Library Camp Doniphan Oklahoma WWI near Lawton, postcard

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The following information can be found in Arthur P. Young. Books for Sammies: The American Library Association and World War I. Pittsburgh, PA: Beta Phi Mu, 1981. ISBN 0910230153.

The American Library Association sponsored camp libraries all over the US during WWI. Library directors serving at Camp Doniphan were Luther L. Dickerson and William K. Porter. If there was an existing facility, the ALA would use it. However, in many cases, including Camp Doniphan, the ALA would be required to meet their own space requirements. Luther L. Dickerson, of Grinnell College was sent to Europe after the Armistice to oversee a library there. William Porter replaced him in Oklahoma.

Luther Dickerson went to the American Expeditionary Force University at Beune in the Cote d'Or region. It was only operational for three months, March-June 1919, but Dickerson was able to accomplish many things. One being the number of books available to the soldier-students. One week after arriving and shelving 6000 books the library opened. Within a "very short time" the library exceeded 30,000 volumes, over 80% non-fiction. The three connected buildings that made up the library provided accommodations for 1,500 soldiers, twice the seating capacity of the central library of any American university. Daily circulation approached 1,100 volumes. In the short life of the Beune library 88,500 volumes circulated and attendance was estimated at 310,000.

November 1, 1919 Dickerson was appointed library specialist over army libraries. He oversaw army libraries until his resignation in 1924. In those intervening years, army command opinions declined on the necessity of troop libraries. Dickerson was not replaced.

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Library Camp Doniphan Oklahoma WWI near Lawton, postcard

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