Part of Our Lives

A People's History of the American Public Library

Wayne A. Wiegand

Brings to life library patrons' perspectives to argue that for many the public library's most important function is providing commonplace reading materials and public space
Challenges a professional ethos about public libraries and their responsibilities to fight censorship and defend intellectual freedom
Demonstrates that the American public library has been (with some notable exceptions) a place that welcomed newcomers, accepted diversity, and constructed community since the end of the 19th century

Part of Our Lives

A People's History of the American Public Library

Wayne A. Wiegand

Description

Despite dire predictions in the late twentieth century that public libraries would not survive the turn of the millennium, their numbers have only increased. Two of three Americans frequent a public library at least once a year, and nearly that many are registered borrowers. Although library authorities have argued that the public library functions primarily as a civic institution necessary for maintaining democracy, generations of library patrons tell a different story.

In Part of Our Lives, Wayne A. Wiegand delves into the heart of why Americans love their libraries. The book traces the history of the public library, featuring records and testimonies from as early as 1850. Rather than analyzing the words of library founders and managers, Wiegand listens to the voices of everyday patrons who cherished libraries. Drawing on newspaper articles, memoirs, and biographies, Part of Our Lives paints a clear and engaging picture of Americans who value libraries not only as civic institutions, but also as public places that promote and maintain community.

Whether as a public space, a place for accessing information, or a home for reading material that helps patrons make sense of the world around them, the public library has a rich history of meaning for millions of Americans. From colonial times through the recent technological revolution, libraries have continuously adapted to better serve the needs of their communities. Wiegand demonstrates that, although cultural authorities (including some librarians) have often disparaged reading books considered not "serious," the commonplace reading materials users obtained from public libraries have had a transformative effect for many, including people such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Moyers, Edgwina Danticat, Philip Roth, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah Winfrey.

A bold challenge to conventional thinking about the American public library, Part of Our Lives is an insightful look into of America's most beloved cultural institutions.

Part of Our Lives

A People's History of the American Public Library

Wayne A. Wiegand

Introduction
1. 'Improv'd the General Conversation of Americans': Social Libraries Before 1854
2. For 'Plain People': The American Public Library,1854-1876
3. 'The Best Reading for the Greatest Number at the least Cost': 1876-1893
4. 'The Liberty to Read What They Will and When': 1893-1917
5. 'Habitations on a Literary Map:' 1917-1929
6. 'One Island of Refuge': 1929-1945
7. 'Winning the Battles of Daily Life': 1945-1964
8. 'An Individual Meaning to Each User': 1964-1980
9. 'Library Paste is a Precious Part of Social Glue': 1980-2000
Epilogue. 2000-Present

Part of Our Lives

A People's History of the American Public Library

Wayne A. Wiegand

Author Information

Wayne A. Wiegand is F. William Summers Professor Emeritus of Library and Information Studies at Florida State University and former director of the Florida Book Awards. Often referred to as the "Dean of American library historians," he is the author of more than one hundred articles and numerous award-winning books, including An Active Instrument for Propaganda: American Public Libraries During World War I and Irrepressible Reformer: A Biography of Melvil Dewey. In 2008-9, he was a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow to support his research on the American Public Library. He now lives in the California Bay area.

Part of Our Lives

A People's History of the American Public Library

Wayne A. Wiegand

Reviews and Awards

"Wayne Wiegand, a distinguished academic, has entered the arena with a narrative covering almost three centuries which neatly complements his previous books...This book presents a fascinating snapshot of social history in local communities, well compiled, and with a thoughtful commentary."--Library & Information History

"For impatient readers, I will cut right to the chase: this is a landmark book. Wayne A. Wiegand, if there was any doubt, is a fine historian. He is also a fine scholar and has a supple grasp of contemporary theory. This book blends both but is overwhelmingly straight-on history done chronologically, extraordinarily well documented and imaginatively researched...[A] fresh look at what is known and a fresh look at what has been overlooked...It is an excellent history that should be read throughout the profession and beyond."--The Library Quarterly

"To say that this is a powerful book is an understatement: the author intersperses statistics with hundreds of personal stories, weaving a narrative that is both scholarly and down-to-earth at the same time, illustrating how changes and directions within public libraries were influenced by the challenges of the time while still affecting the lives of their patrons one person at a time...[R]eally enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it as a 'feel-good' book full of stories and statistics related to how the American public library has made a mark on the lives and communities it has served during the last two hundred years."--Brad Eden, Journal of American Culture

"This is a must-have book for all public, library-school, and college libraries and one that should be read by all librarians."--starred review, Booklist

"Millions of us have come through public library doors to find purpose, shelter, story, a sense of belonging, and much, much else. As Part of Our Lives reminds us, this legacy deserves the investment of hard work and imagination that will be required to keep the doors open."--Los Angeles Review of Books

"In seeking the patron's perspective, Wiegand finds that the library's role in popularizing reading and providing community spaces is just as crucial to the people the library serves."--Publishers Weekly

"[C]ompelling and oftentimes amusing read..."--Library Journal

"Readers interested in public libraries, but also American economic, political and social history will find this book fascinating."--Billings Gazette

"Wiegand is as much a historian of reading as he is of libraries and librarianship. This means he is in a position to mount a strong defense of the value of leisure reading--its power to inform, bond, and enlighten, as much as entertain--on the context of the public library, past and present."--Alistair Black, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois

"This lively and engaging book explores Americans' love affair with their local libraries. Brimming with fascinating detail and vivid comments from ordinary library patrons, Wiegand's account shows how this key public institution has captivated those it sought to serve for more than 150 years by enabling them to find information they needed, a quiet yet social place for reflection and reading material to fill enjoyable leisure. Part of Our Lives should be read by everyone who remembers the thrill of getting that first library card, feeling spellbound during story hour, or the satisfaction of finding the perfect book."--Janice Radway, Professor of American Studies, School of Communication, Northwestern University

"Authored by one of the titans of American library history, this volume is a celebration of the transformative role public libraries have played in US society since the second half of the 19th century...A good read for anyone, librarian or not."--CHOICE

"I finished Part of Our Lives appreciating its readability and the ground-level perspective it provided readers A Part of Our Lives expands one's contextual understanding of libraries Anyone teaching a course in United States history or the history of American education would benefit from what Wiegand has to offer because of the connection between schools and libraries in society."--History of Education Quarterly

"With most histories over the decades emanating largely from practitioners and educators in the library field, a persistent criticism has been researchers' reluctance to engage more fully with the literature and methodologies of wider history and other disciplines. There are exceptions to this pattern, however; and Wayne Wiegand is categorically one of them. His work has embraced the 'new history' of recent decades, including the use of critical cultural theory, especially that relating to place and community. For good reason, Wiegand is regarded as the 'Dean of American library history studies'."--Social History

Part of Our Lives

A People's History of the American Public Library

Wayne A. Wiegand

From Our Blog

Between the stacks - Episode 26 ' The Oxford Comment

Aside from announcing the start of another academic semester, September also marks an essential, if lesser-known, national holiday celebrated since 1987: Library Card Sign-up Month. Once a year, the American Library Association (ALA)'working in conjunction with public libraries across the country'makes an effort to spotlight the essential services provided by libraries now and throughout history. But what, exactly, are the origins of the American public library?

Posted on September 3, 2015

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