William Howard Brett

William Howard Brett (July 1, 1846 – August 24, 1918) was head librarian for the Cleveland Public Library from 1884 to 1918. American Libraries described him as one of the "100 most important leaders (librarians) had in the 20th century" His efforts to provide lifelong learning was the basis for the Cleveland Public Library to be recognized as the "People's University." Introduction As Cleveland Public Library's head librarian William H. Brett introduced the "open shelf" idea to the library system and increased the collection to over 3 million books and periodicals before his death. Mr. Brett lobbied and received funding to build library branches in the city neighborhoods. Brett believed in professional development and training in librarianship and so spearheaded a program at Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) and later became dean of the "library school" established in 1903. Brett continued his contributions to the profession by being president of the American Library Association, founder and first president of the Ohio Library Association, and passionate writer. One interesting fact is that Brett was a civil war veteran and was instrumental in the installation of "library service to the US soldiers and sailors in America, France, and other locations". In the beginning Brett started his career in the field of library science at the young age of fourteen. Warren High School, "where he was the youngest student", asked him to be their librarian and he accepted. As reported in Portrait of a Librarian, a lifelong friend and classmate, William C. Cochran, remembered that "he [Brett] knew every book in the library, its place on the shelves and what it contained between its cover". After his first year of college at the University of Michigan, Brett moved to Cleveland, Ohio, married Alice Allen, started a family, and distinguished himself in the wholesale book distributing business. In 1884, he was appointed the head librarian for the Cleveland Public Library. William and Alice Brett had five children, four sons and one daughter, including George Brett and William H. Brett Jr.