In 1874, Hutchins taught school in
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where his uncle, Charles A. Hutchins, was city superintendent and in charge of the city's high schools. He also traveled for a book company which was followed by a period of illness. In 1884, he became the editor of the
Beaver Dam Argus (a Democratic weekly published by
Benjamin Sherman), a position he held until 1891. He also worked as the city clerk during this time, and observing the community's need, he helped establish the Beaver Dam Free Library Association on August 30, 1884. Hutchins was appointed as the library clerk by the
Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin in 1891. He instituted the traveling libraries throughout Wisconsin which were instrumental in bringing library services to rural areas, and promoted and organized public school libraries. He was one of the founders of the
Wisconsin Library Association in 1891, became its first secretary, and was its President from 1894 to 1897. He met
Lutie Stearns at the first meeting of the WLA. The two, along with Senator
James Huff Stout of Wisconsin, were instrumental in founding the Wisconsin Free Library Commission, based on similar state library commissions in
Massachusetts and
New Hampshire. Hutchins drafted the bill that Senator Stout helped pass into law in 1895, which formed the Commission. Hutchins and Stearns were appointed as the Commission's first professional officers, though unpaid, by Governor Upham. When it was reorganized in 1897, Hutchins was appointed as salaried secretary and chief executive officer, a position he held until 1904 when he resigned due to poor health. As secretary of the Commission, he drafted library laws, established the
traveling library system, organized a summer school for training small town librarians and planned for the establishment of public libraries in small towns. He designed the concept of the
Legislative Reference Library, a feature of the
Wisconsin Idea, which was guided into legislation by
Cornelia Marvin after Hutchins fell ill. It became the life work of the progressive politician,
Charles McCarthy, who credited Hutchins as its originator, being called "the father of Wisconsin public libraries". The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library became a model for the
Congressional Research Service and was later renamed to the
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau in 1963. In 1907, he was appointed as the secretary of the University Extension division and head of debating and public discussion at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison. Hutchins was an active member of the Wisconsin Anti-Tuberculosis Association. He helped the organization raise funds through the
Christmas seal campaign in 1908. He was also active in the state park and conservation movement. == Death and legacy ==