Background
Putnam, Herbert was born on September 20, 1861 in New York City. Son of George Palmer and Victorine (Haven) Putnam.
Putnam, Herbert was born on September 20, 1861 in New York City. Son of George Palmer and Victorine (Haven) Putnam.
Bachelor of Arts, Harvard, 1883. Law student Columbia, 1883-1884. Admitted to bar, 1886.
Doctor of Letters, Bowdoin College, 1898, Brown U., 1914, Princeton, 1933, Catholic University of America, 1939. Doctor of Laws, Columbian (now George Washington University, 1903, University of Illinois, 1903, University of Wisconsin, 1904, Yale, 1907, Williams College, 1911, Harvard, 1928, New York University, 1930.
Athenaeum, 1884-1887, Minneapolis Public Library, 1887-1891. Practiced law, Boston, 1892-1895. Librarian Boston Public Library, 1895-1899.
Librarian of Congress, 1899-1939, librarian emeritus since 1939.
Member of the board Congress Arts and Sciences, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. United States delegate to International Library Conference, London, 1897, Congres International de Bibliographie, Paris, 1900, International Library and Bibliographical Congress, Rome, 1929. United States representative at 500th anniversary of birth of Johann Gutenberg, Mainz, 1900.
Overseer, Harvard, 1902-1906. Fellow American Academy Arts and Sciences, National Institute Arts and Letters. Member American Academy Arts and Letters, American Antiquarian Society, American Philosophical Society, Hispanic Society America, Massachusetts History Society, Colonial Society of Massachusetts.
Member Royal Asiatic Society (N. China branch). President American Library Association, 1898, 1904. Clubs: Cosmos (Washington).
Married Charlotte Elizabeth Munroe, October 5, 1886 (died October 26, 1928). Children: Brenda, Mistress Elliott O’Hara.