Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Collection
Scope and Contents
The Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous records (circulation, petty cash, payroll, monthly, fundraising, building fund, board minutes, annual reports).
Dates
- Record Keeping: 1991 October 28
- 1915-1996
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Please send requests to heritagecenter@johnstonnc.com or through the ArchivesSpace request form.
Conditions Governing Use
The nature of the Johnston County Heritage Center’s various collections means that copyright and other information about restrictions on the use of materials may be difficult or even impossible to determine. The Heritage Center claims only physical ownership of most materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility in the use of materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal, state, county or municipal right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which Johnston County and the Johnston County Heritage Center assumes no responsibility.
Researchers are advised that the Heritage Center maintains physical stewardship of these collections under varying terms and agreements. Collections that are given to the Heritage Center are done so under a Deed of Gift agreement in which the donor transfers physical ownership rights as well as, "all right and title to... items without limiting conditions to the Heritage Center." To more fully understand rights restrictions for particular collections please consult with the Archivist or Director.
Biographical / Historical
Professor Adolph Vermont, a Johnston County, NC, School Superintendent, first asked a group of young ladies to begin the town’s collection of books in 1912. As a result of his request, Ava Myatt, Ruth Sanders, Ione Abell, Annie Ihrie Pou and others were responsible for beginning the library, which was housed in various locations.
When these ladies joined the newly established Woman’s Club, they took their library project with them and members of the club held events seeking book donations and volunteered to maintain the library for several years. The library was moved to Johnston Street in 1939, which is located behind the courthouse.
From 1941-1967, there were two libraries located side by side on Johnston Street. The Smithfield Library was used by whites, and for a number of years the Johnston County Library was maintained for use by African-Americans. Both libraries depended on funds appropriated by the Town and aid from private sources.
In 1957, when four African-Americans (Rev. John H. Bryant, Rev. F. J. Matthews, Mrs. Flonnie Smith, and Mrs. Beatrice Penny) requested service at the Smithfield Library, they were denied and told to go to the Johnston County Library for books. The African-Americans objected, however, since the county library was not open in the evenings. At that time, the group sought legal counsel and threatened to bring suit against the Smithfield Library for discrimination. However, the suit never went to court, and African-Americans were allowed to borrow books from the Smithfield Library.
A merger of the Smithfield Public Library and the Johnston County Public Library was first proposed in January, 1961, but didn’t occur until the matter was addressed again in 1963.
The property on Third and Market Streets, where the library is located today, was donated in July, 1964, and work on the new library building began in October, 1965.
In June, 1966, the County Commissioners and Smithfield Town Council approved the formation of the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield; a twelve member Board of Trustees was established, 6 appointed by the town and 6 appointed by the County. The new library was completed in January and opened to the Public on April 17, 1967.
Extent
24.25 Linear Feet (Eight boxes; 20 scrapbooks; one cardbox )
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The materials in the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield are in the original order as submitted.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Collection is one of the original collections that were accumulated in the Johnston County Room of the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield. The library has put these collections on permanent loan and physically transferred the materials to the Heritage Center upon its creation.
Processing Information
Preliminary resource record created by Phoebe Landfried, November 2019.
Source
- Lee, Margaret McLemore, 1910-2007 (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Collection
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Sandra Broome
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The Johnston County Heritage Center Repository
241 E Market St, Smithfield, NC 27577
Smithfiled North Carolina 27577 United States
(919) 934-2836