Research Catalog

Details

Found in

1. (CStRLIN)NYPW92-A12

Description

1. 41 linear feet (48 boxes, 70 volumes).

Summary

1. Collection documents Billings' seventeen years as Director, from 1896 to 1913.

Subject

1. Billings, John S. 1838-1913
2. Anderson, Edwin Hatfield, 1861-1947
3. Astor Library
4. Lenox Library
5. New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
6. Libraries -- History -- 19th century
7. Libraries -- New York (State) -- New York
8. Research libraries -- New York (State) -- New York
9. Public libraries -- Administration -- New York (State) -- New York
10. Library buildings -- New York (State) -- New York
11. Branch libraries -- New York (State) -- New York
12. Research libraries -- Acquisitions

Genre/Form

1. Minutes.
2. Architectural drawings.

Call number

1. MssArc 4937

Terms of use (note)

1. All rights reserved. Permission to quote must be obtained in writing from the New York Public Library.

Location of other archival materials (note)

1. Billings' personal papers are held by NYPL Manuscripts Division.

Biography (note)

1. John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) combined careers in both medicine and library science. He served as a U.S. Army surgeon and was responsible for creating the nation's foremost medical library - now the National Library of Medicine. He served as special advisor to the Trustees of Johns Hopkins Hospital in planning and organizing that institution. After retiring from the Army in 1895, Billings was named the first Director of the New York Public Library. He helped create the N.Y.P.L. by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research library and building a branch library system for three of the boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx.) Billings assumed responsibility for most acquisitions of library materials and personally built up the collections. He also planned and oversaw the constuction of the Central Library Building which was opened to the public in 1911.

Indexes/finding aids (note)

1. Unpublished finding aid available at repository and on Internet

Linking entry (note)

1. The history of the Director's Office is described separately.

Processing action (note)

1. Inventoried

Author

1. New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office.

Title

1. John Shaw Billings records, 1885-1915.

Terms of use

1. All rights reserved. Permission to quote must be obtained in writing from the New York Public Library.

Biography

1. John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) combined careers in both medicine and library science. He served as a U.S. Army surgeon and was responsible for creating the nation's foremost medical library - now the National Library of Medicine. He served as special advisor to the Trustees of Johns Hopkins Hospital in planning and organizing that institution. After retiring from the Army in 1895, Billings was named the first Director of the New York Public Library. He helped create the N.Y.P.L. by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research library and building a branch library system for three of the boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx.) Billings assumed responsibility for most acquisitions of library materials and personally built up the collections. He also planned and oversaw the constuction of the Central Library Building which was opened to the public in 1911.

Indexes

1. Unpublished finding aid available at repository and on Internet

Location of other archival materials

1. Billings' personal papers are held by NYPL Manuscripts Division.

Linking entry

1. The history of the Director's Office is described separately.

Connect to:

1. Finding Aid

Occupation

1. Librarians.

Found in:

1. (CStRLIN)NYPW92-A12

Research call number

1. MssArc 4937
2. RG 6