,as reorganized in the Summer of 1928.A scheme for financing the contemplated structure was based on the $1,500 available for remodelling the old building,and money to be derived from the sale of the latter.Any additional sum required was to be saved from the current library fund. A slight delay was encountered in putting the program into effect owing to the fact that the city had never obtained a clear title to the library property bought in 1924.Owing to some altercation with the trustees of that year,the former owners did not deliver a deed to the house and lot,and the city admin istration had permitted the situation to drag along indefinitely. 72 HISTORY OF NEWPORT BEACH The first move in the process of title clearing was made August 6, 1928,when the council instructed City Attorney Roland Thompson to take such legal steps as might be necessary. A committee also was appointed to appraise the property to be sold.This group consisted of L. W.Briggs,W.L.Jordan,and Harry H.Williamson, and,August 13th,they returned an appraisal of $2,700.Title having been acquired,the lot and old library building were advertised for sale on January 28, 1929.The property was sold to the only bidder,Fred B.Mills, March 4, 1929,for the sum of $2,725,with delivery on the part of the city stipulated for May 31st,or sooner. All obstacles in the path of a new building having been cleared away,H.L.Sherman,of the library board,volunteered his services free of charge for the preparing of plans and speci fications,and supervising of construction. Councilman Paul B. Ellsworth was appointed to confer with Sherman on the prepa ration of plans.Drawings and specifications for the new build ing were submitted to the council by Sherman,on March 11th, and approved by that body.Bids were called for and,April 2, 1929,a contract for the library work was let to the Nead Con struction Company of Wilmington for the sum of $4,917. Under a previous administration,City Engineer Paul B. Kressley had erected a public comfort station in the center of the East Newport Park.It was impossible to construct a library as a separate unit on the same site,and the new structure was designed to encompass the old comfort station.April 22nd, Sherman submitted a budget to the council which called for a total expenditure of $7,000 on building and furnishings,and this program was accepted by the city.The new library was formally dedicated,May 30, 1929,although the final notice of completion was not filed until July 22nd.August 26th,the council accepted the final report on library construction,and appropriated the sum of $3 00 for installing a sprinkler system in the park. During a protracted rainy period in January,1930,trouble was experienced with condensation of moisture on the interior brick walls of the library building.A ventilating fan was in stalled at a cost of $282,which completely overcame the difliculty. 73 HISTORY OF NEWPORT BEACH In July,1929,L.S.Wilkinson was appointed to succeed him self as library trustee,and Mrs.George Coleman was named to replace Mrs.Miriam Porter,whose term had expired.After a long and faithful service as a trustee,which dated from the establishment of the city library in 1920,Mrs.W.W.Crosier resigned from the board on April 21, 1930,and Miss Ethel Gardiner was appointed to fill the resulting vacancy.Mrs. Crosier had served as chairman of the library board since its inception,and following her resignation,H. L.Sherman was elected to that oflice. Mrs. Elizabeth E.Douglas,who began her term as librarian with the Ebell Club in 1918,resigned the position on June 16, 1930.The work of Mrs.Douglas was greatly appreciated by those who were in contact with the library during its early years,when the most rigid economy had to be exercised. Miss Lorna Lineman,a graduate of the Los Angeles Library School,was employed to succeed Mrs.Douglas as librarian.A few weeks after moving to the city,Miss Lineman married H.S.Tilton,a member of the faculty of the El Segundo High School.Both Mr.and Mrs.Tilton have made Newport Beach their permanent home.During the first year of Mrs.Tilton’s service she was aided by Miss Margaret Wilson,who was en gaged in the capacity of assistant librarian. Prior to the fiscal year 1930-1931,there was a pronounced dearth of reference books in the library.Owing to the opening of the local high school in September,1930,the need for this type of book became acute,and the sum of five hundred dollars was expended in the purchase of a carefully selected list of ref erence volumes.These books covered a wide range of subjects and appealed to the general public as well as filling the needs of students. As a result of stocking the library shelves along refer ence lines the percentage of non-fiction circulation made a very satisfactory increase.In July,1931,the city council made a transfer to the library fund of five hundred dollars to cover the unusual reference expenditure,in order that the customary purchase of books along fiction and other lines need not be curtailed. March 6, 1931,Mrs.George P. Wilson was appointed to the board of library trustees to fill a vacancy caused by the death 74 HISTORY OF NEWPORT BEACH of L.S.Wilkinson.Because of the peculiar problems solved by the local library,such as the acquisition of a new plant with very limited funds,and the meeting of tremendous seasonal fluctuations in circulation,oflicials of the State Librarian’s Association invited Mrs.R.G.Burlingame,a member of the library board,to address the Trustees Section of that organiza tion on the occasion of the state convention held in Del Monte, during April,1930. July 1,1931,Mrs.R.G.Burlingame and H.L.Sherman, whose terms expired at that time,were appointed to succeed themselves.At the annual organization meeting of July 16th, Sherman was reelected as chairman of the library board,and Mrs.George P. Wilson as its secretary.During the fiscal period 1930-1931,the first year in the regime of the new librarian, Mrs.Tilton,the circulation of books and periodicals amounted to 44,829,an increase of forty-eight per cent over the previous twelve months. In the Spring of 1930,the city council had the west half of the library park covered with earth,and a grass lawn planted. This improvement has enhanced materially the general appear ance of the park.At the general election held in April,1930, there was voted a park tax of three cents on the hundred dollars of assessed valuation. The council has adopted the plan of spending the park fund so that various sections of the city receive their proportionate shares of the money. The beautification of Park Avenue,for example,absorbs that portion of the park fund derived from Balboa Island.The planting of geraniums along the Pacific Electric right of way and the library park lawn and flowers constitute East New port’s share of the park program.The small park in the Penin sula Tract,and the West Newport Pool,are other projects main tained by the park fund. PLANNING COMMISSION A city planning commission was created,in October,1923, by Ordinance No.247,and,December 3rd,the following men were appointed to serve on that body:H.Cardoza Sloan,A. H. Wilson,W.T.O’Howell,Fred Young,and Ray Bell.A new commission was appointed May 3,1926,consisting of H.Car 75