John Shaw Billings records 1885-1915

ArchivalResource

John Shaw Billings records 1885-1915

Records of the first Director of The New York Public Library. John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) served as Director of NYPL from its founding in 1895 until 1913. He helped create NYPL by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research library and building a branch library system for three of the boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx.) He also planned and oversaw the construction of the NYPL Central Building which was opened to the public in 1911.

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SNAC Resource ID: 6316594

Related Entities

There are 5 Entities related to this resource.

New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office.

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Richard De Gennaro (1926-) was Director of the New York Public Library from 1987 to 1990, at which time he assumed the position of Librarian of Harvard College. Prior to his appointment at N.Y.P.L., he had held senior library positions at Harvard and was the Director of Libraries at the University of Pennsylvania from 1970 to 1986. From the guide to the Richard De Gennaro records, 1987-1990, (The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives.) Franklin Ferguson H...

Lenox Library

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The Lenox Library was a free public reference library which grew out of the private book collection of James Lenox (1800-1880). A lifelong bachelor of Scottish Presbyterian descent, Lenox inherited a large fortune from his father's commercial import business augmented by astute real estate investments. In 1840 Lenox retired from business to devote himself to his book and art collections. In 1870 the Library's act of incorporation was passed, a nine member board of truste...

Billings, John S. (John Shaw), 1838-1913

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U. S. Army surgeon and founder of the Army Medical Library. From the description of John Shaw Billings letters, 1891, Apr. 13 and May 13, New York City, to W.R. Benjamin. (Duke University). WorldCat record id: 34992422 1860. Graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, with A.B., M.A. From the description of General correspondence June 1862-Oct. 1901 [microform]. (Alma Public Library). WorldCat record id: 7883610 The Adjutant General of the Army had re...

Anderson, Edwin Hatfield, 1861-1947.

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Astor Library

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The Library has usually had an architect on staff to coordinate construction projects and building renovations. This individual has also had custody of the architectural drawings created by the Library or by outside architectural firms. From the guide to the Architect records, ca. 1900-1980, (The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives.) The Astor Library was founded as a privately funded reference library, open without charge to the public. ...