Hugh Hornby Langton (1862–1953)

Hugh Hornby Langton was the Registrar of the University of Toronto from 1887 to 1892 and served as its University Librarian from 1892 to 1923. He was also an accomplished editor, translator, and historian. His most important contribution to the University was his reestablishment of the collections, staffing, and services after a fire on Valentine's Day in 1890 destroyed the original library in the east wing of University College. Langton took charge of a new standalone library which opened on King's College Circle in 1892. This building featured new innovations such as electric lighting, steam heating, and a fireproof bookstack. In 1911, he oversaw the completion of a new wing to provide more space for the library.
 
Hugh Langton became a mainstay in campus academic life for three decades in his role as librarian and the main editor of the university's scholarly publishing program from 1897 to 1923 and the launch of the Canadian Historical Review in 1920. He contributed histories and translations published by the Champlain Society and served as its President from 1934–36. When he was almost ninety, he published the journals of his aunt, Anne Langton. He served as President of the Ontario Library Association from 1902–03 and was also a member of the American Library Association.
 
Langton's portrait (c.1910s)  is taken from the University of Toronto archives. My biography originally appeared on the Ex Libris Association website in 2017. 

Hugh Hornby Langton

 b. Aug. 29, 1862, Québec City, QC; d. Sept. 30, 1953, Toronto, ON

Education:

1883 BA (Toronto)
1887 Graduate of the Law Society of Upper Canada [did not practice]
1905 MA. (Toronto)

Positions:

1887–1892 Registrar and Assistant Librarian, University of Toronto
1892–1923 University Librarian, University of Toronto
1895–1896 College Librarian, Colorado College, Colorado Springs [temporarily on leave to restore his health]
1898–1919 Joint editor with George M. Wrong, Review of Historical Publications Relating to Canada
1914–1919 Joint editor with George M. Wrong, Chronicles of Canada series
1923–1940 Editor and translator for publications of the Champlain Society

Publications (major works):

Articles:

Langton, H.H. (Oct. 1896). “Systems of shelf notation.” Library Journal 21(10): 441-43.

Langton, H.H. (1898). “Co-operation in a catalogue of periodical publications.” In: Transactions and proceedings of the Second International Library Conference held in London, July 13-16, 1897: pp. 122–125. [London: The Conference].

Langton, H.H. (Feb. 1900). “A study of Gerhart Hauptmann.” East & West 1 (4): 108–116.

Langton, H.H. (1903). “Canada and public libraries.” Library Journal 28 (Conference no. 44): C43–C46.

Langton, H.H. (Sept. 1903). “Music study vs. performance.” Journal of Pedagogy 16 (1): 59–63.

Langton, H.H. (Feb. 1904). “University libraries.” University of Toronto Monthly 4 (5): 121–126.

Langton, H.H. (May 1904). “What a permanent library commission can do to aid libraries [in Ontario].” Public Libraries 9 (5): 212–216.

Langton, H.H. (May 1911). “The new library building.” University of Toronto Monthly 11 (7): 294–301 [new wing extension].

Books:

Langton, H.H., W.J. Alexander, and A.B. Macallum, (1906). The University of Toronto and its Colleges, 1827–1906. [Toronto: University Library].

Langton, H.H. and G.H. Locke (1913), eds. A joint catalogue of the periodicals, publications and transactions of societies … to be found in the various libraries of the City of Toronto. 2nd ed. [Toronto: University of Toronto Press].

Langton, H.H. (1927). James Loudon and the University of Toronto. [Toronto: University of Toronto Press].

Langton, H.H. (1929). Sir Daniel Wilson, a memoir. [Edinburgh: T. Nelson].

Langton, H.H., ed. (1937). Travels in the interior inhabited parts of North America in the years 1791 and 1792 by Patrick Campbell. [Toronto: Champlain Society].

Langton, H.H. and E.F. Burton (1939). Sir John Cunningham McLennan, a memoir. [Toronto: University of Toronto Press].

Wrong, G.R., ed., and H.H. Langton, trans. (1939). The long journey to the country of the Hurons by Father Gabriel Sagard. [Toronto: Champlain Society, 1939].

Langton, H.H. (1940). James Douglas: a memoir. [Toronto: University of Toronto].

Langton, H.H., ed. (1950). A gentlewoman in Upper Canada: the journals of Anne Langton. [Toronto: Clarke, Irwin].

Associations/Committees:

President, Ontario Library Association, 1902–1903
President, Champlain Society, 1934–1936
Member of the American Library Association, committee work on Public Documents
University of Toronto executive positions with the Alumni Association and the series published by the Library (1897-1929).

Accomplishments:

Hugh Langton was a prolific and accomplished scholar, author, editor, and translator from a noteworthy Toronto family. He was particularly interested in the history of Canada and the University of Toronto. Langton managed the University's main library through a difficult transition period after the disastrous fire of 1890. By the time of his retirement, hastened by ill-health in 1923, the facilities, collections, staffing and services at the main library had been re-established and strengthened on a firm foundation for his successors. Although Langton’s library efforts and publications are seldom cited, his scholarly works are recognized as lasting contributions to Canadian history. Together with his friend, George R. Wrong, Langton edited and published an annual review of Canadian historical publications from 1898 to 1919 and their work led to the creation of the Canadian Historical Review. He was also active on the executive of the Champlain Society, eventually serving as President in 1934-1936. Langton’s career is a classic example of the male scholar-administrator-librarian model that prevailed  in the management of Canadian college and university libraries into the first half of the twentieth century.

Sources:

The University of Toronto Archives holds the textual records for the Hugh H. Langton fonds, CA UTA 1464-2.
Blackburn, Robert H. (1989). Evolution of the heart: a history of the University of Toronto Library up to 1981: pp. 101–130. Toronto: University of Toronto Library.
W. Stewart Wallace (1953). “Hugh Hornby Langton.” Canadian Historical Review 34: 388.
“Hugh H. Langton.” Globe and Mail, 3 Oct. 1953, 6 [editorial].

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