Reading Places: Literacy, Democracy, and the Public Library in Cold War America

Appendix 2. The D-K Database

287 Appendix 2 The D-K Database E The tables in Appendix 2 are drawn from the d–K database of surviving circulation records. This consists of a single file showing data taken directly from the yellow slips themselves: patron name, book title, date, and so on. The total number of individual users was 1,816. But because it was not possible to determine whether all these individuals were male or female, young or old, the total number of usable names was reduced to 1,770, or 97 percent. The judgment of age is based on several factors. First, these early 1950s adults conventionally signed themselves mr., mrs., or miss. This is the most important criterion. It is further validated by handwriting evidence (patrons filled out the slips themselves). If a mother of small children filled out their slips for them (in those days before daycare), the mother often also charged out a book of her own. A third and related factor is that patrons from the same family seemed to visit the bookmobile together, so that several siblings might charge out books at the same time. I feel confident of the general age groupings that result. i am less sure of the exact boundary of the “child” category. older teenagers might well be counted in the “child” category. Overall findings support the project’s official findings with respect to age, however. Table 1. Gender of Adult and young Borrowers (%) Adult Young All Female 95 62 67 male 5 38 33 Total 100 100 100 Table 2. Age Groupings of male and Female Borrowers (%) Female Male All Adult 21 2 14 young 79 98 86 Total 100 100 100 Table 3. Girls’ and Boys’ Charges Charges Percentage of total Percentage of those whose sex is known Girls 2353 46.5 62.3 Boys 1425 28.2 37.7 Total known 3778 74.7 100 not known 1281 25.3 Total children’s charges 5059 100 288 ฀ Appendix 2 Table 4. most popular Titles Author Title Pub. date Charges Children’s Catalog 1951 Grade level Ariane (pseud. Georges duplaix) Lively Little Rabbit 1943 15 1–3 Tresselt, Alvin r., ill. by roger duvoisin White Snow, Bright Snow** (Caldecott medal 1948) 1948 12 k–3 Clark, margery Poppy Seed Cakes** 1924 11 1–3 Bannerman, helen Little Black Sambo** 1923 10 1–3 Grey, Katherine Rolling Wheels 1937 10 7–9 Knight, eric Lassie Come Home** 1940 10 6–9 henry, marguerite Misty of Chincoteague** (newbery honor, 1948) 1947 9 4–7 Lenski, Lois Strawberry Girl** (newbery medal, 1946) 1945 9 4–6 Alcott, Louisa may Little Women** 1869 8 5–8 Austin, margot Peter Churchmouse 1941 8 k–1 Cavanna, Betty Going on Sixteen* 1946 8 7–9 d’Aulaire, ingri, & edgar parin Nils 1948 8 1–3 emerson, Caroline d. Mickey Sees the U.S.A 1944 8 not included hader, Berta & elmer Cock-a-Doodle-Doo (Caldecott honor, 1940) 1944 8 k–3 Kohler, Julilly Football Trees 1947 8 not included Lippincott, Joseph Wharton Wilderness Champion: The Story of a Great Hound* 1944 8 5–8 mcCloskey, robert Homer Price** 1943 8 4–7 Appendix 2฀ 289 * and ** Children’s Catalog star and double star system Table 5. Charges of Caldecott and newbery Books. Award Girls Boys “Child” Total children Adults Total charges Caldecott medal 13 14 13 40 1 41 Caldecott honor 19 19 26 64 6 70 Total Caldecott 32 33 39 104 7 111 newbery medal 29 5 11 45 2 47 newbery honor 28 9 34 71 3 74 Total newbery 57 14 45 116 5 121 Total Awards 89 47 84 220 12 232 290 ฀ Appendix 2 Table 6. most popular Authors. Author Genre Charges Lenski, Lois (newbery medal & honor) fiction 85 huber, miriam Blanton reader 49 Lindman, maj fiction 44 Bough, Glenn orlando (4 with Bertha morris parker) science 41 Gates, Arthur reader 42 o’donnell, mabel reader 34 meader, Stephen W. (newbery honor) fiction 33 Brown, margaret Wise (Caldecott honor) fiction 32 haywood, Carolyn fiction 29 Tousey, Sanford fiction 29 mitchell, Lucy Sprague fiction 28 Quinlan, myrtle Banks reader 28 Smith, nila Banton reader 28 Beals, Frank Lee fiction 27 parker, Bertha morris science 26 mason, miriam evangeline fiction 26 potter, Beatrix fiction 25 Buckley, horace mann reader 24 Flack, marjorie picture books 24 petersham, maud & miska (Caldecott medal & honor) picture books, some...