- start with overall growth data and reference to Omaha paper- play with stats a bit- show that decrease actually slowed during depression. Then- this paper breaks down, in some detail, the nature of that growth, and finally looks at two MO communities. As usual I am aware I am raising more questions than providing answers, but would hope that any number of other scholars can start following the paths I am suggesting here.
Rolla, Missouri, 1938.
Very roughly library development follow population infill- the early river towns- Hannibal, St. Louis, Glasgow - west a bit for Bonne Terre, then the western side of the state- Appleton, Kansas City. In general the south and east side of the state- a bit off the river- has had the lowest population and the library situation reflects that.
: Map showing Phelps County
Phelps County has a current population of 35248 - .7% of the state's population, up from roughly .5% in 1920. The population gain over time is explained, I think, by the fact that Rolla, the county seat, is on the interstate, hosts a branch campus of the University of Missouri, and has a large federal operation centered on the U.S. Geological Survey and a nearby Army base.
: Libraries in Phelps County
Of which there are only two, St. James, and our Missouri median, Rolla.
Rolla is an almost archetypal public library- founded through the activities of women's clubs concerned with the availability of reading material for children. The library originally opened in the basement of a local school, with shelving donated by the two lumber yards in town- cataloging was donated by the librarian of the nearby Missouri School of Mines, and the Girl Scouts (Girl Guides I think, in British,) made pockets for the lending cards. Book donations and a certain amount of cash rolled in, and the library was staffed by volunteers for one and a half days a week. In April of 1938 moving to a tax supported system for both the library and city parks was proposed and passed by the voters, 388 to 31. A library board was appointed, although I cannot find a mention of a librarian at that time. By 1943 the demand was such that the tax levy was increased, and the library moved to quarters above a liquor store (!!) in the middle of town. By this time “a paid trained librarian” was on duty. In 1945 the library moved into shared quarters with the city utilities department in what had been the “Negro U.S.O Building.” Twenty years later the city acquired the former federal Post Office building, and after extensive remodeling the library took over- and they remain there to this day.