Public Libraries Recorded on the Kansas State Census

Public Libraries Recorded on the Kansas State Census, 1875 and 1885 Cherié L. Weible, Interim Associate Dean for User Services

Census questions, collection, data • Kansas Session Laws, 1875 • The number of public libraries, number of volumes in; • The number of private (family) libraries, number of volumes in. • 1875, Schedule 5 • Also asked about crops, livestock, manufacturing, pauperism and crime • 1885, Schedule 3 • Added questions also asked about mining, newspapers, schools, and churches

1875 Kansas State Census • Sixty-nine counties in Kansas • Many established as early as 1855 when Kansas was a territory • Image from Palmyra Township, Douglas County, Kansas • Two public libraries with 1, 200 volumes • Twelve family / private libraries with 1, 000 volumes

1885 Kansas State Census • 105 counties in Kansas • Image from Walnut Township, Crawford County, Kansas • One public library with 30 volumes • Numerous family / private libraries with volume counts • Some communities without newspapers • Many communities without access to railroads

Results and Conclusions • How were citizens accessing reading materials? • Private / family libraries • “None except such is common in families such as bibles, school books, and histories” Wilson County, Kansas, 1875 • Public libraries • Variety of ways that Public libraries gained foothold in fledgling frontier communities • • “Traditional” city public libraries Subscription libraries convert to public Masonic libraries Sunday school libraries University and college libraries Law office libraries Railroad libraries

Mapping and visualization with GIS