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Trumbull library 1 Trumbull public library system History Assignment, and Governance Assignment Submitted by Hanem A. Ibrahim ILS 561- Summer 2009 Hanem Ibrahim Trumbull library 2 Introduction In this Assignment I combined two assignment ( History and librarygovernance ) of a selected large library using one of the Public Library StatisticalInformation resources. We have to provide a history of the development of thelibrary making sure that you relate the history to the relevant type of early libraryfrom which the library developed. And provide a description of the governance of the library. I selected Trumbull Public library as a suburban , medium size libraryfor this assignment Trumbull was first part of Stratford. By the late 1700s local residentspetitioned the state to become incorporated as a separate town and inOctober of 1797 the Town of Trumbull, named for the Revolutionary WarGovernor Jonathan Trumbull. After World War II when Americans beganmoving from the country's cities to the suburbs, Trumbull experiencedsignificant population growth and began to develop the residential characterthat categorizes the Town today. When the population of the town exceededthe accommodations to carry on an orderly town meeting as its legislativebody, the town authorized to adopt their own charter and method of self-government. Today Trumbull is a largely suburban community (35,000residents) with one high school, two middle schools, six elementary school,four private schools, extensive parks and recreation areas that boasts a highquality-of-life for its residents. The History of the Public libraries in Trumbull Hanem Ibrahim Trumbull library 3 The history of Public library services for Trumbull is a mixture betweenmany types of public library that existed throughout the history of publiclibrary in the United States, this history retuned back to 1920’s when allthree of the presently functioning libraries were started, two of them startedas small lending institutions located in the fire stations of theirneighborhoods, and only the Trumbull center Nichols Memorial librarystarting off with a permanent home of its own. This library was funded byMary Frances, daughter of Roswell, and Esther Nichols, a long – timeresidents of Trumbull, her brother have been shot by robbers , and shesurvived that accident, she decided to do what her beloved brother wishedto do funding a public library to the community of Trumbull center , in 1912she left in her will $10,000 for the purchase a building in the center, aftershe died in 1920 the three -member Board of Trustee was established by thewill, the new building opened on January 3rd, 1923. Lending libraries startedin Nichols section in 1922, and in Long Hill Memorial library in 1929. With thenew buildings erected with fund and bequests, they opened in their presentform as Fairchild-Nichols Memorial Library, the other two libraries closed:(Nichols Memorial library in 1929, and Long Hill Memorial library in 1937). In1958 the library committees started to discuss the idea of building a newprinciple building for the library of the town of Trumbull, and after theincrease of Trumbull’s residents, Trumbull gained self-government, then thetown was qualified to certain anticipated federal and /or State support. Hanem Ibrahim Trumbull library 4 Fairchild- Nichols Memorial Library continued to work as the main Libraryuntil the new modern central building opened in 1975.So in a little over half century the Trumbull library has evolved fromthree local lending – libraries to a system including a central modernInformation Center and a branch” Fairchild- Nichols Memorial Library”. It hasgrown from struggling independents, backed by dedicated volunteersrecruited from neighborhood church, PTA, and other community groups to aunified tax- supported municipal services. Governance structure of the Trumbull library system The Trumbull public library system composed of the Main Library andthe Fairchild- Nichols branch; it is governed by the Board of Trustee who areappointed by the political Party in Town of Trumbull, now it consists of sixDemocrats, and three Republican. The Library Board governing body isresponsible for hiring the library director, setting policies, advocacy, andfundraising. The Major Funding resources for Trumbull Library system comefrom: 1- Town of Trumbull tax dollars (property tax) (1% of it forthe library)2-Local Fundraising ( Friends of the Library raise money byBook Sale ) Hanem Ibrahim
