Louis Round Wilson
| Lewis Round Wilson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
December 27, 1876 Lenoir, North Carolina |
| Died | December 10, 1979 (aged 102) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina |
| Occupation | Librarian |
| Employer |
University of Chicago University of North Carolina |
| Organization | American Library Association |
Louis Round Wilson (December 27, 1876 – December 10, 1979) was an important figure to the field of library science, and is listed in “100 of the most important leaders we had in the 20th century,” an article in the December 1999 issue of American Libraries. The article lists what he did for the field of library science, including founding the library school at the University of Chicago, directing the library at the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill, and as one of the “internationally oriented library leaders in the U.S. who contributed much of the early history of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.” The Louis Round Wilson Library is named after him.
Louis Round Wilson was born on December 27, 1876, in Lenoir, North Carolina. Wilson was the youngest child of Jethro Reuben and Louisa Jane (Round) Wilson, who were both descendents from early English settlers. Growing up, Wilson frequented the local library in Lenoir, the Pioneer Library. His passion for the freedom to read led him to his important promotion of free public library services may have begun in his youth at the Pioneer Library. Wilson later worked on a newspaper, called the Topic, and was also a janitor at the local Methodist church. He became the church’s Sunday school librarian, spending about an hour charging and discharging books. With this experience he was introduced to printing, publishing, administration, and handling books, which would encompass his life’s work.
Wilson entered Davenport College, a preparatory school in 1894, studying Greek and ancient history among the other essential subjects. In 1895, Wilson entered Haverford College, but "left on account of ill-health" at the end of his Junior year, 1898. His Senior year, he decided to attend the University of North Carolina, the location of a milder climate which would be more beneficial to his health.
Wilson received a letter from the dean of the University of North Carolina, asking if he would take the position of University Librarian, and was also provided the chance to continue his work on a Master’s degree. His Master’s thesis was “The Influence of Lyly and Green upon the Pastoral Comedy of Shakespeare,” and was published in the October 1902 issue of the University Magazine. During the beginning of his librarianship, he obtained copies of the Dewey abridged classification scheme, providing the rules and forms for cataloging, and widened his knowledge and expertise pertaining to the operation of libraries. Wilson also considered that the success of a librarian was dependent on both managerial skills and knowledge of books.
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