Emerson Greenaway
Encyclopedia
Emerson Greenaway was an American librarian of considerable note, particularly during the Cold War
era of the 1950s. During his long career, he acted as the director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library
of Baltimore
, the director of the Free Library of Philadelphia
and as a director of the American Library Association
. He was also a highly respected scholar and an advocate for intellectual freedom in wartime. Greenaway also came under fire for his participation in anti-communist government committees. In 1999, American Libraries
named Greenaway as one of the one hundred most important library figures of the 20th century.
School of Information and Library Science (then called “The North Carolina Library School”). Greenaway eventually received honorary degrees from both Wheaton College
and Drexel University
.
The true beginning of Greenaway’s illustrious library career occurred in April of 1945, when he became the director of Baltimore’s Pratt Library. During his time as head of the Pratt Library, Greenaway introduced both a film department and the bookmobile
, both of which continue to serve the Baltimore community today. Greenaway was a longtime advocate of adult education but also placed a great deal of emphasis on children’s within the Pratt Library. While with the Pratt Library, Greenaway also began to study international libraries. This fascination would follow him throughout the remainder of his life.
Greenaway pushed to expand library systems in many ways. He was a vocal proponent of federal funding for libraries rather than requiring smaller communities to take on the bulk of the financial burden. Greenaway also supported the concept of urban library systems which would consolidate the collections and resources of many smaller rural libraries into one more expansive system. In a 1959 speech and accompanying article for the American Philosophical Society
, he detailed his own plans to create physical library spaces to better serve patrons. Chief among his ideas were proper space and physical buildings adapted to the needs of the community.
was extremely complicated. Primarily, Greenaway was a strong proponent of intellectual freedom. In the 1950’s he served as chair for the Intellectual Freedom Committee, a branch of the American Library Association which tasks itself with protecting the privacy rights of library patrons. In 1950 he led an unsuccessful fight against the “Ober Oath,” one of many “loyalty oaths” directed at libraries put in place by the United States government. However, Greenaway also supported anti-communist measures by the United States and was privately thought by many to be a supporter of Joseph McCarthy
. Greenaway argued that one of the main purposes of public access to information was to educate the masses against beliefs he found undesirable, such as communism. One may perhaps surmise that Greenaway was himself politically conservative but nevertheless respected and believed in the value of freedom to information.
Despite Greenaway’s dedication to information freedom, he came under fire when the Free Library was named in the Access to Public Libraries study to be one of three urban Northern libraries (the other two being Detroit and Washington, D.C.
) which openly discriminated against African-Americans. Greenaway hotly contested the methods used by the survey.
, an area he had studied closely during his time as president of the ALA. He also continued to serve on several task forces for the ALA.
Following his retirement from the library world at large in 1969, Greenaway moved to New London, N.H. with his wife, Helen (Kidder) Greenaway. He continued to volunteer in libraries until close to his death.
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
era of the 1950s. During his long career, he acted as the director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library
Enoch Pratt Free Library
The Enoch Pratt Free Library, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is one of the oldest free public libraries in the United States. Established in 1882 after a grant from philanthropist Enoch Pratt, the library now includes twenty-two branches in Baltimore, plus the Central Library...
of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, the director of the Free Library of Philadelphia
Free Library of Philadelphia
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-History:History of the Free Library of Philadelphia: Initiated by the efforts of Dr...
and as a director of the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
. He was also a highly respected scholar and an advocate for intellectual freedom in wartime. Greenaway also came under fire for his participation in anti-communist government committees. In 1999, American Libraries
American Libraries
American Libraries is the official news and features magazine of the American Library Association. Published six times per year, along with four additional digital-only supplements, it is distributed to all members of the organization...
named Greenaway as one of the one hundred most important library figures of the 20th century.
Early Career
Greenaway was born in 1906 in Massachusetts. Although he would go on to have considerable influence over libraries in all of the United States, Greenaway never lived far from the East coast. Greenaway was educated at the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
School of Information and Library Science (then called “The North Carolina Library School”). Greenaway eventually received honorary degrees from both Wheaton College
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Wheaton College is a four-year, private liberal arts college with an approximate student body of 1,550. Wheaton's residential campus is located in Norton, Massachusetts, between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1834 as a female seminary, it is one of the oldest...
and Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
.
The true beginning of Greenaway’s illustrious library career occurred in April of 1945, when he became the director of Baltimore’s Pratt Library. During his time as head of the Pratt Library, Greenaway introduced both a film department and the bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
, both of which continue to serve the Baltimore community today. Greenaway was a longtime advocate of adult education but also placed a great deal of emphasis on children’s within the Pratt Library. While with the Pratt Library, Greenaway also began to study international libraries. This fascination would follow him throughout the remainder of his life.
Philadelphia Years
In 1951, Greenaway stepped down as director of the Pratt Library to begin his position as head of Philadelphia’s Free Library.. It was during this era (until his 1969 retirement from both the Free Library and the bulk of his library career) that Greenaway’s life was perhaps most driven and interesting. The political climate during his time in Philadelphia forced him to confront issues of race, political motivations, library funding and information freedom.Greenaway pushed to expand library systems in many ways. He was a vocal proponent of federal funding for libraries rather than requiring smaller communities to take on the bulk of the financial burden. Greenaway also supported the concept of urban library systems which would consolidate the collections and resources of many smaller rural libraries into one more expansive system. In a 1959 speech and accompanying article for the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
, he detailed his own plans to create physical library spaces to better serve patrons. Chief among his ideas were proper space and physical buildings adapted to the needs of the community.
Cold War era
Greenaway’s relationship with the Cold War era and the (second) Red ScareRed Scare
Durrell Blackwell Durrell Blackwell The term Red Scare denotes two distinct periods of strong Anti-Communism in the United States: the First Red Scare, from 1919 to 1920, and the Second Red Scare, from 1947 to 1957. The First Red Scare was about worker revolution and...
was extremely complicated. Primarily, Greenaway was a strong proponent of intellectual freedom. In the 1950’s he served as chair for the Intellectual Freedom Committee, a branch of the American Library Association which tasks itself with protecting the privacy rights of library patrons. In 1950 he led an unsuccessful fight against the “Ober Oath,” one of many “loyalty oaths” directed at libraries put in place by the United States government. However, Greenaway also supported anti-communist measures by the United States and was privately thought by many to be a supporter of Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
. Greenaway argued that one of the main purposes of public access to information was to educate the masses against beliefs he found undesirable, such as communism. One may perhaps surmise that Greenaway was himself politically conservative but nevertheless respected and believed in the value of freedom to information.
Despite Greenaway’s dedication to information freedom, he came under fire when the Free Library was named in the Access to Public Libraries study to be one of three urban Northern libraries (the other two being Detroit and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) which openly discriminated against African-Americans. Greenaway hotly contested the methods used by the survey.
Later career
The height of Greenaway’s career was from 1958-1959, during which time he served as the director of the American Library Association. During this time Greenaway continued to be active in issues of censorship and freedom of information. His involvement with the ALA did not cease after he stepped down from the presidency. In 1964, he participated in an ALA-sponsored delegation trip to the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, an area he had studied closely during his time as president of the ALA. He also continued to serve on several task forces for the ALA.
Following his retirement from the library world at large in 1969, Greenaway moved to New London, N.H. with his wife, Helen (Kidder) Greenaway. He continued to volunteer in libraries until close to his death.