Frank P. Hill Papers

Series

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of 15 boxes of reports, correspondence, and contracts, all located off site.

The first box contains biographical information, including some general correspondence. Other series of correspondence follow.

The first series of correspondence (1888-1902) (Boxes 1-6) is primarily to Frank P. Hill as Librarian of the Library, with a small amount of correspondence to Beatrice Winser. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically; subjects include book purchases, patron suggestions and complaints, staff concerns, etc... The second series of correspondence are found in four oversize ledgers.

The third series of correspondence (1897-1902) (Boxes 7-11), which also includes contracts, are related to the building of the new library. Much of the correspondence is between Hill and/or the Library's Board of Trustees and the architects, Rankin and Kellogg of Philadelphia. The contracts are between the Library and various contractors regarding various aspects of the building.

A collection of handwritten reports for the years 1889-1900 is located in Box 12. Photocopies of these reports are located in the Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center (027.474932 N42Lir). Additional historical documents are also included in this box. Finally, the last two boxes (Box 13 and 14) contain information on employment and finance, including vouches.

Dates

1846 - 2019

Creator

Hill, Frank P. (Frank Pierce), 1855-1941 (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Frank Pierce Hill (1855-1941), the first Librarian of the Newark Public Library, was a native of Concord, New Hampshire and a graduate of Dartmouth College (1876). Hill began his library career in Massachusetts at Lowell (1881-1888) and Salem (1888-1889).

When Hill was appointed librarian of the newly created Newark Public Library in 1889, which took over the private subscription Newark Library Association, he was given a three-year contract with an annual salary of $2,500. Among his many accomplishment were the introduction of browsable stacks, a specifically-designed area for children, books in foreign languages, books distributed by wagon to schools and firehouses; and delivery stations in department stores and elsewhere. In addition, under his direction, the new main library building at 5 Washington Street was designed and constructed; it opened in 1901 just after his departure, when he left Newark to become the Librarian of the Brooklyn Public Library, where he remained until his retirement in 1930.

Upon his departure, Beatrice Winser, who had been Assistant Librarian since 1894, was made Acting Librarian until John Cotton Dana began his tenure in January of 1902.