List of presidents of the Bibliographical Society of America

The Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) fosters the study of books and manuscripts. It was established in 1904.

The first president was William Coolidge Lane. The first woman president was Ruth Mortimer in 1988.

NameTermOther accomplishmentsWilliam Coolidge Lane1904-1909Librarian Harvard University, 1898–1928, President American Library Association, 1898–1899.Azariah Smith RootBishop, William Warner. “Azariah Root Smith.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 22, no. 1 (1928): 66–68.1909-1910Director, Oberlin College Library, 1890–1927. President, American Library Association, 1921–1922.William Dawson JohnstonWilliam Dawson Johnston Papers. A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress. Container number, William Dawson Johnston Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C1910-1912Historian of the Library of Congress,Johnston, W. (William). History of the Library of Congress. Volume I, 1800-1864. Washington: Govt. Print. Off., 1904. Director, Columbia University Libraries, 1909–1913. Charles Henry Gould1912-1913University librarian at McGill University, president of the American Library Association, 1908–1909.Andrew KeoghKeogh, Andrew. “PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS — SCHOLARSHIP IN LIBRARY WORK.” Bulletin of the American Library Association 24, no. 9 (1930): 307–9.1909-1914Director, Yale University Library, 1916–1938, president of the American Library Association, 1929–1930.Carl B. Roden“Obituary.” 1958. Libri: International Journal of Libraries & Information Services 7 (4): 325–26.1914-1916Director, Chicago Public Library, 1918–1950, President, American Library Association, 1927–1928.George Watson Cole"100 of the Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th century" (December 1999) American Libraries, 30 (11): 38-46, 481916-1921Director of the Huntington LibraryWilliam Warner BishopLydenberg, Harry Miller, and Andrew Keogh, eds. 1941. William Warner Bishop; a Tribute, 1941. New Haven, London: Yale University Press; H. Milford, Oxford University Press.1921-1923President, American Library Association, 1918–1919, President, International Federation of Library AssociationsSparks, C. G. (1993). Doyen of Librarians A Biography of William Warner Bishop. Metuchen, N.J., & London: The Scarecrow Press.Azariah Smith Root1923-1926Also served as BSA president, 1909–1910.Herman H. B. MeyerVan Hoesen, Henry B. (1941). "The Bibliographical Society of America—Its Leaders and Activities, 1904–1939". Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America. 35 (3): 177–202.1926-1929Library of Congress in several positions including Chief Bibliographer, President, American Library Association, 1924–1925.Harry M. LydenbergRogers, Bruce, New York Public Library, Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress), and Pforzheimer Bruce Rogers Collection (Library of Congress). 1943. Bookmen’s Holiday: Notes and Studies Written and Gathered in Tribute to Harry Miller Lydenberg. New York: New York Public Library. 1929-1931Director New York Public Library, 1934–1941,Dain, P (1977). "Harry M. Lydenberg and American library resources: a study in modern library leadership." Library Quarterly. 47 (4): 451–469. President, American Library Association, 1932–1933.Lawrence C. WrothGoff, Frederick Richmond, Anthoensen Press, and Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress). 1951. Essays Honoring Lawrence C. Wroth. Portland, Maine1931-1933Director, John Carter Brown Library,1924-1957, author of The Colonial Printer.Wroth, Lawrence C. 1938. The Colonial Printer. Charlottesville: Univ. Press of Virginia.Augustus Hunt ShearerGrosvenor library, Buffalo, N.Y. 1941. Augustus Hunt Shearer, February 21, 1878-May 31, 1941, Librarian of the Grosvenor Library, 1917-1941 .. Buffalo, N.Y.: Grosvenor library.Paltsits, Victor Hugo. 1941. “In Memoriam: Augustus Hunt Shearer.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 35 (2): 172–75.1933-1936Director of the Grosvenor Library in Buffalo, NY, 1917–1941.Grosvenor Library. (1918-1956). Grosvenor Library Bulletin. Buffalo, N.Y.: Grosvenor Library.Fess, Margaret (Richmond). The Grosvenor Library and Its Times. Grosvenor Reference Division of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, 1956.Leonard Leopold MackallVan Hoesen, Henry B. (1941). "The Bibliographical Society of America—Its Leaders and Activities, 1904–1939". Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America. 35 (3): 177–202.Malloch, Archibald. “DEATH OF MR. LEONARD L. MACKALL. Consultant in Bibliography.” The Georgia Historical Quarterly 22, no. 1 (1938): 16–21.1936-1937President, Georgia Historical Society.Leonard L. Mackall. 1928. List of Publications of the Georgia Historical Society.Earl Gregg SwemDr. Earl Gregg Swem William & Mary Libraries.1937-1938Librarian, College of William & Mary, Earl Gregg Swem Library named for him. Bibliographer of Virginia history.Swem, E. G., John M. Jennings, James Albert Servies, and Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corporation. 1957. A Selected Bibliography of Virginia, 1607-1699. Williamsburg, Va.: Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corp.Victor Hugo PaltsitsNorton, Margaret C. 1953. “Victor Hugo Paltsits, 1867-1952.” The American Archivist 16 (2): 137–40.1938-1939Keeper of Manuscripts, New York Public LibraryRandolph Greenfield AdamsKaser, David (1978). "Adams, Randolph Greenfield". In Wynar, Bohdan S. (ed.). Dictionary of American Library Biography. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited. pp. 2–3.1940-1941Director, William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan“Historical News and Comments.” The Mississippi Valley Historical Review 37, no. 4 (1951): 753–70.Thomas W. Streeter 1942-1943Book collector, philanthropist, chairman, Friends Dartmouth College Library, Associate John Carter Brown Library, Council of Fellows, Pierpont Morgan Library; director, Friends Huntington Library; visiting committees Yale, Princeton, and Harvard, McGregor Library; fellow,California Historical Society; council, Grolier Club, trustee New York Historical Society, and president, American Antiquarian Society.Heaney, Howell J. “Thomas W. Streeter, Collector, 1883-1965.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 65, no. 3 (1971): 243–56.Robert W. G. VailROBERT VAIL DIES; BIBLIOGRAPHER, 76: PAST HEAD OF STATE LIBRARY LED N.Y. HISTORICAL SOCIETY. New York Times (1923-). 1966 Jun 23 1966/06/23/:37.1944-1945Librarian, American Antiquarian Society, 1930–1939; Director, New York Historical Society, 1944–1960. Editor, Bibliotheca Americana. Heslin, James J. 1968. “In Memoriam: Robert William Glenroie Vail 1890-1966.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America62 (4): 579–80.William A. Jackson"Prof. Willian A. Jackson Dies; Harvard's Houghton librarian." New York Times 1964 Oct 19 1964/10/19/:33.Bond, W. H. 1967. William Alexander Jackson, 1905-1964. : Offprint from Harvard Library Bulletin, Vol. XV, Nos. 1 & 2, January, April 1967, Pgs. 7-36. Cambridge [Mass.]: Harvard University.1946-1947Director Harvard University, Houghton Library of Rare Books and Manuscripts,1942-1964;Jackson, William A. (William Alexander), 1905-1964 Harvard Library. Gold Medal of the Bibliographical Society, 1965.Bibliographical Society’s Gold Medal. The Bibliographical Society.Edelstein, J. M. “News and Notes.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 60, no. 1 (1966): 102–4.LeRoy E. KimballCahoon, Herbert. “News and Notes.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 57, no. 1 (1963): 97–98. 1948- 1949New York University comptroller; President of the Modern Language Association of America; President, New York Historical Society.Kimball, LeRoy E. 1955. “Time Will Away.” PMLA/Publications of the Modern Language Association of America 70 (2): 3–6. James T. BabbWynne, Marjorie G. In Memoriam: James Tinkham Babb, 1899-1968.The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 1969 63:1, 1-3. 1950-1952Director, Yale University Library; Selected books for the White House at the request of Jacqueline KennedyBabb, James T., and White House Historical Association. 1967. The White House Library : A Short-Title List. Washington, D.C.: The White House Historical Association. Curt F. Bühler"Obituary of Dr Curt F Buhler, authority on the art and history of the printed book". The Times. August 19, 1985.Kristeller, Paul Oskar. “In Memoriam: Curt F. Bühler.” Renaissance Quarterly 39, no. 4 (1986): 820–21. 1953-1954 Keeper of Books at the Pierpont Morgan Library; President, American Council of Learned Societies Lawrence Clark Powell1955University Librarian, UCLA Library, 1944- 1961, head librarian, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 1944–1966, author.Rosenberg Betty. 1966. Checklist of the Published Writings of Lawrence Clark Powell. Los Angeles: University of California. John D. GordanGordan, John D., and Sean Adams. 1987. The Scholar-Adventurer : A Tribute to John D. Gordan (1907-1968) on the 80th Anniversary of His Birth : With Six of His Essays. New York: New York Public Library : Distributed by the Pub. Center for Cultural Resources. 1956-1957Chief of the Berg Collection of English and American Literature New York Public Library Donald F. HydeR. F. M., and J. M. E. “DONALD FRIZELL HYDE 1909-1966.” The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 60, no. 1 (1966): 101–101.Blumenthal, Joseph, Donald Hyde, Grolier Club, Spiral Press, and Meriden Gravure Company. 1970. Eighteenth-Century Studies in Honor of Donald F. Hyde. Edited by W. H. Bond. New York: Grolier Club.1958-1959 Bibliophile, attorney, President, Grolier Club. Frederick Baldwin Adams Jr.1960-1961Director, Pierpont Morgan Library, 1948 - 1969; president, Grolier Club. C. Waller BarrettCrane, Joan St C. 1991. In Memoriam: C. Waller Barrett. [New York]: Gazette of the Grolier Club. 1962-1963Bibliophile, shipping magnate, founder of the Barrett Library of American Literature at the University of Virginia, President American Antiquarian Society.Barrett, Clifton Waller, Robert H. Taylor, and University of Virginia Printing Office. 1981. A Salute to Clifton Waller Barrett on His Eightieth from Friends & Admirers. Charlottesville, Va.Herman W. LiebertGussow M. Herman Liebert, 83, librarian and expert on Samuel Johnson: [obituary (obit); biography]. New York Times. 1994 Dec 16 1994/12/16/.1964-1965Librarian of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University.Chairman of the Yale Edition, Works of Samuel Johnson, President of the Grolier Club.Edwin Wolf IIKnoles, T. “Edwin Wolf, 2nd - In Memoriam.” Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society 109 (1999): 271–77.1966-1967Librarian, Library Company of Philadelphia,Whipkey, Harry E. “NEWS AND COMMENT.” Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies 42, no. 3 (1975): 242–47. author.Wolf, Edwin. 1991. An Autobiographical Sketch Written in 1987 and A Bibliography of the Published Writings of Edwin Wolf 2nd. Philadelphia: Library Co. of Philadelphia.Frederick R. Goff“Goff, Frederick R. (1916–82).” The Oxford Companion to the Book. Oxford University Press, 2010.1968-1969Chief of the Rare Book Division, Library of Congress, author Goff, Frederick Richmond, and Bibliographical Society of America. 1964. Incunabula in American Libraries; a Third Census of Fifteenth-Century Books Recorded in North American Collections. Edited by Margaret Bingham Stillwell. New York: Bibliographical Society of America.Goff, Frederick Richmond. 1971. The Permanence of Johann Gutenberg. [Austin]: Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin; [distributed by University of Texas Press].Robert H. TaylorRobert H. Taylor, 76, Bibliophile and Writer. The New York Times, 9 May 1985. 1970-1971Bibliophile,Taylor, Robert H., and Robert J. Wickenheiser. 1977. Essays on the Robert H. Taylor Collection. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Library.Robert H. Taylor Collection, president, Grolier Club, the Keats-Shelley Association of America. James J. HeslinJames J. Heslin, 83; led historical society: [obituary (obit)]. New York Times. 1999