John cotton dana biography definition

John Cotton Dana: a Life. Self and History: a Tribute to Linda Nochlin. Emily Crockett and Lee Sorensen. Dana, John Cotton. Sources Kingdon, Frank. Cummings New Jersey Information Center. Contributors: Emily Crockett and Lee Sorensen. Citation Emily Crockett and Lee Sorensen. He is particularly remembered for his belief that libraries should be more accessible and service-oriented, focusing on the needs of the public.

His pioneering work included the creation of the first-ever business library and the establishment of the Newark Museum inwhich combined art, science, and industry exhibits to educate the public comprehensively. He authored several books and articles, advocating for progressive changes that have become foundational principles in modern librarianship and museum curation.

He established the Newark Museum inwhich was one of the first museums to combine art, science, and industry exhibits. Dana was an advocate for making libraries more accessible and user-friendly, often focusing on practical resources for the public. Because of the reputation he cultivated as a learned man and his connections in the Denver Public Schoolsthe superintendent Aaron Gove nominated Dana as the city's first librarian.

Dana directed the Denver Public Library from towhere he instituted an "open stack " policy under which patrons could browse for themselves instead of having library staff intervening for every request. Under Dana's leadership the Denver Public Library also pioneered the first-ever collection devoted to children's literature. He was personally opposed to the concept of storytime, preferring for his children's library to focus on the continuing education of school teachers.

The city began discussing lowering Dana's salary over mounting public controversy concerning a city tax levied for the school district and, by extension, the library. Dana felt that library patrons should have information on both sides of the issue. Back east again, he served as a librarian at the Springfield, Massachusettspublic library from to and continued many of his Denver policies there.

John cotton dana biography definition

One of the changes Dana implemented at the Springfield library was to the physical building itself. He had workers tear down many of the railings and generally open the floor plan. Dana was adamant that patrons be permitted to browse the stacks: "Let the shelves be open, and the public admitted to them, and let the open shelves strike the keynote of the whole administration.

The whole library should be permeated with a cheerful and accommodating atmosphere. He left Springfield after refusing to become involved in a power struggle with the library's patrons. He established foreign language collections for immigrants and also developed a special collection for the business community. This "Business Branch" was the first of its kind in the nation.

Dana founded the Newark Museum indirecting it until his death. The Museum was exceptional because it included contemporary American commercial products as folk art as well as factory-made products. Dana, Bill —. Dana, Barbara Dana College: Tabular Data. Dana College: Narrative Description. Dana Giving. Dan, Sergiu. Dan, Leslie L. Dan, Joseph. Dan, Ikuma.

Dan, Barbara Griffin Dan, Aurora —. Dan Quayle Was Right.