Hanson, J. C. M. (James Christian Meinich), 1864-1943

Librarian. B.A., Luther College, 1882. Chief of cataloging division, Library of Congress, 1897-1910. Associate Director, University of Chicago Library, 1910-1927; Acting Director, 1927-1928. Professor, University of Chicago Graduate Library School, 1928-1930; Professor Emeritus, 1930-1934.

From the description of Papers, 1892-1943 (inclusive). (University of Chicago Library). WorldCat record id: 52246553

From the description of Papers, 1892-1943 (inclusive). (University of Chicago Library). WorldCat record id: 45478546

James (or Jens) Christian Meinich Hanson was born in the Nordre Aurdal district of Norway in 1864. At the age of nine, he emigrated to the United States and entered the preparatory department of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. After graduating from the College with a B. A. in 1882, he attended Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis for two years and pursued further graduate studies at Cornell University in 1889-1890. Influenced by Cornell librarian George W. Harris to enter a career in library work, Hanson accepted a position as apprentice on the staff of the Newberry Library in Chicago in 1890. Three years later, he moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to become head of the cataloging department at the University of Wisconsin Library. While at the Newberry and Wisconsin, Hanson developed cataloging and classification as his professional specialization.

In 1897, Hanson was named chief of the cataloging division of the Library of Congress, a position he held until coming to the University of Chicago in 1910. During his years at the Library of Congress, Hanson played a major role in developing its general catalog, particularly through the creation of a new classification scheme for books which later became the basis for the Library of Congress classification system. Under his supervision, the Library of Congress initiated its influential program of printing and distribution of catalog cards for use by other libraries. Hanson was also instrumental in drafting the code of cataloging rules which was disseminated in 1908 as the familiar "Anglo-American Code."

On October 18, 1910, Hanson was appointed Associate Director of the University of Chicago Library, where he worked as the chief assistant to Director Ernest D. Burton. He remained Associate Director until 1927, served briefly as Acting Director (1927-1928), and was subsequently Professor (1928-1930) and Professor Emeritus (1930-1934) in the Graduate Library School. In 1928, Hanson was granted a leave of absence to assist in the reorganization of the Vatican Library in Rome being conducted under a grant from the Carnegie Corporation; there, in collaboration with Charles Martel, he contributed to the drafting of the Vatican's revised cataloging code, Norme per il catalogo degli stampati (1931). Hanson died in 1943.

From the guide to the Hanson, J. C. M. (James Christian Meinich). Papers, 1892-1943, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)