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Bloomington City Library
Bloomington
McLean County, Illinois

[McLean County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1918; by Edward E. Pierson & Jacob Louis Hasbrouck c 1921]
(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

At the entrance of the United States into the war, the Withers Public Library of Bloomington, under the leadership of its librarian, enlisted for war service, devoting all of its resources, without reserve to such activities as were within its scope. When the first call came for reading matter for the camps, two thousand magazines were collected and shipped at the library's expense. Later, one thousand magazines were sent on the Burleson plan, postage paid by the Library. On the first call made by the American Library Association for money to purchase books, the sum of twelve hundred dollars was raised, and at the call for books 3,500 were collected, furnished with pockets and cards and sent to distributing points. One hundred scrap books were made for Christmas packets for the soldiers and one hundred more blank scrap books furnished to be filled by the public. Two hundred fifty collections of stories were put into attractive bindings for hospital use. Every facility was offered for the advancement of the food and fuel conservation movement. A room was furnished for a speakers' training class, conducted by Professor C. M. Sanford of the State Normal University. Bulletins headed "Food will win the war" were posted daily. Thousands of pamphlets on food and fuel conservation and on public health were distributed and display space was furnished for posters in all Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives and all other war activities. In the lightless and heatless period ordered by the United States Fuel Commission, the library was closed on Sunday afternoons and all day Tuesdays and opened only from 12 P. M. until 6 P. M. on other days of the week. During the registration of women, by the McLean County Council of National Defense, ten thousand cards were clipped, alphabeted and filed for future reference. From the file help was furnished as called for; especially during the influenza epidemic, when the registration of nurses and nurses' aids proved to be invaluable. During 1918 the library was an agency for the sale of Thrift and War Savings Stamps with sales amounting to several thousand dollars. These sales were continued for many months after the war. A contest between the various schools of the city was conducted, resulting in much interest and large sales. The sale was also encouraged by a thrift stamp play given by the children and staged in the Children 's Room. Three rooms were vacated and given for the use of the Red Cross Civilian Relief, and Home Service Bureau and secretary's office. The Red Cross Civilian Relief was housed at the Public Library from Novem- ber 1, 1817, to January 1, 1919; also the secretary's office and Junior Red Cross headquarters, which are still here. This necessitated the fitting up of new rooms in the basement for library needs at considerable expense, and relocating the Children's Room in the Russell Art Room for the time being. The library acted in the enrollment of boys for the Boys' Working Reserve. Accommodations were furnished for the study classes in connection with the Home Service Department of the Red Cross for the regular meetings of the Red Cross Health Committee A most important service was rendered during the serious epidemic of Spanish influenza in the fall and winter of 1918-1919, when office room was furnished the Red Cross Influenza Committee and the Emergency Motor Corps. These rooms were open day and night, during the critical time. Here supplies were received and sent to sufferers in hospitals and private homes, nurses were secured and placed and every effort made to abate the plague. The Victory Loan also found headquarters at the library. Constant publicity work was carried on along all lines. Bulletins calling attention to books and articles of interest were furnished the daily papers; clippings of historic value were mounted for permanent use; large collections of war books and pamphlets were made; Govern- ment and state official documents were secured and placed where easily accessible by the public. In fact, the Withers Public Library became a sort of clearing house for both active effort and for imparting useful information in all lines of war work. The staff of the library during the war period consisted of the following persons: Miss Nellie E. Parham, librarian in charge; Miss Nelle F. Webb and Mrs. C. F. Kimball, reference department; Miss Alma Lange, Miss Sarah Stowell, Miss Havenhill, Miss Mabel Whittington, Miss Lucy Williams, and Miss Helen Niehaus. Miss Niehaus was later for a short period in the government employ at Washington during the latter part of the war. Miss Miriam Wallace had charge of the children's department, assisted by Miss Charlotte Stevenson. Ray Powell, a Wesleyan student, worked in the library for a time, but resigned to enter the army.

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