Justin Winsor (
January 2, 1831-
October 22, 1897), US
historian and
librarian
Born into a rich
Boston mercantile family, Winsor aspired to be an author. He dropped out of
Harvard College because he disliked the routine of coursework, preferring to read on his own. After abortive attempts at
poetry and
drama, he became a freelance writer for various Boston publications. His career in librarianship began in
1866 when he was appointed a
trustee of the
Boston Public Library, then its librarian from
1868 to
1877. In
1877 he became librarian of Harvard, where he remained for the rest of his life and became one of the leading librarians in the country. Winsor served as first president of the
American Library Association.
Winsor was also an important writer and editor of historical works, though his works are said to be much less readable than they are valuable. His works include:
The Memorial History of Boston (4 vol., 1880–82),
Narrative and Critical History of America (8 vols., 1886–89),
Christopher Columbus and How he Received and Imparted the Spirit of Discovery (1891),
From Cartier to Frontenac (1894),
The Mississippi Basin (1895), and
The Westward Movement (1897).
Sources include: http://www.bartleby.com/227/0816.html