author
W. C. Berwick (William Charles Berwick) Sayers
1881–1960
Best known as a pioneering British librarian and teacher, he helped shape modern thinking about library classification and public library service. His long career at Croydon and his practical books made him an influential voice in librarianship far beyond his own era.
1 Audiobook
Manual of Library Economy Third and Memorial Edition
by James Duff Brown, W. C. Berwick (William Charles Berwick) Sayers
About the author
Born in 1881, William Charles Berwick Sayers became one of the notable figures in British public librarianship. Reliable sources describe him as a British librarian and teacher, and note that he belonged to a remarkable generation of early-20th-century public library leaders.
Much of his working life was tied to Croydon Public Libraries. He joined as deputy to L. Stanley Jast in 1904, then served as Chief Librarian from 1915 to 1947. Alongside his day-to-day library work, he wrote widely on cataloguing, classification, children's libraries, and other practical aspects of the profession, helping train and influence librarians in Britain and beyond.
He was also recognized by his peers at the highest level, serving as President of the Library Association in 1938. Sayers died in 1960, but his reputation has lasted through his books and through the continuing history of library organization and education.