Helen Thornton Geer

Helen Thornton Geer (January 7, 1903 in New Castle, Pennsylvania – March 1983 in New Jersey) was a prominent author, professor, and librarian. She was the author of the 1955 Library Science classic “Charging Systems [Geer, Helen T. “Charging Systems.” American Library Association, 1955] ,” which detailed library circulation systems. From 1947 to 1956, she served as Headquarters Librarian of the American Library Association, Chicago, Illinois [A Biographical Directory of Librarians in the United States and Canada. Council of National Library Associations, 1970 (pg. 382).] .

Education and career

After graduating from Wheaton College (AB: ENG LIT) in 1926 and the University of Illinois (BS: Library Science) in 1928, she entered Columbia University, earning her M.S. in Library Science (1934). In 1929 she began work at the Flushing Branch, Queens Borough Public Library, NYC. During the next fifteen years, she was promoted frequently, culminating in her appointment as Acting Head of the Business and Science Division (1942-44) [Cole, Dorothy E. Who’s who in Library Service. Grolier Society, 1955 (pg. 171).] .

After briefly working at the Harper Library, University of Chicago [ALA Bulletin (pg.2); American Library Association, 1968] , Geer was named Headquarters Librarian for the American Library Association, a position she held from 1947 until 1956. [Dudley, Lavinia P and John J. Smith. Americana Annual: An Encyclopedia of the Events of 1954. Americana Corporation, 1954] . Also, she served as President of the Chicago Library Club (1953-54). From 1956 to 1958, Helen Geer served as Director [“Special Libraries.” March 1957; Vol. 48, no. 3] of The Library Mart, an operations consultancy for libraries and manufacturers.

From 1964 to 1969, Geer was an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Library Science, University of Rhode Island [“Special Libraries.” November 1964; Vol. 55, No. 9] .

Family

Helen Thornton Geer was the daughter of Isaac Wheeler Geer, a prominent railroad executive, and Margaret Worth Thornton. She was the niece of Sir Henry Worth Thornton. Her sister, Margaret Worth Geer, was married to State Rep. John H. Kleine (R-Lake Forest, Ill.) [See Thornton genealogy: www.thorntonsoky.blogspot.com] .

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