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WR 128: Worcester County Library History Records

1 document boxes (0.50 cubic feet)

(1928 - 2007)

Bulk: 1959-1979

Worcester County Library: Genealogy and Local History Collection, Snow Hill Branch, Snow Hill, MD

Identifier:	WR 128
Creator(s):	Worcester County Libraries
Acquisition:	The Library History Collection records were donated to the Worcester County Library by the Worcester County Library system.
Language(s):	English
Use:	Records are open for research. Copyright, including literary rights, belongs to the author(s) or their legal heirs. Permission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Worcester County Library which extends beyond “fair use”.
Preferred Citation:	“Item, collection name, [Box #, Folder #,] Worcester County Library, Snow Hill Branch, Snow Hill, Maryland.”
Attribution:	Finding aid written by Nate Godfrey, May 2022.
Related Materials:	None.
Separated Materials:	None.

Abstract

The Worcester County Library History collection consists of materials concerning the establishment of the modern library system and its amenities from the 1950s to the 1970s, with some material dating from the late 1980s to 2007. Of particular note are meeting minutes, correspondence with various agencies and individual, mailing lists, membership totals, construction floorplans, and financial records.

Administrative History

The Worcester County Library system arose from the smaller local libraries that dotted the county in the 1950s. Prior the county establishment, each town maintained their own library, usually in a small, rented space in a city building. Pocomoke attempted to create a town library in the 19^th century, but documentary evidence of it beyond the idea is not documented.

Today, the Worcester County Library system has five branches in Berlin, Ocean City, Ocean Pines, Pocomoke City, and Snow Hill, as well as bookmobile services.

Scope and Content Note

This collection documents history, finances, construction, and impact of the Worcester County library system on local communities.

Series I: Official Papers: Contains mailers, bills of sale, stationary, and statistical reports compiled by libraries and the county system that was not meant for external circulation.

Series II: History: Broadly details the histories of libraries, the county bookmobile, the Worcester Room, and the Pitts Collection.

Series III: Photographs: Photographs documenting the history of the library system.

Series IV: Blueprints: Blueprints and plans for library construction and renovation.

Series V: Media: All non-photographic media, such as newspaper stories, audio cassettes, and scripts.

Series VI: Correspondence: Letters exchanged between branches, politicians, and county agencies.

Arrangement Statement

The Worcester County Library History records have been arranged into six series, OFFICIAL PAPERS, HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHS, BLUEPRINTS, MEDIA, and CORRESPONDENCE.

Folders are listed by their location in each box; any given subject may be dispersed throughout the entirety of the collection.

Subject Terms

Topical Terms

Libraries

Worcester County (Md.)--Social life and customs--20th century

Corporate Names

Kirkus Books

Pruitt Real Estate

Worcester County Library System

Personal Names

Ellison, Todd

Malkus, Frederick J.

Northam, Elsie

Skelton, Red

Location Terms

Berlin (Md.)

Ocean City (Md.)

Salisbury (Md.)

Snow Hill (Md.)

Pocomoke City (Md.)

Inventory List

Series I: Official Papers

Box 1

1|1 Mailing lists & Membership drives

1|2 Oral History forms

1|3 Staff Manual

1|4 Staff Meting Minutes

1|5 Program Resources & Techniques

1|6 Book Reviews

1|7 Pocomoke Furniture Bids

1|8 Pocomoke Library Constitution & By-Laws

1|9 Stationary

1|10 Statistical Report, 1958

1|11 Mailers

1|12 Special Library Reports

1|13 Honors for Dufrene Family

1|14 Pocomoke Treasurer’s Reports & Finances

1|15 Statistical Reports, 1953-1970

Series II: History

1|16 Pitts Collection History

1|17 Worcester County Library History

1|18 Berlin Library History

1|19 Bookmobile Materials

1|20 Worcester Room Dedication

1|21 Pocomoke Library History

1|22 Advertisements

1|23 Library dates

1|24 30^th Anniversary

1|25 Establishing Programs

Series III: Photographs

1|26 Staff photos

1|27 Photographs – Snow Hill

1|28 Garden Photos, Snow Hill

1|29 Elsie Northam, Harvey Roth Photos

Series IV: Blueprints

1|30 Unknown Library Blueprints

1|31 Pocomoke Library Blueprints

1|32 Snow Hill Library Blueprints

Series V: Media

1|33 Library board photograph

1|34 Pocomoke Library newspaper articles

1|35 Renovations

1|36 Elsie Northam, Views from Kitchen Window

1|37 ‘volunteers recognized’, 1987

1|38 Pocomoke River cassette & script

1|39 Staff News

1|40 Christmas slides & script

1|41 Arthur Cozzens - Whaleyville

1|42 Fundraisers

Series VI: Correspondence

1|43 ILL Request, Snow Hill Messenger

1|44 Snow Hill estimations

1|45 Pocomoke & Berlin Library Construction

1|46 Ocean City Library Construction

1|47 Early Correspondence

1|48 Subscriptions

1|49 Letter to Frederick C. Malkus Jr

1|50 Letter from WVDM radio station, Pocomoke City

1|51 1985 Correspondence

1|52 1986 Correspondence

Attached Documents