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| Newark Public Library |
I don’t know where John Cotton Dana got his energy but he seemed to have had a never ending supply. When we left him in Newark yesterday he was busy revolutionizing the library and starting a museum. In his spare time he was actively involved in the life of the community. Dana could have been the “First Citizen” of Springfield, M.A. but it seems that his ideas were a little to progressive for Western Massachusetts. He founded Springfield’s first library in 1898 and was excited about incorporating the art and history museum into the library. Wealthy collectors and the museum curator didn’t share his enthusiasm and Dana moved onto to greener pastures in Newark in 1901. Dana believe deeply in personal freedom and respected the aethetic of each individual . He did not believe it was role to ‘educate’ the masses or tell them what to think. Instead he wanted to lay out a banquet of learning for them to choose from based on their own appetites.
The library was 14 yrs. old when Dana arrived and eagerly took the reigns. He began publicizing books and programs at library in the local paper in order to reach out and attrack the diverse community. The ALA actually awards ‘The John Cotton Dana Award’ (started in 1946) to libraries that distinguish themselves in public relations and pubic education. Dana was famous for doing both. He also believed that women should be treated equally and, according to Bruce E. Ford’s article, wrote,
“every woman who knows enough to do it should take advantage of every possible opportunity to promote the independence of women. No young woman should be expected to stay at home and take care of her parents with any greater degree of expectancy than is extended to the young men of the family.”
He proved his point by hiring librarian Beatrice Winser and trusting her to manage and operate the library and the museum.
One of the things that struck me about Dana was that although he was a great thinker, he remembered the small stuff that mattered to the community on a daily basis. He made it easier for people to get library cards, extended building hours, wrote a newsletter, added books to the collection (even fiction!) and encouraged children in the library. He believed that the library should play a role in helping people to be better citizens and added areas for pamphlets and maps that would help citizens learn about the services, find their way around the city and learn to vote. When Dana added a new program or service (usually after conducting a survey or needs assessment) he made sure his community new about it - he made flyers, took out adds and created posters.
He always imagined himself in his patron’s shoes and thought about how he could help them learn and grow.
Dana energy was matched by his interest in learning new things and bringing them to others.. The Dictionary of Art Historian’s entry explains that in 1909 he founded the Newark Museum at the library and began displaying art from the collections of Newark Residents. The Newark Museum was one of the first to collect American Art, (Dana disliked “treasure quality art”) and sought folk artists in America. I’m thinking that he would not have seen eye-to-eye with the great Mr. Morgan, as he believe that "beauty has no relation to age, rarity or price."
Dana was an educated, intellectual man of the people, not so common in the early part of the century. He didn’t have a pretentious bone in his body and truly worked to serve others. Newark was lucky to have him for so long - he probably did the work of ten people in his lifetime - I am confident that he changed the course of many lives for the better during his stay on our planet.
The library was 14 yrs. old when Dana arrived and eagerly took the reigns. He began publicizing books and programs at library in the local paper in order to reach out and attrack the diverse community. The ALA actually awards ‘The John Cotton Dana Award’ (started in 1946) to libraries that distinguish themselves in public relations and pubic education. Dana was famous for doing both. He also believed that women should be treated equally and, according to Bruce E. Ford’s article, wrote,
“every woman who knows enough to do it should take advantage of every possible opportunity to promote the independence of women. No young woman should be expected to stay at home and take care of her parents with any greater degree of expectancy than is extended to the young men of the family.”
He proved his point by hiring librarian Beatrice Winser and trusting her to manage and operate the library and the museum.
One of the things that struck me about Dana was that although he was a great thinker, he remembered the small stuff that mattered to the community on a daily basis. He made it easier for people to get library cards, extended building hours, wrote a newsletter, added books to the collection (even fiction!) and encouraged children in the library. He believed that the library should play a role in helping people to be better citizens and added areas for pamphlets and maps that would help citizens learn about the services, find their way around the city and learn to vote. When Dana added a new program or service (usually after conducting a survey or needs assessment) he made sure his community new about it - he made flyers, took out adds and created posters.
He always imagined himself in his patron’s shoes and thought about how he could help them learn and grow.
Dana energy was matched by his interest in learning new things and bringing them to others.. The Dictionary of Art Historian’s entry explains that in 1909 he founded the Newark Museum at the library and began displaying art from the collections of Newark Residents. The Newark Museum was one of the first to collect American Art, (Dana disliked “treasure quality art”) and sought folk artists in America. I’m thinking that he would not have seen eye-to-eye with the great Mr. Morgan, as he believe that "beauty has no relation to age, rarity or price."
Dana was an educated, intellectual man of the people, not so common in the early part of the century. He didn’t have a pretentious bone in his body and truly worked to serve others. Newark was lucky to have him for so long - he probably did the work of ten people in his lifetime - I am confident that he changed the course of many lives for the better during his stay on our planet.
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