I Belong to the Public Library Reading Club

Blue text on a white background. 

The Bloomfield (New Jersey) Public Library's junior book club, founded in 1933 by children’s librarian Barbara E. Schroeder, was created to re-engage young readers at a time when movie-going and other leisure activities were drawing children away from the library. Meetings included book reviews, dramatizations, contests, and holiday programs, and membership quickly grew from forty to nearly one hundred by the end of its second year. 

To boost participation, the library divided members into two competing teams—the “Reds” and the “Blues”—and awarded points for activities such as recruiting new members, giving book reviews, and performing at meetings. Each participant received a pinback button like this one, which was distributed during the 1934-35 membership drive. The initiative was considered a success, with increased attendance and higher circulation of children’s books reported that year.