|
This
Month in
Morrisson-Reeves
Library History
October |
| 1907 |
On October 23, the library board bought
the property adjoining the library to the south from Mrs. Emma Dugdale.
The ultimate intent was to acquire the land for future expansion, but in
the short term, the house on the land was a rental property. |
| 1908 |
On October 22 and 23 Morrisson-Reeves hosted the annual
meeting of the Indiana Library Association. Attendees included librarians
from the larger cities in Indiana, visitors from Ohio and Michigan, and
the students and faculty of the Indiana Library school in Indianapolis.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, Professor Harlow Lindley, librarian of Earlham
College and president of the association (and later member of the Morrisson-Reeves
Library board), delivered the opening address. That evening William Dudley
Foulke and Mrs. Ada Bernhardt spoke to the assembled librarians. |
| 1916 |
| The sonnet
written by William Dudley Foulke
titled "In the Public Library" was dedicated on October
29 as part of a commemoration of Indiana's Centennial. Foulke's wife,
Mary, had it cast in bronze
and installed in the lobby of the library. |
 |
|
| 1917 |
| |
On October 26, the Public Library Commission
praised Mrs. Bernhardt for her efforts throughout the month in raising
more than $1,250 for the War Library Fund. The campaign was launched
at the end of September, and by October 16, Mrs. Bernhardt, who was
the local coordinator for the fund, was able to send a check for $1,000
to Indianapolis with the rest sent soon after. Mrs. Bernhardt's success
in this campaign resulted in her being placed in charge of the corresponding
book campaign during World War II. |
|
| 1939 |
Morrisson-Reeves celebrated its 75th Anniversary on
October 19, which is Robert Morrisson's birthday. In addition to a program
in the Reading Room that evening, Mrs. Bernhardt created an exhibit of books
by local authors. The program included brief talks by Judge G. H. Hoelscher,
Miss Georgia Davis, assistant school superintendent, and Mr. James F. Hibberd,
member of city council and great-great-grandson of Robert Morrisson.
|
| 1945 |
| President of the Library Board, Clarence Brown,
announced on July 20 that Mrs. Bernhardt was retiring after 42 years
as librarian. Mrs. Harriet Bard, librarian of the Hagerstown Library
and graduate of the librarian school of the University of Michigan,
was named as her successor. Mrs. Bernhardt would continue serving
as secretary of the Library Board. |
 |
|
| 1949 |
 |
On October 20 Mrs. Bard was named the president
of the Indiana Library Association. |
|
| 1976
|
| Even though the new
library had been open since July 1975, the building was officially
dedicated at a luncheon held on October 10, 1976 in the Bard Room.
Here Township Trustee Grant Spears turns the library key over to Board
President Richard B. Kleinknecht. |
|
|
| 1985 |
After 40 years as Librarian, Harriet Bard retired on
the 1st of October. |
