March 10, 1936 p.3: Reading Room has Fiction on Display

“Restful Surroundings of New Library Give Diversions from Class Work”

TEAS ATTRACT STUDENTS

The reading room of the library at the Woman’s college is maintained as a comfortable, attractive place where students may go to do recreation and reading. Mrs. Minnie Hussey, readers’ adviser, is in charge of this room, and is ready to help all students select good and interesting books to read.

In the old library, which was burned in 1932, a fiction room was provided. Students gave furniture for the room; and rugs, tables; and chairs were gathered from many sources. In 1931, Miss Charlotte Newton, also in charge of circulation and a teacher in the school of library science, began an annotated catalog of fiction and non-fiction books as they came into the library.

The next year, Miss Katherine Price and Mrs. Minnie Hussey came to help Miss Newton. Attractive displays were made by the library science students. Four whole shelves of popular non-fiction books were brought up from the stacks and added to the fiction room; an addition which proved to be a happy one. In the disastrous fire of 1932, from three to four thousand books in the reading room were either destroyed or burned irreparably. All the furniture and pictures, so painstakingly collected, where damaged beyond use. In 1933 a new library was opened, with a new larger and more attractive reading room, which at present plays no small part in making the students feel at home on campus. Deep, comfortable chairs and davenports, tables; lamps, rugs, draperies, pottery, and pictures help to make the room more home-like. Popular fiction and non-fiction books are scattered around the room on tables and on shelves, and the room lacks the usual formality of a library. Students may spend odd moments during the day and at night here to good advantage. The reading room is open eight hours each day and two hours on Sunday afternoon.

Library teas are held in this room from time to time. Recent books are reviewed by townspeople, faculty members, or guests from neighboring cities; and tea is served by the library staff. Current plays are reviewed, and talks are given on a wide variety of subjects.

The reading room is an exceedingly popular place not only at tea time but at all hours of the day.