John Davis Barnett (1848-1926) was an early Canadian curator-librarian.[1] Barnett collected the materials to create one of the significant early personal Ontario libraries and was a vocal proponent of education through the use of freely available printed materials. He is a renowned collector writing extensively on the ideas of inter-library loans, classification scheme trends, the national library for Canada movement, collections development, scientific management theory and his own personal reference theory. Involved with books from an early age he collected widely and worked throughout his life to ensure that knowledge was available to all. His personal donation of some 40,000 volumes to the University of Western Ontario, his work as a lecturer at the first provincial library school and his commitment to the first Ontario library institute make him a notable Canadian librarian from the beginning of the confederation era right through to the period between the two world wars.
John Davis Barnett, son of George Barnett, was born in 1848 [2][3] or 1849.[4] Sources have him born in Liverpool, England or London, England. At the age of 17 he emigrated to Montreal, Canada.
Education
Barnett studied civil engineering and design under J. Armstrong at Wolverhampton, London and Swindon, England. John’s father, George Barnett had worked in the railroads and made arrangements for his son to study and work in the railroads.[5] In 1919, Barnett was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws, University of Western Ontario.[6][7]
Railroad engineer
In 1866 when Barnett emigrated to Canada he became an apprentice in the Grand Trunk Railroad shops in Montreal. With experience in draughting, he quickly moved to the draughting room advancing steadily through the posts in the mechanical side of railroad work. He contributed widely to the engineering journals of North America. His posts included:
John Davis Barnett collected what became a research library with special emphasis on literature, history and science and technology. The Barnett literary collection concentrated on Shakespeariana, literary criticism and classical literature with some foreign works. Monographs, magazines, bulletins, clippings and prints were collected contributing to the collection's diverse nature. In history, Barnett collected a large section on Canadian history, with other large sections of American history. The War of 1812 and the Rebellion of 1837 were of special interest. Government publications are also included in this section. European, African and Asiatic history were also represented. In the science and technology section, Barnett collected everything he could find on railroads and the development of the Canadian railroads.
The main body of the Barnett collection, some 40,000 volumes, was donated to the University of Western Ontario, 10 August 1918. Barnett was actively involved with the collection until 1922.[9] The Barnett collection was presented to the Library and Archives Canada in 1975. Pamphlets and other published material became part of the Public Archives Library; photographs to the National Photography Collection; maps and plans to the National Map Collection.[10]
Mechanics' Institutes contributions
Barnett was the head of the Grand Trunk Railway Literary and Scientific Institute[11] during the many years he worked for the GTR. Barnett was a strong advocate for the teaching of mechanics. He wrote and spoke frequently about the virtues of providing a venue where knowledge, and especially technical knowledge, could be transferred from one person to another for either professional improvement or personal pursuits.[12]
Early Ontario libraries
In 1896, Barnett was involved in organizing the Free Public Library in Stratford, Ontario. In 1907, Barnett was a delegate to the first Ontario Library Institute.[13] Twenty-one libraries were represented at a meeting held at the Brantford Public Library and funded by a grant from the Ministry of Education (Ontario).[14] Immediately after the meeting, 10 Institutes districts were formed and in 1908 the Institutes were held. In 1909 an Act was passed providing for permanent establishment of Library Institutes under the Province of Ontario Department of Education.[15] Barnett participated in the early evolution of Ontario public libraries through lectures at Ontario Provincial Library Training School beginning in 1910 and at Ontario Library Institutes.
National Library of Canada movement
Library and Archives Canada
Barnett was one of the first advocates for a Canadian national library.[16] At the opening of the 20th century the Canadian identity was just awakening and the need for national cultural and educational institutions was beginning to be discussed within the broader political arena. Barnett was vocal in his thoughts. Beginning in 1910, J D Barnett saw the function of a national library as storage, lending and inter-library lending with a leadership role in a joint-action agreements between provincial library and a national library with regard to joint functions such as inter-library lending. He saw the primary role of a library as education; a national library’s role within the national educational context. He was also a vocal advocate of advertising any library, but particularly a national library where one had yet to be founded. More controversial at the time, he supported a collections management strategy of quality and not demand. In May 1918 Barnett wrote an article for the Ontario Library Review advocating a national library.[17] Unfortunately timing was not in his favour, and it was not until nearly 20 years after his death that the National Library of Canada was created by an Act of Parliament in 1953 and later as the Library and Archives of Canada.
References
^The Ontario Library Association. An Historical Sketch 1900-1925.
^Library and Archives Canada, MG 30 B86, Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets. Part I and Part II.
^Bychkova, Diana (2018). (PDF). Minima bibliographica, 26. Milano: Edizioni CUSL. pp. 4–7. ISBN9788881327607. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-01-07.
^Stratford-Perth -Archives. Beacon Herald. Saturday September 28, 1985
^Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Barnett, John Davis. Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets. Part I and II. (Pa MG30 B86).
^Dingman, Stanford. John Davis Barnett. Stratford Beacon Herald. Sept 28 1985. pp.4-5.
^Landon, Fred. untitled. University of Western Ontario Library Bulletin. Vol. I.
^Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Barnett, John Davis. Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets. Parts I and II.
^Talman, James J and Talman, Ruth Davis. Western. 1873-1953. London, U.W.O. 1953. pp. 124-125
^"J. Davis Barnett collection [technical drawing, cartographic material, architectural drawing]". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
^Catalogue of the library belonging to the Grand Trunk Railway Literary and Scientific Institute, Point St. Charles, with constitution, by-laws, order of business and rules of order : founded 1857, incorporated 1871.
^Barnett, J. Davis. The Mechanic and the Book. Ontario Library Review. Vol. I, No. 1
^Morgan, Henry James. The Canadian Men and Women of the Time.Toronto: Briggs, 1912.
^The Ontario Library Association. An Historical Sketch 1900-1925. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1926
^Canada. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Annual Survey of Education in Canada, 1928.
^J. Davis. A National Library for Canada. Ontario Library Review. Vol. II, No.4, (May 1918): 107-108
^J. Davis. A National Library for Canada. Ontario Library Review. Vol. II, No.4, (May 1918): 107-108
Bibliography
Landon, Fred. J. Davis Barnett’s Gift to the Western University. Ontario Library Review. Vol. III, No. 1, (August 1918): 16.
Landon, Fred. The J. Davis Barnett Library and Inter-Library Loans. Ontario Library Review. Vol. III, No. 3, (February 1919): 64-65.
Landon, Fred. John Davis Barnett, 1846-1926. Ontario Library Review. Vol. X, No. 4, (May 1926): 75076.
Landon, Fred. untitled. University of Western Ontario Library Bulletin. Vol. I,No. 1, 1941): 4-8.
Morgan, Henry James. The Canadian Men and Women of the Time.Toronto: Briggs, 1912.
Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Barnett, John Davis. Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets. Part I and II. (Pa MG30 B86).
The Ontario Library Association. An Historical Sketch 1900-1925. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1926.
Canada. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Annual Survey of Education in Canada, 1928.Ottawa: F. A. Acland, 1930.
Bow, Eric C. The Public Library Movement in Nineteenth Century Ontario. Ontario Library Review 66 (Mar 1982): 1-16.
Toronto. Toronto Mechanics. 47 Vic 1884 (Sessional Papers No 14.)
January 23, 2023
john, davis, barnett, 1848, 1926, early, canadian, curator, librarian, barnett, collected, materials, create, significant, early, personal, ontario, libraries, vocal, proponent, education, through, freely, available, printed, materials, renowned, collector, wr. John Davis Barnett 1848 1926 was an early Canadian curator librarian 1 Barnett collected the materials to create one of the significant early personal Ontario libraries and was a vocal proponent of education through the use of freely available printed materials He is a renowned collector writing extensively on the ideas of inter library loans classification scheme trends the national library for Canada movement collections development scientific management theory and his own personal reference theory Involved with books from an early age he collected widely and worked throughout his life to ensure that knowledge was available to all His personal donation of some 40 000 volumes to the University of Western Ontario his work as a lecturer at the first provincial library school and his commitment to the first Ontario library institute make him a notable Canadian librarian from the beginning of the confederation era right through to the period between the two world wars Dr John Davis BarnettJohn Davis BarnettBorn28 December 1848London or Liverpool EnglandDiedLondon OntarioNationalityCanadianOccupation s Railway Engineer Librarian CuratorKnown forContributions to the Canadian library community Contents 1 Early life 1 1 Education 1 2 Railroad engineer 1 2 1 Engineering society memberships 8 2 Contributions to Canadian libraries 2 1 Collector 2 2 Mechanics Institutes contributions 2 3 Early Ontario libraries 2 4 National Library of Canada movement 3 References 4 BibliographyEarly life EditJohn Davis Barnett son of George Barnett was born in 1848 2 3 or 1849 4 Sources have him born in Liverpool England or London England At the age of 17 he emigrated to Montreal Canada Education Edit Barnett studied civil engineering and design under J Armstrong at Wolverhampton London and Swindon England John s father George Barnett had worked in the railroads and made arrangements for his son to study and work in the railroads 5 In 1919 Barnett was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws University of Western Ontario 6 7 Railroad engineer Edit In 1866 when Barnett emigrated to Canada he became an apprentice in the Grand Trunk Railroad shops in Montreal With experience in draughting he quickly moved to the draughting room advancing steadily through the posts in the mechanical side of railroad work He contributed widely to the engineering journals of North America His posts included Assistant Mechanical Superintendent Grand Trunk Railroad Mechanical Superintendent Midland RailwayEngineering society memberships 8 Edit Institute of Mechanical Engineers UK Engineering Club of London American Master Mechanics Association Canadian Society of Civil Engineers Master Mechanics InstituteContributions to Canadian libraries EditCollector Edit John Davis Barnett collected what became a research library with special emphasis on literature history and science and technology The Barnett literary collection concentrated on Shakespeariana literary criticism and classical literature with some foreign works Monographs magazines bulletins clippings and prints were collected contributing to the collection s diverse nature In history Barnett collected a large section on Canadian history with other large sections of American history The War of 1812 and the Rebellion of 1837 were of special interest Government publications are also included in this section European African and Asiatic history were also represented In the science and technology section Barnett collected everything he could find on railroads and the development of the Canadian railroads The main body of the Barnett collection some 40 000 volumes was donated to the University of Western Ontario 10 August 1918 Barnett was actively involved with the collection until 1922 9 The Barnett collection was presented to the Library and Archives Canada in 1975 Pamphlets and other published material became part of the Public Archives Library photographs to the National Photography Collection maps and plans to the National Map Collection 10 Mechanics Institutes contributions Edit Barnett was the head of the Grand Trunk Railway Literary and Scientific Institute 11 during the many years he worked for the GTR Barnett was a strong advocate for the teaching of mechanics He wrote and spoke frequently about the virtues of providing a venue where knowledge and especially technical knowledge could be transferred from one person to another for either professional improvement or personal pursuits 12 Early Ontario libraries Edit In 1896 Barnett was involved in organizing the Free Public Library in Stratford Ontario In 1907 Barnett was a delegate to the first Ontario Library Institute 13 Twenty one libraries were represented at a meeting held at the Brantford Public Library and funded by a grant from the Ministry of Education Ontario 14 Immediately after the meeting 10 Institutes districts were formed and in 1908 the Institutes were held In 1909 an Act was passed providing for permanent establishment of Library Institutes under the Province of Ontario Department of Education 15 Barnett participated in the early evolution of Ontario public libraries through lectures at Ontario Provincial Library Training School beginning in 1910 and at Ontario Library Institutes National Library of Canada movement Edit Library and Archives Canada Barnett was one of the first advocates for a Canadian national library 16 At the opening of the 20th century the Canadian identity was just awakening and the need for national cultural and educational institutions was beginning to be discussed within the broader political arena Barnett was vocal in his thoughts Beginning in 1910 J D Barnett saw the function of a national library as storage lending and inter library lending with a leadership role in a joint action agreements between provincial library and a national library with regard to joint functions such as inter library lending He saw the primary role of a library as education a national library s role within the national educational context He was also a vocal advocate of advertising any library but particularly a national library where one had yet to be founded More controversial at the time he supported a collections management strategy of quality and not demand In May 1918 Barnett wrote an article for the Ontario Library Review advocating a national library 17 Unfortunately timing was not in his favour and it was not until nearly 20 years after his death that the National Library of Canada was created by an Act of Parliament in 1953 and later as the Library and Archives of Canada References Edit The Ontario Library Association An Historical Sketch 1900 1925 Library and Archives Canada MG 30 B86 Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets Part I and Part II Bychkova Diana 2018 Sketches on some incunabula John Davis Barnett s collection held at the ARCC Archives and Collections Centre the D B Weldon Library London ON Canada PDF Minima bibliographica 26 Milano Edizioni CUSL pp 4 7 ISBN 9788881327607 Archived from the original PDF on 2022 01 07 Stratford Perth Archives Beacon Herald Saturday September 28 1985 Canada Public Archives of Canada Barnett John Davis Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets Part I and II Pa MG30 B86 Dingman Stanford John Davis Barnett Stratford Beacon Herald Sept 28 1985 pp 4 5 Landon Fred untitled University of Western Ontario Library Bulletin Vol I Canada Public Archives of Canada Barnett John Davis Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets Parts I and II Talman James J and Talman Ruth Davis Western 1873 1953 London U W O 1953 pp 124 125 J Davis Barnett collection technical drawing cartographic material architectural drawing Library and Archives Canada Retrieved 2022 01 26 Catalogue of the library belonging to the Grand Trunk Railway Literary and Scientific Institute Point St Charles with constitution by laws order of business and rules of order founded 1857 incorporated 1871 Barnett J Davis The Mechanic and the Book Ontario Library Review Vol I No 1 Morgan Henry James The Canadian Men and Women of the Time Toronto Briggs 1912 The Ontario Library Association An Historical Sketch 1900 1925 Toronto University of Toronto Press 1926 Canada Dominion Bureau of Statistics Annual Survey of Education in Canada 1928 J Davis A National Library for Canada Ontario Library Review Vol II No 4 May 1918 107 108 J Davis A National Library for Canada Ontario Library Review Vol II No 4 May 1918 107 108Bibliography EditLandon Fred J Davis Barnett s Gift to the Western University Ontario Library Review Vol III No 1 August 1918 16 Landon Fred The J Davis Barnett Library and Inter Library Loans Ontario Library Review Vol III No 3 February 1919 64 65 Landon Fred John Davis Barnett 1846 1926 Ontario Library Review Vol X No 4 May 1926 75076 Landon Fred untitled University of Western Ontario Library Bulletin Vol I No 1 1941 4 8 Morgan Henry James The Canadian Men and Women of the Time Toronto Briggs 1912 Canada Public Archives of Canada Barnett John Davis Trade Catalogues and Pamphlets Part I and II Pa MG30 B86 The Ontario Library Association An Historical Sketch 1900 1925 Toronto University of Toronto Press 1926 Canada Dominion Bureau of Statistics Annual Survey of Education in Canada 1928 Ottawa F A Acland 1930 Bow Eric C The Public Library Movement in Nineteenth Century Ontario Ontario Library Review 66 Mar 1982 1 16 Toronto Toronto Mechanics 47 Vic 1884 Sessional Papers No 14 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Davis Barnett amp oldid 1102991157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
