Histories · May 17, 1980
Twentieth-anniversary historical leaflet
Decorative cover and Patricia Gazin history, with past-presidents list and named early supporters.
Names in this record: Patricia Gazin and Patricia A. Gazin is Pat Gazin.
Text
Transcribed from the scans and checked against them by Claude. Typed text comes first; handwritten notes follow it. [illegible] marks words that cannot be read and [?] an uncertain reading.
MAY 17, 1980
The Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library is twenty years old. A little older if we are to count as do the Chinese . . . from the embryo stage. It started fomenting in 1959 when a nucleus met for an exploratory conference and by 1960 set up the formal organization.
Goals were the same as today's: to generate a heightened awareness of the library and its value to the community; to stimulate interest in books, especially among the young; to promote greater circulation and to supplement library equipment with furnishings not ordinarily come by through ordinary channels.
Early enthusiasts (including presidents listed separately) and veterans who served as officers and committee chairmen throughout the years are: Marge Ashen, Susan Behrmann, Norma Bordelon, Wilma Burt; Barbara Dennis, Betty Evans, Kolma Flake, Gloria Fredricks, Mary Hagen, Carol Hall; Cleo Lindner, Irene Mason, Sako Miho; Mrs. Stephen Owen, Ruth Pearson, Joan Purpus, Marge Pollack, Alice (Michelson) Pollard; Willa Rogers, Marguerite Russelle; Mrs. John Schmolle, Carol Tanner, Ruth Treadgold, Jacqueline Wofford.
At the time of founding of Friends, the library was housed in the building which is now Vaupel's liquor emporium, earlier the site of the local post office.
There was a persuasion in the community that the time was ripe for a new library building.
One of the avowed aims of the group was to gently encourage progress by seeking a new library. The Hermosa Beach branch is and has been since 1913 a member of the Los Angeles County system. As one of the smallest (but one of the busiest; in 1927 Hermosa ranked fifth in usage in the system) libraries in this far-flung alliance, Hermosa was well down the line in priority for a new building. Chief County Librarian John D. Henderson and staff predicted at the time that a new building for Hermosa should not be anticipated before 1973.
The Friends encouraged the city council to advance city funds for construction of the library building, with the understanding that the county would eventually purchase it.
And that is what happened.
Ground was broken for the new library November 17, 1961. Foundation was in by the following January. Hermosa's new library was dedicated and opened the same day, Friday, August 10, 1962. The building is 6400 square feet, with original capacity for nearly 22,000 volumes; cost, $115,884.91.
In the ensuing years, a steady stream of gifts to the library have included countless reference volumes, an illuminated globe, the glass display case, subscriptions to periodicals, special fiction, children's furnishings, a microfiche reader and the F.W. Flake Memorial record collection.
Friends have sponsored children's reading programs, summer parties, special events, prose and poetry contests, design contests, and prizes and gifts of all kinds. Friends also sponsored a 12-month serial display for the Bicentennial, and retirement recognition for departing librarians Dorothy Olney in 1965, Carlotta Hoye in 1967 and Kathryn Dittmar in 1975. Friends regularly sponsor seasonal displays and for years offered outside Christmas decorations until the energy shortage. . . . Patricia A. Gazin
Presidents
HELEN TRACY 1959, 1960
BEA BOND 1961
MARY EDGERTON 1962
KAY PONTIOUS 1963
CHARLOTTE ANN MALONE 1964
LORRAINE HALES 1965, 1968
BEVERLY CORBEN 1966
PATRICIA A. GAZIN 1967, 1971, 1977
DOROTHY OLNEY 1969, 1970
MARY TYSON 1972
BETTY RYAN 1973, 1974
NAOMA VALDES 1975
EVELYN BELASCO 1976
DELMA PEERY 1978
CLYDE W. MALONE, JR. 1979, 1980
Handwritten notes
• (below border) des by PAG
• (above the title) May, 1980
Show the original machine reading
Source scan page 51
MAY 17, 1980 The Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library is twenty years old. A little older if we are to count as do the Chinese... from the embryo stage. It started fomenting in 1959 when a nucleus met for an explor- atory conference and by 1960 set up the formal organization. Goals were the same as today's: to generate a heightened aware- ness of the library and its value to the community; to stimulate inter- est in books, especially among the young; to promote greater circula- tion and to supplement library equipment with furnishings not ordinarily come by through ordinary channels. Early enthusiasts (including presidents listed separately) and veterans who served as officers and committee chairmen throughout the years are: Marge Ashen, Susan Behrmann, Norma Bordelon, Wilma Burt; Barbara Dennis, Betty Evans, Kolma Flake, Gloria Fredricks, Mary Hagen, Carol Hall; Cleo Lindner, Irene Mason, Sako Miho; Mrs. Stephen Owen, Ruth Pearson, Joan Purpus, Marge Pollack, Alice (Michelson) Pollard; Willa Rogers, Marguerite Russelle; Mrs. John Schmolle, Carol Tanner, Ruth Treadgold, Jacqueline Wofford. At the time of founding of Friends, the library was housed in the building which is now Vaupel's liquor emporium, earlier the site of the local post office. There was a persuasion in the community that the time was ripe for a new library building. One of the avowed aims of the group was to gently encourage pro- gress by seeking a new library. The Hermosa Beach branch is and has been since 1913 a member of the Los Angeles County system. As one of the smallest (but one of the busiest; in 1927 Hermosa ranked fifth in usage in the system) libraries in this far-flung alliance, Her- mosa was well down the line in priority for a new building. Chief County Librarian John D. Henderson and staff predicted at the time that a new building for Hermosa should not be anticipated before 1973 The Friends encouraged the city council to advance city funds for construction of the library building, with the understanding that the county would eventually purchase it And that is what happened. Ground was broken for the new library November 17, 1961. Foundation was in by the following January. Hermosa's new library was dedicated and opened the same day, Friday, August 10, 1962 The building is 6400 square feet, with original capacity for nearly 22,000 volumes; cost, $115,884.91. In the ensuing years, a steady stream of gifts to the library have included countless reference volumes, an illuminated globe, the glass display case, subscriptions to periodicals, special fiction, children's furnishings, a microfiche reader and the F.W. Flake Memorial record Friends have sponsored children's reading programs, summer parties, special events, prose and poetry contests, design contests, and prizes and gifts of all kinds. Friends also sponsored a 12-month serial display for the Bicentennial, and retirement recognition for de- parting librarians Dorothy Olney in 1965, Carlotta Hoye in 1967 and Kathryn Dittmar in 1975. Friends regularly sponsor seasonal displays and for years offered outside Christmas decorations until the energy shortage. ... Patricia A. Gazin Presidents HELEN TRACY 1959, 1960 BEA BOND 1961 MARY EDGERTON 1962 KAY PONTIOUS 1963 CHARLOTTE ANN MALONE 1964 LORRAINE HALES 1965, 1968 BEVERLY CORBEN 1966 PATRICIA A. GAZIN 1967, 1971, 1977 DOROTHY OLNEY 1969, 1970 MARY TYSON 1972 BETTY RYAN 1973, 1974 NAOMA VALDES 1975 EVELYN BELASCO 1976 DELMA PEERY 1978 CLYDE W. MALONE, JR. 1979, 1980