Records of the Library Committee of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Scope and Contents
The records of the Library Committee of the College of
Physicians of Philadelphia, spanning 1846 to 1919, consist
of records of committee meetings, financial records,
correspondence, and material pertaining to individual
donations and bequests made to the Library.
The records of committee meetings contain reports, minutes,
and resolutions; Of special interest are the reports
pertaining to library donations made by Thomas F. Betton (3
December 1857) and George Ord (5 March 1866). Also of note
is the committee report referring to the College's
acceptance of the Samuel D. Gross Library from the
Philadelphia Academy of Surgery (3 June 1884). Documented
in the minutes of 4 March 1891 is the establishment of the
Library Endowment Fund. Also of interest are the committee
resolutions, many of which refer to the decision to hire a
card cataloger for the Library,
Series 2 contains financial records of the Library
Committee. Included are receipts and bills for the purchase
of books, journal subscriptions, library materials, and book
binding services.
The correspondence in Series 3 is addressed primarily to
Alfred Stille, a member of the Library Committee from 1864
until his election to the College presidency in 1883,
Included are letters pertaining to the activities and
finances of the Committee, donations to the Library, and the
selection of library staff, Notable correspondents include
treasurer Charles Stewart Wurts, secretary John H. Packard,
cataloger Emily Thomas, and librarians Robert Bridges and
Frank Woodbury. Also present are individual letters fro•
Samuel Lewis (8 April 1880), William W, Keen (3 February
1910) and S. Weir Mitchell (October 1880), ·
Series 4 contains papers relating to the donation of the
library of George Bacon Wood and the estate of Louis
Adolphus Duhring. The papers pertaining to the Wood
donation (1879) document a controversy surrounding the
bequest of Wood's library. The catalogue which listed the
books Wood intended to donate to the College had been
misplaced by his executors, and many of the Fellows claimed
that the College did not receive all of the volumes
contained in the bequest.
The papers relating to the Duhring Estate (1915) include
letters written by treasurer John B, Roberts to Willia11 J,
Taylor, then chairman of the Library Committee. The
correspondence concerns the confusion over the payment for a
portrait of Duhring. Also included are lists of bonds and
mining stocks held in the trust.
Dates
- Creation: 1846 - 1919
Creator
- College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Library Committee (Organization)
Biographical / Historical
The Library Committee of the College of Physicians of
Philadelphia became a standing comaittee in 1834. The bylaws
of that year state that the Library Co••ittee "shall
attend to the increase and preservation of the Library •••
they shall purchase books and carry into effect all such
regulations pertaining to the Library ••• and shall present a
report upon its condition". At this time, the chairman of
the Library Committee acted as the Librarian of the College.
In 1863, the Office of the Librarian was created, and the
duties of the Library Committee were reduced to the "general
supervision of the Library of the College". Also during
this year, the Committee became responsible for providing an
estimate of the Library's annual expenses. In 1870, due to
an increasing demand for the Library's resources, it was
decided that a member of the Committee would attend in the
Library daily and receive an annual salary for his services.
The Office of the Honorary Librarian was created in 1882;
at this time, the Library Committee became responsible for
appointing an "Assistant Librarian" who also served as
secretary of the Committee. In 1935, the by-laws were
again amended to state that the Library Committee "shall
have charge of the Library of the College, its quarters,
their furnishings, and such relics and collections as are
not otherwise provided for".
In 1959, the Library Committee began to operate "under the
direction of the Council" and became responsible for
nominating both a Librarian and a Curator of the Library's
Historical Collections. As of 1972, the Library Committee
was no longer responsible for these nominations. In 1990,
the responsibilities of the Library Committee were
transferred to the College's Colllllittee on Program.
Full Extent
.4 Linear feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
The source of this collection of records of the Library Committee is unknown. The collection was processed and cataloged in 1991.
- Title
- Records of the Library Committee of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Repository
19 S. 22nd Street
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States
