Abnormal Interests

Local libraries and their support groups turn to a wide variety of fund raising activities. Recently, Shirley and I spent a wonderful afternoon at a High Tea and "Fashion Show" for our local Pomona Public Library. An event sponsored by the Friends of the Pomona Public Library. It was well worth the few dollars in admission and raffle ticket costs. But it was also a little sad. The library operating budget is at risk and some of the money needed is being raised $10.00 to $20.00 at a time. Shirley and I have had a long term relationship with The Pomona Public Library. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Pomona Public Library Foundation whose charter is to raise money for various library projects in chucks considerably larger than $20.00.

Take a moment and think about the various services that your local library provides in addition to loaning books. I'd like to hear about them.

Here are a few that our Pomona Public Library provides:

• Children's Services - including Dial-a-Story service that presents a new story each week for young children
• Adult Reference - library patrons may request services either in person, by telephone, FAX, mail or e-mail
• Literacy Services - free adult literacy services
• Internet & Public Access Computing including a computer training lab with of 22 PC workstations
• Passport Services

Then there are the special collections including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Collection:

The handwritten manuscript of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Town on the Prairie is the heart of the Pomona Public Library’s Laura Ingalls Wilder Collection. The donation resulted from the friendship between Mrs. Wilder and Miss Clara Webber, the Pomona Public Library’s children’s librarian from 1948-1970. Mrs. Wilder gave the manuscript to the library in 1950 when the previous library building was remodeled and rededicated. The children’s room was named the “ Laura Ingalls Wilder Room” at that time. [Read More]

And the Frasher Foto Collection containing approximately 60,000 prints and negatives and its digital archive:

The Frasher Foto Postcard Digitization Project has enabled the Pomona Public Library to select, scan and display on the Project's Web site, more than 5000 representative images from our Frasher Foto Postcard Collection. The Project was made possible by a grant of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds through the California State Library for FY 2002-2003. [Read More]

There is also a magnificent doll collection. Take a look.

Other special collections include:

• Californiana - over 3,000 books pertaining to California History
• Citrus Box Labels - approximately 4,200 labels, the largest collection of any public library in the nation
• Padua Theater/Mexican Players Collection - playscripts, scores, photos, theater programs and artifacts
• The Clara Webber Collection of Historic Children’s Books
• Microfilm of various California newspapers going back to the time of the founding of the library
• Genealogy Collection - containing over 3,000 books

One can always find people studying, reading and using the computers at the Pomona Public Library. Scholars studying the history of California and other disciplines who can take advantage of its special collections also use it.

On June 6, 1887, The Pomona Public Library and Floral Association (Can you believe it?) met to make plans to use money raised at flower shows to fund the library. On September 10, 1887, the Pomona Public Library opened with 400 books in a single rented room in downtown Pomona. As you can see form the picture, it has grown.

Built in 1965, the Pomona Public Library building has two levels, containing over 57,000 square feet of useable space. [Read More]

I'd like to hear about your local public library.