A John Cotton Dana

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A John Cotton Dana

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A John Cotton Dana

Library

The Newark Public Library
A John Cotton Dana Library

K
“ eep in mind that we’re a John Cotton Dana
library.” With this reminder, Clement Price,
senior Newark Public Library trustee and
a distinguished historian at Rutgers Newark,
has often encouraged his fellow trustees to
reach a decision to serve the citizens of Newark more imaginatively.
The 150th anniversary of John Cotton Dana’s birth in
1856 provides an opportunity to look back at Dana’s career as
“Newark’s First Citizen” and perhaps America’s most inﬂuential
public librarian. What does it mean to be a John Cotton Dana
library? What aspects of his legacy are so entwined in the
institutional DNA of The Newark Public Library that when we
respect them our chances of success in new endeavors are greatly
increased, and when we ignore them the odds for disappointment
multiply? How did Dana engage the people of Newark, leaders
and common citizens alike, in a common cause led by the Library?

1 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
IT IS PERHAPS SURPRISING THAT birth, or education. All can learn here,
Dana’s legacy is still so profound. After without rules or teachers, save as they make
all, he died 77 years ago; he began his their own rules and choose their own teachers.
tenure as Director of The Newark Public A collection of good books, and people to
Library more than 100 years ago, and use them—what a university is this! Nothing
it’s been nearly a century since he founded that is human is foreign to it. 1 JCD
the Newark Museum. He was born
just 80 years after the Declaration of
Dana’s New England roots went very
Independence was proclaimed in
deep. He was directly descended from
Philadelphia, and as a youth he would
John Cotton, the Cambridge-educated
certainly have known individuals who
Congregational theologian and leader
personally recalled George Washington’s
of the 17th century Massachusetts Bay
presidency. He came of age in Vermont
Colony. Dana was not a church-goer
as the ﬁerce battles of the Civil War
and in time declared himself an agnostic,
were just ebbing into memory.
but he found powerful ways to express
Yet his passionate advocacy for using
through secular institutions the traditional
public libraries to serve all people,
New England Congregational emphasis
regardless of class, education, age, or
on education, self-determination, and
vocation, can be seen as an effort to
involvement in social issues. Dana grew
fulﬁll the long-delayed promises of the
up in Woodstock, Vermont and often
Declaration of Independence and to
returned there as an adult. He received a
redeem the internecine suffering of the
thorough classical education, earning his
Civil War. He helped to make America
degree at Dartmouth College, and then
what it had promised to be, and his legacy
studied for the bar back in Woodstock.
reminds us how much work remains to
At the age of 25, like so many other
be done. His own words make the case:
young men of his time and education, he
THE LIBRARY A LEVELLER took off for the American West. Dana
Many still do not see how unique a thing a spent eight restless years seeking his true
public library is. It is the most democratic, purpose in life. He was a land surveyor for
universal institution ever devised. It is by awhile in Colorado, returned to the East
all, for all, to be used as each and every one Coast where he was admitted to the bar
may choose. It draws no line of politics, wealth, in New York, and then made his way back
to Colorado (and to civil engineering).
In 1889, at the age of 33, Dana found
his calling. He had complained to the

2 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
trustees of the Denver Public Library head of the Brooklyn Public Library,
about how closed and uninviting the Dana was persuaded to move to Newark.
library was, and they decided to give him He served as Director of The Newark
the job of ﬁxing it. Public Library from 1902 until his
death in 1929, and founded the Newark
Over the next nine years, Museum Association in 1909.
Richard Jenkinson, a Newark busi-
Dana started his
nessman and long-time Library trustee,
public library revolution. led the effort to recruit Dana. He and
ACTING ON HIS BELIEF THAT ALL
two other trustees traveled to Springﬁeld
books should be accessible to the public,
to offer him the position and make the
he was one of the ﬁrst librarians to
case for Newark. Jenkinson later recalled
open the book stacks to the public. No
Dana’s extraordinary impact in Newark:
longer would a citizen have to request
books from a librarian sitting behind an [Dana] came, looked us over, and ﬁnally
enclosure, like a bank teller—a librarian concluded to come to Newark. What
who might then try to steer the citizen’s he did, in little more than a quarter of a
interest in a different direction. Dana century was an unbroken series of
made it easy for all citizens to get library achievements. He made friends rapidly.
cards. And, convinced that children He was a ﬂuent speaker and an eloquent
should be welcomed not excluded, he one. He attracted the common people
created the nation’s ﬁrst children’s room by his plain talk and the privileged by his
in a library. knowledge of all the things that go to
He quickly became a ﬁgure of national make this world a better place to live in.
importance, serving as president of the He increased the efﬁciency of the
American Library Association in 1895–96. Newark Library 600%. He established the
When Springﬁeld, Massachusetts recruited ﬁrst branch library in Newark and
him in 1897 to head their City Library, the number grew to eight. He made
it was said he brought to that city the Newark Public Library the foremost
“the breezy ideas of the West, which he Free Public Library in the country.
combined with the traditional practicality He removed the bars that prevented easy
of New England.” Four years later, access to every part of the institution
after Frank P. Hill left Newark to become by the users…. His mind worked fast.
He always had a new vision of something
else that he might do, and he ﬁnally
founded the Newark Museum.

3 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Newark is showing the benefit of personally reﬂect on Dana’s leadership
Mr. Dana’s work. Readers have and the power of his librarianship.
increased 100% faster than the population. Now, 150 years after his birth, we
The ambition of Mr. Dana to make it can no longer look to personal memories
easy for children to learn to read has been to understand Dana’s impact and to
realized in our children’s rooms in reﬂect on just what it is that characterizes
the Main Library and all of its branches. “a John Cotton Dana library”. We need
Perhaps, after the Museum, the greatest to look instead to his writings.
achievement of Mr. Dana was the establish- Dana wrote urgently and proliﬁcally.
ment of the Business Branch. Other cities Articles and essays tumbled from his
stood by and looked for failure or success. pen. He corresponded widely, and he was
Most predicted failure. But the branch quick to write to the editors of Newark
grew. It is used by all the business men of and New York newspapers on the cultural
the city, county and neighboring regions of issues of his day. He frequently spoke
the state, and now it supplies information at library conventions, and his remarks
for people of other states as well. 2 commanded attention — as witnessed
by the frequent contemporary reports in
Six years after Dana’s death, over
the New York Times.
1,000 citizens gathered at the Museum
Dana also engaged in an extended
to observe “John Cotton Dana Day.”
dialogue with Newarkers about reading,
According to the report in the New York
libraries, and civic progress. Sometimes
Times, Henry W. Kent, secretary
his style is staccato and to the point, like
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
advertising copy; other times he writes
New York and a close friend of
in great, rolling sentences. From Dana’s
Dana’s, captured the spirit of the occasion
writings we can discern (and illustrate) the
by describing him as “a militant
elements that characterize “a John Cotton
librarian” who had brought the people
Dana library”. These characteristics may
into libraries.
seem commonplace today (even if too
In 1956, a century after Dana’s birth,
often noted by their absence), but they
Newark again celebrated the man
were revolutionary in Dana’s day. What
and his legacy. An 87–member Citizens’
follows draws on Dana’s quarter century-
Committee organized a major event,
long dialogue with Newarkers; all of
featuring addresses by the Chief Justice
these extracts from his writings come from
of New Jersey and the Librarian of
library publications directed to Newarkers.
Congress. Individuals then living
(including the Chief Justice) could still

4 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
A library should serve that reading should only be serious,
or focus on “Great Books,” or be the
its public, and all
domain of some well-educated elite.
the communities that make This was not because Dana himself was
up that public. not extraordinarily well-read. Rather,
DANA BELIEVED THAT LIBRARIES it was because of his passionate belief in
are owned by the public and exist to the democratic ideal of self-education
serve the public. If the public includes and his determination to remove any real
immigrants who don’t speak English, or perceived barriers to reading.
then collections of books in their native
WHY READ BOOKS?
languages should be formed. Children
There are plenty of good reasons. Also there
are members of the public, and libraries
are good reasons for reading magazines,
should invite them in. Libraries should
and pamphlets, and parts of books. In fact the
serve the hourly worker and the business
greatest readers rarely read a book through—
owner, as much as or more than the
unless it’s a novel. They don’t read for the
well-educated professional. What works
sake of adding a title to the list of books they
for one city may not be right for another
have read; they read to see what the book
city, so libraries must develop an intimate
says, and in most cases they ﬁnd out what it
understanding of their community.
says before they have gone much beyond the
The public library must be ﬁtted to public preface and the table of contents. And often
needs. It must suit its community. It must they need do little more than look at a book
do the maximum of work at the minimum to discover that they have no interest in what
of expense. It must be open to its public; it says, and drop it at once. 4 JCD
it must attract its public; it must please its
public; all to the end that it may educate
[F]or every man the book of power
its public. 3 JCD
is the book that, ﬁrst, gives him pleasure;
next, informs him; next sets him to
thinking; and next, sets him to doing.
A library should promote The book he reads must please him;
reading in all its forms. it must not merely satisfy his hypocritical
IN HIS DIALOGUE WITH NEWARKERS, desire to be pleased with that particular
Dana focused as much on encouraging book. Books are well read by those who like to
reading as on any other topic. He read them, not by those who feel they ought
deﬁned reading broadly, and he was
quick to challenge the freighted ideas

5 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
to read them; just as good deeds are well done Technology has since provided new ways
by those who like to do them, not by those for businesses to access the information
who fear not to do them or by those who hope they need, but one suspects Dana would
5
by doing them to acquire merit. JCD be at the forefront of ﬁguring out
how to use the internet to facilitate library
services–how to help all library users
HOW TO READ BOOKS
understand that tracking down information
The way to read books is to read them.
sometimes means going well beyond the
The secret is for most people in the quantity
ﬁrst screen of a Google search.
than the quality. Keep on reading:
read what you like; try what you think you The old library idea was “Culture.”
don’t like; read as widely as your tastes It was a good idea, and still is, and it has
permit–and you will soon ﬁnd you Know been my pleasure often to support it.
How to Read. 6 JCD But modern conditions of production and
of international competition have brought
out this additional library idea— which is

A library should provide new if only in the insistence of its demand
for attention—the idea, that is, of ﬁnding,
access to information and
stating, and presenting, to those who
facts, not just those books need it and can use it for their own and
that represent culture. for the general welfare, “Information”.
DANA DEFINED THE PURVIEW OF [I]n so doing, [librarians] have
libraries to cover “print” not just added to their work as ‘apostles and
“books”, “facts” not just “culture”. That promoters of culture for a few’, the work of
led him in Newark to organize collections promoting production and distribution
of pamphlets and brochures on a wide for the many. 7 JCD
range of topics, and to solicit copies of
industrial manuals from local businesses.
One of his proudest achievements in A library should
Newark was the creation of a “Business contribute to the economic
Branch” dedicated to meeting the infor-
mation needs of local businesses, ﬁrst in
vitality of a city.
DANA WORKED HARD TO MAKE
the basement of Bamberger’s department
The Newark Public Library a center of
store, and later in a purpose-built building
civic life, and he became a key member
in the center of Newark’s business district.
of Newark’s Planning Commission
during the height of the City Beautiful

6 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
movement. He launched a library tell. But can not one safely say that not one
newsletter known as The Newarker to but scores of movements for the betterment
update citizens about information of the community, if not born of the
available at the library about municipal public’s hospitality, expressed through its
developments and services. library, …have at least been fostered
He believed that not only a library’s and encouraged through the opportunity
books but also its buildings belonged to that the library gave and the inﬂuences it
the public. Ten years after he arrived in furnished. 8 JCD
Newark, and twelve years after the
Main Library building had opened, Dana
Dana also considered libraries to be one of
commented on the impact of Newark’s
the engines of economic development,
investment in its library, including
through their encouragement of reading
its use for community development:
and the “spread of intelligence”. He
[The library’s rooms] were thrown open to argued that there is a multiplier effect from
Newark citizens to whom they belonged. library services and improved education.
Out of the library’s income were furnished
Progress increases as the square of the
heat, light and care. They were used by
number of readers. Four readers and four
many scores of organizations for hundreds
readers make eight readers, but eight
of meetings, counting thousands in
readers progress four times as rapidly as
attendance. There were found here daily
four readers.
through the winter gatherings of parents,
The more readers there are in a
school teachers, business men, promoters
country or a city, the better place it is to
of charitable enterprises and of movements
live in, to do business in.…
for civic improvement and many other
The town that has a good healthy
groups, all brought together to broaden
well-stocked library, with a growing number
and enliven themselves to help make their
of readers is a good town to locate in,
fellow citizens wiser and happier.
to do business in. It is a good place for the
What the inﬂuence has been on the
manufacturer. It will provide him with
community of the thousands of meetings
an intelligent class of workmen, and is
that have been held in the library building
likely to see that he is allowed to do business
in the past ten years for civic helpfulness,
without molestation. It will provide
education and philanthropy, no one can
that intelligent appreciation of the goods
he manufactures which leads to increased
consumption.

7 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Books and libraries have spread service or “dumbing down” the
intelligence. The spread of intelligence has collections — it meant continually ﬁnding
multiplied books and libraries. The creative ways of reaching more
action and reaction produce a perpetual people and providing better services.
motion — forward.
The legitimate ﬁeld of work of a city’s
Libraries have widened their usefulness,
public library is, that ﬁeld which the
not only by furnishing books to read,
temper of that city may at any given time
but also by creating readers for their books.
permit it, or encourage it, or compel
A library without readers is not a library
it to occupy. As that temper changes, the
but only a collection of books. A library
ﬁeld will change accordingly; narrowing
whose use does not increase more rapidly
and widening and using broad or
than its books is growing one-sided. 9 JCD
intensive cultivation as days pass and
knowledge, thoughts and feelings vary.
The ﬁeld actually occupied by a library on
A library should any given day can be roughly described —
continually reinvent for that day. The ﬁeld that it will occupy
itself in order to tomorrow, and the ﬁeld that it ought to

best serve the public. occupy tomorrow— the latter being what
might be called its legitimate ﬁeld —
UNLIKE MOST PEOPLE, DANA SEEMS
neither of these may be delimited. 10 JCD
to have become more open to change
the older he got. As the New York
Times commented in its obituary, Dana In Dana’s lifetime, some libraries went
moved in his 60s from being a “noted from bold, new expressions of civic
librarian” to one known for his “radical” life to rather comfortable, bureaucratic
views on libraries and museums. And, as institutions. Dana had no patience
pointed out earlier, he was tagged for this condition, and he worked hard
after his death as a “militant librarian”. to shake up libraries and his profession,
Much of this perceived militancy came and to keep them forward-looking.
from his insistence that people have
the freedom to develop their own tastes The plain fact is that times change

and interests, and that libraries should and institutions should change with them.

change with the times. But change Institutions tend, by their very nature,

did not mean lowering the quality of to be static. This is particularly true of
those maintained by public funds. Libraries,
which are institutions maintained by

8 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
taxes, have an added impulse toward inspect it. It is proud of this fact, not
the static or conservative method of life, because it proves the library’s excellence,
in that they are concerned with keeping but because it shows that Newark’s library
record of the past. Economic changes, investment, in addition to everything
even those which profoundly modify the thing else it has done, brings to its city a
production and the distribution of the very repute for knowing how to use the brains
material itself which libraries are erected of others as well as its own. 12 JCD
to handle and control — to wit, print —
are not easily seen, or heeded or used as
The library is the one institution which
arguments for the study and revision
can serve as a center of pleasure and
of their old and established ways. 11 JCD
learning for all the city. To its service all
can give their sympathy and aid without
restraint of politics or creed, and without
A library should thought of difference in station or in
be an important source culture. Recreation, good cheer, research,
of civic pride. business, trade, government, social life,
DANA POURED HIMSELF INTO THE conduct, religion, all of those in every
Newark Public Library and (later) the aspect can turn to books for help. 13 JCD
Newark Museum. He moved comfortably
and persuasively in the corridors of
civic and business power, and he earned A library must constantly
respect from people in all walks of life. make its case and
His focus was not on self-promotion but
engage in an ongoing
on the Library as an institution, and
he took enormous satisfaction when that
dialogue with its public.
institution helped to advance Newark’s DANA IS PERHAPS BEST KNOWN FOR

reputation and showed Newark a strong his insistence that libraries must be
return on its investment. advocates for their value to their com-
munities. He recognized that advertising
YES, THE LIBRARY INTERESTS PEOPLE
is the mother of use. To this day, the
Newark’s library is not quite like any American Library Association’s public
other. Some go so far as to say it is better relations award, considered one of its
than any other. At any rate, the world most important and prestigious awards,
thinks it interesting. Inquiries come to it is called the John Cotton Dana Award.
by mail from all parts of the world and
from all parts of the world come people to

9 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
If a library has or is a good thing for the Public Library to change and grow over
community, let it be so said, early, late, the decades — and to continue to set
and often, in large plain type. So doing new standards for what a “democratic,
shall the library’s books enter, before too universal institution” can achieve by
old to be of service, into that state of utter serving all without regard to “politics,
worn-out-ness which is the only known wealth, birth, or education.” It remains
book heaven. 14 JCD a radical vision and an enduring challenge
to the staff and trustees as we work
to make sure The Newark Public Library
As we celebrate John Cotton Dana
remains worthy of being called “a John
during the 150th anniversary of his birth,
Cotton Dana library”.
we are reminded by Dana himself just
how restless, exciting, and engaged a
public library should be. There is little Timothy J. Crist
question that Dana expected The Newark Trustee, The Newark Public Library

Footnotes
1. The Newarker, Volume 1, Number 11, September 1912, p. 184.
2. The Library, Volume 111, Number 6, July – August 1929, pp. 70 -71.
3. The Library, Volume 111, Number 6, July – August 1929, p. 70.
4. The Library, Volume 11, Number 4, April 1926, p. 59.
5. The Newarker, Volume 1, Number 12, October 1912, p. 196.
6. The Newarker, Volume 1, Number 5, March 1912, p. 81.
7. The Library, Volume 11, Number 1, June 1925, p. 5.
8. The Newarker, Volume 1, Number 10, August 1912, p. 164.
9. The Newarker, Volume 1, Number 1, November 1911, p. 5.
10. The Library, Volume 111, Number 6, July – August 1929, p. 74.
11. The Library, Volume 11, Number 1, June 1925, p. 7.
12. The Newarker, Volume 1, Number 10, August 1912, p. 160.
13. The Library, Volume 111, Number 9, February 1930, p. 105.
14. The Library, Volume 111, Number 6, July – August 1929, p. 72.

10 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
John Cotton Dana’s Bookplates

D
ana used everything at his disposal to
convey the importance of reading
and the special role of libraries in enabling
self-education. No opportunity was
missed; no format was too mundane—
not even bookplates. With bookplates, Dana grasped the
opportunity to communicate with citizens one-on-one
at that anticipatory, reﬂective moment when a reader ﬁrst
opens a book borrowed from the library. By 1925 he had created
a series of bookplates, printed on the library’s own press,
which described “the use of print, the mission of books or the
appeal of some particular branch of learning.”
To this day, one of the delights of using The Newark Public
Library’s collection is coming across these bookplates in older
volumes. We have collected Dana’s bookplates (which some have
called “miniature broadsides”) in this pamphlet to bring them
to a new audience. Most date from 1925; a couple were produced
earlier. The “Rules about Reading” bookplate was evidently
printed after his death.
12 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
13 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
14 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
15 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
16 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
17 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
18 | A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
From the Director
A MESSAGE FROM WILMA J. GREY

During 2006 The Newark Public Library proudly celebrated the
sesquicentennial of John Cotton Dana’s birth in 1856 with an
exhibition, commemorative booklets, and several public programs—
all afﬁrming Dana’s historical importance and highlighting the
continuing relevance of his ideas in today’s world.
Our celebration of Dana could not have come at a better time.
Like most public institutions, we are undergoing a period of
introspection and change as we re-cast our services and programs to
better meet the needs of 21st century library users. We have been
reminded again that the best way for us to honor Dana’s legacy
is to improve on it.
The Newark Public Library is committed to a renewed vision of
what it means to be a public library. We are rededicating our staff,
facilities, and collections to serving the citizens of Newark and
encouraging them to participate fully in the common life of our city.
Of course, we will continue to promote reading, foster literacy,
and offer all the traditional library services that have held true
since the days of John Cotton Dana: books of all kinds, robust research
materials, and first-rate reference assistance. But we will also use

19 | THE NEWARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
21st century technology to improve our delivery of services, while
expanding direct access to information and technology for our users.
We will continue to work toward a newly expanded and renovated
Main Library. We will make the library a community center,
a gathering place for the exchange of ideas and conversation, and a hub
of intellectual life and lifelong learning. We will provide a nurturing
environment for families, with imaginative and effective programs
focused on our young people—toddlers through teens. We will sponsor
educational and entertaining programs that reinforce our role as a
vital center for cultural engagement. And, not least, we will preserve
and expand our nationally important collections of Newark and
New Jersey historical materials, rare books, and works of art on paper.
It has been said that a great city needs a great library. Standing on
Dana’s shoulders, we will do our part for Newark.

Wilma J. Grey
Director, The Newark Public Library

DESIGN: ROBERT HARTMAN

20 |A JOHN COTTON DANA LIBRARY
5 Washington St., P.O. Box 630, Newark, New Jersey 07101-0630 T : 973.733.7784 www.npl.org

CORY A. BOOKER, Mayor, City of Newark
TR I S H M O R R I S -Y A M B A , President, Board of Trustees
W I L M A J . G R E Y, Director, The Newark Public Library