Charles Henry Gould (1855–1919)

Charles Henry Gould is a significant figure in Canadian library history. From the time of his appointment as University Librarian at McGill University in 1892 until his death in 1919, he made valuable contributions to the emerging vocation of librarianship. He was instrumental in persuading the American Library Association to convene its annual conference in Montreal in 1900, during which he invited librarians to a meeting to form a Canadian library association that eventually became the Ontario Library Association in 1901. Gould developed McGill's collection in the Redpath Library, which became Canada's largest academic library in the early 20th century. In the field of library education, he initiated a summer course for librarians in 1904 that evolved into the McGill Library School, accredited by the American Library Association in 1927, shortly after his death.

While he served as ALA President from 1908–09, the organization moved its headquarters to Chicago and revised its constitution. In 1912–13, he served as the president of the Bibliographical Society of America. Gould was innovative in many ways; for example, his promotion of interlibrary loan while chair of an ALA committee in 1916 helped establish a 'code of practice' that laid the foundation for borrowing and lending library materials in the United States. He was an early proponent of regional libraries. Gould was also a music lover—his contemporaries noted his piano performances and deep knowledge of classical repertoire. In an era noted for scholar-librarians, Gould instead excelled as an outstanding administrator and leader in professional activities.

My biography first appeared on the Ex Libris Association website in 2015. Gould's graduation portrait is taken from the McGill University Library Archives.

Charles Henry Gould 

Born Dec. 6, 1855, Groveton, New Hampshire; Died July 30, 1919, Montreal

Education

1877 BA (McGill University)

Positions

1880–1887 Organist, American Presbyterian Church, Montreal
1892–1904 University Librarian, McGill University
1904–1919 McGill University Library School (summer course sessions)

Publications

Gould, Charles H. (1898). Description of important libraries in Montreal, with marks upon departmental libraries. Transactions and proceedings of the Second International Library Conference held in London, July 13-16, 1897. London: Morrison & Gibbs: 151-15.

Gould, Charles H. (1902). “Traveling libraries. McGill University.” Public Libraries: a Monthly Review of Library Matters and Methods 7: 265.

Gould, Charles H. (1904). “Library matters in Montreal.” Public Libraries: a Monthly Review of Library Matters and Methods 9: 230-232.

Gould, Charles H. (1906). “McGill University Library School.” Canadian Municipal Journal 2: 251-252.

Gould, Charles H. (1908). “The Cutter Expansive Classification.” Proceedings of the Ontario Library Association Annual Meeting: 17-20.

Gould, Charles H. (1908). “Regional libraries.” Library Journal 33: 218-219.

Gould, Charles H. (1909). “Co-ordination, or method in co-operation: address of the President, American Library Association, Bretton Woods Conference, 1909.” Bulletin of the American Library Association 3, 9 (Sept): 122–128.

Associations/Committees

1908-1909 President, American Library Association
1912-1913 President, Bibliographical Society of America

Accomplishments and Honours

Charles Gould made a landmark contribution to Canadian librarianship by introducing summer courses for library education at McGill in 1904. During his tenure as University Librarian, Redpath Library collections were catalogued, staff augmented, space increased, and McGill became this country’s largest academic resource by the end of World War I. While he was President of ALA in 1908–09, its headquarters moved to Chicago, and a chief executive position was created. He was highly regarded, not only in Canada but also in the United States and the United Kingdom, for his knowledge and dedication to the profession.

Comments

“Gould was a rather quiet man of slow speech, a very loyal Canadian, wedded to the British Empire and its traditions, but nonetheless a loyal friend and colleague.” — William Warner Bishop, University Librarian, University of Michigan (1915–41), in Library Quarterly, 1949.

Sources

Makela, Ritva (1974). McGill University Library during the tenure of Charles H Gould as University Librarian, 1893-1919. Montreal: GSLS, McGill University.
Hanson, Elizabeth (2006). “Charles Gould, the 1900 ALA Conference and the Canadian Library Association.” Feliciter 52, 3: 114-117.
Hanson, Elizabeth (2007). “The 1900 ALA Conference: Charles Gould’s vision.” Feliciter 53, 3, 160-163.
McNally, Peter F. “Gould, Charles Henry.” In the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14. Accessed Nov. 5, 2015.