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Before Anne Hadden applied for the job in Monterey County, she had already left her job as head librarian in Palo Alto for a position working at the California state library in Sacramento. In 1911 she had begun looking for new challenges to use her talents and no doubt thought the formation of new county libraries could provide her with opportunities. While in the state library job, she had participated in a major project in Bakersfield, California, establishing the new Kern County Free Libraries. This assignment was challenging, educational, and introduced her to county library work.

In Sacramento she worked for State Librarian James Gillis, and as we shall see, he was the “father” of the new California County Library movement. He suggested to Anne that she think about applying for a County Library Certificate and sit for the examination required for the job as a county librarian. On September 30, 1911, Anne completed her application. Because she was busy working on library projects as well as studying the new county library regulations, it wasn’t until October 11, 1912 that she took the examination.

The examination was a set of five essay questions pertaining to the job of being a county librarian. Both the philosophy and the pragmatics of establishing and maintaining a county library were addressed in the questions.

The first essay question asked was about the “steps you would take to put the county free library into operation.” Anne wrote six steps. Most important were her ideas of studying the conditions in the county and consulting with “people identified with the chief interests of the county. Make a personal pilgrimage, and win as many friends for the movement as possible.” After deciding upon the location of the library, and “keeping in mind the size of the appropriation and the needs and interests of the people,” she would order books and arrange for help. Anne clearly had spent much time thinking about the processes involved in establishing the new library. Her experiences in Bakersfield contributed greatly to her knowledge.

Another question was about the relation of the California state library to a county librarian. Because she worked for the library in Sacramento, she knew about the need for cooperation between the local librarians and the state library. Anne wrote:

…I would ask assistance along any line where need arose which could not be met by the County Library. Should ask, not alone for books, but for information and advice, for I know how free and willingly such help is given, and I should stand ready to render to the State Library such assistance and cooperation as it may call for to render the Library system in California a unit for service to the State.

The last question concerned ideas regarding the cooperation in County Free Library work. She wrote: “I believe in the fullest cooperation with all movements and institutions which have been instigated and established for the public good.” We only learn in retrospect how pertinent this was for the time. The County Free Library system was the first state agency organized using the counties of the state as a foundation.

The background and knowledge about county library work that Anne acquired during these two years in Sacramento formed a sound foundation for her future experiences in Monterey County.

Anne Hadden (Courtesy of the Monterey County Free Libraries, Marina, CA)

Anne Hadden Files (Courtesy of California State Archives, Sacramento, CA)