author
Theodore Wesley Koch
1871–1941
A leading American librarian and bookman, he helped shape major university libraries in the early 20th century and wrote warmly about books, libraries, and the people who cared for them. His work blends scholarship with a clear love of reading and literary history.
1 Audiobook
The Library Assistant's Manual
by Theodore Wesley Koch
About the author
Born in Philadelphia on August 4, 1871, Theodore Wesley Koch built a notable career in American librarianship. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard, and he also spent time studying in Paris. Over the years he worked at Cornell University Library and the Library of Congress before taking on larger leadership roles.
Koch served as director of the University of Michigan Library from 1905 to 1915 and later became librarian at Northwestern University, where he remained from 1919 until his death in 1941. At Northwestern he oversaw an important period of growth, including work connected with the planning and construction of Deering Library, and he was known as a prominent figure in the profession.
He was also a prolific writer with a deep interest in books themselves. His publications explored libraries, rare books, literary forgeries, and the world of readers and collectors, making his work especially appealing to anyone who enjoys the history and culture of books as much as the books themselves.