Root, Azariah Smith, 1862-1927

Librarian of Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio.

Azariah Smith Root was born in Middlefield, Massachusetts. He was educated at Oberlin College, Harvard Law School and the University of Gottingen. He was appointed a Cataloger at Oberlin College in 1885 and in 1887 became Director of the College Library, and Professor of Bibliography in 1890. He was a lecturer and instructor at Western Reserve University Library School, 1906-27, and served as Acting Principal, New York Public Library School, 1916-17. He was active in civic and professional affairs. He was a member of the Oberlin Board of Education and served as its president. He was President, American Library Association, 1921-22, President, Ohio Library Association, 1900-01, 1914-15, President, Bibliographical Society of America, 1909-10, and 1923-24. Root was responsible for developing Oberlin College Library into one of the ranking college libraries in the United States. He married Anna Mayo Metcalf in 1887.