ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Library service in Montgomery County originated in 1869 when a group of Rockville and other area residents assembled in the County Courthouse to plan a joint stock library. At this time E. Barrett Prettyman, Esq. presented a Constitution and By-laws that he had prepared at the request of some interested gentlemen. The constitution was subsequently adopted after some modifications. Article 1 of the 1869 Constitution stated that "This Association shall be styled the Rockville Library Association of Montgomery County, the object of which shall be to procure books by purchase or otherwise and preserve them for use and benefit of its members." The first building of the Association was a room over George Peter Esq.'s law office and the borrowing of books was restricted to members. Most of the members were men, although some of their wives also joined.

In 1893 a group of private citizens in Kensington established the Noyes Library. The library was named for its prime benefactor, newspaper publisher Crosby S. Noyes. From 1893 until 1950, independent public or subscriber funded libraries provided limited services to residents of southern Montgomery County. Nine independent library associations operated facilities located in Bethesda, Four Corners, Gaithersburg, Garrett Park, Kensington, Rockville, Sherwood, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.

The County's good-government movement of the 1930s and 1940s included local agitation for an improved County supported public library service. In 1945 the Maryland Legislature passed the State Library Law which provided matching state funds for County library systems, based on a County's population. During the late 1940s, the Montgomery County League of Women Voters lobbied for the creation of a County library system and succeeded in proposing legislation. The County Council rejected it in 1949 but appointed a Library Advisory Committee. In its report to the Council, the committee recommended the creation of a County-wide public library system.

On May 31, 1950, the County Council passed the County Library Law of 1950, which created a Department of Public Libraries administered by a professional librarian and advised by a Library Board. The act also empowered the County Librarian and Director to negotiate the acquisition of the independent libraries in forming a system of branch libraries. The Library Board was appointed by the Council soon after passage of the law, but the first director did not assume office until February 1951. The Department absorbed seven of the nine independent libraries before July of that year. The Bethesda Library Association transferred its facility and collections to the County on July 1, 1952, but the Rockville Library Association did not follow suit until July 1, 1957.

Under the County's auspices, library service became more equitable. In 1951, the Department of Public Libraries expanded library service into rural and fledgling suburban areas through bookmobiles. The Department and Library Board in conjunction with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission formulated a series of regional and community libraries in order to meet the needs of both densely and sparsely populated areas. During the early 1960s, the Library Board and Director began anticipating the growth of the system through annual "Facilities Master Plans." By 1965, the County system was comprised of 14 branches. The modernization of the system continued in the 1980s with the addition of a computerized circulation system and expansion to 24 branch libraries.

The Department of Public Libraries has been administered by four directors: George Moreland, who served from 1951 until 1969; Norman Finkler from 1969 until 1980; Agnes Griffen from 1980 to 1996, and Harriet Henderson, who was appointed director in 1997.

PROCESSING PROCEDURES

General processing procedures consisted of discarding duplicates, unnecessary binders, and routine transmittals. Oversized documents and photographs were removed from the original location in their assigned series and placed in separate containers. Separation sheets were inserted in the original location within the folder to indicate the new location of any records placed elsewhere.

Preservation copying of newspaper clippings was performed whenever feasible. Records in folders were arranged, unless otherwise indicated, in forward chronological order, with undated records appearing at the end of the folder.

PROVENANCE

Not applicable.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The records of the Department of Public Libraries and its Directors comprise 3.33 cubic feet and cover the years primarily between 1931 and 1985. Records include correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, and publications dating primarily from 1950 to 1980; however, they also consist of material predating the creation of the Department when library service was provided by independent, local libraries. Records detail the creation of the department, and its organizational structure, policies, and functions. Other topics include the incorporation of the independent libraries into the County library system and its expansion during the late 1960s to 1970s. The collection also contains correspondence and memoranda from the Department of Public Libraries History Project that produced A Grateful Remembrance. The record group has been arranged into three series:

Series I: Branch Files

Series II: Correspondence Files

Series III: Director's Files.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I: Branch Files, 1908; 1931-1985 (2.5 cu. ft.)

The branch files document the library system's formation and expansion. Included in the series are records from seven of the nine independent libraries: Bethesda, Four Corners, Noyes, Sherwood, Silver Spring, Rockville, and Wheaton. Much of this material is concerned with the incorporation of these independent libraries into the County library system, although there are several comprehensive files of the Silver Spring, Rockville, and Sherwood branches, spanning pre-incorporation years.

Materials include receipts, financial reports, book inventories, book circulation statistics, newspaper clippings, and photographs.

Folders are arranged in alphabetical order by branch title.

Series II: Correspondence Files, 1969-1982 (0.63 cu. ft.)

This series reflects the issues faced in the daily administration of the County library system. The correspondence contained in the series deals with a variety of subjects, including budgets, employee relations, risk management, and capital planning. The correspondence was directed toward and originated from County departments and citizens. The bulk of the material covers the period of 1977 to 1980.

Arrangement is alphabetical by department.

Series III: Director's Files, 1951-1982 (0.20 cu. ft.)

This series consists of material from Department Directors George Moreland and Norman Finkler. In addition, the series contains correspondence and memoranda relating to the Historic Review Committee project that produced A Grateful Remembrance, a joint undertaking of the library and the Montgomery County Historical Society.

The series is arranged in alphabetical order.

Box 1

Series I: Branch Files

Aspen Hill 1965-1967

Bauer Drive & Route 28 1971-1977

Bethesda 1950-1964

Bethesda 1971-1976

Bookmobile 1954-1979

Central 1957-1967

Chevy Chase 1963-1977

Damascus 1970-1983

Davis 1962-1980

Detention Center 1971

Four Corners 1948-1981

Gaithersburg 1951-1981

Gaithersburg, North 1969-1981

Garrett Park 1951, 1966-1972

Germantown 1972-1977

Kensington Park 1964-1974

Little Falls 1957-1976

Long Branch 1972-1980

Noyes 1908, 1947-78

Olney 1965-1982

Poolesville 1974-1980

Potomac 1973-1977

Rockinghorse 1955-1965

Rockville

Annual/Monthly Reports 1938-1957, 1971-1973

Book Inventories 1950-1969

Correspondence 1949-1966

General 1949-1971

Box 2

Minute Book 1869-1876

Newsletters 1950-1957

Newspaper Clippings 1934-1985

Photographs 1950s, 1974

Sherwood

Book Circulation Records 1948-1952

Book Circulation Records 1952-1962

General 1950-1978

Minutes

Advisory Committee 1952-1955

Library Association 1948-1951

Operating Committee 1948-1951

Photographs 1956

Silver Spring

Annual Meeting Notification 1934-1950

Annual/Monthly Reports

Librarian 1936-1940

Librarian 1941-1945

Librarian 1945-1950

Treasurer 1932-1940

Treasurer 1941-1951

Other Committees 1932-1946

Architects' Drawings 1954

Book Circulation Records 1938-1946

Book Circulation Records 1946-1950

Budget 1932-1951

Building & Site 1937-1955

Constitution & By-Laws 1931-1949

Correspondence

General 1931-1951

Nominating Committee 1931-1950

Treasurer 1941-1950

County Library System 1947-1951

General 1932-1949

Membership 1931-1945

Minutes

Library Association 1931-1950

Trustee's Board 1932-1940

Trustee's Board 1941-1951

Box 3

Receipts 1940

Receipts 1941

Receipts 1942

Receipts 1943

Receipts 1944-1948

Receipts & Disbursement Ledger 1940-1945

Receipts & Disbursement Ledger 1945-1947

Resumes 1936-1950

Tax Levy 1936-1947

Twinbrook 1958-1979

Wheaton 1950-1962

Wheaton 1979-1983

White Oak 1965-1977

Box 4

Folder 1: Rockville Public Library Book of Accessions, c.a. 1956-1959

Folder 2: Rockville Public Library Book of Accessions, c.a. 1940s

Series II: Correspondence

Departmental

Budget & Research 1977-1979

CAO 1977-1978

CAO 1979-1981

County Executive 1977-1981

Employee Relations 1974-1978

Facilities & Services 1971-1979

Memoranda to Staff 1977-1982

Office of Planning & Capital Programming 1977-1979

Personnel 1977-1979

Purchasing thru Transportation 1977-1979

Suggestions & Complaints 1977-1978

Suggestions & Complaints 1978-1980

Box 5

General 1969-1977

General 1978-1980

General 1980-1982

Series III: Director's Files

Administrative Council Minutes 1980-1982

County History Program 1975-1976

George Moreland 1951-1969

Proposal for Inventory Circulation Control System 1980

Suburban MD Library Project 1967-1970