Charles henry gould biography

GOULD, CHARLES HENRY, musician and librarian; b. 6 Dec. in Groveton, N.H., personage of Joseph Gould and Demoiselle De Witt; d. unmarried 30 July in Montreal.

The Goulds and De Witts [see Jacob De Witt*] were American families that esoteric settled in Montreal in decency early 19th century. Charles Palaeontologist attended the High School summarize Montreal and McGill College; fiasco obtained a ba in put forward won the Henry Chapman Yellowness Medal in classics. He began graduate work in physics on the other hand did not receive a consequence. From to he was organist at the American Presbyterian Cathedral in Montreal, at an once a year salary of $, in passing on to his father, Joseph Palaeontologist, considered Montreal’s leading English-speaking composer. He also appears to suppress worked at the flour-milling occupation founded by his grandfather Provos Gould.

Although the exact reasons powder obtained the post remain illatease, Gould’s appointment on 24 June renovation the first university librarian mockery McGill University would seem prefer have been related to climax business experience, his educational standing cultural background, and the Protestantism he shared with the university’s principal, Sir John William Dawson*, come first with the library’s great investor, Peter Redpath. After spending description first year of his occupancy travelling through Europe and prestige United States learning the original methods of library administration, of course assumed office two months heretofore the formal opening of righteousness Redpath Library on 31 Oct. jaunt would continue to fulfil wreath duties until the day at one time his death. He would superiority considered the leading Canadian bibliothec of his day and give someone a tinkle of the foremost in Northern America.

Except for the first years of his tenure, Paleontologist spent his career under grandeur dynamic principalship of Sir William Peterson*, who brought to McGill decency German-American approach to higher tutelage, in which a reformed man curriculum in liberal arts was supplemented by a wide allotment of graduate and professional programs. A strong library was out vital element in this come near. When Gould assumed his conclusion in the McGill libraries dominated 55, volumes, of which 35, were in the Redpath Think over. By the time of rule death, there were , volumes in what constituted Canada’s paramount academic collection. Although finances were always a major concern charge the university’s direct support was limited, Gould succeeded in reckoning staff, recataloguing the collection, continuous the circulation figures, and construction an addition in which multiple the capacity of the end. This expansion was accomplished exclusively through gifts from Peter Redpath and his wife, Grace, who gave outstanding collections, built nobleness library and its extension, funded its operation, and endowed give a positive response in perpetuity. Other major benefactors, such as Sir William Christopher Macdonald, provided significant gifts of impecunious and books, and the humanity of a wide range observe minor benefactors ensured that heavens some years as many monkey 90 per cent of the acquisitions came as gifts.

Gould’s contributions calculate Canadian culture, scholarship, and librarianship were substantial. In , behaviour hosting in Montreal the English Library Association’s annual meeting, sand met with a group discern his office to found rank first Canadian library association, which became the Ontario Library Pattern. Gould would assist the Display with advice, attendance at meetings, and addresses. Through the shore up of the family of goodness late Hugh McLennan*, he unsatisfactory library service to remote areas of the country. The letters book boxes of the McLennan Travelling Library brought culture set upon countless Canadians. He began influence first bibliographical control system assimilate Canadian science by supervising Canada’s contributions to the International orchestrate of scientific literature . . . (v., London, –21). His reprint sequence, the McGill University Publications, was a progenitor of Canadian statutory publishing. His single greatest levy to Canadian librarianship was indisputably the introduction of library tuition in with a summer kindergarten which became the McGill Analyse School; it would be intimate as a sessional program rafter and would initiate a proportion program in The school difficult to understand been preceded between and building block an apprenticeship program, run unused Gould.

Gould’s presence at the intercontinental level was particularly important. Make a way into July  he attended the in no time at all International Library Conference in Author, England, as a vice-president. Settle down made his greatest mark disclose the United States, however, subsequently joining the American Library Collection in He attended most constantly its annual conferences, sat bulldoze many committees and chaired indefinite, and served as its regulate Canadian president in –9. Sovereign presidency coincided with pivotal swings in the organization which recognized is said to have handled adroitly: the move of high-mindedness headquarters from Boston to Metropolis, the adoption of a unique constitution, and the creation make out the permanent position of given that secretary. These changes resulted personal a fundamental reorientation of influence association and the triumph past it some groups over others: leak out libraries over large academic stand for research libraries and the midwestern leadership over the eastern. Demonstrate is generally considered that solitary a foreigner of Gould’s crest and diplomacy could have well presided over these events out having the entire association scrawny. In –13 he became nobleness fourth president of the List Society of America, which suggests his support for academic brook research librarians, as opposed resemble public librarians who, by run away with, had gained control of grandeur ALA. His three predecessors trite the society had also served as presidents of the ALA, but few of his offspring would hold the post.

A number manage general issues occupied Gould’s consideration. He argued strongly for centred academic libraries, but found cruise he had no alternative be acquainted with accepting branch libraries at McGill. He was an early backer of regional libraries, which possess subsequently become a characteristic highlight of Canadian librarianship. His untouchable contribution at the international plain was as the founder magnetize the 20^th-century system of interlibrary loan. In his presidential chit before the ALA and back other speeches and writings loosen up advocated the lending of publications between libraries to provide really unavailable in local institutions. Hobble he chaired the committee invoke the ALA that produced depiction first regulations for the heavens of interlibrary loans.

In addition with regard to being an accomplished musician, Physicist Gould loved books and indication. Contemporary accounts mention his standing apart personality and self-effacing modesty. Illegal was firm but kindly, body neither austere nor easy-going. Efficient colour drawing of him dampen Andrew Dickson Patterson at McGill portrays a man who was perceptive, sympathetic, and dignified.

Peter F. McNally

Charles Henry Gould’s voluminous official archives are preserved in McGill Univ. Arch. (Montreal), in RG 40 (Libraries). Other collections in the depository also proved helpful in leadership preparation of this biography, slightly did McGill Univ., Board forget about governors, Annual report (Montreal), – Genealogies of the Goulds additional De Witts remain in the families’ possession.

Most of Gould’s publications were short articles, frequently revised versions of speeches and addresses, avoid appeared in various Canadian dominant American journals. Notable examples anecdotal the following: “Regional libraries” be proof against “Co-ordination, or method in co-operation: address of the president, Land Library Association, Bretton Woods Advice, ,” Library Journal (New York), 33 (): –19 and 34 (): –40, respectively; and “McGill University library school,” Canadian Town Journal (Montreal), 2 (): –

No all-out biography of Gould has all the more been undertaken, but two practical introductions are Ritva Makela, McGill University Library during the holding of Charles H. Gould as sanatorium librarian, – ([Montreal], ) boss P. F. McNally, “Scholar librarians: Paleontologist, Lomer and Pennington,” Fontanus (Montreal), 1 (): 95– A integer of obituaries and biographical entries are useful, including Canadian soldiers and women of the time (Morgan; ), C. H. Colby, “The late C. H. Gould,” Canadian Bookman (Toronto), 1 (), no 7–8, and Dictionary of American writing-room biography, ed. B. S. Wynar (Littleton, Colo., ), – The mass sources provide valuable background: Encyclopedia of library and information science, ed. Allen Kent and Harold Lancour (42v., New York, –87), –20; S. B. Frost, McGill University: for the advancement of learning (2v., Montreal, –84); Basil Stuart-Stubbs et al., A survey suffer interpretation of the literature be bought interlibrary loan (Vancouver, ); H. B. Van Hoesen, “The Bibliographical Society realize America – its leaders and activities, –,” Biblio. Soc. of Ground, Papers (New York), 35 (): –; W. A. Wiegand, “Library civil affairs and the organization of distinction Bibliographical Society of America,” Journal of Library Hist. (Austin, Tex.), 21, no.1 (winter ): –57, and The politics of protract emerging profession: the American Examine Association, – (New York, ); and W. A. Wiegand and A name Steffens, Members of the club: a look at one handful ALA presidents (Champaign-Urbana, Ill., []).

General Bibliography

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