LHRT Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2012 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1 BERNADETTE A. LEAR, EDITOR Greetings from the Chair BAL19 @ PSU.EDU

Jean-Baptiste Colbert’s tunity to be involved in is Secret State Intelligence the Library History Semi- System (University of nar. The seminar is held Michigan Press, 2009). Dr. every five years at a univer- Soll is also a recent winner sity or library and provides of fellowships from the a venue for new and im- Guggenheim and MacAr- portant scholarship in the thur Foundations The title area of library history and of his Holley lecture will be print culture. We are still “Library of Power, Library seeking a host for the 2015 of Enlightenment: Libraries Library History Seminar. as Foundations to the More information can be Modern State 1400-1800.” found on the ALA Con- nect site at http:// Bernadette Lear, vice- connect.ala.org/ chair/chair-elect, recently node/190560 or contact sent out a CFP for the Mark McCallon at LHRT Research Forum. [email protected] . You This event is a wonderful can also see the RFP in this issue of the newsletter. Mark McCallon, current chair of opportunity for scholars to present their findings in a LHRT. Image courtesy of Mark peer-reviewed forum. Sub- In closing, I want to ex- McCallon. missions are encouraged press my appreciation to all from students, practition- of the LHRT committee Hello Friends and info/lhrt. LHRT also has a ers, and LIS faculty. The members who have devot- Colleagues, facebook page at http:// broad theme this year is ed their time and efforts to www.facebook.com/ “Library History as Ameri- make this organization a It has been an honor and LibHistRoundTable. Take can History” which we success. pleasure to serve as chair- a moment to “Like Us” hope will generate submis- person for LHRT this year and post a message to our sions from a variety of I look forward to meeting and have the opportunity wall. disciplines and scholars all of you online at our to work with an excellent who are interested in the virtual midwinter meeting group of committee mem- LHRT is hard at work pre- intersections that libraries and seeing you at ALA bers who are committed to paring for events coming have with political, social annual next year in Chica- offering opportunities for up at ALA Annual Confer- and cultural movements in go. library history research and ence in Chicago, June 27th the U.S. —Mark McCallon, publication through our –July 2nd, 2013. Our pre- Abilene Christian programs and newsletter. I senter at the annual Ed- We will again host our University hope that the activities and ward G. Holley Lecture will ALA midwinter executive  writings that you read be prize-winning author committee meeting online about in this issue will en- and history scholar Dr. in January 2013. We will Inside this issue: courage you to become Jacob Soll from the Univer- post the agenda and in- involved in LHRT through sity of Southern California. structions for joining the volunteering for a commit- Dr. Soll has authored two meeting on the ALA Pencil Sharpeners 2 tee and sending us a sum- books, Publishing the LHRT Listserv and the mary of research that you Prince: History, Reading, ALA Connect site http:// Michael Gorman 3 are currently working on. and the Birth of Political connect.ala.org/lhrt. All In addition to the newslet- Criticism (University of LHRT members are en- Cornell Uris Library 4-5 ter, you can also join us for Michigan Press, 2005), couraged to attend and we interesting discussions which was the winner of value your contributions. Opportunities 8-11 online through the LHRT the American Philosophical listserv. You can subscribe Society’s Barzun Prize, and Another valuable activity California Library 10 that LHRT has the oppor- at http://lists.ala.org/wws/ The Information Master: Hall of Fame

LHRT NEWSLETTER Page 2

What Is It?: The Perfect Pencil Sharpener

Thumbing through old Library dates for favor as the best.” a solution for busy commercial Bureau catalogs the other day, I Being a bit ham-handed, I enterprises. Thus the race was found a photograph of what readily pictured myself grinding on to patent a mechanical seemed to be an overly com- pencils to nubs, leaving shav- sharpener, as well as devices plex solution to a simple prob- ings and broken points all over appropriate for institutional lem: what to do with a dull the floor. Surely there was a use. Searching Google’s patent pencil. Melvil Dewey’s compa- better sharpener! search engine, one finds no ny was offering a desk- ‘Turns out, there may not have fewer than 1,600 different in- mounted contraption which been. As Henry Petroski de- ventions or improvements provided a sliding guide for scribed in his definitive book, dating from the 1850s to 1920s those who wished to scrape The Pencil: A History of De- relating to pencil sharpeners. their pencils across a file. Mar- sign and Circumstance (Knopf, The small “prism” style item keted as “the Perfect Pencil 1989), until the turn of the that some people carry in their Sharpener,” the Library Bureau century the most common way pockets today creates a point promised that it would “[save] of sharpening a pencil was to when the user rotates his or her soiled fingers and much time whittle it by hand with a knife. pencil against a single blade. where lead pencils are used to In fact, early scout manuals Conversely, the hand-cranked any extent.” For one dollar, the instructed boys in sharpening model typically screwed into buyer could obtain this item their pencils effectively and schoolroom or workshop walls “selected from all the candi- safely. Yet whittling was hardly involves two sharp cones or cylinders that rotate around the pencil. These two types eventu- ally won the twentieth-century marketplace, but for a long time there were many other devices.

I have been unable to deter- mine who invented or manufactured the model preferred by the Library Bureau, which appeared in the 1891 and 1900 (but not in the 1902 or 1909) catalogs. The Library Bureau description does not refer to a manufacturer or patent number. Visiting the web site of the

— continued, page 6

“The Perfect Pencil Sharpener,” featured on pg. 119 of the 1900 Library Bureau catalog. Image courtesy of the author. 

PUBLISHING STATEMENT LHRT Newsletter (ISSN forthcoming) is the official newsletter of the Library History Round Table of the American Library Association. LHRT’s mission is to encourage research and publication on the history of libraries and promote awareness and discussion of historical issues in librarianship. LHRT Newslet- ter is an open-access, semi-annual publication, available free of charge at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/lhrt/popularresources/lhrtnewsletters/ lhrtnewsletters.cfm . LHRT members may obtain a paper copy upon request by contacting ALA’s Office for Research and Statistics, American Library Asso- ciation, 60 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL, 60611 (phone: 1-800-545-2433, extension 4283). LHRT Newsletter is not currently indexed in Library Literature or other databases. All submissions are subject to editorial review, but authors are responsible for facts and opinions expressed in their articles. Views expressed in LHRT Newsletter do not necessarily reflect official LHRT or ALA policies and positions. Contact the editor, Bernadette A. Lear ([email protected]), with queries about advertising, submissions, and other concerns. Page 3 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

Member Spotlight: Michael Gorman

Editor’s Note: The “Member Spot- that field and my first Great light” section usually provides inter- Librarian. It was there that I views with talented but perhaps not first thought that library work so well-known members of LHRT. must be an excellent thing. Michael Gorman, the focus of this semester’s interview, is certainly a BAL: How and why did you get well-known persona in ALA, but involved with libraries? If you are a many are unaware that he is also a library employee or retiree, where member of LHRT. have you worked and what positions have you held over the course of your BAL: Tell us a little bit about career? yourself: your town/state, your occu- pation, your educational background, MG: I left school at 16 under and other things to introduce yourself. less than auspicious circum- stances and was lucky to get a MG: I was born in Witney, notably ill-paid job as a junior Oxfordshire, England in 1941. assistant in Hampstead Public After World War II, my family Library in the days (alas, now moved to London and I spent in their death throes) when the next 30+ years there, be- London’s public libraries were fore moving to the US in 1977. one of the cultural treasures of I worked in the University of Britain. After a hiatus in Paris Illinois Library and the library as a would-be starving writer (I Caption: Michael Gorman, LHRT nailed the starving part), I of the California State Univer- member and former ALA president. sity, Fresno, before retiring in worked in another London PL Image courtesy of Michael Gorman. 2007 and moving to Chicago, (in Ealing). After library in which I now live. I went to school (at which I contracted library school in what is now my career long interest in cata- the University of the Thames loguing) I worked for the Brit- terested in post-World War II Valley in London from 1964 to ish National Bibliography, then British public libraries and the 1966. in the newly formed British laws that govern them. I wrote Library before moving to the on the scant history of writings BAL: Please share a fond, early USA. specifically on the fundamental memory of reading books/magazines values of librarianship. or using libraries. BAL: How did you become interested in the history of libraries? What BAL: Have you ever published an MG: During the War, my fa- areas of library history interest you article, book, web site, or other publi- ther, a regular soldier in the most? What topics? Which time- cation about library history? If so, British Army, was in North periods? Any specific places? what was that experience like for Africa and Italy. My mother MG: One of the few benefits you? What words of advice would worked in a munitions factory. of age and a long and varied you give to novice researchers? I went to school at when 3 career is that one has lived years old in lieu of day care and some library history and even MG: I am not a researcher (in cannot remember not being known and worked with signif- the pre-21st century not-yet- able to read or even learning to icant figures in that history. debased sense of that word). I read. It has been my constant Because of my interest in am an opinionated polemicist habit (obsession?) ever since. I (obsession with?) cataloguing by inclination and have written started going to public libraries and classification, I am espe- in that vein on various aspects several times a week when we cially interested in the develop- moved to London and was ment of modern codes of cata- — continued, page 6 very fortunate to have, as my loguing and classification local library, a progressive chil- schemes—Panizzi; Dewey; dren’s library run by Eileen Jewett; Cutter; UDC; Bliss; the Colwell, one of the pioneers in 1908; Vatican; 1949; and 1968  codes, etc. I am also very in-

LHRT NEWSLETTER Page 4

Byways: The Uris Library of Cornell University

The Finger Lakes region of of the library’s endowments. was situated within a large central New York State may Jennie McGraw was the daugh- reading room with plenty of not be well-known as a mecca ter of lumber merchant John seating for undergraduates. for library history. Thousands McGraw, who was an early Though materials were non- of Pennsylvanians like me have trustee and benefactor of the circulating, the library’s open- traveled north on routes 15 or college. Unmarried most of her ing hours were relatively gener- 81 to view the fall foliage, ad- life and suffering from tubercu- ous, nine hours per day. The mire the gorgeous waterfalls at losis, Jennie inherited much of library was lit by electricity, an Watkins Glen, and sample her father’s fortune when he innovation which extended wineries along the way. Pass- died in 1877. In a will written opening hours into the even- ing through Ithaca last year, I shortly thereafter, she being. Today, the reading area has decided to take a tour of Cor- queathed $200,000 to Cornell’s been renovated and the mas- nell University and stumbled library fund and much more to sive banks of card catalogs upon a bibliophile’s gem: the other initiatives on campus. have been replaced with rows Uris Library. Yet in 1880, she married of computers, yet one can still Willard Fiske, the university’s sit at wooden tables with high “My curiosity World-class library resources librarian, an action which inval- privacy screens as did students have long been a priority at idated her will. Her intended of decades ago. was piqued by a Cornell. As an exhibit within gifts may also have been barred the library explained, the first by Cornell’s charter, which Jenny McGraw and Henry Sage plaque just president of Cornell, Andrew placed a three million dollar were not the only benefactors Dickson White, had limit on endowments. For of Cornell’s library. By donat- outside the Uris “envisioned a great library as nearly a decade, Fiske contest- ing their personal book collec- the heart of the university he ed the will on these grounds, tions to the college, both An- Library’s helped to establish.” Early while scandal-mongering news- drew Dickson White and students had access to books papers of the day alleged con- Willard Fiske (yes, Jenny’s hus- entrance …” stored in Morrill Hall, which spiracies on all sides of the band) formed the core of the were later moved to McGraw dispute. The case reached the library’s collection. As a stipu- Hall. Without knowing any- Supreme Court and was ulti- lation of his gift, White insisted thing more about the library’s mately decided in Fiske’s favor. that his materials be shelved in history, my curiosity was Angered by the lawsuit’s out- a fireproof area. At the time, piqued by a plaque just outside come, Henry W. Sage, a busi- metal bookshelves filled this the Uris Library’s entrance: ness partner of John McGraw need, and the Uris Library has “The good she tried to do shall and himself generous donor, retained three-story tiers of stand as if ‘twere done; God erected a library building in handsome stacks. To see them, finishes the work by noble Jennie McGraw Fiske’s one must leave the reading souls begun. In loving memory memory. room, climb a flight of stairs, of Jennie McGraw Fiske whose and enter a space with deep red purpose to found a great li- Sage not only provided a struc- carpeting which seems to be at brary for Cornell University ture valued at more than the heart of the library. has been defeated. This house $200,000, but also established a Among Cornell students, the is built and endowed by her sizeable fund for books. The ambiance of the Andrew Dick- friend, Henry W. Sage, 1891.” building was designed to pro- son White Library has earned it mote use of such resources. In the sobriquet “Harry Potter What is this all about, I won- academic libraries of the peri- Library.” Indeed, century-old dered. Who or what od, it was not uncommon for map cases, gilt-framed por- “defeated” earlier attempts at books to be restricted to facul- traits, and the curlicued book- establishing a library? Did ty and graduate student use. stacks (accessed by winding Fiske die tragically? Were she Further, in many closed-stack staircases) make anyone feel and Sage romantically in- libraries, library staff typically they are stepping back in time. volved? pulled books and brought them With the library’s high ceilings to patrons waiting in small and windows overlooking Itha- Later I learned the plaque re- “delivery rooms.” However, at ca, one could imagine being in fers to a controversy over one Cornell, the circulation desk a castle of long ago. Unsurpris- Page 5 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1 ingly, I spied few empty seats brary,” available online at on the date of my visit. http:// Megill, Edward, “Cornell Uni- olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ versity’s New Library,” Renamed Uris Library in the print/15882. Friends’ Intelligencer (October early 1960s after a trustee, Cor- 17, 1891): 666. nell’s old library still primarily Cornell University Library, serves undergraduates. Just “Uris Library Historical Tour: “Millions to a Savant: Profes- across the sidewalk is Olin Arthur H. Dean Room,” availa- sor Fiske Wins His Long Library, built in 1961, which ble online at http:// Drawn-Out Suit Against Cor- houses the bulk of Cornell’s olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ nell College,” Philadelphia formidable collection. If you print/15876. Inquirer (May 25, 1890): 1. are ever find yourself in the southeast section of the Finger Cornell University Library, Selkreg, John H., Landmarks of Lakes region, I’d encourage a “Uris Library Historical Tour: Tompkins County, New York, visit to this beautiful, intri- Remembering Jennie McGraw Including a History of Cornell guing, and pathbreaking library. Fiske,” available online at University (Syracuse, NY: D. http:// Mason, 1894). olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ —Bernadette A. Lear, Penn Further Reading print/15878. State Harrisburg  Cornell University Library, “Cornell’s Lost Millions,” New “Uris Library Historical Tour: York Herald-Tribune (May 26, Andrew Dickson White Li- 1890): 2. ™

Andrew Dickson White Library within the Uris Library, Cornell University. Image courtesy of the author.

Entrance to Uris Library, Cornell University. Image courtesy of the author.

LHRT NEWSLETTER Page 6

Pencil Sharpeners, cont.

Early Office Museum (http:// not far removed from the pen flavor. One of my friends who A label on the www.officemuseum.com/), a knife of old. By 1914 librarians is a children’s librarian tells me large online exhibit of antique clearly favored the hand- that Smencils have been a pop- ‘perfect’ pencil office equipment, I found the cranked, rotating-cylinder type. ular giveaway item for summer likeliest candidate to be the An article in the July 1914 issue reading programs, thus it seems sharpener Perfect Pencil Pointer. of Library Journal, describing our profession continues to be Through consulting auction an exhibition of labor-saving at the cutting edge of writing promoted by the and collector web sites, I devices, advocated the Climax technology! learned that this device was and the Dexter models made —Bernadette A. Lear, Penn Library Bureau patented on April 29, 1890 by APSCO and the Boston State Harrisburg (patent 426716) by Edwin S. Pencil Pointer manufactured by  warned users, Drake and manufactured by the Boston Specialty Company the Perfect Pencil Pointer of New York. Another point ™ “Don’t bear on Company of Portland, Maine were mechanical pencils, ™ (say that three times fast!). Ap- which, as Petroski points out, hard!’” parently nineteenth-century first appeared no later than the users of the “perfect” sharpen- 1820s and were mass-produced er were as ham-handed as I am: by the 1920s. The lowly pencil an instructional label pasted to continues to evolve. The latest the bottom of each item, iteration are “Smencils” which warned the user in bold type are manufactured from recy- “DON’T BEAR ON HARD”! cled paper and scented in cin- namon, passion fruit, root bear, The Perfect Pencil Pointer was and every other imaginable

Michael Gorman, cont.

of library history—either directly death (albeit in absentia). I culture of learning on the or as part of an argument I was knew a number of people who other. Will the future be like developing or a position I was knew Dr. Ranganathan very the Dark Ages—dark waste- advocating. Far be it from me to well and regret very much not lands of barbarism and Kar- give advice to anyone, but, if having met him. However, I dashianism lit by outposts of forced, would say that all writing feel that Sir Anthony, Italian learning, with a few libraries relies on careful reading followed rebel turned pillar of the Victo- and universities taking the by constant writing. In other rian establishment, would be role of Ireland—the island of words, be what you want to be- the more interesting conversa- saints and scholars? Or will come. tionalist. the picture resemble the centuries after Gutenberg, BAL: If you could chat with one BAL: Someday, when a historian when the chaos of early famous librarian or literary figure from sits down to write an article about printing and publishing, so the past, who would it be and why? libraries in the first years of the 21st like our own dear internet, century, what do you think he or she gave way to structures that MG: I would be torn between will emphasize? Why? allowed learning to flourish? Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan Or will civilization end in an (1892-1972), in my view the MG: Heaven only knows. It’s eco-whimper, making librar- greatest librarian of the 20th such a mixed picture. The ies and everything else irrele- century, and Antonio (later Sir death of standards, the aban- vant? It will be interesting. Anthony) Panizzi (1797-1879), donment of the idea of librar-  the creator of the idea of the ies as a common good, and national library and of the mod- naïve technophilia (among ™ ern cataloguing code, inter alia, other ills) on the one hand and ™™ and the only prominent librarian the astonishing technological to have been condemned to possibilities and the surviving Page 7 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1 Request for Site Proposals: Library History Seminar XIII LHRT is issuing another re- that should provide ample Potential co-sponsors: quest for proposals for an insti- opportunities for historical LHS Site tutional host for Library Histo- research presentations on other Planned number of days: Proposals ry Seminar XIII to take place in aspects of library history in its the year 2015. widest scope, and encourage Proposed dates:  Deadline: December diversity of speakers in terms History and of geography, ethnicity, gender Conference location: 1st, 2012 Overview and subject specialty while also [Please provide specific details, maintaining LHS’s high stand- including whether the confer-  Must include The Library History Seminar ards for historical research. ence facility would be a private information about (LHS) was established in 1961 or public space. How many and has become the most pres- Please send your proposal by meeting rooms will be available logistics and tigious international conference December 1st, 2012 in elec- for the LHS and specify fees. sponsors dedicated to the study of the tronic form (as either MS Please also briefly address history of librarianship. LHS Word attachment or as plain e- transportation issues relating to  Contact Mark takes place every five years. mail text) to Mark McCallon at the location (i.e., what is the The conference often attracts [email protected]. closest major airport and how McCallon, over 100 scholars from across does one get to/from there and [email protected] the United States and abroad. The document should be 2 to 5 the conference location).] Papers from past conferences pages long. Proposals will be have been published as a spe- distributed to all members of Accommodations: cial issue of the journals Infor- the LHRT Executive Commit- [Please specify what hotel/ mation and Culture and Library tee. Please e-mail any questions dormitory facilities are available Trends, and also in monograph to Mark McCallon at the above within walking range of the form. e-mail address or call (325) 674 conference location.] -2348. LHRT’s Executive Committee Financial and institutional sup- will make the final decision at Application port: the ALA midwinter meeting in Outline [This section will understanda- January 2013. Executive com- Please submit proposals and bly be rough and tentative, but mittee members will select a direct inquiries to Mark the committee wants to see site primarily based on written McCallon, LHRT Chairperson, that the host will be able to proposals received by the dead- 2012-2013, arrange clerical support to take line of December 1st, 2012. [email protected]. Below is care of publicity and handle the suggested outline. reservations. Please also pro- The host institution finances pose an estimated registration Library History Seminar using Proposal to Host Library His- fee. The committee also en- grants, gifts, internal budget tory Seminar XIII (2015) courages the host to look for allocations, and registration internal/external grants to sup- fees. Previous conferences Committee chair: port the seminar. The host will featured a limited number of be responsible for securing scholarships for graduate stu- Name: these grants. Grants make it dents. LHRT may also provide possible to keep registration a small grant for scholarships. Address: fees affordable, and bring grad- It is imperative that proposals uate students and keynote include information on budget- E-mail: speakers. Please list possible ing the conference, and poten- sources of grants or other in- tial sources of funding to make Telephone: come you might approach in the seminar possible. order to finance the seminar.] Fax: ™ The LHRT executive committee recommends that applicants Committee members: include a theme in the proposal, but emphasizes that this Institutional sponsor: is an important scholarly forum

LHRT NEWSLETTER Page 8

Calls for Nominations 2013 Justin Winsor Essay Prize

The Library History Round cal research on a significant by fax or e-mail are unaccepta- Table is seeking nominees for topic in library history, be ble. The author’s name and the annual Justin Winsor Li- based on primary sources other identifying information brary History Essay Award. whenever possible, and use should appear only on a sepa- The award recognizes the best good English composition and rate cover letter. Applications essay written in English on superior style. The Library must be received by January library history. It is named in History Round Table is partic- 31, 2013. The deadline is firm honor of the distinguished ularly interested in works that and any submissions received nineteenth-century librarian, place the subject within its after the deadline will not be historian, and bibliographer broader historical, social, cul- forwarded to the committee. who was also ALA's first presi- tural, and political context and Submit manuscripts to: LHRT dent. It consists of a certificate make interdisciplinary connec- Justin Winsor Award Commit- and a $100 cash prize, as well tions with print culture and tee, Office for Research and as an invitation to have the information studies. Statistics, American Library winner's essay considered for Association, 50 East Huron St., publication in Information & Essays should be organized in Chicago, IL 60611. For ques- Culture: A Journal of History. a form similar to that of articles tions about the Winsor award, If the winning essay is accepted published in Information & contact the current Winsor for publication, additional revi- Culture: A Journal of History, committee chair, Melanie Kim- sions may be required. Au- with footnotes, spelling and ball (melanie.kimball@ thors should be prepared for punctuation conforming to the simmons.edu) that eventuality. latest edition of the Chicago —Members of the Winsor Manual of Style. Papers should Award Committee Manuscripts should not be not exceed thirty-five typewrit-  previously published, previous- ten, double-spaced pages (plus ly submitted for publication, or footnotes and bibliography). under consideration for publication or another award. They Please submit five paper copies should embody original histori- of the manuscript. Submissions 2013 Phyllis Dain Dissertation Award

The Library History Round embodies original research on a Office for Research and Statis- Table is seeking nominees for significant topic relating to the tics, American Library Associa- the biennial Phyllis Dain Li- history of books, libraries, li- tion, 50 East Huron St., Chica- brary History Dissertation brarianship or information go, IL 60611. Award. Granted in odd- science. Entries are judged on The award winner will be se- numbered years, the award clear definition of the research lected by the Phyllis Dain Dis- recognizes dissertations com- questions and/or hypotheses; sertation Award Committee. If pleted and accepted during the use of appropriate source ma- you have questions about the preceding two academic years. terials; depth of research; supe- Dain Award, contact the cur- In other words, dissertations rior quality of writing; ability to rent Dain Committee Chair, from 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 place the subject within its Jim Carmichael will be eligible for the 2013 broader historical context; and ([email protected]) award. Please submit nomina- significance of the conclusions. —Sterling Coleman, tions before January 14, 2013. Central State University Four paper copies of the dis- (Wilberforce, OH) and Tom The award, named in honor of sertation and a letter of support Glynn, Rutgers a library historian widely from the doctoral advisor or University known as a supportive advisor from another faculty member  and mentor as well as a rigor- at the degree-granting institu- ous scholar and thinker, awards tion are required. E-mail and $500 and a certificate to an fax copies of dissertations are outstanding dissertation that not acceptable. Mail copies to Page 9 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

2013 Eliza Atkins Gleason Book Award

What do the following titles have Entries for the 2013 award must Stevens Point, WI 54481 in common: Louise Robbins’ have been published during the [email protected] The Dismissal of Miss Ruth three previous years (i.e., be- Brown: Civil Rights, Censorship, tween January 1, 2010 and De- Receipt will be confirmed within 3 and the American Library, Carl cember 31, 2012). Bibliographies business days. The Gleason Award Ostrowski’s Books, Maps, and and edited collections will not be Committee, a subcommittee of the Politics: A Cultural History of considered. Entries are judged Research Committee of the Library the Library of Congress, 1783- on quality of scholarship, clarity History Round Table, serves as jury 1861, and David Allan’s A Na- of style, depth of research, and for the award. The members of the LHRT Awards Nomina- tion of Readers: The Lending ability to place research findings 2013 Gleason committee are Patti tions Library in Georgian England? in a broad social, cultural, and Clayton Becker (chair), Renate Chan- political context. cellor, and Steve Sowards. The winner  Dain Deadline: January All three are recent winners of Nominations are welcome from will be announced in a press release 14th, 2013 the Eliza Atkins Gleason Book all interested parties and should on or about June 1st, 2013. Certifi- Award. The award is presented include one copy of the nomi- cates honoring the author and pub- by LHRT every third year to nated volume (if possible) and a lisher of the Gleason Book Award  Gleason Deadline: Janu- recognize the best book written brief statement explaining why winner will be presented at an LHRT ary 14th, 2013 in English in the field of library the book is worthy of considera- event during the 2013 ALA confer- history, including the history of tion for the Gleason Book ence in Chicago.  Winsor Deadline: Janu- libraries, librarianship, and infor- Award. The Committee has al- —Patti Becker, University of mation science. The award bears ready received several nomina- Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library, ary 21st, 2013 the name of Eliza Atkins tions including copies. Before Tom Glynn, Rutgers University, Gleason, the first African Ameri- submitting a nomination, please and members of the Gleason can to receive a Ph.D. from the contact the chair to see if the Award Committee Graduate Library School of the book has already been nominat-  University of Chicago. Her ed. book, The Southern Negro and the Public Library (Chicago, Ill.: Nominations are due on January University of Chicago Press, 14, 2013 and should be sent to: 1941), traced the history of library service to African Ameri- Patti Clayton Becker cans up to that time and laid the Gleason Award Committee foundation for all other histories Chair of that aspect of library service. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library 900 Reserve St.

Membership News

At the annual meeting of ALA in June in Anaheim, California, LHRT’s Membership and Outreach Committee, chaired by Dominique Daniel, organized drinks and dinner at the Storyteller’s Café in the Grand Californian Hotel. The guest of honor was Abigail Van Slyck, who earlier gave a fascinating presentation on Carnegie libraries in New Zealand as the invited speaker for the annual Edward G. Holley Lecture. A mix of LHRT members, graduate students, senior faculty, and interested members of the public met in the lounge for drinks and conversation, then onto the Storyteller’s Café for dinner. Thanks to Dominique Daniel for providing the opportunity to extend the conversation with fellow library history scholars and enthusiasts. —Ellen Pozzi, William Patterson University 

LHRT NEWSLETTER Page 10

California Library Hall of Fame

In the late 1940s, the California achievement in improving Cali- A hearty “thank you” to the Library Association’s (CLA) fornia library services. selection committee members: Committee on California Li- David McFadden (CLA LHIG brary History, Bibliography, •The person’s contribution to chair), Deborah Doyle, Mary and Archives made a priority of improving library services at Hanel, Debra Hansen, and collecting oral histories from the national level. Cindy Mediavilla (chair). For early librarians throughout the further information about the state. “It seemed urgent to seek This year’s awardees are: California Library Hall of Fame out the living library pioneers •James L. Gillis, California and more in-depth biographies in California,” committee chair state librarian (1899-1917) and of our first inductees, please Andrew H. Horn explained in architect of the state’s re- see the CLA webpage at 1955. nowned county library system http://www.cla-net.org/ displaycommon.cfm? Although the librarians they •Michael Gorman, prolific an=1&subarticlenbr=405 interviewed are no longer with author, ALA president —Cindy Mediavilla, us, the present-day CLA Li- (2005/06), and retired director University of California Los brary History Interest Group of the California State Univer- Angeles (LHIG) has decided to recog- sity, Fresno library  nize the contributions made by past and present California •Zoia Horn, noted intellectual librarians, library staff and sup- freedom advocate porters. And so, inspired by the work done by the Wisconsin •Carma Leigh, California state Library Association Founda- librarian (1951-72) and federal tion, the CLA LHIG initiated a funding advocate California Library Hall of Fame this year. Nominations were •Miriam Matthews, the first solicited in May 2012. The first certified African-American round of inductees into the librarian in California and intel- Hall of Fame will occur at the lectual freedom advocate dur- CLA annual conference in ing the McCarthy era November. •Ursula Meyer, CLA president Induction into the California (1977/78) and former director Library Hall of Fame is granted of the Stockton-San Joaquin to individuals who have made library an historically significant contribution to the statewide im- •Regina Minudri, outspoken provement of library service in proponent for public libraries, California over a sustained president of both CLA period of time. Individuals, (1980/81) and ALA (1986/87) both living and dead, who have worked in and/or advocated •Lawrence Clark Powell, for California libraries were founder of the UCLA library nominated and considered. school, prolific author, and Selection criteria included: CLA president (1949/50)

•An individual’s record of lead- •Harry Rowe, retired director ership in the California Library of several public libraries in Association and/or other California and CLA’s longest statewide library groups or living member institutions. •Gary Strong, California state •The historical importance and librarian (1980-94) and current impact of the person’s lifetime director of UCLA libraries Page 11 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

Call for Papers: LHRT Research Forum

Library History as faculty, and practitioners. Each will select several authors to proposal must include the pa- present their completed work American History per title, an abstract (up to 500 at the forum. The speakers will words), and the scholar’s vita. be notified and the program Deadline for Proposals: No- Also, please indicate whether will be publicized in January vember 30, 2012 the research is in-progress or 2013. So that the forum’s facili- completed. It is desirable that tator may introduce and react The Library History Round the abstract include a problem to each author, completed pa- Table (LHRT) of the American statement or thesis; a statement pers are due June 14, 2013. The Library Association (ALA) of the topic’s significance; ob- Research Forum will likely seeks papers for its research jectives, methods, and primary occur on Sunday, June 30, forum at the 2013 ALA Annual sources used for the research; 2013. All presenters must regis- Meeting in Chicago, June 27- and conclusions (or tentative ter to attend the conference. July 2, 2013. The theme of the conclusions for works in pro- For registration options, see forum will be library history as gress). For this particular fo- ALA’s events and conferences American history, a broad con- rum, we especially welcome page at http://www.ala.org/ . cept that embraces the pivotal papers which utilize primary roles that libraries have played records created outside of li- Please submit proposals and in United States cultural, politi- brary institutions, include sec- direct inquiries to Bernadette cal, and social movements, as ondary research from other A. Lear, Penn State Harrisburg well as the influence of various disciplines, and carefully situate Library, 351 Olmsted Dr., Mid- national developments on li- library history within national dletown, PA 17057, telephone: brary history. contexts. All proposals are due (717) 948-6360, e-mail: on November 30, 2012. [email protected]. LHRT welcomes submissions —Bernadette A. Lear, Penn from researchers of all back- From the submissions, the State Harrisburg grounds, including students, LHRT Research Committee 

Call for Nominations: ALCTS Outstanding Collaboration Award The ALCTS Outstanding Col- http://www.ala.org/alcts/ [email protected], or to laboration Award recognizes awards/profrecognition/ Arthur F. Miller, Head, Invoice and encourages collaborative collaborationcite . Unit, Acquisitions Section, problem-solving efforts in the Princeton University Library, areas of acquisition, access, Nominations are due on De- 693 Alexander Road, Prince- management, preservation or cember 1, 2012 and must in- ton, NJ 08540 archiving of library materials. clude two letters of recommen- —Arthur Miller, Princeton It recognizes actions, services dation and a written justifica- University or products that improve and tion for the citation. The justi-  benefit library collections. The fication should include demon- citation may be presented to strated outcomes; how the two or more individuals or achievement contributed to the groups who have participated fulfillment of needs in the jointly in an appropriate work of collection manage- achievement. Recent winners ment or technical services; and include the Queens Memory any other factors relevant to Project, and the Open Folklore the merit of the achievement. Project of the Indiana Univer- sity Library and the American Send all materials and direct Folklore Society. For more any questions to Arthur F. additional information, see Miller, chair, Citation Jury, Library History Round Table

The Library History Round Table (LHRT) was Executive Board, 2012/2013 founded in 1947 to commemorate great library leaders of the past and to celebrate the importance of libraries in Chair Mark McCallon, Abilene Christian University society. Since then, LHRT members have critically [email protected] examined libraries and their services in light of class, culture, gender, geography, race, and other perspectives. Vice-Chair/ Bernadette A. Lear, Penn State Harrisburg Library LHRT is an inclusive and diverse organization that Chair-Elect [email protected] supports anyone who is interested in the history of libraries. LHRT strives to further the study of history of Past Chair Tom Glynn, Rutgers University [email protected] libraries and reading through thought-provoking programs and monetary awards for outstanding research. Secretary/Treasurer Dominique Daniel, Oakland University We encourage library schools to incorporate historical [email protected] content and methodology in their curricula and to support students who are doing historical research. Through Secretary/Treasurer- Ellen Pozzi, William Paterson University involvement in LHRT we offer members the opportuni- Elect [email protected] ty to network with colleagues interested in library history. LHRT members include librarians, archivists, Past Secretary/ Joyce Latham, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee curators, and others doing historical research; LIS Treasurer [email protected] students with a background or interest in history, faculty in LIS, the humanities, and related disciplines; Admin- Member-at-Large Karen Cook [email protected] istrators, staff, and volunteers working in historic libraries; and retirees. Member-at-Large Julia Skinner, Florida State University [email protected]

American Library Association Office of Research and Statistics c/o Norman M. Rose 50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60616

Phone: (312) 280-4283 Fax: (312) 280-4392 E-mail: [email protected]