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,^[1]” which detailed library circulation systems. From 1947 to 1956, she served as Headquarters Librarian of the American Library Association, Chicago, Illinois.^[2]

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).^[3]

After briefly working at the Harper Library, University of Chicago,^[4] Geer was named Headquarters Librarian for the American Library Association, a position she held from 1947 until 1956.^[5] Also, she served as President of the Chicago Library Club (1953–54). From 1956 to 1958, Helen Geer served as Director^[6] 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.^[7]

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.).^[8] She was a second cousin of silver screen actress Edna Goodrich and Interim Elcar President Arthur Martin Graffis.

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