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The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library (EVPL) is a public library system serving Evansville and Vanderburgh County in Indiana, USA. The EVPL also supplements the services provided by the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and has the authority to approve the tax levy of the independently run and operated Willard Library.〔''State Willard Library v. Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library'', Ind. Ct. of Appeals, No. 82A01-0510-CV-479.〕 The EVPL had a total circulation of 2,922,126 and had 1,842,085 in-person visits to its system in 2013, making it one of the largest public library systems in Indiana.〔EVPL Statistics〕 EVPL was rated a five star library by the Library Journal, which places it in the top 1% of public libraries in the U.S.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/nov/13/no-headline---library/ )〕 EVPL also obtained a Top Ten library ranking in the 2010 edition of Hennen's American Public Library Ratings, achieving a number eight ranking within its population category.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.haplr-index.com/HAPLR100.htm )〕 == History == Evansville's public library system was started in 1848 in the county auditor's office. John Ingle, Jr. was given money to purchase 1,000 books with money that was approved by the county commissioners. The books were stored in the County Auditor's Office at the old courthouse at Third and Main Streets. The Evansville Library Association was formed in 1855 and Mr. Ingle served as its first President. One thousand shares of stock were authorized at $30.00 per share Stock holders and patrons paying $5.00 a year were able to borrow books. At this point the books were kept at a building at First and Main Streets. In the 1850s and 1860s Pigeon Township, the Mechanics' Association and a local group of Catholics also opened libraries.〔 By 1874 the County Library had amassed about 3,500 books, but that year the library association closed and gave its books to the city for free public use.〔 Therefore a new city library was planned and governed by the school board.〔 It was funded through a newpenny tax and located in the former German Reformed Church building at the corner of Seventh and Vine Streets. This library closed in 1885 and gave its collection to Willard Library when it opened. The foundation for what is now the EVPL began in 1908 when the West Side Business Association decided it wanted to expand library services to that area and sent a request to Andrew Carnegie for funds to build four locations for a new library system in Evansville. Carnegie ultimately offered $50,000 for two locations if the city provided the land.〔 He gave the money to the city in 1911 and two new branches - what is now the East and West Branches - opened on January 1, 1913.〔 Both branches are still operational. Carnegie also gave $10,000 to establish the Cherry Street Library to serve the city's black community.〔 It opened in 1914. Miss Ethel McCollough, for whom the McCollough Branch is named, became head librarian during the 1920s. She provided the leadership which brought great improvements to the Evansville library system. In 1922 she and the library commissioned a neighborhood survey that sent a citizen's advisory committee out on several hundred home visits. Historians have described the Evansville survey as "exceptional for its time", because it relied neither on impressionistic observations nor on indirect sources like circulation records.〔Evans, Charles. "A History of Community Analysis in American Librarianship". ''Library Trends'' 24(3), January 1976. 446-448.〕 File:East Branch.JPG|The East Branch Library shortly after it opened in 1913 File:Ethel.JPG|Ethel McCollough, center, poses with library staff on the steps of the Coliseum File:Children's Museum of Evansville.jpg|The Children's Museum of Evansville, once home to the Central Library 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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