, 1922-07-13
FREE READING
ROOM IS open
WHAT IS HOPED WILL PROVE STEPPING
STONE TO PUBLIC LIBRARY
LAUNCHED SATURDAY

Inc culmlnatlOn OF weeks ana
months of patient planning and hard
work on the part of a number of de-
voted women came Saturday when
their dream of a free reading room
for Rawlins became a reality and
was formally opened to the public.
| Now that the ice is broken these
same faithful workers declare that
they will never in their en-
deavors for the uplift of this COM
munity until this city has a COM
modious and we'll stocked public
library. to which residents may point
with pride, when asked by strangers,
Where is the Public Library?"
Rawlins' free reading room and
library is at present housed in two
rooms on the second floor of the
Osborne building, with Mrs. Chester
Barnes in charge as librarian, and
for the present will be opened only
on Tuesday and Friday afternoons
from 2:3O to $50, and on. Friday
evenings from 7 to 9. There are
about 800 books already available
and which may be withdrawn by
those having library cards. The
| work Of cataloguing this assortment
library rules, was no small task, and
was done under the supervision of
Mrs. Pearl Miller, who is accorded
special credit by those in charge of
this forward civic movement.
At the opening on Saturday were
members of the various committees
who have contributed time and effort
to making possible the event which
was being celebrated and a number
of the younger set, who served re-
freshments to visitors. A "silver
plate free will offering was taken,
which received a generous response.
This money will be used for the pur-
chase of additional magazines. The
library already has subscriptions to
fifteen Of the leading periodicals, but
store are needed for the smaller boys
and girfs.
Funds which have been raised for
the establishment of a reading room
and library have been contributed
largely through the efforts Of the
Delphian Society, which %organi1a-
tions have jointly sponsored and pro-
NOTED the work from its. inception.
Each Of these societies appointed
two members to act on the joint
committee. First a book drive"
was put on, with the result that
nearly 500 volumes were either do
mated at the time or pledged. The
next move was the tag day which all
recall, and which proved successful
beyond all expectations and in re-
suits ranks nex to the tag day for
the benefit of the Memorial Hos
pital.
The Library and Reading Room
committee referred to was made up
of the following: Mrs. A: J. Roster,
chairman: Miss Christel Thode, sec
rotary; Mrs. Casia Martinez, treas
urer: Mrs. G. A. Bible, Mrs. w. w.
Daley. Mrs. Tony Stratton, Mrs. Carl
Aman, Mrs. j. T Mahan and Mrs.
H. H. Nelson. To these and other
workers in the three societies the
people of Rawlins owe the fact that
a reading ROOF and circulating
library are now features of city life.
Mention in addition to the above
should be made Of the various lon,
ors of gifts to the new library. who
are 81 numerous as to make indi-
vidual enumeration out of the ques-
tion. The lodges OF the city do
mated cash and books, while bust
ness and professional men contrib
uted merchandise and materials, as
we'll as labor and advice, all well
come, all necessary and all most
gratefully received by the committee
in charge, the members of which
wish the thanks of the committee
and Of the individual members OF
the Lioness. P. E. o. and Delphians.
extended through the columns OF
The Republican.