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| John Cotton Dana |
I closed my eyes, pointed my finger at the map and ended up in Denver, Colorado. Why not? It was time to get off the coast and investigate the great interior and Denver is a very cool place that I’ve actually been to. It took me about two seconds to realize I had opened a treasure chest...Andrew Carnegie, John Cotton Dana, Michael Graves, Frederick Ross...where to begin? I dialed back the clock to the 1880s, which is where I left off yesterday with Mr. Pratt, and started reading.
How have I not learned about John Cotton Dana in the last three months? Known as Newark, N.J.’s ‘First Citizen’ he was a revolutionary librarian way ahead of his time. Thanks to an excerpt from Michael J. Haeuser’s book, entitled "With Grace, Elegance, and Flair: The First 25 Years of Gustavus Library Associates", I learned about Dana’s fascinating life. He began his career as a lawyer (a graduate of Dartmouth College) and headed to Denver to take advantage of the healthy mountain air. He became incensed at the Denver Library ‘hands off’’ approach to books and began a letter writing campaign to change the practice. Before he knew it he was invited to take on the challenge of Library Director in Denver himself, which he eagerly accepted. The first library in Denver was actually housed in a wing of the Denver High School that Dana called, “a center for public happiness,” I’m not even making that up - it was not exactly what the upper crust was used to in their exclusive intellectual retreats. Dana was a true progressive, dogged in his pursuit of a library that was a relevant community center, that met the needs of all patrons.
Dana was the kind of librarian who loved books so much that he wanted to share them with everyone, not lock them away, he knew that reading was the key ingredient on the path to personal and professional growth. People like Dana (and Carnegie) believed passionately that the library should play an important role in the lives of all citizens, even children, women and immigrants. These beliefs led Dana to the crazy idea that people should be allowed to look for their own books, without getting the librarian’s permission or guidance. Open stacks were a new and frightening concept in many libraries at the turn of the century, the librarian was used to being the gate keeper, employed to guard the books from sticky fingers and general misuse. John Cotton Dana threw away the key for good.
After nine years in Denver, Dana moved to Springfield, MA and then onto Newark, N.J. where he spent the rest of his life and really made his mark. Rutger’s library in Newark is now named after Dana and provides more information about his influence in the city. Not surprisingly, Dana got right to work in Newark. He added special collections for the large immigrant community, welcomed children into the hallowed halls and reached out to businessman, teachers, health care providers and college students. He worked as a trustee for many institutions in the city and supported the N.J. Law School (later named Dana College) and the Seth Boyden School of Business. In addition to all this, he began a museum on the 4th floor of the library and convinced citizens of Newark to loan their valuable collections for display. He offered 50 displays at the museum in only seven years and attracted a quarter million visitors.
Clearly Dana is a library hero that needs at least another day of attention. For now I’ll leave you with Dana’s own words, “ "For over twenty years I have found that I leave my library with regret, however long the day has been, and return to it always with delight."
How have I not learned about John Cotton Dana in the last three months? Known as Newark, N.J.’s ‘First Citizen’ he was a revolutionary librarian way ahead of his time. Thanks to an excerpt from Michael J. Haeuser’s book, entitled "With Grace, Elegance, and Flair: The First 25 Years of Gustavus Library Associates", I learned about Dana’s fascinating life. He began his career as a lawyer (a graduate of Dartmouth College) and headed to Denver to take advantage of the healthy mountain air. He became incensed at the Denver Library ‘hands off’’ approach to books and began a letter writing campaign to change the practice. Before he knew it he was invited to take on the challenge of Library Director in Denver himself, which he eagerly accepted. The first library in Denver was actually housed in a wing of the Denver High School that Dana called, “a center for public happiness,” I’m not even making that up - it was not exactly what the upper crust was used to in their exclusive intellectual retreats. Dana was a true progressive, dogged in his pursuit of a library that was a relevant community center, that met the needs of all patrons.
Dana was the kind of librarian who loved books so much that he wanted to share them with everyone, not lock them away, he knew that reading was the key ingredient on the path to personal and professional growth. People like Dana (and Carnegie) believed passionately that the library should play an important role in the lives of all citizens, even children, women and immigrants. These beliefs led Dana to the crazy idea that people should be allowed to look for their own books, without getting the librarian’s permission or guidance. Open stacks were a new and frightening concept in many libraries at the turn of the century, the librarian was used to being the gate keeper, employed to guard the books from sticky fingers and general misuse. John Cotton Dana threw away the key for good.
After nine years in Denver, Dana moved to Springfield, MA and then onto Newark, N.J. where he spent the rest of his life and really made his mark. Rutger’s library in Newark is now named after Dana and provides more information about his influence in the city. Not surprisingly, Dana got right to work in Newark. He added special collections for the large immigrant community, welcomed children into the hallowed halls and reached out to businessman, teachers, health care providers and college students. He worked as a trustee for many institutions in the city and supported the N.J. Law School (later named Dana College) and the Seth Boyden School of Business. In addition to all this, he began a museum on the 4th floor of the library and convinced citizens of Newark to loan their valuable collections for display. He offered 50 displays at the museum in only seven years and attracted a quarter million visitors.
Clearly Dana is a library hero that needs at least another day of attention. For now I’ll leave you with Dana’s own words, “ "For over twenty years I have found that I leave my library with regret, however long the day has been, and return to it always with delight."
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