Background
Borden, William Alanson was born on April 24, 1853 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Alanson and Mary (Topham) Borden.
engineer and inventor library administrator
Borden, William Alanson was born on April 24, 1853 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Alanson and Mary (Topham) Borden.
Student Cornell, 1870-1873.
Began library work, Boston Athenæum, 1883. Organized Reynolds Library, Rochester, New York, 1886. Organized the Young Men's Institute (library), New Haven, Connecticut, 1887, and in charge same until 1910.
Went to India, 1910, upon invitation of the Gaekwar of Baroda, and organized a system of over 400 state-controlled, free public libraries in State of Baroda. also founded a library school and a library periodical.
Returned to the United States, 1913. Library engineer, since 1915.
Inventor of the Borden cantilever bookstack (steel), and the removable card catalog drawer, now in general use in public libraries.
Member American Library Association.
Married Hope Lewis, June 21, 1892. Children: Beulah Byrd (Mistress Earle Seymour Durham), Lewis Alanson.