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Dissertation Information for Russell E. Bidlack

NAME:
- Russell E. Bidlack
- (Alias) Russell Bidlack
- (Alias) Russell Eugene Bidlack

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA) (1954)

ADVISORS:
- Rudolph H. Gjelsness

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Frederick Clever Bald
- Raymond L. Kilgour
- Samuel W. McAllister
- Katherine E. Schultz

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The University of Michigan general library: A history of its beginnings, 1837-1852

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to trace in a detailed fashion the founding and early history of the University of Michigan General Library. Little has been written about American university libraries founded during the first half of the nineteenth century. That they played an insignificant role in the curriculum, were small and inaccessible, that they lacked adequate financial support and were poorly administered, are characteristics generally ascribed to them. How their initial book stock was acquired and into what subject divisions it fell, how the books were classified and cataloged, where they were housed and who controlled book selection-- these are some of the questions for which answers are not readily available. In tracing the early history of one of those libraries it is believed that a step has been taken toward answering these questions, for it is evident that during its infancy the University of Michigan Library was typical of other college libraries in the united States. in a few ways it was unique.

The study begins with a discussion of the erroneous tradition that the old University of Michigan in Detroit (1817-1837) had a library, although twelve volumes once owned by that school are identified. The real history of the Library begins with the founding of the present University in 1837 and the appointment of Henry Colclazer, a local clergyman, as librarian. The first accessions were 242 volumes of government documents shipped from Washington in June, 1837. The Regents displayed an early interest in the Library when they purchased Audubon's Birds of America for $970 in 18838, as well as Rafn's Antiquities Americanae. In the same year they arranged for Asa Gray to purchase $5,000 worth of books in Europe. Gray accomplished this largely through George P.Putnam, than in London, and 3,401 volumes were thus acquired. A catalog of this collection constitutes Appendix A. The first general catalog of the Library was prepared by George Corselius in 1840 and was published as a document of the Michigan Legislature.

Particular attention is devoted to the early gifts to the Library, while regulations, housing, and use also received detailed treatment. Two private collections were purchased by the regents before 1852, the Matthew Meigs classical library (99 volumes) in 1844 and Douglass Houghton scientific collection (258 volumes) in 1848. Catalogs of these two collections from Appendices B and C.

In 1845 the regents decided to place the library under the charge of Professor George P. Williams, and Colclazer was removed as librarian. Chapter X is devoted to William's administration (1845-1848) with particular attention to his classification of the Library, according to an adaptation of Jefferson's scheme, and to the printed catalog issued in 1846. The final chapter covers the period 1848-1852 during which time various professors were in charge of the Library and the first annual appropriation was made for its increase. With the coming of President Tappan in 1852, the Michigan Library passed out of its brief infancy into a prolonged period of adolescent growth and change.

MPACT Scores for Russell E. Bidlack

A = 20
C = 33
A+C = 53
T = 34
G = 3
W = 20
TD = 26
TA = 3
calculated 2010-11-13 14:51:57

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