Cherié L. Weible, Ph.D. Student Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Frontier Libraries on the 1885 Kansas State Census Conclusions This data is still in the process of being collected, however, by using GIS to visualize the data we have at this point in time, we can begin to see patterns in the state based on geographic location. This initial information seems to indicate that the size of the population is a factor in the development of frontier libraries. Research Questions How does this data inform us about the development of libraries on the American frontier? Does size of the population in a community or a specific geographic area such as a county or township influence the availability of a public library? Does the composition of the population of new communities influence the establishment of a public library? Was the population made up of migrants from the eastern portion of the U.S. or was it comprised of immigrants from other nations? Does the community’s economic base influence the arrival of a public library in the community? Acknowledgments I would like to thank Lacy Spraggins McDonald, Samantha Schaal, and Joshua Newport for their assistance in collecting this data through a Research and Publications grant obtained through the University Library. I would also like to acknowledge assistance and guidance from my adviser, Dr. Kathryn LaBarre, and Dr. D. W. Krummel. Kansas State Census Data The state of Kansas conducted census at the state level every ten years from 1855 until The 1875 and the 1885 census included questions about libraries and the number of books contained in them. For 1875, this information was collected on Schedule 5 and in 1885 it was collected on Schedule 3. The questions on these schedules asked enumerators to indicate the number of public libraries and the number of volumes contained in them as well as the number of private libraries and the number of volumes contained in them, with the exclusion of “school books.” The purpose of the state in asking about the number of books was to levy a tax on these personal items; i.e. a property tax which was a common practice of state governments in order to assess their tax base. Data Set The specific set of data being used for this study was obtained by searching the 146 microfilms containing the 1885 Kansas State Census for the 105 counties in existence in Kansas at that time. There were eleven different schedules for that census year; data was taken from Schedule 3. The census was conducted at the township level within each county. When placed in a spreadsheet file and combined with other data such as size of population and FIPS code we can use GIS as a way to visualize the data. Visualizing Historical Census Data with GIS Methodology The study uses historical research methods by examining a primary source with the intent of discovering the factors that influenced the development of public libraries in a frontier setting. The source was created for entirely different reasons (i.e. enumeration and taxation), but can be used to answer research questions about the time period when framed within the broader social and economic context of the communities. Session Laws, Kansas, Courtesy of Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas. Schedule 3. Walnut Township, Crawford Co., KS, Reel K-33, Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas. CountyFIPSPublicvolumesPublicpercapitaPublicperhundredcapita Allen Anderson Atchison Barber Barton Bourbon Brown Butler Chase Chautauqua Cherokee Cheyenne Clark Clay Cloud Coffey Comanche Cowley Crawford Davis0 Decatur Dickinson Kansas Law for Census Enumeration Libraries, Newspapers, Churches, and School Houses. The number of public libraries, number of volumes in; number of private libraries, number of volumes in...