New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Agent for Carnegie Sites.

Through his connection with the firm of Olin, Rives and Montgomery and as secretary to George L. Rives, one of the original trustees of the N.Y.P.L., Briggs became Clerk of the Board of Trustees and in 1901 was appointed Agent for Carnegie Sites. As Agent, Briggs' main duties were to assist the Board in selecting sites for Carnegie branches; to examine and, in conjunction with a Board of Appraisors, appraise each site approved by the Board; to negotiate the purchase of sites; to report to both the City and the Library on the progress of negotiations and construction; and to represent the Library in any issue connected with the Carnegie program. Briggs worked as Carnegie Agent for nine years, until 1910. During this period he also served as Agent for the Carnegie programs in Queens and Brooklyn. After leaving the Library, Briggs served as Secretary of the Court House Board and practiced law independently.

From the description of Alanson T. Briggs records, 1901-1913, 1901-1910 (bulk). (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122687062

Born in 1871 in Roselle, New Jersey, Alanson T. Briggs was the eldest son of Reverend Dr. Charles A. Briggs, theologian and professor of Hebrew at Union Theological Seminary. In 1892 Alanson graduated from Columbia College and. After graduating from Columbia Law School, he joined the firm of Olin, Rives and Montgomery. Through his connection with this firm and as private secretary to George L. Rives, one of the original trustees of the NYPL, Briggs became Clerk of The Library's Board of Trustees. Briggs was appointed Agent for Carnegie Sites after the City, in response to Andrew Carnegie's offer of $5,200,000, agreed in 1901 to work with the NYPL in establishing branch libraries in Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. As agent, Briggs acted as liaison between the City and The Library, in particular the Executive Committee (mainly Rives and Cadwalader) and the Circulation Committee (mainly Billings, Bostwick and later Anderson).

Briggs' main duties as Agent were to assist the Board in selecting sites for branches; to examine and, in conjunction with the Board of Appraisers appointed by the City, to appraise each site approved by the Board; to negotiate the purchase of sites; to report to both the City (the Comptroller and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment) and the Library on the progress of negotiations and construction; and to act as counsel for the Library in any issue connected with the Carnegie program. Briggs worked as Agent for some nine years, until the end of 1910, when the Board relieved him of his position. During this period he also served as Carnegie Agent for the Brooklyn Public Library (appointed February 9, 1903) and for the Queens Public Library (appointed early 1903). Briggs' work as Carnegie Agent in New York City attracted the attention of a group in Oregon, who approached him for help in presenting to Carnegie their request, ultimately successful, for a library for Salem, Oregon.

After leaving NYPL Briggs served as Secretary of the Court House Board and practiced law independently. Around 1931 he moved to California, where he died, in Hollywood, on January 31, 1946.

From the guide to the Alanson T. Briggs records, 1901-1913, 1901-1910, (The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives.)