David Horace Clift
David Horace Clift | |
---|---|
Born | June 16, 1907 Washington, Kentucky |
Died | October 12, 1973 |
Occupation | Librarian |
Known for | Chief Executive of the American Library Association 1951–72 |
David Horace Clift (June 16, 1907 – October 12, 1973)[1] was a noted American librarian and former chief executive of the American Library Association (ALA) from 1951 to 1972.[1] He was named by the ALA as one of the 100 Most Important [Library] Leaders of the 20th Century.[2]
Biography
Clift was born in Washington, Kentucky, on June 16, 1907, to Charles L. Sr. and Mary E. (Tomlin) Clift.[3] He attended and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1930.[4][5] During his college years, he briefly worked at the Lexington Public Library.[1] After graduation from Kentucky University, he attended Columbia University School of Library Service,[1] graduating in 1931.[5]
Career
After graduating from Columbia University in 1931, Clift found employment at the
Clift's experience in the OSS had a profound effect on him as an organizer.
In 1945–1946, Clift traveled to Germany for the Library of Congress[1] in order to acquire for American research libraries publications which had appeared in enemy countries during the war.[5] Next, Clift took on the role of associate librarian at Yale University. While at Yale, he also became a fellow of Trumbull College and developed a position classification and pay plan that became a model for academic librarians.[1] He was president of the Connecticut Library Association from 1950 to 1951. Clift assumed position of chief executive of the American Library Association in 1951 and served until 1972.[4][1]
Tenure at ALA
In 1951, when Clift took over executive duties for ALA, membership was 19,701 and the general funds budget was
Clift was honored with the Association's Joseph W. Lippincott Award in 1966.[1] He was honored with the American Library Association Honorary Membership in 1972.
Clift died on October 12, 1973.[1]
On his role as an association executive, he is quoted as saying "it was to administer the policies decided by membership and leave the leadership to those elected by the membership."[1][8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l
Shields, G. R. (1993). "Clift, David H.". In Wedgeworth, R. (ed.). World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services (Third ed.). ALA Editions. pp. 213–214. ISBN 978-0-8389-0609-5.
- ^ Dewey, M. (December 1999). "100 of the MOST IMPORTANT LEADERS WE HAD in the 20TH CENTURY". American Libraries. 11 (30). American Library Association: 38.
- ^ OCLC 9413823.
- ^ a b c d e "Clift, David H. (1907-1973)". American Library Association Archives. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
- ^ a b c "David Horace Clift". University of Kentucky Alumni Association. 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ a b c
Waller, T. (July 1972). "David H. Clift – A Very Partial Profile". American Libraries. 3 (7). American Library Association: 702–709. JSTOR 25618941.
- ^ Ruggles, Melville J.; Swank, Raynard C. (1962). Soviet libraries and librarianship: report of the visit of the delegation of U.S. librarians to the Soviet Union, May-June, 1961, under the U.S.-Soviet cultural exchange agreement. Chicago: American Library Association. pp. v.
- ^ Clift, David Horace. 1963. “Role of Library Associations, a Symposium.” Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 51 (April): 44–49.