Barrette, Lydia Margaret

BARRETTE, WELLS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 6/24/2005 at 11:57:33

A Narrative History of
The People of Iowa with
SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN
EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY,
BUSINESS, ETC.
by
EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M.
Curator of the
Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa
Volume IV
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc.
Chicago and New York
1931

LYDIA MARGARET BARRETTE is librarian of the Mason City Public Library. This
library is an interesting index of cultural interests in this very
progressive commercial center of Northern Iowa.

The main library building was erected in 1903, and is a Carnegie library.
The management of the library is entrusted to a board of trustees of five
members. Miss Barrette has a staff of ten assistants. The library in recent
years has made many improvements in its service, with a view to bringing its
facilities to the people, and at the present time the registration of borrowers
is about forty-two per cent of the population. Four-teen library stations
have been established over the city where books may be borrowed. The Book
Pilot, published by the library staff and the book review department of the
Woman's Club, have done some valuable work in improving the quality of community
reading.

Miss Barrette was born in Rock Island, Illinois, daughter of George M. and
Martha (Wells) Barrette. Her father was born in Louisiana and died in 1915,
and her mother was a native of Vermont and died in 1928. Her father was a
business man.

Miss Barette, the oldest of three children, attended school at Rock Island,
graduated from the Davenport High School in 1900 and in 1903 took the
Bachelor of Arts degree in Cornell College of Iowa. Her first work as librarian was
in the Davenport Public Library, where she remained four years. Following
that she was at Jacksonville, Illinois, and in 1921 was called to take charge
of the Carnegie Library at Mason City. Miss Barette completed her
professional training in library work in the Western Reserve University at Cleveland,
Ohio.

[Transcribed and typed by Debbie Clough Gerischer]