The other day, I happened across a book by Henry E. Legler on the Internet Archive. I have yet to read the book, but was struck by the warmth and admiration expressed in the introduction. In further reading about Mr. Legler, I found that sentiments like “scholarly,” “visionary,” and “imminently personable,” were used to describe him. The introduction that I read said that he not only had a sense of vision, but through his pursuit of that dream brought culture and enlightenment.
Legler was the librarian of Chicago’s public library from 1901 – 1917. He was unanimously chosen by the trustees of the Chicago Public Library as the best person to be the librarian. As the librarian he introduced the first comprehensive branch library system in America. He remained a strong advocate of library expansion. He was a hard worker. J. Christian Bay, the writer of the introduction mentioned earlier said, “Library work was the means in his power of making his fellow-men ever more free and happy, ever more the masters of themselves, ever more capable of being guided, not by fear and never by prejudice, but by a live responsibility to the spirit within them.” Legler was also a man of letters who contributed greatly to the fields of history and literary criticism. These are just some of his contributions to librarianship and scholarship.
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