Evening star., 1926-04-17
A. P. c. GRIFFIN DIES
OF PNEUMONIA
Assistant Librarian of Con-
gress Noted for photographic
! Work-74 Years Old.

Appleton Prentiss Clark Griffin,
chief assistant librarian of the Library
of Congress, died in his apartment at
The Shawmut yesterday afternoon
after an illness of only three days.
Mir. Griffin, who was "a years of age.
contracted a cold, which suddenly de-
NeIoped into pneumonia.
MIR. Griffin devoted his entire career
To library work, and had been con.
nected with the Library of Congress
since August 27. 1897. He had been
chlet assistant librarian since 1908.
Beginning his library work as a boy
al il in the Boston Public Library.
Mr.. Griffin, during >his 30 years of
service there, was successfully "custo-
uldtl OF the shelves" custodian of
the building" and keeper of books"
From 1895 to 1897 he was engaged in
special photographic work for the
boSton Atheneum and the Lenox Lii
brary of New York
Joined New staff.
On August 81, 1897, Mr.. Griffin was
engaged by the then Librarian of Con-
gress. John Russell Young, as an as
slstant librarian on the staff then be!
ing organized for the Library in its
new building. On the creation of the
division of photography under the
present librarian, he was in 900 made
chief photographer. and on the death
"f AinswOrth Spofford, in 1908. he
was advanced to the chief assistant
librarianship
Mr.. Griftin's work in photographic
compilations. in which his ability was
widely recognized. included a Bibliog-
raphy of American Historical Socie.
ties. issued in 1905. AS chief bibliog-
lapher in the Library of congress, he
edited more than 80 photographic lists
highly regarded as useful contribu-
tions to knowledge
AS chief assistant librarian, Mr.
Griffin's functions became more def
nitely those of the head of the refer
ence service of the Library and the
chief adviser to the librarian on the
selection of books for purchase.
Praised by Librarian.
In paying tribute to the recognized
value of his service in both these ca
pacities. Herbert Putnam, librarian
OF Congress, said today:
In both capacities mis- service was
OF extraordinary comprehension
his inSiStent studies of general litera-
ture. his absorption of the four great
research collections with which he had
been associated, his industry, and an
unusual flair" for the submerged" in
source material; and his standards as
TO what would be of real worth in a
library for research were so sound,
and based on such experience, that
they could be safe guides for the de-
Velopment of a library for scholarly
national service.
1T was in view of this competence,
still unabated, that although he
reached the age of retirement four
years ago he was twice continued for
the two-year periods allowed under
the law in exceptional cases. The
representations (to the Classification
Board) then made by me-representa-
tons deliberate, dispassionate and re-
Sponsible-are more significant than |
would be any eulogy framed now. l |
quote them:
Spent Life i'm Service.
Beginning with his boyhood Mr.. |
Griffin has spent his life in the serv-
ice of libraries of the scholarly type: |
the Boston Public Library, the Boston
Athenaetm and the Library of Con-
gress. He has acquired knowledge
of the literature required in research,
such as could not be duplicated eX-
cept in a like period by man of like
ability and persistence. To this bib
Geographic knowledge he adds re- |
markable instinct-a "flair"-for sub |
merged" material. In his accumu- |
lated knowledge, his range ana thls
instinct, he has not his superior IN |
any American library. He is. indeed, |
the foremost expert in that regard IN |
any library in the United States.
His service could not be duplicat-
ed, and his loss to US would be lrrep-
arable.'
Mr.. Griffin, whose wife died little
more than year ago. is survived by
Il daughter, Miss Grace Griffin, and
two sons, Perry, residing in Detroit,
and George. who is engaged in bust
ness in Massachusetts. Mr.. Griffin
was born at Wilton, n. II.
Funeral services will be held Mon
day afternoon at o'clock, at the
Church of the Epiphany. Interment
will be at Mount Auburn Cemetery,
Cambridge. Mass.
The dial automatic telephone was