You may know Monica Shannon as the author of the 1935 Newbery Award-winning book
Dobry, but have you read her fairy tales set in California? They are remarkably descriptive and among the strangest books I’ve read in a long time. We also have her to thank, at least partly, each time we walk through the doors of the Central Library. Women's History Month marks the perfect time to remember Monica Shannon (1889-1965), the library staff member who became a Newbery Award-winning author of whimsical children’s books and, as the person in charge of the early 1920s library bond issue campaigns, played a large role in the construction of Central Library and several branches.
Portrait of Monica Shannon [n.d] Library Journal, January 1, 1930.
Monica Shannon grew up in a household of bibliophiles and storytellers which may have contributed to her choice of librarianship as a profession. She was one of the fourteen graduates from the 1915 class of the Training Class of the Los Angeles Public Library, which prepared attendees for library work. At the time, the library rented three upper floors within the Metropolitan Building at the corner of S. Broadway and W. 5th Street “in the very center of the shopping district.” For the next two years following her graduation, Ms. Shannon worked as an Attendant in the Circulation Department of the library. Something about her, perhaps her work ethic or way with people, propelled her through the ranks. By 1918, according to the library’s annual report, Ms. Shannon was the Attendant-in-Charge of the Science and Industry Department, assisting patrons with reference questions and requests which were often focused on the petroleum industry. She was soon given a new position, one that required excellent organizational and personal skills.
The Metropolitan Building location was quickly being outgrown and City Librarian Everett C. Perry understood the value of sharing the library’s plight with the city. On October 1, 1919 Monica Shannon became responsible for the newly created Department of Publicity. Her first order of business was to educate the public on the benefits of the library and the need for a “suitable central building.” An effort to highlight library departments, locations and services began in earnest in late 1919 within the Los Angeles Public Library Monthly Bulletin, given freely to patrons. Topical articles were written by Ms. Shannon or under her direction. For example, the August 1920 issue centered on the impact of branches and small locations called deposit stations. Meanwhile, another issue chronicled the history of the Los Angeles Public Library from its inception in 1872 until 1920. Thanks to these informative bulletins, Angelenos became better acquainted with the library and its contributions to the city. They more easily understood the importance of having a “Main Library” in a building the library owned that offered a sense of permanence and eliminated rent payments.
Los Angeles Public Library Monthly Bulletin, [March 1921], Google Books.
By 1921, the reasons for the library of Los Angeles to have its own building were many. Los Angeles was one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and, remarkably, the number of library patrons were multiplying quicker than the population. It required an elevator ride, at the Metropolitan Building, to access the library and it wasn’t a particularly large elevator. The library was in a great part of town but it was difficult to get to, the space was crowded and the rent was set to go up by a considerable amount within a few years. Anticipating that it may take quite some time for the approval and construction of a new library, on April 1 the Library Board of Commissioners appealed to the Los Angeles City Council to include a library bond issue on an upcoming ballot. The City Council agreed to place a $2,500,000 bond on the June 7 ballot for a library building and site.
Overcrowding in the library was a problem by 1921. [n.d.] Graham Photo Co./Los Angeles Public Library Institutional Photo Collection
https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/photos/id/96036/rec/8
City Librarian Everett R. Perry, the Board of Library Directors and Monica Shannon (as the Director of Publicity for the Los Angeles Public Library) created a plan for the bond issue drive that was impressive, all the more so when you realize it was just a four week campaign.
