Forrest Spaulding
Encyclopedia
Forrest Brisbin Spaulding was named in the American Libraries article, 100 of the most important leaders we had in the 20th century for his contribution to intellectual freedom in writing the Library Bill of Rights
. He was a humanitarian
who is remembered not only for his contributions to librarianship, but also for the positive influence he had on the communities in which he lived and worked. In a commentary on the play The Not So Quiet Librarian, by Cynthia Mercati, Humanities Iowa writes that “Spaulding’s words and his life touched everyone who loved not just books but freedom of expression.” While Forrest Spaulding is remembered for his contributions to librarianship it is worth noting that he began his career as a reporter and the State Library of Iowa biography mentions that while he spent some time as director of Peru’s libraries and museums in 1920, “he was also a correspondent for the Associated Press. He is noted as saying that his ‘efforts to report the news from that country gave him a bitter object lesson in censorship.’”
from 1917-1919 when he left to pursue other interests, among them the library & museum project in Peru. He then returned to serve as the Director of the Des Moines Library from 1927-1952. He created what became known as “the waterfront university” in the basement of the Des Moines Library for unemployed men and others that were struggling during the Depression
. He was an early adopter of new technology regarding library outreach and he put library programs on the air via WHO radio in 1928. At the heart of Spaulding's convictions regarding human rights and concerns about the threat of censorship was a belief in the power of the written word and an understanding that all people needed to have free and equal access to information.
and continues to remain a strong influence to librarianship today. While the Library Bill of Rights
was amended several times by the ALA
to account for new media and concerns related to age, the original intent remains, which is, to protect people's right to access information and to use the library.
for adopting it. In putting his convictions into writing and bringing them before the ALA
for endorsement, Forrest Spaulding took a stand regarding his convictions in an age when it was, in many ways, personally and politically risky to do so. As Dean Shaloup notes in his article, Do you know Forrest Spaulding?, “this is even more admirable when you consider it was World War II-era America, when anyone promoting anything other than apple pie, baseball, target shooting and flag waving were thought of as un-American.”
Library Bill of Rights
The Library Bill of Rights is the American Library Association's statement expressing the rights of library users to intellectual freedom and the expectations the association places on libraries to support those rights...
. He was a humanitarian
Humanitarianism
In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
who is remembered not only for his contributions to librarianship, but also for the positive influence he had on the communities in which he lived and worked. In a commentary on the play The Not So Quiet Librarian, by Cynthia Mercati, Humanities Iowa writes that “Spaulding’s words and his life touched everyone who loved not just books but freedom of expression.” While Forrest Spaulding is remembered for his contributions to librarianship it is worth noting that he began his career as a reporter and the State Library of Iowa biography mentions that while he spent some time as director of Peru’s libraries and museums in 1920, “he was also a correspondent for the Associated Press. He is noted as saying that his ‘efforts to report the news from that country gave him a bitter object lesson in censorship.’”
Library Outreach
Spaulding believed in library outreach and frequently organized traveling libraries, often for military groups. During 1916 he worked with the YMCA to create collections to send to soldiers on the Mexican border and while these collections were small in number, Spaulding strove to ensure they were broad in topic and felt the items would all return well-used. He served as director for the Des Moines Public LibraryPublic Library of Des Moines
The Public Library of Des Moines is an historic building in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States that was built in 1903. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The building ceased to be a library in 2006 and now houses the Norman E...
from 1917-1919 when he left to pursue other interests, among them the library & museum project in Peru. He then returned to serve as the Director of the Des Moines Library from 1927-1952. He created what became known as “the waterfront university” in the basement of the Des Moines Library for unemployed men and others that were struggling during the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He was an early adopter of new technology regarding library outreach and he put library programs on the air via WHO radio in 1928. At the heart of Spaulding's convictions regarding human rights and concerns about the threat of censorship was a belief in the power of the written word and an understanding that all people needed to have free and equal access to information.
Library Bill of Rights
In 1938, as concerns regarding censorship mounted, Spaulding wrote a library bill of rights. He presented it before the Des Moines library board and it was passed by the board as a proclamation that they would not give in to pressures to censor items from their collection. In the State Library of Iowa’s biography Forrest Spaulding it is noted that in 1940 he was challenged regarding his library's copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf. "Spaulding responded by saying that, 'if more people had read Mein Kampf, some of Hitler's despotism might have been prevented.' He maintained that the danger to the United States was not in knowing all about Hitler, but in not knowing all about him. He said 'we should fear the tendency of small minds in these days of stress.’” Spaulding's library bill was later adopted by the American Library AssociationAmerican 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....
and continues to remain a strong influence to librarianship today. While the Library Bill of Rights
Library Bill of Rights
The Library Bill of Rights is the American Library Association's statement expressing the rights of library users to intellectual freedom and the expectations the association places on libraries to support those rights...
was amended several times by the ALA
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....
to account for new media and concerns related to age, the original intent remains, which is, to protect people's right to access information and to use the library.
Advocacy for Access to Information
In the article, The Librarian’s Commitment to the Bill of Rights, Berninghausen points out that prior to 1939, censorship did not appear to be a concern for most librarians. He found that “very few pieces on censorship in libraries appeared in the index to Library Literature before that time. Some of those few articles actually supported censorship.” Louise Robbins also mentions in Censorship and the American Library that there was a lack of initial awareness and support stating that only "7% thought threats to the bill of rights were the most vital problem in libraries today." The bill was a focal point for controversy as was the ALAAmerican 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....
for adopting it. In putting his convictions into writing and bringing them before the ALA
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....
for endorsement, Forrest Spaulding took a stand regarding his convictions in an age when it was, in many ways, personally and politically risky to do so. As Dean Shaloup notes in his article, Do you know Forrest Spaulding?, “this is even more admirable when you consider it was World War II-era America, when anyone promoting anything other than apple pie, baseball, target shooting and flag waving were thought of as un-American.”