The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-15
By FLORA mrLNER HARRISON

books were given to the public schools. They were moved to the old Wright
 building on Third avenue and Nine teenth street, where the second floor had been leased for the high school. It was divided into two class rooms. an assembly room, superintendent office and reception room, which was con- verted into a library
 By means of entertainments, given principally by the high school, 300 vol
 umes. most of them second hand, were
 added to the library. Lectures and
 musicales were given, and books of any
 kind were accepted in lieu of admission
 fees. Mrs. Guenandon, cultured
 woman who was in sympathy with the
 efforts to secure a library, gave 100
 books. Judge A o. Lane. then mayor
 of Birmingham. gave money with which
 to buy table, chairs and shelving for
 the library. No librarian was em-
 ployed. Dr. Phillips cataloged the
 books, and he and his secretary acted
 as librarian. pr, Phillips is the only
 person who has been actively inter
 estsd in Birmingham's library from that
 time to the present. When the library was being estab- lished each of the grammar schools as well as the high school gave at least one entertainment each year for the library fund. Entertainments were rare and there were few amusements. These school entertainments were given at O'Briens opera house and were att
 tended by almost the whole of Bir- mingham and so the library was one of
 the first community interests.
 A secondhand library was bought .sone which contained 300 valuable old
 hooks. At that time books were more iexpensive and more highly prized than
 they are now and each addition to the
 | il,.a -t.~ la iment.
 In 1890 the high school and the library were removed from their downtown quarters to the. Enslen building on the corner of Park ave hue and Twentyfirst street large room was reserved for the library. the books were displayed in cases along the walls. the reference books were placed on long tables and magazines and periodicals were at the disposal of school children and the public. Edu- cational literature was added for the teachers
 Until 1891 the library was used
 chiefly by the teachers and schoo children. It was then formally opened to the public and an annual member ship fee of s2 was charged This transformation into circulating I library was an important event. Tn, daily papers praised 1t and editorials and contributed articles gave it wide publicity. About 150 memberships wer, secured. while the teachers were giver free memberships as their entertain- ments contributed so largely to the fund.
 1 When it was launched as a publi, | library 1t contained 2000 volumes and was advertised as thes largest public 1 library in Alabama. small room ad- ! joining the main room was fitted as 2 reference room and contained diction. aries. lexicons. encyclopedias and ref erence works to which the high school students had free access. Dr. Phillips l and his stenographer continued to act
 as librarians.
 The board of education and tho teachers felt considerable pride in the success of the little library for which they had exerted so much effort Vari- ous methods were tried, with varying success, to create greater interest in the library. One plan was to issue life memberships in the library. These were to cost $25 and were to be obtained by request rather than through solicit ing. Soon a check for $25 was received