Nezavisle ceske elektronicke noviny *** *
Knihovna Webster * Cislo 5 * 1996
For the original article in Czech click here.
Webster, wing of the New York library To where did the Czech literary treasure disappeared?
Josef Schrabal
Other reference about the Czech Manhattan: To byla ceska narodni budova (That was the Czech National House)
When in January, 1904 in the City of New York at the East side of Manhattan merged together three libraries (including the new-settlement on 76th Street), chief of this wing of the New York Library became in an unusually young age of 25 Mr. Edwin White Gaillard who was working here already since 1897.Gaillard was also an enthusiastic member of the Atlanta Boat Club, which was racing on the Harlem River. When the Bohemian Boat Club defeated his celebrated club, Gaillard developed a friendly relation with many members of this Czech club that were also members of his library. In 1989 they were awarded with $30 (which was quite a sizable amount of money that time) which became a foundation of the Czech library, which, thereafter was growing quite rapidly.
When in 1906 this Webster wing was relocated into a new building on Avenue A (York Avenue these days), the library ordered 1 500 new Czech books and the new "Czechoslovak Division" occupied the entire third floor of this library.
When in 1902 Gaillard was promoted to a Superintendent of schools, his position was assigned to his assistant Clara Sackett (she became later in 1902 Mrs. Gaillard). After her, Mr. Zaidee C. Griffin was the chief until 1939.
Chief of the Czech section on the third floor was nominated Ms. Lida Matulka, born in the Czechland in 1893. She was quickly recognized as a Czech personality because of her work for the Czech settlement in the US.
In 1911 the Czech collection was so voluminous that it was necessary to print a catalog in English with description of all the books so as to serve to other libraries as a reference. It consisted of more than 5 000 books and 25 newspapers and magazines.
"Material was loaned to Washington, Chicago and Paris. It also became a source of information to many people such as Tomas G. Masaryk and Eduard Benes, that time organizing the National Alliance (Narodni Sdruzeni)and played important roll in creation of Czechoslovakia "
Under the direction of Karl Leitner, to the library was added a magnificent collection of musical works. It was possible to find here all and complete works of Dvorak and Smetana just as popular operettas such as Rudolf Friml's. Here lovers of music could study and enjoy works that was not available anywhere in the US. It served well to musicians of all nationalities.
The library organized a foundation to supply financing for purchase of writings of Czech authors. Rudolf Ruzicka not only directed what to buy but also acted as a purchasing agent for the books ordered.
The library also organized a Czech school for children to perfect the language of their parents. It was attended by more than 200 pupils monthly. For the Czech settlement it provided concerts, presentations, speeches, reading of poems, expositions of art and Czech forclore. Simply the library became a Centrum of the Czech village at East Manhattan.
Also two editors published two Czech newspapers: Karel Leitner the Newyorske Listy (Newyork Herald) and Vaclav Sperakus the Hlas Lidu. (Voice of People).
During the First World War the Czechoslovak collection in the Webster library became a source of propaganda. Material was loaned to Washington, Chicago and Paris. It also became a source of information to many people such as Tomas G. Masaryk and Eduard Benes, that time organizing the National Alliance (Narodni Sdruzeni) and played an important roll in creation of Czechoslovakia. Many of these books were the only source available to the West.
After the First World War many important people from Czechoslovakia were frequent visitors of the library. After 1920 it was again possible to obtain books from the old country. Lida Matulka immediately after the war visited Prague and then in 1930 and in 1939 bought more than 12 000 Czech and Slovak books, many very precious and quite expensive.
In 1920, after Conrad Berkovic, author of celebrated Around the World in New York visited this library he declared it the largest Czech library on this continent.
" two editors published two Czech newspapers: Karel Leitner the Newyorske Listy (Newyork Herald) and Vaclav Sperakus the Hlas Lidu. (Voice of People)."
More than 50 000 Czechs and Slovaks lived here near Avenue A (now York) between East 65 and East 80th Street. It was a Czech village and the Webster library its center.
According to John S. Robothan, a librarian, in 1932 attendance of the library reached the record of some 57 000 visitors, but thereafter was gradually declining. Many of the emigrants relocated to suburbs. (True, the family of my wife Eleanor, born in 1931 near the Gracie Mansion relocated to Astoria when she was four.) Despite the distance, many of the Czechs were commuting into the library but not so often.
Many requests for a loan were coming from other libraries namely after Hitler's occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939. The library was frequently visited by other nationalities, namely German, Italian and Irish.
Also that year, 1939, Ms. Zaidee Griffin retired after 33 years of service to the library. She lived nearby the library and dedicated it her entire life. In 1927 the government of Czechoslovakia rewarded her the Order of White Lion.
Another reason for the decline of the library was that the young generation didn't want to read Czech or read at all.
Finally in 1957 the entire collection disappeared. Many of the books were relocated to the Donnell library. The entire musical section was relocated to the Musical Library. Only bit of rubbish remained in the Webster.
Prepared by Josef Schrabal according to records of John S. Robothan, reprinted in the July 1996 New York Public Retirees Association Newsletter and help of Mrs. Betty Gubert
Additional sources upon which this article was founded: NYPL Bulletin, vol.32, p. 814-418, 1928; E.W. Gaillard in The New York Times, Jan. 31, 1902; Library Journal, p. 67, Feb. 1903; W. Gambrel: The History of the Czechoslovak Department of the Webster Branch, (unpublished) NYPL, p. 19, 1939; K. Berkovic: Around the World in New York, Appleton-Century, p. 386, 1938; Lida Matulka: Czechoslovak Department of the Webster Branch (unpublished) NYPL, 1923.
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