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CHAPTER VI
Thrall Library - Continuity, Cramped Quarters, and Conservatism
Following the departure of Fred A. Rockwell, Helen Ludlow
was appointed Director. 'In her Annual Report, after more than
one year in her position, she outlined the Library's strengths
and weaknesses as she saw them. She reported that space was
"entirely inadequate" and "badly arranged." She wished for
modern steel stacks, adequate storage space, a children's room
with a separate entrance and exhibit space. 72
The Library's strengths as she outlined them were its good reference collection, a book collection adequate for the
community's needs, a well-rounded periodical collection,
efficient methods of circulation, a good children's Department
and a friendly helpful staff. 73
By 1949 Grace Holbert, who would shortly become Grace
Bennett, was appointed Thrall Library's sixth director. She would remain for about ten years. The Library circulated 110,870
items by 1950. Phonograph records, popular nationwide, were
becoming a big part of the circulating collection. 74 By 1956 the
record collection at Thrall numbered 500 titles, and patrons were
encouraged to submit their suggestions for new titles to the