“A bigger and better library.”
This was the refrain heard often from the mouth of librarian Cleo Rogers when someone asked what she most wanted to see. From 1928 until her death in 1964, she was a dedicated and devoted servant to this community. Beginning in 1936, she was the head librarian responsible for the delivery of library services throughout Columbus and Bartholomew County.
Unfortunately, she passed away before getting to see the bigger and better library she fought so hard for. Planning for the present structure, completed in 1969, was just beginning, and I.M. Pei was hired right before her illness began. Three days before her death, the library board declared the new building being planned would be named in her honor.
Her condition, though, prevented her from ever knowing about this fitting tribute.
I often reflect about my predecessor and wonder what she would think about the state of our library today. I never had the pleasure of meeting Cleo, but I have done quite a bit of research about her and the history of our library system. Everything I have read about Cleo tells me that she believed (as we do today) in the power of libraries to change lives.
She believed the library needed to evolve and change depending on the needs of the community it served. Throughout her tenure, she implemented many of these changes. She added bookmobile service in 1959 to, in her words, “reach more people more often.” In 1953 she added films, and in 1962 music recordings were added.
Obviously, all of this is in addition to the tens of thousands of books, weekly story times and summer reading programs that emanated from the library building that stood at the corner of Fifth and Lafayette streets.
She would be pleased to see the transition from that small, overcrowded building to the 58,000 square feet available today in her namesake building. She would be happy to see the Hope Branch service started in 1966 and the new building on the square built in 1998. She would love to see the smiling faces on the hundreds of thousands of patrons we welcome every single year.
She would be thrilled to see the new teen spaces, digital underground, meeting rooms, downloadable services, adult programs, etc. All in all, she would be glad to know we still matter to our community, and be proud of how we have grown and what we have become.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the bigger and better library Cleo wanted. To that end, we will be celebrating all year long with programs dedicated to the building’s architecture, its history, the library’s future and, of course, Cleo herself. We have launched a website, cleoturns50.org, where everyone is invited to share his or her memory of the library or Cleo.
An exhibit will open on July 27 featuring items you shared in addition to the many treasures we have unearthed. From noon to 4 p.m. April 13, you will have the opportunity to be filmed about your memories to contribute to the exhibit and website, and there will be scan-a-thons and other events throughout the year. Your voice and memories are important to us.
Throughout 2019, there will be many events to celebrate the past, present and future of your Bartholomew County Public Library. We hope that you will join us as we think about the last 50 years — and imagine what the next 50 have in store.
Jason Hatton is the director of the Bartholomew County Public Library and can be reached at [email protected].
