Was Saint Lawrence a Librarian?

 

There is a legend that Saint Lawrence was a librarian, but no historical evidence supports this claim. Saint Lawrence, also known as Laurence of Rome, was a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. He was one of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome, known for his charity and compassion toward the poor.

The legend that Saint Lawrence was a librarian is based on a story that he was responsible for preserving the manuscripts and books of the Church during a period of persecution. According to the legend, when the Roman Emperor Valerian ordered that all Christian clergy be put to death, Saint Lawrence hid the Church's treasures securely to protect them from destruction. However, when he was captured and tortured by the Roman authorities, he refused to reveal the location of the prizes, and he was ultimately martyred for his faith.

While the story of Saint Lawrence's role as a librarian is famous, it needs to be supported by historical evidence. However, Saint Lawrence is still celebrated by many librarians and archivists today as the patron saint of libraries, archivists, and librarians.

The Catholic Encyclopedia has an entry on Saint Lawrence that includes information about his life and legend: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09089b.htm

The Atlas Obscura website has an article about the legend of Saint Lawrence as a librarian: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-library-saint

The American Library Association (ALA) website has a page about Saint Lawrence as the patron saint of libraries: https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/library-champions/patron-saint-libraries

The National Library of Spain has a page about Saint Lawrence and his connection to libraries: https://www.bne.es/en/Cultura/nuestras-bibliotecas/san-lorenzo.html

Was Eratosthenes a librarian?

 

Eratosthenes was a librarian and a Greek mathematician, geographer, and astronomer. He was born in Cyrene (in present-day Libya) in 276 BC and served as the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria in Egypt in the third century BC. The Library of Alexandria was one of the most famous libraries in the ancient world, and it played a crucial role in developing Greek and Roman scholarship.

As a chief librarian, Eratosthenes collected, organized, and preserved the library's vast collection of books and documents. He was also a scholar in his own right and made significant contributions to mathematics, geography, and astronomy. Eratosthenes is best known for his measurement of the Earth's circumference, which he accomplished using a method involving the angle of the sun's rays at different locations. He also developed the concept of latitude and longitude and created a world map based on his extensive geography knowledge.

Eratosthenes' work as a librarian and scholar had a lasting impact on science and scholarship, and he is remembered as one of the greatest thinkers of the ancient world.

The Library of Alexandria website has a section on the history of the library, including information about Eratosthenes' role as a chief librarian: http://www.bibalex.org/en/Library/History

The Encyclopædia Britannica website has a biography of Eratosthenes that includes information about his work as a librarian and scholar: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eratosthenes

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy website has an entry on Eratosthenes that includes information about his contributions to mathematics, geography, and astronomy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/eratosthenes/

The Ancient History Encyclopedia website has an article about Eratosthenes' measurement of the Earth's circumference: https://www.ancient.eu/Eratosthenes/

Melvil Dewey was a racist librarian?

 Melvil Dewey: His Contributions to Library Science and Controversial Legacy

Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) was an American librarian and educator known for his significant contributions to the development of modern library science. Born in Adams Center, New York, Dewey grew up on a farm and attended the State Normal School in Albany. After teaching in a rural school in New York for several years, he was hired as the librarian of the newly established Amherst College Library in Massachusetts in 1876.

While at Amherst, Dewey developed the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system, which is still widely used in libraries today. The DDC is a system of organizing books and other materials by subject, using a set of numbers and decimals to indicate different levels of specificity. This system revolutionized library organization and made it easier for patrons to find the needed materials.

In addition to his work on the DDC, Dewey founded the American Library Association (ALA) in 1876 and served as its first secretary. He became the director of the New York State Library and the head of the library school at Columbia University. He strongly advocated for library education and helped establish several library schools throughout the United States.

Dewey was also involved in several other fields, including spelling reform and metrication. He believed spelling should be simplified to make learning and promoting international communication more accessible. As a result, he created the Dewey Spelling Alphabet, which used letters to represent different sounds in English. Dewey was also a strong advocate for the metric system and served as the first president of the American Metric Association.

Melvil Dewey's legacy in the field of library science has been tarnished by his controversial personal life. He was accused of sexual harassment and discrimination against women as director of the New York State Library and head of the library school at Columbia University. Additionally, Dewey was known to have espoused racist and anti-Semitic views, and he promoted eugenics and forced sterilization of individuals deemed "unfit" to reproduce.

The controversy surrounding Dewey's personal life has led to calls to remove his name from libraries and other institutions that bear it. In recent years, efforts have been made to rename the Melvil Dewey Library at SUNY Plattsburgh and the Melvil Dewey Medal, awarded by the ALA. These efforts are part of a broader movement to reassess the legacies of historical figures accused of misconduct or held controversial views.

Here are some links that provide more information about the controversies surrounding Melvil Dewey:

The New York Times published an article in 2019 about efforts to rename the Melvil Dewey Library at SUNY Plattsburgh: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/nyregion/suny-plattsburgh-melvil-dewey.html.

The ALA website has a page about the Melvil Dewey Medal and its history: https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/content/melvil-dewey-medal.

The Washington Post published an article in 2019 about Melvil Dewey's legacy and the controversy surrounding his name: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/12/07/melvil-dewey-invented-decimal-system-cataloging-books-he-was-also-library-pervert/

The American Libraries Magazine website has an article about the controversy surrounding Melvil Dewey and the call to rename the

 Melvil Dewey Medal: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/ala-to-consider-renaming-melvil-dewey-medal/

The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) website has a brief biography of Melvil Dewey, including his work on the Dewey Decimal Classification system: https://www.oclc.org/en/about/dewey.html.

The Library of Congress website has a page about Melvil Dewey, which includes information about his role in founding the American Library Association: https://www.loc.gov/aba/cataloging/classification/dewey/melvil-dewey.html.

The American Library Association website has a page about Melvil Dewey, which includes information about his contributions to library education: https://www.ala.org/aboutala/melvil-dewey.

The Dewey Decimal Classification website has a section on the system's history, including information about Melvil Dewey's role in its development: https://www.oclc.org/en/dewey/features/history.html.

Laura Bush was a librarian

Laura Bush was a librarian before becoming the First Lady of the United States. She earned a Master's in Library Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 1973 and worked as a librarian in public and academic libraries. In the 1980s, she was the librarian at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where her husband, George W. Bush, served on the board of trustees. Laura Bush has advocated for literacy and education throughout her career, and she used her position as First Lady to promote reading and library programs. In 2001, she established the National Book Festival, an annual event that celebrates books and reading and brings together authors, illustrators, and readers from across the country. 

The American Library Association (ALA) website has a profile of Laura Bush that describes her education and career as a librarian: https://www.ala.org/aboutala/laura-bush

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum website has a section on Laura Bush's life and career, which includes information about her work as a librarian: https://www.georgewbushlibrary.smu.edu/en/Research/Research-Collections/Laura-Bush/Laura-Bush.aspx

The Library of Congress website has a page about the National Book Festival, which Laura Bush founded in 2001: https://www.loc.gov/events/2021-national-book-festival/about-this-event/

The New York Times published an article in 2001 about Laura Bush's passion for books and her career as a librarian: https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/26/us/2001-national-book-festival-mrs-bush-s-other-passion-promoting-books.html

Benjamin Franklin was a librarian

Benjamin Franklin was a librarian. In 1731, he and a group of fellow intellectuals in Philadelphia founded the Library Company of Philadelphia, the first subscription library in the United States. Franklin served as the company's librarian for many years and donated many books from his personal collection to the library. The Library Company of Philadelphia played an essential role in the cultural and intellectual life of the city, and it served as a model for many other libraries that were established in the United States in the following years.

The Library Company of Philadelphia's website provides a brief history of the organization, including its founding by Franklin and others in 1731: https://librarycompany.org/about/history/

The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary website, created to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth, includes a section on Franklin's contributions to the development of libraries in America: https://www.benfranklin300.org/frankliniana/result.php?id=178

The National Endowment for the Humanities' EDSITEment website includes a lesson plan on Franklin's involvement in the establishment of the Library Company of Philadelphia: https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/benjamin-franklin-and-library-company-philadelphia

The University of Pennsylvania Libraries website has a page on the Library Company of Philadelphia, with information on its history and holdings: https://www.library.upenn.edu/about/programmatic-units/library-company-philadelphia

Mao Zedong Was A Librarian

Mao Zedong worked as a librarian during his early years before he became involved in politics. In 1918, Mao moved to Beijing and worked as an assistant librarian at the Peking University Library. During this time, he spent much time reading and studying Marxist theory, which would later influence his political ideology. Mao's time as a librarian allowed him access to a wide range of books and information, which helped shape his understanding of the world and his views on society. Although his time as a librarian was relatively short, it significantly impacted Mao's intellectual development and his later role as a political leader in China.

Sources

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mao-Zedong

https://www.nytimes.com/1976/09/10/archives/mao-tsetung-father-of-chinese-revolution-leader-of-long-march-based.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/mao_zedong.shtml

https://www.biography.com/political-figures/mao-tse-tung

You can tell librarian secrets?