The Seventeenth International Conference on Books, Publishing & Libraries

Abstract

In order to determine how the role of the free public library in the United States has changed since the rapid expansion and development of the institution at the turn-of-the-twentieth-century, one must first consider its original purpose and actual use. Primarily, the library circulates a collection of materials and the user helps to shape this collection through her borrowing practices and/or donations. Women’s clubs were integral in establishing local public libraries in the early 1900s, and they were also heavy users of the institution: the library was one of the few public platforms open to women at the time. Using as a case study the previously unanalyzed historical accession records from one Midwestern public library, this research empirically determines the early role of the library in the lives of women through their book donations. The case study records show that women donated more books than men, and that they mostly donated novels. These trends contrast with the edifying, largely nonfiction titles recommended by the male leadership of the American Library Association and their efforts to increase male patronage. This paper presents the early role of the public library for local American women, contributing primary evidence to the discussion and illustrating one use for historical library records.