Historic Photos from the Sandusky Library

In commemoration of National Library Week, we are sharing some historical photos from the Sandusky Library.

Cora Rehfus looks up from her duties in the adult department of the Sandusky Library in the 1940s. Note the portrait of Andrew Carnegie above the book shelves. Through the efforts of Sanduskian Mrs. Jay O. Moss, in 1899 Andrew Carnegie, wealthy philanthropist, offered to give $50,000 for a public library in our city. 

In the picture below, Miss Mary McCann, longtime Head Librarian at Sandusky Library, checks out books in the Bookmobile, which operated in the 1950s and 1960s throughout Erie County. 

Long before Netflix and Hoopla, Mrs. Louise Kuemmel inspected and cleaned 16mm films from the Sandusky Library’s circulating collection of films. The film department of the library was in the basement, where the Sandusky Library Archives Research Collection is currently located. 

In August of 1980, Sandusky Library staff was delighted to have completed its inventory project.

Pictures of Mothers from the Archives

As we think about our mothers this weekend, here is a selection of images of mothers from the historical photograph collection of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. Below is a picture of Helen Wagner Frohman, the mother of local historian Charles E. Frohman, taken in the late nineteenth century.

        

Anna Hauser Lange was the mother of Dr. Norbert Lange, long time chemistry professor and one of the benefactors of the Lange Trust. The photograph was taken by the Lloyd Studio in Sandusky.

     

Pictured below is a portrait of Mary Ellen Johnston and her three children, about 1898. She was a librarian and educator, a graduate of Oberlin College and Kent State University.

          

 This charming vintage photo of a mother and toddler seated on a porch is a photographic print made from a glass negative. Unfortunately, the individuals have not been identified.    

       

Below is a photograph of Mrs. Louise Kuemmel at a work table in the former film department of the Sandusky Library. At one time the library had a collection of 16mm films. When patrons returned the films, Mrs. Kuemmel cleaned the film, so it would be ready for the next patron. The 16mm circulating film collection was popular with local teachers.

Mrs. Kuemmel’s daughter and granddaughter both had long careers in the Library field, following in her footsteps. The former film department was located in what now is the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center.