Arthur E. (Arthur Elmore) Bostwick

Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1860, Arthur Elmore Bostwick became one of the most influential American librarians of his era. He studied at Yale and later built a career around making libraries more effective and more accessible to the public.

He served as head librarian of the New York Free Circulating Libraries and then helped establish the Circulation Department of The New York Public Library, where he worked under John Shaw Billings. In 1909, he left New York to lead the St. Louis Public Library, where he became especially well known for his work in public library administration.

Bostwick also wrote books and essays about librarianship, reading, and the social role of libraries. Remembered as both an administrator and a thoughtful library writer, he played an important part in the development of public library service in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.