The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-06-16
STROHM UNDER
FIRE BY PUBLIC
LIBRARY FOLK
Employees Claim to Have Been
Subjected to Tyranny by
Stats Head
SAY HE USED POWER
TO PUNISH ENEMIES
DISCRIMINATION Said To Have
Been Going On Since
Utley Quit

The employees OF the Detroit pub
lie library are finally talking right
out about the system imposed by Ii
brarian Adam Strohm, with the
knowledge and consent of The board
Of library commissioners. For about
Is months the assistants in the main
library and the branches have sub
mitted to what they have considered
tyrannical treatment. They have
ragged in secret, but they have felt
powerless TO come into the open.
Under the wise rule OF Librarian
Utley, harmony and efficiency pre-
vailed in the Libraries. When Mr..
Utley was made librarian emeritus,
and Adam Strohm was imported from
Trenton, ~ j., trouble began. The
new librarian, the assistants say, be-
gan a number OF experiments, most
OF which proved unsuccessful, but all
OF which caused a great deal OF add
tional work for the assistants. When
the schemes failed. the assistants
were blamed, they say. Disorganiza-
ton ensued. The assistants angrily
appealed TO the library commission.
The commission. TO escape trouble,
passed a rule giving Mr., Strohm COM
plete charge, and refused to hear com
plants from the assistants.
Armed with this authority, Mr..
Strohm began to make changes for
the good of the service" Assisted,
IL is claimed. by a few underlings
who babbled to him every criticism
which the underpaid overworked.
desperate, driven assistants made re-
garding the working OF the library,
Mr.. Strohm began to discipline those
whom he regarded as his enemies.
Some were sent from the main Ii
brary to the goats the branch Ii
braries. Some were dismissed
Miss Elizabeth Hurst, head Of the
reference department, one of the
most efficient assistants in the IL
brary--for Miss Hurst knew every
volume in the place, and was an In
valuable aid 10 the public-was dis
missed because. IL was said, she was
too old. IL is true that Miss Hurst
was not as spry as she once was, but
no one has been found who knows the
contents OF the library as she did, or
could make the suggestions which her
knowledge gave her the power TO
make. II was given out that Miss
Hurst had admitted TO Mr.. Strohm
that she was no longer able to keep
up -with her work.
Miss Josephine O'Flynn, who GRE
ated the apprentice class and edu-
Gated scores of assistants was ac-
cused OF breeding dissatisfaction, and
was forced out
Miss Marie Ganley, head OF the
catalogue department, is TO be re-
placed, Sept. /, by Miss Adelaide +
Evans Miss Ganley has been offered
position as assistant in the maya
zine room.
Miss Amelia Poray originated the
extension department, eight years
ago, to bring books TO the workers
who are not acquainted with the
methods OF the library. She is sched-
uled for transfer 10 the children's
branch library at Hastings and Will
kins.sts., July |. Miss Poray appealed
TO the library commission, fling an
answer to Mr.. Strohms reasons for
removing her. The commission re-
ferred the matter TO Mr.. Strohm, with
power to act.
The library report for 1913 shows
that the circulation of the main
building for that year was several
thousand volumes below the record
for 1912. The library officials say
that this is due 10 the opening of
new branches Some patrons OF the
main library have a different theory.
They insist that the service has fallen
of. due to the transfer Of those as
sistants whom MIR. Strohm imagines
his enemies and to the dismissal Of
efficient assistants long in the ser
vice.
Edward s. Piggins is the only mem
Der OF the library board who is not
In favor OF the resolution giving Lii
brarian Strohm plenipotentiary pow
ers over the assistants.
1.-THE resolution is foolish and
should not stand" he says Never
theless. ! do not believe that the en-
ploye should go over the head Of her
immediate superior"
The situation has been further COM
plicated by the fact that the library
commission has been making plans
for the new library, to be built In the
art center on Woodward-ave. The
members of the board have felt that
they canont saddle themselves with a
row that may bring the library into
i'll favor. This has helped them to
stick to their determination to give
Mr.. Strohm full sway. II is no easy
matter to secure an efficient librarian
for a plant as large as that Of De.
troit. and the commissioners have,
therefore. felt that Mr.. Strohm should
be given every opportunity TO make
good. and should have steadfast sup
port
II is expected that numDer OF
shifts in the staff will be ordered by
the library commission, in It's meet
ing, Tuesday evening. but members
Of the commission will not discuss
them. The shifts Will be reported
by the administration committee.
Librarian Strohm is i'll with rheu-
matism. and may not be able TO at
tend the meeting.