William Reed Eastman

Background

William Reed Eastman was born on October 19, 1835 in New York City, New York, United States. He was the son of the Rev. Oman Eastman and Mary Reed.

Education

He was graduated from Yale (A. B. ) in 1854 with high honors, the youngest member of his class, and at his death was its sole surviving graduate member.

He received the degree of A. M. from Yale in 1857.

In 1859 he entered Union Theological Seminary and graduatied in 1862.

He entered in 1890 the New York State Library School at Albany, completing the course in 1892 with the degree of B. L. S.

In 1907 he received the degree of M. L. S. from the New York State Library School.

Career

From 1854 to 1859 he was a civil engineer, working on the enlargement of the Erie Canal, the construction of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad, and on the survey of the first railroad from Vera Cruz to Mexico City.

In 1862 he was ordained a Presbyterian minister.

From July 1862 to July 1864 he was in turn first sergeant of Company H, 22nd Regiment New York State Militia, chaplain of the 165th New York Volunteers, and from January 1, 1863, chaplain of the 72nd New York Volunteers.

From 1864 to 1888 he served continuously as pastor of Congregational churches in Grantsville, Massachusetts, Plantsville and Suffield, Connecticut, and South Framingham, Massachusetts. He was financial secretary for Howard University, 1888-90, living at Wellesley, Massachusetts.

In 1890 he executed a complete and rather surprising right-about face. Caught in the rapidly rising fide of the modern library movement and genuinely attracted by its opportunities, he embarked at the age of fifty-five upon a career in a new profession with all the enthusiasm and devotion of youth. More remarkable still, he won a national reputation in the field.

He would accept nothing less than the best preparation, and so with the zest of a schoolboy he entered in 1890 the New York State Library School at Albany, completing the course in 1892 with the degree of B. L. S. Immediately appointed to the work of library inspection, supervision, and extension in New York State, for twenty years, in various capacities, as a veritable “library bishop” he shepherded the public libraries of his “diocese” with rare energy and judgment.

After his retirement in 1913 he lived in New Haven, and continued to lecture on library subjects, especially to library schools.

Achievements

• Eastman came to be perhaps the first authority in his profession on library buildings and equipment. His principal publications are in this special field. His lectures in the various library schools, on the economic and efficient construction of library buildings and furniture, were widely influential. He was secretary of the New York Library Association, 1893-99, and its president, 1904-05.

Works

More photos

• book

  • No. 17. Some Municipal Problems That Vexed the Founders; Delivered Before the New York Society of the Order or the Founders and Patriots of America ... Hotel Manhattan, New York, December 14, 1906

    (Leopold is delighted to publish this classic book as part...)

  • The library building

    (This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)

  • The historical address at the twentieth anniversary of the Plantsville Church
  • The Army chaplain of 1863: Read before the New York Commandery, December 13, 1911

Personality

His genial presence, his tolerance, quick sympathy, and ripe experience with men and affairs, contributed greatly to his success.

He shepherded the public libraries of his “diocese” with rare energy and judgment.

Connections

He married on November 20, 1867, Laura Elizabeth Barnes, who survived him.

Father:

Oman Eastman

Mother:

Mary Reed

Spouse:

Laura Elizabeth Barnes