Pawley article

Christine Pawley's "Advocate for access: Lutie Sterns and the traveling libraries of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission" reminds us of the work that was undertaken by early library advocates to cultivate and expand libraries throughout America. while her focus was on one particular state, her tactics were no doubt copied or practiced elsewhere in America to promote the same goals.

Sterns saw herself as a radical and feminist in the model of Susan B. Anthony and Jane Addams. She is quoted as saying that "a liberal is a man who has left the room when the fighting begins." If this statement is not evidence enough, Sterns decried that women were secondary to men in Late 19th\ Early 20th century America.

In addition to the political climate, her work took place during the era of the Carnegie Library. According to Pawley, there were only 6 states that established more Carnegie Libraries than Wisconsin (Pawley 438). While steel moguls such as Carnegie were establishing libraries, and many places were glad to receive them, still others questioned the new role of money and power in relation to the state. Issues of goods production and wealth distribution became topics of debate in an era when Socialism and Progressive populism had the ear of many Wisconsinites.

The Wisconsin Free Library Commission's work was a response to the isolation of rural Wisconsin from print culture outlets such as libraries and newspapers. Traveling libraries, contained in suitcases were composed to combat this problem. Working with county boards and local librarians in towns across the state this program was expanded. This expansion was made possible by the political savvy of Sterns and the realization of the citizens demand for such services once the idea was proposed.