Evening star., 1924-11-23
Real Workers in the National Capital

at Cnscago In 1888, he met Meivl
Dewey, state librarian Of New York,
the author Of the decimal cIassifica-
| tion used In most libraries. and one
of the leading members Of the library
profession at that period. As result
| OF that meeting Bowerman gave up
business and entered the New York
State Library School at Albany. There
too he was obliged to work his way
but he completed the regular two
years course and secured the degree
| of bachelor of library science in 1895.
DIR. Bowerman spent year as ref
erence librarian in library at
Rochester. two years in the New York
State Library, where hfs service in
cluded that of legislative reference
librarian. In 1898 and for two years
thereafter he was a member of the
| editorial staff of the New York Trib-
une, where he was librarian, writer
of biographical and general informa-
tion articles, including editorials on
educational and library subjects. Fol-
| lowed a year on the editorial staff OF
the New International Cyclopedia.
He became chief librarian of the
public library Of Wilmington, Del, in
1901. This was an old institution and
rather somnolent. He vitalized the
| library by establishing cooperative
relations with schools, popularizing
many other modern features then un-
known or in their infancy, but now
commonplaces Of public library work.
He was also a member OF the first
Delaware State library commission,
helped to secure its first appropria-
| tion from the State legislature and to
raise other funds by subscriptions
and did much of the early organiza-
| ton work.
DR.. Bowerman's position among
librarians has been recognized by the
fact that he has been president or
the local library association and has
been a councillor and chairman of
many important committees OF the
American Library Association. While
chairman Of the committee on library
administration he devised the form
for uniform library statistics now
used by practically all American pub
lie libraries. He has long been
| member of the library commission OF
the Boy Scouts of America, as well as
q member OF the national council of
| that organization. He is a member
of the Cosmos Club, the Federal Club,
the Monday Evening Club. the Wash
ington Literary Society, the Archaeo-
| logical Society, a councillor OF the
! Washington Society of the Fine Arts,
trustee Of the National Parks Asso-
| citation, a member of the committee
| of 100 on the development If the
| Capital City and member of the
! committee on national representation.
| He is a member of the Alpha Delta
Phi college fraternity and of the hon.
| orary scholarship society of Phi Beta
Kappa. In 1919 the George Washing
| ton University conferred on him the
| honorary degree of L.H.D. in recog
! milton of his service as Washington s
public librarian.
| He is a frequent speaker before the
! local and national library associa-
/ tions and has spoken before the
| American Booksellers Association. He
has frequently been called into coun.
| Gil as speaker or in conference By
| cities planning to establish public
| libraries. He also speaks before local
| citizens associations, parent-tescher
associations, women's clubs, teachers
| organizations and other organiza-
! tions
! DR.. Bowerman has published a very
/ large number of articles on many
phases of library work. in the pro-
| fessional library press as we'll as
more general periodicals.
He has had a large part in the re,
| classification movement. particularly
as it affects Libraries; was chairman
| of the first library advisory wage
| committee, organized by the Joint
Congressional Commission on Reclas-
! sifcation. and has been on the re-
classification job ever since
He has made several trips to Eu-
/ rope as a tourist. In 1910 he attend
ed the International Congress of Lii
! brarians at Burssels
| From all of which it can readily be
seen that while the Washington Pub
| lie Library's sphere of influence and
helpfulness as an educational agency
! has been growing by leaps and
! bounds during the last two decades,
| DR.. Bowerman has not allowed HIM
self to settle back as a ''bookworm," +"
but has developed with his job. and
broadened himself with the times,
and kept abreast with the worlds
best thought and practice on library
subjects, while at the same time be-
! ing an all-round good citizen