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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 060 859 LI 003 523 AUTHOR Roseberry, Cecil R. TITLE For the Government and People of This State; History of the New York State Library. 'INSTITUTION New York State Library, Albany. Library Extension Div. PUB DATE 70 NOTE 122p.;(44 References) AVAILABLE tROMGifts, and Exchange Section, New York State Library, State Education Dept., Albany, N.Y. 12224 ($1.00) EDRS PRICE MF$0.65 He Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS *History; Librarians; Libraries; Library Facilities; *State Libraries IDENTIFIERS *New York State Library ABSTRACT The history of the New York State Library is traced from its inception on 1818 tO the present, and includes a picture and mention of the future home of the library, the Cultural Center which is scheduled for completion in 1972. The narrative history is accompanied by various photographic illustrations. (.SZT) 4 d -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY- RIGHTED MATERIAL a v micsoricui ONLy HAS BEEN GRANTED BY iJ14. ry- New rk e" TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONSOPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE as OFFICE OF EDUCATION FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REQUIRESPER. MISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER7 orthe Government and People of This State, A History of The New YOrk State Library by Cecil R. Roseberry US. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION A WELFARE OFFICE OF foUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIG. !RATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN- IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU- CATION POSITION OR POLICY. The Univeraity-of the-State ot_Ne_w_S_ork frhe- State- Education -Department- he New York State Library 'NJ Albany, NewYsig1j12224- 1970 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATEOF NEW YORK Regents of the University (with years phen terms expire 1984 JOSEPH W. MCGOVERN, A B., LL.B., L.HD , LL.D., D.C.L., Chancellor New York 1985 EVERETT J. PENNY, B.C.S. D.C.S_, Vice Chancellor White Plains 1978 ALEXANDER J. ALLAN, JR-, LL.D., Litt.D. Troy 1973 CHARLES W. MILLARD, JR., A.B., LL.D., L.H.D. - --- Buffalo 1972 CARL H. PFORZHEIMER, JR., A.B., M.B.A., D.C.S.,H.H.D. Purchase 1975 EDWARD M. M. WARBURG, B.S., L.H.D. - - NewYeric 1977 JOSEPH T. KING, LL.B. - Queens 1974 JOSEPH C. INDELICATO, MD. - - Brooklyn 1976 MRS. HELEN B. POWER, A.B., Litt.D., L.H.D. - - Rochester 1 .79 FRANCIS W. MCGINLEY, B.S., LL.D., 'LL.D. - - Glens Falls 1980 MAX J. RUBIN, LL.B., L.HD. -- - New York 1971 KENNETH B. CLARK, A.B., M.S., Ph.D., Litt.D. - - Hastings on Hudson 1982 STE PHEN K. BAILEY, A.B., B.A., M.A., Ph.D., LLD - Syracuse 983 HAROLD E. NEWCOMB, B.A. - -- Owego 1981 THEODORE M. BLACK, Ail Sands Point President of Ike Urniversity and Commissioner of Education EWALD B. NYQUI0 Associate Commissioner for Cultural Education HUGH M. FLICK Assistant Commissioner for Libraries JoHN A. HUMPHRY Director of State Library MASON TOLMAN Director, Division of Library Development JEAN L. CONNOR Contents 1. Mr. Clinton Comes to Town 1 2.Books and Politics 9 3.Regents Take the Reins 15 4.Ventriloquist With a Vision 19 5. The Poet as Librarian 25 6. A Roof of Its 6,vn 31 7. Garnering Treasures 5 8. Scholar-Librarian 43 9. 'Cribbed, Coffined, and Confined' 49 10.A Turn of the Page 53 11,'Strange Cornbativ Years' 61 12.Careers for Women 67 13. Libraries on Wheels 71 14. A Parting of Ways 75 15.Wanted: A New Home 8 I 16.Alarm in the Night 85 17.Rebirth 93 18. 'Again. A Noble Library' 101 19.Into the Electronic Era 107 20.A Note on Sources 113 21.Index 117 5 L Mr. Clinton Comes to Town On July 1 of the year 1817, the recently established George Clinton, as secretary. DeWitt Clinton was both Albany Argus printed an item of news so frustratingly an adept politician and a scholarly gentleman; indeed, brief that a reporter of later time would have been he was possibly the most erudite of New York's Gov- soundly reprimanded, if not discharged, for turning it ernors. A contemporary, David Hosack, said of Clinton in. But then, doubtless the editor wrote it himself: that "he had a large and well selected library of scarce -His Ex. Gov. Clinton arrived in the Steam Boat and valuable works." on Sunday Evening and will be inducted into office Clinton's election had taken place in the spring of this day." 1817, although it was an off-year. The preceding Gov- His Excellency DeWitt Clinton checked in at Rock- ernor, Daniel D. Tompkins, had resigned in mid-term well's Mansion House in the quaint capital city where, because of his election as Vice-President of the United in another century, a leading hotel would flaunt his States. While his Lieutenant Governor, John Tay ler, name in red neon letters from its rooftop. In the Morn- filled the interim, the Legislature ordered a special ing of the appointed day, a parade of militia and a brass election for Governor in April. Just before the voting, band formed in front of the hostelry to escort him up the same Legislatureunder public pressure engen- the hill from the riverfront. Standing beneath the trim dered by a forceful memorial from Clintonended its Grecian portico of the Capitol, Mr. Clinton took the wrangling and passed the Canal Bill. Even the dapper oath as fifth Governor of the State which his uncle, and crafty little State Senator from Kinderhook, Martin George Clinton, had served so long and conscientiously Van Buren, who had fiercely opposed both the Canal asthefirst. When the oath was sworn,fieldpieces and Clinton, saw how the wind was blowing and gave boomed a full Federal salute and acrid powder smoke in. To York Staters, Clinton was the hero of the hour, drifted across the Capitol lawn. and they elected him Governor overwhelmingly, to- Governor Clinton then returned to New York, as a gether with John Tay ler as Lieutenant Governor. passenger on one of the Fulton Line's sidewheelers, to Settling in at Albany, Clinton renewed a pleasant participate in a Fourth of July parade. That same day acquaintance with Chancellor James Kent, of the Court excavation was started at Rome for the Erie Canal, of Chancery, one of the most learned men in State which his political foes jeered as "Clinton's Ditch." A office, who lived on Columbia Street within two blocks fortnight later Clinton journeyed along the Mohawk of Clinton. These two shared a passion for literature Valley,enthusiastically greetedineverysettlement and Kent, too, owned a large library. The Chancellor through which he passed, to be at a meeting of the read classics in the original Greek, and once wrote: Canal Commissioners in Utica. From that village, which "My library has at present prodigious charms and in- the "ditch" was so soon to make a thriving city, the comprehensible interests." Again, he confided: "Next Commissioners rode out to Rome to inspect the digging. to my wife, my library has been the source of my It was then that Clinton belatedly turned the symbolic greatest pleasure and devoted attachment." spade of earth. His advocacy of the stupendous canal In all probability, a third party to the congenial project had swept him into the governorship on a flood- circle was Judge Smith Thompson, chief justice of the tide of ballots, and now he stood on a pinnacle of pop- State Supreme Court, who had "read law" in Chancel- ularity with the common people of his State, though lor Kent'sofficeinPoughkeepsie. Thompson was many politicians felt otherwise about him. deemed "a man of great learning, both legal and Back at Albany, he had to locate a home for his general." wife and seven children. The State did not yet provide It is logical to surmise that such a meeting of minds an Executive Mansion, and Governors had to rent hatched the idea of a library for the uses of State gov- their own. Clinton leased a comfortable townhouse at ernment. The mental climate in high places at Albany 62 North Pearl Street, within strolling distance of the was plainly inviting to such a thought, with devoted Capitol. Among the belongings shipped from New York booklovers in league together and Governor Clinton via Hudson River sloop was his most cherished pos- in a position of great influence to press it. sessionhis library. He had been accumulating books Other favorable factors were at work. The intellec- over the years since he had served his uncle, Governor tual ferment in the wake of the French Revolution had 1 2 bridged the Atlantic. The Napoleonic wars had sub- John Cook was an expatriate Englishman of bookish sided, along with the related War of 1812, loosing taste. Arriving for some obscure reason in Dutch-domi- energies which had been bottled up, as instanced by the nated Albany, he opened a reading-room in 1809-- tackling of the Erie Canal. Freed from menace to their n institution probably better supplied with news- seaboard and concern with Europe, Americans began papers, and other periodical publications, than any facing into the sunset and thinking continentally. Steam- other in the United States," as a traveler observed. boats were on the rivers, railroads were in the offing. Cook quickly won favor for his modesy, industry, and Widening horizons included those of the intellect. probity, and particularly "because he has widely ab- Thus far, most worthwhile literature emanated from stained from nauseating the public by any of those ful- overseas, and the important libraries were in Europe.