Gillis was born in Richmond, Iowa in 1857. By the time he was 14, his family had settled in Sacramento, California. Gillis then dropped out of school to become a messenger boy for a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Sacramento Valley Railroad Company. After the Pullman railroad strike, Gillis retired from his position of assistant superintendent, having spent 22 years with Southern Pacific.
Gillis was extremely active with the Republican party when he retired, and because of connections he made politically, he became the archivist for the office of the Secretary of State of California in 1895. After a series of state positions, Gillis was appointed California State Librarian in 1899.[3] Though most of his previous work experience did not include library topics, Gillis was nonetheless attracted to the job. Librarian Anne Margrave stated,
His sense of humor made him joke a little at himself as State Librarian, considering his limited education and his previous experience, which had had little indeed to do with libraries. He had laughed heartily, he said, when someone first suggested that he seek the appointment [as State Librarian]. But as he thought it over, he began to think it would be rather a good job to bring order out of chaos, which was the condition then of the California State Library.[4]
Gillis was interested in organizing the chaotic library system and wanted it to benefit the whole community, not just capital officials. He served as California State Librarian from 1899 until his death in 1917. In that role, Gillis expanded the State Library’s services, established the California History Room, the California Research Bureau, a traveling library program, and library services for the blind in the state of California. He also established California’s county library system in 1909.[5][6][7]
Gillis served as the President of the California Library Association from 1906 to 1916. He was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame in 2012.[8]
Publicationsedit
California county free library law (1911)
Descriptive list of the libraries of California (1904)
Library laws of the state of California (1903)
Referencesedit
^"James Louis Gillis". California American History and Genealogy Project. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
^Basofin, Pete (February 26, 2012). "In History's Spotlight: James L. Gillis". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
^Hansen, D. G. (2004). Professionalizing library education, the California connection: James Gillis, Everett Perry, and Joseph Daniels. Library Trends (4), 963.
^Conmy, Peter Thomas (December 1959). "James Louis Gillis, Westerner and Librarian: A Professional Biography". Wilson Library Bulletin. 34: 272–283.
^Kunkle, Hannah Josephine (1969). A Historical Study of the Extension Activities of the California State Library with Particular Emphasis on its Role in Rural Library Development, 1850–1966 (PhD dissertation ed.). Florida State University.
^Hansen, Debra Gold (2013). "Depoliticizing the California State Library: The Political and Professional Transformation of James Gillis, 1899-17". Information & Culture: A Journal of History. 48 (1): 68–90. doi:10.1353/lac.2013.0004.
^"James Gillis (1857–1917)". California Library Hall of Fame. California Library Association. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
External linksedit
James L. Gillis collection, 1899-1957.
Gillis Family collection. Collection guide, California State Library, California History Room.
April 13, 2024
james, louis, gillis, october, 1857, july, 1917, american, librarian, born3, october, 1857, washington, county, died27, july, 1917, aged, sacramento, occupationlibrarian, employercalifornia, state, legislaturecalifornia, state, librarysacramento, valley, railr. James Louis Gillis October 3 1857 July 27 1917 1 2 was an American librarian James Louis GillisBorn3 October 1857 Washington County Died27 July 1917 aged 59 Sacramento OccupationLibrarian EmployerCalifornia State LegislatureCalifornia State LibrarySacramento Valley Railroad ChildrenMabel R Gillis AwardsCalifornia Library Hall of Fame Contents 1 Biography 2 Publications 3 References 4 External linksBiography editGillis was born in Richmond Iowa in 1857 By the time he was 14 his family had settled in Sacramento California Gillis then dropped out of school to become a messenger boy for a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad the Sacramento Valley Railroad Company After the Pullman railroad strike Gillis retired from his position of assistant superintendent having spent 22 years with Southern Pacific Gillis was extremely active with the Republican party when he retired and because of connections he made politically he became the archivist for the office of the Secretary of State of California in 1895 After a series of state positions Gillis was appointed California State Librarian in 1899 3 Though most of his previous work experience did not include library topics Gillis was nonetheless attracted to the job Librarian Anne Margrave stated His sense of humor made him joke a little at himself as State Librarian considering his limited education and his previous experience which had had little indeed to do with libraries He had laughed heartily he said when someone first suggested that he seek the appointment as State Librarian But as he thought it over he began to think it would be rather a good job to bring order out of chaos which was the condition then of the California State Library 4 Gillis was interested in organizing the chaotic library system and wanted it to benefit the whole community not just capital officials He served as California State Librarian from 1899 until his death in 1917 In that role Gillis expanded the State Library s services established the California History Room the California Research Bureau a traveling library program and library services for the blind in the state of California He also established California s county library system in 1909 5 6 7 Gillis served as the President of the California Library Association from 1906 to 1916 He was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame in 2012 8 Publications editCalifornia county free library law 1911 Descriptive list of the libraries of California 1904 Library laws of the state of California 1903 References edit James Louis Gillis California American History and Genealogy Project Retrieved 29 February 2016 Basofin Pete February 26 2012 In History s Spotlight James L Gillis Sacramento Bee Retrieved 29 February 2016 Hansen D G 2004 Professionalizing library education the California connection James Gillis Everett Perry and Joseph Daniels Library Trends 4 963 James Gillis Bio File August 1 1957 CSL Conmy Peter Thomas December 1959 James Louis Gillis Westerner and Librarian A Professional Biography Wilson Library Bulletin 34 272 283 Kunkle Hannah Josephine 1969 A Historical Study of the Extension Activities of the California State Library with Particular Emphasis on its Role in Rural Library Development 1850 1966 PhD dissertation ed Florida State University Hansen Debra Gold 2013 Depoliticizing the California State Library The Political and Professional Transformation of James Gillis 1899 17 Information amp Culture A Journal of History 48 1 68 90 doi 10 1353 lac 2013 0004 James Gillis 1857 1917 California Library Hall of Fame California Library Association Retrieved 29 February 2016 External links editJames L Gillis collection 1899 1957 Gillis Family collection Collection guide California State Library California History Room Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Louis Gillis amp oldid 1192551857, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
