J. N. (Josephus Nelson) Larned

Born in Chatham, Ontario, in 1836 and raised in Buffalo, Josephus Nelson Larned built a career that moved from journalism into education, librarianship, and historical writing. He worked on the Buffalo Express for many years, later served briefly as Buffalo’s superintendent of education, and then took charge of the Young Men’s Association Library, guiding its growth into the institution that became today’s Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.

Larned was also an important figure in the wider library world. He served as president of the American Library Association in the 1890s and was known for arguing that libraries should do more than store books—they should help readers think, learn, and take part in public life.

As an author, he is especially associated with History for Ready Reference and Topical Reading, a major reference work that aimed to make the past easier for general readers to explore. He died in 1913, remembered as both a practical library leader and a writer who cared deeply about public knowledge.