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Creator
New York Library Club
Call number
MssCol 2180
Physical description
9.66 linear feet (23 boxes)
Preferred Citation

New York Library Club records, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.

Repository
Manuscripts and Archives Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The New York Library Club was founded at Columbia College in 1885 by Melvil Dewey for the purpose of promoting libraries and librarianship in New York City and its environs. The collection dates from 1885 to 2002 and contains administrative material, including meeting minutes, correspondence, financial records, and membership and programming materials.

Biographical/historical information

The New York Library Club was founded at Columbia College in 1885 by Melvil Dewey for the purpose of promoting libraries and librarianship in metropolitan New York City. The club's activities have included general meetings with guest speakers, panel discussions with librarian professionals, field trips, banquets and as scholarship sponsors. The club also publishes a newsletter called Bulletin and a yearly Manual. Membership is for all those interested in the profession. The club has no permanent headquarters.

Scope and arrangement

The collection consists of administrative records. These include meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters and manuals, programming material, and financial records.

The New York Library Club records are arranged in six series:

  • Series I: Meeting Agendas and Minutes
    1910-1991
    5 boxes

    Series I contains meeting agendas and minutes. Records include the club council, executive and other committees and the general meeting. Some of the early minutes have been bound.

  • Series II: Membership material
    1891-1996
    4 boxes

    Membership material, including the constitution and by-laws, the annual membership directory and the annual Manual are held in Series II. The Manual was a bound pamphlet that contained the constitution and by-laws, officers and members and information pertinent to the profession. Also included here are records about recruitment, dues, and other items pertaining to membership.

  • Series III: Programming
    1885-1990
    7 boxes

    This series contains material about the programming committee of the Club. There is information about speakers, trips, the annual banquet, the Centennial Celebration in 1985, publicity, and the annual scholarship.

  • Series IV: Correspondence
    1936-1992
    2 boxes

    Series IV contains general correspondence between the Presidents and members as well as people outside of the club. It is arranged chronologically.

  • Series V: Financial material
    1922-1991
    3 boxes

    This series is composed of financial material such as statements, budgets, receipt and expenditures. Some of the early material includes ledgers and bound material.

  • Series VI: 2015 Additions
    1968-2002
    3 boxes

    This series is comprised of materials that were integrated into the collection in 2015, including correspondence; membership and event planning documentation; notes; and financial records. The files primarily date between 1994 and 2002, with one binder of material containing correspondence, meeting minutes, and other documents dating from 1968 to 1983.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of the New York Library Club, 1996-2010.

Processing information

This collection was reprocessed with the integration of additions in 2011 by L. Reyman. Additional materials were integrated into the collection by Robyn Hjermstad, 2015.

Using the collection

Location

Manuscripts and Archives Division
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room, Third Floor, Room 328