Sixteen Special Services libraries of the Seoul Area Command are visited by Hilwe Pierce during her monthly trips. (Keith Owens/Stars and Stripes)
This article first appeared in April 15, 1959, edition of Stars and Stripes. It is republished unedited in its original form.
SOUTH KOREA, April 1959: A modern library circuit rider, Hilwe Pierce, has used about every means of transportation in Korea except the A-frame to make the rounds to the far-flung libraries under her jurisdiction.
Miss Pierce is the area supervisor for 16 Special Services libraries under the Seoul Area Command. The libraries are located from KMAG Det. C at Inje, above the 38th parallel, down to KMAG Det. K at Kwangju.
On her monthly visits to the libraries she travels by plane, helicopter, train, jeep, truck and almost any other available conveyance.
On an ordinary day recently she decided to visit the library at K-6, Pyongtaek, and the one at the 55th Ord. Co. near Songhwan-ni. She was at the 8th Army helicopter pad at 8:30 a.m. but had to wait until 11 for the helicopter. Waiting for the transportation, she explained, is a part of her job, and she has almost learned to accept it.
Landing at K-6 at 11:30, she ate lunch and discussed general library business with PFC Billy H. Spillers, who is in charge of the library and works there during off-duty hours.
She inspected the library improvement program-painting and new additions, checked the overdue books, and delivered a picture. The reference file was explained to the Korean librarian.
Traveling Miss Pierce is greeted at quonset library by SP4 Bobby Batchelor, librarian, 55th Ord. Co. (Keith Owens/Stars and Stripes)
Popular reading shelf of library at K-6, Pyongtaek, is checked by Miss Pierce with PFC Billy Spillers. (Keith Owens/Stars and Stripes)
Planes, helicopters, jeeps and trucks are among the conveyances used by Miss Pierce when afield. (Keith Owens/Stars and Stripes)
Sixteen Special Services libraries of the Seoul Area Command are visited by Hilwe Pierce during her monthly trips. (Keith Owens/Stars and Stripes)
She also checked the books in the Contemporary Military Reading Room and was encouraged to see that half of them were signed out. After making a note of special books requested by K-6 readers, she drove by jeep the 14 miles to the library at the 55th Ord. Co.
Here she delivered much-needed paintbrushes, and SP4 bobby Batchelor, librarian, told her that his big problem was materials for new shelving. She promised to try to dig up some wood and also explained the procedure for shipping books back to the distribution center.
Catching a helicopter back to K-6 and transferring there to another, she was back in her Seoul office by 4:30 p.m.
Besides traveling to the libraries, Miss Pierce also orders books for them. In order to do this she keeps abreast of new books and publications. Much of her time is spent reading advance book reviews and determining which books to order:
She has found that military readers read many technical books and textbooks in addition to best sellers, westerns, and science fiction.
Titles such as “The Atomic Energy Handbook,” “Calculus” and “Television and Radio Repairing” are popular,” she said.
Miss Pierce has an extensive background in library work. She has spent 10 years in th Special Services library service in Japan. Assignments in Tokyo, Yokohama, Gifu, Osaka and Sendai have given her an opportunity to become well acquainted with Japan.
With her first year in Korea nearing an end, she has decided to volunteer for another year. She will first take reemployment leave to her home in New Haven, Conn. She has crossed the Pacific nine times on reemployment leaves.
