Springfield Library
From Lane Co Oregon
Judy Harold has seen a lot change in the 43 years she’s been involved with the Springfield Public Library. But that’s not even the half of it.
Throughout this month, the library is celebrating a century of growth, marking the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1908 with a series of events centered on Saturday’s community gala. The free party will include music, entertainment, various children’s activities and birthday cake.
The celebration offers plenty of incentive for both the library itself and its patrons, said Harold, who was a staff librarian for 26 years before her retirement in 2006.
“Yes, we like taking this opportunity to become more visible — it’s a great opportunity to do that — but I think more, we really do think of it as an opportunity to thank people for supporting us,” she said.
The Springfield Public Library has come a long way since a group of Springfield women first met on April 13, 1908, with the idea of forming the library. Their first fundraiser collected a total of $65.10 to get the project off the ground, according to a written history of the library compiled in 1958 by historian Crystal Fogle.
A year later, in 1909, Springfield’s librarian earned a monthly salary of $2.
The decades that followed saw several location changes for the library as it continued to outgrow its confines. They also saw financial struggle — library staff often had to hold off on buying books to add to the collection, and the 1927 purchase of a set of “Roosevelt’s Complete Works” left the library with just 2 cents in its treasury.
Things eventually stabilized before the library moved again in 1958 to its former location on A Street, in the old City Hall downtown. In 1981, the Springfield library moved a few blocks to its current location on nearby Fifth Street.
Today, the Springfield Public Library maintains an inventory of about 180,000 items — including books, CDs and movies, among other things — and circulates about 27,000 of those each month, Interim Director Debbie Steinman said.
The library still plays a large part in the Springfield community, serving hundreds of patrons each day, even if its role has changed slightly. In recent years, Steinman said the library’s focus has shifted toward providing access to technology to people who can’t easily afford it.
“People can come into the library, and you don’t have to pay for those connections,” Steinman said.
“I look around at a lot of people using (the Internet), and I know a lot of them don’t have it at home.”
But not everyone just cruises MySpace or YouTube. Steinman said she often sees users working on résumés or applying for jobs online.
One thing hasn’t changed in 100 years. Volunteers are still vital to the library’s success today, just as they were in 1908, Harold said.
“I think that was always something that was real critical to the inception of this library,” she said. “It started out as a community library with volunteers, and we still are lucky to have volunteers that in fact do all of our shelving.”
And in the face of an ever-present budget crunch, volunteer work has become even more important as the library tries to make ends meet.
There are generally 30 to 45 volunteers who work during any given time of year (there are only 12 permanent staff members), although many come and go depending on the season, Steinman said. They collectively log about 3,500 hours per year.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” Steinman said.
One such volunteer is Springfield resident Brandy Wilson, who spent a recent Monday morning shelving books near the library’s reference section. In about a year of volunteering, Wilson said she’s enjoyed being able to find useful books for her 13-year-old daughter’s home schooling, and working in a positive atmosphere.
“The ladies and people here are just wonderful,” Wilson said.
Following this month’s 100th anniversary celebration, library staff say they hope there’s plenty more growth in store for the future. Although no concrete plans are currently in the works, Harold and Steinman both said they’d like to see the library move to a larger location that could serve more of Springfield.
The library’s current space is filled to capacity. Some books are stored in the back rooms, Steinman said.
For now, the Springfield Public Library will take advantage of the opportunity to reach out to its community, Steinman said.
“I think it’s important to celebrate the milestones,” she said. “It’s important for the community to know that it’s been here that long and to reflect on how far it’s come.”
Saturday’s gala will include music by the Springfield High Jazz Ensemble (from noon to 1 p.m.), a welcome from Mayor Sid Leiken and Steinman (1 p.m.), Portland juggler Charlie Brown (1:15 p.m.) and a performance by the Old-Time Music Players (2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m.).
Throughout the event, there will be birthday cake available, visits from Clifford the Big Red Dog and Pig from “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” balloon twisting, a musical book walk for children with book prizes, and historical displays in the library and the nearby City Hall Gallery.
Later this month, the 100th anniversary celebration continues with a reading and discussion by local award-winning mystery and science fiction author Kate Wilhelm, at 7 p.m. April 22 at the Wildish Theater, 630 Main St.
Among Wilhelm’s numerous awards are the Hugo and Nebula, the Kurt Lasswitz Award from Germany and the Prix Apollo from France. Wilhelm’s work has been translated into more than a dozen languages.
On April 28, the library will observe Dia de los Ninos, or Day of the Child, recognizing the International Rights of Children. The music, games and refreshments will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sponsors of the 100th anniversary celebration events include Cressey Charitable Trust; John Dewenter, attorney-at-law; SELCO; Siuslaw Bank; Emerald Property Management; Brandt Financial Services; Springfield Utility Board; Springfield Buick; Jerry’s Home Improvement Center; Pacific Source Health Plans; ING Financial Advisers; and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce.
