A writing class is visiting the archives this week. The course title is “Revisiting the Library” and the students will be researching and writing about Davidson College libraries. You’ll be able to read their work in the Davidson Encyclopedia in a few weeks.
In the meantime, it’s too much to resist sharing some tidbits from the files they will be using – with hopes that folks reading Around the D have a soft spot for libraries and history and therefore for library history.
The first volume of library committee minutes and annual reports
The first record to be pulled for the class is a tattered volume with a glued-on label that says Minutes of the Library Committee Meetings September 13, 1921 to May 2, 1937 – Also Library Reports 1911-1916. The first report contains budget figures and statistics about the library. The library received $675.00 from student fees and had just taken out a loan for $990.89.
Portion of the library catalog for Alcove C showing shelf locations instead of call numbers
The loan was for a special cataloging project required when the library moved from Chambers building into the new Carnegie building. The books in Chambers had no call numbers – just shelf locations. But a modern building called for modern methods and two extra staff were hired for the project.
The report has a reminder that not all was modern – one of the expenses is listed as Freight, express, and drayage – meaning some horses were still bringing supplies – the total cost for shipping from May 1910 to May 1911 was $31.56 -made higher than usual by the purchases of new furniture.
1910-1911 annual report with budget figures for freight and circulation numbers
The library had 22,367 books, and subscribed to 55 monthly and weekly magazines and 17 newspapers. Five years later, express and freight fees were down to $11.21 –covering the cost for delivering the $417.85 worth of books purchased that year. The book collection was up to 25,202, magazines up to 66 and newspapers up to 22.
The Library Committee Minutes reveal that the committee’s regular meeting time was at 7:30 pm. At the September 22, 1921 meeting, “It was decided to close the Library on Saturday nights if fewer than ten men used it” and “the matter of accepting the Catholic Ency. of 16 volumes was placed in Prof. Shewmake’s hands.”
Professor Shewmake, a long-time member of the Library Committee. He took charge fo getting overdue books from faculty.
A year later, one of the decisions was to “live up to the rule allowing members of the Faculty to keep Departmental books only three months. The Librarian was directed to so notify those who have books out over time.”
This appears to be a difficult rule to enforce –at the January 20, 1925 meeting “Dr. Shewmake decided to “remind the Faculty members of the need of living up to the Faculty minute in regard to the return of books.” “The committee itself appears to have lived up to its duties, meeting regularly, setting policies about book and periodical purchases, library hours, and keeping the library as modern as possible.
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