The Wrangell sentinel., 1938-10-28

wished to enjoy the magazines that would be available there. More books had been given to the club for the library. magazine subscriptions had been received and the interest in the project had brought many visitors to the opening which was a delightful social occasion. By per mission Of the City Council, the li- brary was housed in the City Hall, in the room facing Church Street. light and heat to be furnished by the city, the club to pay the Ii- brarian's salary, and furnish the books.
 5s Patrons
 The first library board report showed that s39 worth of magazines had been ordered and the cost sub scribed by Wrangell citizens; that the library room had been cleaned and the books hauled there; that 500 cards had been printed and that patrons would be charged 25 cents per month for library privileges; that the sawmill had donated lum- Der for bookshelyes and l. c. Bjorge the hauling of same and that T. c. Ravens had stained the shelves and painted posters without cost to the club. Patrons during that first month took out 5S library cards att 25 cents each and borrowed 153I books and seven magazines.
 The librarians salary was to bel S15 per month but in view NOf theI fact that she had to open the read- ing room each evening in addition library it had been decided to raiseI the salary to S20 per month. To pay that salary, subscribe for more mag-I azines, buy new books and incident tals, add bookcases, etc., the wOmenI gave an endless series of benefitsI to supplement the library fees andI the membership dues in the club. The upkeep of the library becamel the leading activity of the .Women'sI Civic Club but other interests were not neglected, and money was con- stantly needed.
 munlclpal support
 In April, 1925 it was decided that the library was firmly established as a civic enterprise and was rightly entitled to municipal support in theI matter of the salary for the librar-I ian. The matter was taken up with, the Council and in June of that year, the club received word thatI the city would pay the salary. That help continued until the spring off 1928 when a reorganization in rel gard to the various offices of theI Town of Wrangell was accomplished and the present system of placing all office work in charge of a City, Clerk was adopted. Then the Civic, Club was faced with the problem of again paying the librarians salary, or electing the City Clerk as librar- ian. The latter alternative was agreed upon. What the Town Coun- cil did not realize was that signing water or tax receipts with one hand and handing library books out with the other, particularly when these duties could not be performed In thel same room, was a difficult feat toI perform It was an advantage tol the library patrons to be able to get books at any time and while thereI was an assistant in the city office, it was possible to give this service, but in 1894 it was found expedientI once more to permit the Civic Club to appoint its own librarian and the city pay the salary.
 Up to the time when the City de-l cided to include the care of the li-I brary in it's official duties, the club had appointed three different li-I brarians. Miss Hofstad who served first had accepted a position in Pe-l tersburg and her mother, Mrs. Ed-l win Hofstad, had succeeded her 1nI the library. When Mrs. Hofstad left Wrangell for a time, Mrs. Josephine Mason was appointed to fill the va cancy and served until 1928. With the club once more appointing theI librarian, Mrs. Mason was re-ap-I pointed and has served since that time except for an occasional vaca- tion. In the interest of economy theI city cut the salary to $15 in 1884, and it has never been raised again. although the library patronage has grown noticeably, and the dutiesI have increased.
 Civic Club Incorporates
 The Civic Club incorporated inl 1929 under the name of the Wran- gell Women's Civic Club and Li- brary Association in order to bene- fit by the Territorial refund toI small town libraries which had been brought about through the effortsl of the Skagway Women's Club. sup ported by the other clubs of Alaska. This refund may amount to $150.00I per year but cannot exceed that sum. In other words, the Civic Club may buy as many books and subscribe for as many magazines as it can af-