TABLE OF CONTENTS
Descriptive Summary of the Collection
Biography of Carl B. Roden, 1870-1956
Scope and Content of the Collection
Series 1: Correspondence, 1852-1956
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Inventory of the Carl B. Roden - William F. Poole Research Papers, 1852-1956
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Claudette Rocan, 2003. ©2003. |
Descriptive Summary of the Collection |
|
| Creator | Roden, Carl B. (Carl Bismarck), 1871-1956 |
| Title | Carl B. Roden - William F. Poole Research Papers |
| Dates | 1852-1956 |
| Extent | 1.2 cubic ft. (3 boxes) |
| Abstract | Correspondence, writings and research materials assembled by Chicago Public Library chief librarian, Carl B. Roden. Research materials include newspaper clippings, correspondence, and publications concerning or authored by William F. Poole. |
| Language | Materials are in English. |
| Repository | Newberry Library, Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections |
| Collection Call Number | Midwest MS Roden |
| Collection Stack Location | 3a 30 12 |
Administrative Information
Cite As
Carl B. Roden - William F. Poole Papers, Midwest Manuscript Collection, The Newberry Library, Chicago.
Provenance
Gift of Marian Roden, June, 1975.
Processed by
Amy Nyholm, 1949; Diana Haskell, 1977; Virginia H. Smith, 2000
Access
The Carl B. Roden - William F. Poole Papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).
Ownership and Literary Rights
The Carl B. Roden - William F. Poole Papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.
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Biography of Carl B. Roden, 1870-1956
Fourth chief librarian of the Chicago Public Library, who conducted research for a biography of William F. Poole.
Born in 1870, Carl Bismarck Roden began as a library page in 1886, and he worked his way up the ranks to become chief of catalog division. Roden graduated from law school and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1891. He, however, never practiced law. He was appointed chief librarian in 1918 and served until 1950. During Roden's administration of the Chicago Public Library, the branch library system increased 50 percent; the staff more than doubled; the book stock increased threefold; circulation doubled; and total expenditures rose more than 400 percent. Under his aegis, the Chicago Public Library system became the largest circulating library in the world. Upon retirement, Roden took on the task of writing the biography of Chicago Public Library's first librarian: William F. Poole.
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Biography of William F. Poole, 1821-1894
American Librarian, author of works of history and librarianship.
On Christmas Eve in 1821, William Frederick Poole was born in Salem, Massachusetts. Before attending Yale University in 1842, Poole was apprenticed as a jeweler. At Yale, Poole became the assistant librarian. During the course of his career, Poole was librarian of the Boston Athenaeum (1856-69), and of Cincinnati Public Library (1871-73). A pioneer in theories of library administration, he assisted in organizing many libraries, including the Chicago Public Library, the Newberry Library, and the library of the U.S. Naval Academy. His guide, Poole's Index to Periodical Literature was the first general guide to periodical literature in the United States. Poole also wrote numerous historical monographs including Cotton Mather and Salem Witchcraft (1869) and Anti-Slavery Opinions before 1800 (1873). Poole firmly placed himself as a giant of the library profession with his appointment as the first chief librarian of Chicago Public Library (1874-87) and the Newberry Library (1887-94) and as one of the founders and president of Chicago, Illinois and American library associations.
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Scope and Content of the Collection
Correspondence and writings of Carl Roden pertaining to William F. Poole, together with correspondence and writings of William F. Poole, publications and transcribed records from institutions and organizations with which Poole was affiliated, and biographical essays and newspaper clippings about him.
Includes William F. Poole's correspondence (mainly copies) with acquaintances and colleagues, and correspondence of Carl Roden relating to his research on Poole. There are notes and copies of multiple drafts of Roden's biography of Poole and writings (published and unpublished) of Poole. Also included are various newspaper clippings relating to milestones in Poole's life, publications and transcriptions of records from the various libraries where Poole worked, and the organizations in which he participated.
Narrative descriptions of the subject matter, types of material, and arrangement of each series are available through the Organization section of the finding aid.
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Organization
The papers are organized in the following series:
- Series 1: Correspondence, 1852-1956. Box(es) 1
- Series 2: Newspaper Clippings, 1890-1894. Box(es) 1
- Series 3: Writings, 1868-1956. Box(es) 1-2
- Series 4: Miscellaneous, 1855-1954. Box(es) 3
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Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Newberry Library's public catalog. Researchers desiring additional materials on a particular topic should search the catalog using these headings.
Names
- Baker, George Bramwell, 1832-1865
- Borome, Joseph Albert, 1919-
- Bowker, R.R. (Richard Rogers), 1848-1933
- Danton, Emily Miller
- Herrick, Edward C.
- Hild, Frederick H.
- Pargellis, Stanley McCrory, 1898-
- Poole, Charles H.
- Roden, Carl B. (Bismarck), 1870-1956
- Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
- Williamson, William Landram, 1920-
- Wire, George E., 1859-1936
- Poole, William Frederick, 1821-1894
Subjects
- American Library Assocation--History--19th century--Sources
- Boston Athenaeum--History-19th century--Sources
- Chicago (Ill.)--History--19th century--Sources
- Chicago (Ill.)--Newspapers
- Chicago Literary Club--History--19th century--Sources
- Chicago Public Library--History--19th century--Sources
- Cincinnati Public Library--History--19th century--Sources
- Clippings--1880-1894
- Correspondence--United States--1852-1956
- Librarians--United States--History--19th century--Sources
- Libraries--United States--19th century--Sources
- Library administration--United States--History--19th century--Sources
- Manuscripts, American--Illinois--Chicago
- Newberry Library--History--19th century--Sources
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Container List
Series 1: Correspondence, 1852-1956 |
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| Contains incoming and outgoing correspondence (originals and copies) between William Poole and his family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues including President Theodore Roosevelt, Charles H. Poole (cousin), Edward C. Herrick, Thomas Hoyne (President of Trustees, Chicago Public Library), and George Baker. The subjects of these correspondences are varied and include letters concerning employment, professional advice, work related discussions of the Boston Athenaeum, notes on Poole's Index, and personal matters. Also includes incoming and outgoing correspondence between Carl B. Roden and friends, acquaintances and colleagues including Joseph Albert Borome, George E. Wire, R. R. Bowker, Emily Miller Danton, Fred Hild, Stanley Pargellis and W.L. Williamson. These letters are inquiries into William Poole's life or responses to inquiry. There are also personal letters meant to encourage Roden in his research. | |||||||||||
| Organized by correspondents: Roden, Poole and Others, and then arranged alphabetically. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Poole, William F., A-F | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Poole, William F., G-L | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Poole, William F., M-R | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Poole, William F., S-Z | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Roden, Carl B., A-F | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Roden, Carl B., G-L | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Roden, Carl B., M-R | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Roden, Carl B., S-Z | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Others, A-Z | |||||||||
| (9 folders) | |||||||||||
Series 2: Newspaper Clippings, 1890-1894 |
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| Contains newspaper clippings of various subjects relating to the life of William F. Poole. Subjects include the Boston Public Library debate, librarians in Boston, Newberry Library building debates and dedications, the World's Columbian Exposition, Poole's Index, a conference on American and European libraries, and John Crerar Library gifts. Newspaper clippings also include Poole's obituary and tributes. | |||||||||||
| Arranged chronologically. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Content | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | 1880-1890 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | 1891-1894 | |||||||||
| (2 folders) | |||||||||||
Series 3: Writings, 1868-1956 |
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| Mainly published writings of William F. Poole and Carl B. Roden's drafts of and notes of his Poole biography. Also diary notes of B.F. Stevens manger E.C. manager E.C. Bigmore, and Lydia G. Robinson's manuscript on pre-1933 Chicago. | |||||||||||
| Arranged alphabetically by author. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Bigmore, E.C. (manager for bookdealer B.F. Stevens) - Daily Diary Excerpts re Poole, 1878 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Poole, William F. Address given at the Dedication of the New Building of the Boston Medical Library, 1878 and Annual Report of the Public Library of Cincinnati, 1871-1873 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Poole, William F. The Early Northwest, 1889 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Poole, William F. The Index Symposium and its Moral, 1878 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Poole, William F. The Mathers Papers: Cotton Mather and Salem Witchcraft, 1868 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Poole, William F. Organization and Management of Public Libraries, 1876 and "Patrick Henry," The Dial vol. Xiii, June 1892 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Robinson, Lydia G. Biographical and Historical Notes on the History of Chicago Prior to the Century of Progress, 1933 | |||||||||
| 2 | 19-26 | Roden, Carl B.-Drafts | |||||||||
| 2 | 27-32 | Roden, Carl B.-Notes | |||||||||
| (20 folders) | |||||||||||
Series 4: Miscellaneous, 1855-1954 |
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| Contains various research materials gathered about William F. Poole by Charles B. Roden, including published materials and transcriptions of records of the American Library Association, Boston Athenaeum, Boston Medical Library Association, Chicago Literary Club, Chicago Public Library, Cincinnati Public Library, and Mercantile Library Association of Boston. Also some biographical and genealogical essays on Poole, a print of a Poole bust, a Chicago Public Library tribute to Carl F. Roden, and a pamphlet containing Theodore Roosevelt – William F. Poole correspondence. | |||||||||||
| Arranged alphabetically by subject institution or individual. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 3 | 33 | American Library Association, 1879-1915 | |||||||||
| 3 | 34 | Boston Athenaeum, 1856-1944 | |||||||||
| 3 | 35 | Boston Medical Library Association, 1881 | |||||||||
| 3 | 36 | Chicago Literary Club Boston Medical Library Association, 1881 | |||||||||
| 3 | 37 | Chicago Public Library, 1873-1950 | |||||||||
| 3 | 38 | Cincinnati Public Library, 1869-1986 | |||||||||
| 3 | 39 | Mercantile Library Association, Boston, 1855-1856 | |||||||||
| 3 | 40 | Poole, William F.-Biographical Material | |||||||||
| 3 | 41 | Poole, William F.-Print of Bust (Sculpture) | |||||||||
| 3 | 42 | Roden, Carl B.-Tribute (Chicago Public Library Career) | |||||||||
| (10 folders) | |||||||||||