“Interested in Public Libraries”: J. O. Modisette and the Contributions of a Louisiana Library Commissioner

J. O. Modisette (1881–1942), a small-town Louisiana attorney, was “interested in public libraries” and resolute that every Louisianian deserved the opportunity to read. As a longtime member of the Louisiana Library Commission, Modisette supported the library cause by doing the commission’s legal work, seeking grant funding, and publicizing the commission—all free of charge. This biographical sketch examines the role of a library trustee during a formative period of library development and illustrates Modisette’s productive collaboration with the library community to place libraries within reach of all the people of Louisiana.