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MBLC Celebrates 125 Years

1922

Tech services librarians at the Newton Public Library, circa 1920s

Technical services librarians at the Newton Free Library1


In 1922: The seventh annual institute for librarians was held at Simmons College by the Massachusetts Division of Public Libraries. "Miss June Richardson Donnelly gave an account of her recent visits to libraries from coast to coast, calling it 'Vagabonding in Libraries.'"2 Donnelly was the second director of Simmons College from 1913 to 1937.3

TODAY: It's almost impossible for a librarian to go on holiday and not visit the local library.

What else happened in 1922?

  • In January, a 14-year-old boy, Leonard Thompson, was chosen as the first diabetic to receive insulin. The test, in Toronto, Canada, was a success. Leonard, who before the insulin shots was near death, rapidly regained his strength and appetite.4
  • The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon became the first Newbery Medal winner.5
  • In February, Volume 1, No. 1 of Reader's Digest was published.6

References:
1. Digital Commonwealth [link].
2. Annual Report of the Board of Free Public Library Commissioners for the Year Ending November 30, 1922.
3. "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - Reflections on GSLIS" by Michele V. Cloonan, 2012 [link].
4. www.nobelprize.org [link].
5. www.ala.org [link].
6. www.rda.com [link].