Collection Summary
William Dawson Johnston
Papers
1842-1927
(bulk 1904-1920)
1842-1927
(bulk 1904-1920)
MSS28019
Johnston, William Dawson,
1871-1928
7,500
items
15 containers
5.8 linear feet
English.
Collection material in
English.
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Librarian and
historian. Correspondence, memoranda, reports, lists, notes, writings,
photographs, and clippings and other printed matter. Chiefly relates to
librarianship and the history of libraries.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Dewey, Melvil, 1851-1931--Correspondence.
Johnston, William Dawson, 1871-1928.
Putnam, Herbert, 1861-1955--Correspondence.
Organizations
Columbia University. Library.
Library of Congress--Officials and employees.
Library of Congress.
Saint Paul Public Library.
Subjects
Academic libraries--New York (State)--New York.
Academic libraries.
Libraries--United States.
Library statistics.
National libraries--Washington (D.C.)
Public libraries--Minnesota--Saint Paul.
Occupations
Historians.
Librarians.
Provenance
The papers of William Dawson Johnston, librarian and historian, were
given to the Library of Congress by Johnston in 1928.
Processing History
The papers of William Dawson Johnston were arranged and described in
2005.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of William Dawson
Johnston is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of William Dawson Johnston are open to research.
Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to
visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to
retrieve these items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, William Dawson Johnston Papers,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of William Dawson Johnston (1871-1928) span the years
1842-1927 with the bulk of the materials dated 1904-1920. The collection
includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, lists, notes, writings,
photographs, and clippings and other printed material.
The collection relates chiefly to Johnston's employment as a librarian
and to the history of librarianship. Included are notes for a projected second
volume of his
History of the Library of Congress
. Johnston also amassed
files relating to other libraries, their subject fields, services, statistics,
and history for a study of college and university libraries. Other material
documents Johnston's service at Columbia University Library (1909-1914), Saint
Paul Public Library (1914-1921), and the Library of Congress (1900-1907,
1926-1928).
Correspondents include Melvil Dewey and Herbert Putnam.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged alphabetically by subject and therein
chronologically.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm78028019]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
American Library Association,
1909
1909
1
Bibliographical instruction,
1901-1913
1901-1913
1
Biographical material,
1912, undated
1912, undated
1
Bishop, D. J.,
1842
1842
1
Booksellers flyers,
1912, undated
1912, undated
1
Children's library,
1916-1917
1916-1917
1
Circulation,
1915-1919
1915-1919
1
Civil service,
1913-1921
1913-1921
(4
folders)
1
Clippings
1
1903
2
1904
2
Jan.-Sept.
(6
folders)
3
Oct.-Dec.
(3
folders)
3
1905
3
Jan.
(2
folders)
4
Feb.-Mar.
(4
folders)
5
April
(2
folders)
5
May
(1
folder)
6
(1
folder)
6
June
6
Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
undated
undated
6
Efficiency,
1920-1921
1920-1921
(2
folders)
6
Endowments,
1920
1920
6
Exhibits,
1912
1912
6
Expenditures,
1918-1920
1918-1920
6
Federal libraries,
1907
1907
7
Forms,
undated
undated
(3
folders)
7
General correspondence
7
1900-1903
(7
folders)
8
1904-1927, undated
(10
folders)
9-10
Index cards,
undated
undated
11
Indexing,
1905
1905
11
Libraries, statistics,
1904-1917
1904-1917
11
Minnesota,
1915
1915
11
Nationalization of library
services,
1918-1919
1918-1919
11
New York,
1910-1913, undated
1910-1913, undated
(2
folders)
11
Notes,
1905-1913, undated
1905-1913, undated
11
Photographs,
undated
undated
11
Printed matter,
1902-1919, undated
1902-1919, undated
(2
folders)
11
Processing and preservation,
1915-1918
1915-1918
12
Publicity,
1917-1918
1917-1918
(2
folders)
12
Reference services,
1915-1919
1915-1919
12
Saint Paul Public Library, St.
Paul, Minn.,
1916-1921
1916-1921
(8
folders)
12
Salaries,
1919-1920
1919-1920
12
School libraries,
1916-1918
1916-1918
12
Teachers,
1920
1920
13
Writings
13
"College and University
Libraries," notes and research material,
1911-1913
1911-1913
(5
folders)
13
General
13
1901-1920
(4
folders)
14
Undated
(2
folders)
14
History of libraries,
1903, undated
1903, undated
(2
folders)
14
History of the Library of Congress
, notes and
research material,
1867-1908, undated
1867-1908, undated
(8
folders)
15
Early History of the Washington Library Company and Other
Local Libraries
1904-1905
1904-1905
(2
folders)
15
"History of Western United States
Libraries,"
1903
1903
(2
folders)