Josephine A. Clark was the daughter of John R. Clark and Caroline Derby Clark of Waltham. She graduated from Smith College in 1880 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, her class being the second to graduate.
In 1884 she became associate principal of a school for girls in Rutland, Vt., where she continued until 1888.
The establishment of a Library School in connection with Columbia College, N.Y.C., had brought library work into prominence and in 1888 she decided to enter that school. She remained there until May 1889 when it was moved to the state library, Albany, N.Y.
In the fall of 1890, she became assistant librarian at the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University. She combined her knowledge and love of botany with her technical knowledge of cataloging which attracted the attention of the Division of Botany of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was called to Washington, D.C., to accept a position as Botanical Bibliographer in September 1891. She conceived the idea of publishing a card index of new genera and species of American plants, a work of great service to botanists. This index then was continued at the Gray Herbarium.
In October 1893 the library at the Department of Agriculture was reorganized and she was appointed assistant librarian, holding that position until January 1901 when she became chief librarian.
While in Washington, D.C., she served as a member of the subcommittee on libraries of the Keep Commission, appointed by President Taft. She was a charter member of the District of Columbia Library Association and one of the founders of the Washington City Free Library, the precursor of the present Public Library.
She was the librarian at Smith College from 1907-1919. During that time she planned the college library building. "She insisted also on open stacks, calling the stacks the heart of the library, and emphasizing the fact that the educational value of free access to them outweighed any possible loss of books from that cause." She also planned a luxurious Browsing Room, the first of its kind.
The Smith College library building was completed in 1909 and opened on January 30, 1910. Josephine A. Clark worked as librarian there until 1919, when she retired and moved to Claremont, California.
In 1884 she became associate principal of a school for girls in Rutland, Vt., where she continued until 1888.
The establishment of a Library School in connection with Columbia College, N.Y.C., had brought library work into prominence and in 1888 she decided to enter that school. She remained there until May 1889 when it was moved to the state library, Albany, N.Y.
In the fall of 1890, she became assistant librarian at the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University. She combined her knowledge and love of botany with her technical knowledge of cataloging which attracted the attention of the Division of Botany of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was called to Washington, D.C., to accept a position as Botanical Bibliographer in September 1891. She conceived the idea of publishing a card index of new genera and species of American plants, a work of great service to botanists. This index then was continued at the Gray Herbarium.
In October 1893 the library at the Department of Agriculture was reorganized and she was appointed assistant librarian, holding that position until January 1901 when she became chief librarian.
While in Washington, D.C., she served as a member of the subcommittee on libraries of the Keep Commission, appointed by President Taft. She was a charter member of the District of Columbia Library Association and one of the founders of the Washington City Free Library, the precursor of the present Public Library.
She was the librarian at Smith College from 1907-1919. During that time she planned the college library building. "She insisted also on open stacks, calling the stacks the heart of the library, and emphasizing the fact that the educational value of free access to them outweighed any possible loss of books from that cause." She also planned a luxurious Browsing Room, the first of its kind.
The Smith College library building was completed in 1909 and opened on January 30, 1910. Josephine A. Clark worked as librarian there until 1919, when she retired and moved to Claremont, California.
Josephine A. Clark was the daughter of John R. Clark and Caroline Derby Clark of Waltham. She graduated from Smith College in 1880 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, her class being the second to graduate.
In 1884 she became associate principal of a school for girls in Rutland, Vt., where she continued until 1888.
The establishment of a Library School in connection with Columbia College, N.Y.C., had brought library work into prominence and in 1888 she decided to enter that school. She remained there until May 1889 when it was moved to the state library, Albany, N.Y.
In the fall of 1890, she became assistant librarian at the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University. She combined her knowledge and love of botany with her technical knowledge of cataloging which attracted the attention of the Division of Botany of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was called to Washington, D.C., to accept a position as Botanical Bibliographer in September 1891. She conceived the idea of publishing a card index of new genera and species of American plants, a work of great service to botanists. This index then was continued at the Gray Herbarium.
In October 1893 the library at the Department of Agriculture was reorganized and she was appointed assistant librarian, holding that position until January 1901 when she became chief librarian.
While in Washington, D.C., she served as a member of the subcommittee on libraries of the Keep Commission, appointed by President Taft. She was a charter member of the District of Columbia Library Association and one of the founders of the Washington City Free Library, the precursor of the present Public Library.
She was the librarian at Smith College from 1907-1919. During that time she planned the college library building. "She insisted also on open stacks, calling the stacks the heart of the library, and emphasizing the fact that the educational value of free access to them outweighed any possible loss of books from that cause." She also planned a luxurious Browsing Room, the first of its kind.
The Smith College library building was completed in 1909 and opened on January 30, 1910. Josephine A. Clark worked as librarian there until 1919, when she retired and moved to Claremont, California.
In 1884 she became associate principal of a school for girls in Rutland, Vt., where she continued until 1888.
The establishment of a Library School in connection with Columbia College, N.Y.C., had brought library work into prominence and in 1888 she decided to enter that school. She remained there until May 1889 when it was moved to the state library, Albany, N.Y.
In the fall of 1890, she became assistant librarian at the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University. She combined her knowledge and love of botany with her technical knowledge of cataloging which attracted the attention of the Division of Botany of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was called to Washington, D.C., to accept a position as Botanical Bibliographer in September 1891. She conceived the idea of publishing a card index of new genera and species of American plants, a work of great service to botanists. This index then was continued at the Gray Herbarium.
In October 1893 the library at the Department of Agriculture was reorganized and she was appointed assistant librarian, holding that position until January 1901 when she became chief librarian.
While in Washington, D.C., she served as a member of the subcommittee on libraries of the Keep Commission, appointed by President Taft. She was a charter member of the District of Columbia Library Association and one of the founders of the Washington City Free Library, the precursor of the present Public Library.
She was the librarian at Smith College from 1907-1919. During that time she planned the college library building. "She insisted also on open stacks, calling the stacks the heart of the library, and emphasizing the fact that the educational value of free access to them outweighed any possible loss of books from that cause." She also planned a luxurious Browsing Room, the first of its kind.
The Smith College library building was completed in 1909 and opened on January 30, 1910. Josephine A. Clark worked as librarian there until 1919, when she retired and moved to Claremont, California.
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