Correspondence, reports, grant proposals, photographs and other materials documenting the development and operations of the library of the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, later the library for the University's four health science schools: medicine, dentistry, nursing and public health. The bulk of the records are correspondence from the administrations of seven directors: Alfred L. Robert (1912-1934); Dr. Walter R. Bett (1935-1937); Thomas P. Fleming (1937-1944; 1948-1972); C. Lee Jones (1973-1978) and Rachel Goldstein Anderson (1979-1991). There are some records dating from the administrations of Seymour Robb (1944-1947) and Susan Jacobson (1992-1999), though those materials include little or no correspondence from them individually.

The remainder of the records document the planning and construction of the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library including the renovation of Hammer Plaza (1998-2003); COHAYAMED, a short-lived attempt to standardize medical cataloging at Columbia, Harvard and Yale (1962-1972); the development and implementation of an integrated academic information management system (IAIMS) (1983-1992); and finally the operations of the Parkinson’s Information Center (1964-1970), an information service that was organized and run by Thomas Fleming while he was director of the HSL, but was independently staffed and operated out of a different building on campus.

Series I. Directors' Correspondence, 1909-1992

Boxes 1-45

Correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, grant proposals and other materials documenting the daily activities of the directors of the Health Sciences Library. The materials reflect the evolution of the role of the Health Sciences Library Director, who was for many years also the Director for all of the science libraries at Columbia, including the Lamont Geophysical Library; Geology and other science libraries at the Morningside campus; and libraries of organizations that were affiliated with Columbia University Medical Center, such as Harlem Hospital Center, Delafield Hospital, and the Neurological Institute.

The divisions between different directorial administrations were not strict, and in numerous instances files were maintained across multiple administrations. Furthermore, some subjects overlap between administrations, and researchers should be sure to check all five sub-series for sources of relevant information.

Sub-series are as follows:

Sub-series 1.1: Early Years/Robert, Bett and Fleming, 1909-1963

(5 boxes, 1.66 cu. feet)

Mixed correspondence, records of gifts, and book plates from the very earliest years of the modern Health Sciences Library. The records of directors Alfred L. Robert (1912-1934), Walter R. Bett (1935-1937) and Thomas P. Fleming (1937-1944; 1948-1972) were found interfiled, and have been left in their original configuration. The files are arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series 1.2: Fleming-Robb-Fleming, 1945-1970 [Bulk 1950-1970]

(11 boxes, 2.66 cu. feet)

Encompasses both Fleming administrations as well as the Robb interregnum. Though materials in the files date from Robb years, there is little or no actual correspondence to or from his office; the bulk of the materials are Fleming’s correspondence from 1950-1955 and the mid-late 1960s; arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series 1.3: Fleming II, 1949-1969 [Bulk 1956-1964]

(11 boxes, 2.66 cu. feet)

Encompasses the middle period of Thomas Fleming’s second administration, and includes correspondence between Fleming and peers at other institutions and subordinates within and without the HSL; grant proposals, and other materials. Of special interest are the materials described as “newsletters”, the letters Fleming exchanged with his Associate Librarian while on his sabbatical year in Japan and Hawaii. The correspondence details the daily workings of the Library, and cover a variety of topics. The files are arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series 1.4: Fleming-Jones-Anderson, 1960-1982 [Bulk 1970-1978]

(17 boxes, 5.66 cu. feet)

Encompasses the latter half of the second administration of Thomas Fleming (1948-1972), the entirety of C. Lee Jones' reign (1973-1978), and the beginning of Rachel Goldstein Anderson’s time at the HSL (1979-1991). Includes budget notes and reports, general correspondence, and records pertaining to Columbia’s affiliation with the Harlem Hospital; arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series 1.5: Jones -Anderson, 1974-1993

(4 boxes, 1.33 cu. feet)

Encompasses C. Lee Jones’ administration (1973-1978) and Rachel Anderson’s (1979-1991). Includes general correspondence as well as accreditation materials for the School of Dental and Oral Surgery (SDOS); arranged alphabetically.

Series II.  General Library Administration, 1969-1994

Box 45-46

Advisory Committee meeting minutes, stack data, reports from departmental task forces, section meeting minutes and a mediated user study; arranged alphabetically.

Series III. Book funds, 1957-1990

Box 47

Correspondence about book funds and gifts from multiple donors:  Frank L. Babbott; Geraldine Brooks; David Byron & Ira M.Olsan; Thomas Fleming; Carol Gardener and Frank P. Shepard Jr. Arranged alphabetically.

Series IV. Cohayamed (Columbia Harvard Yale Medical Cataloging), 1964-1971

Box 48-49

Correspondence, reports, grant proposals and other documents pertaining to a short-lived effort to create standardized cataloging for the medical libraries of Columbia, Harvard and Yale.

Sub-series are as follows:

Sub-series 4.1: Correspondence

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

General project correspondence between the directors of the three participating libraries; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 4.2: Miscellaneous administrative records

(1 box, . 33 cu. feet)

Includes grant proposals, press releases, notes and minutes from the Committee for Computer Applications; arranged alphabetically.

Series V. Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS), 1983-1992

Boxes 49-55

Correspondence, grant applications, progress and final reports, and meeting minutes, documenting the development and implementation of an Integrated Academic Information Management system, an early intranet that electronically connected the medical center and the health sciences library and supported teaching and learning. It was an interdepartmental project in which the Library played a major role. Also includes some records from Paul Clayton, an early head of the Dept. of Medical Informatics.

Sub-series are as follows:

Sub-series 5.1: Summary descriptions and publications

(1 box, .33 of cu. feet)

Documentation for IAIMS programs at peer institutions as well as at Columbia.

Sub-series 5.2: National Library of Medicine and other proposals

(1 box, .33 of cu. feet)

Proposals, requests for proposals, progress and final reports and a continuation grant request; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 5.3: Advisory and Implementation Committees

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

Correspondence and minutes of internal and external advisory committees; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 5.4: Clinical Information Services

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

Database correspondence, staff meeting minutes, and utilization reports; arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series 5.5: Columbia University Health Sciences Division (CUHSD)

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

Contract planning documents for Advisory, User Needs and Tech committees; arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series 5.6: Conferences and Events

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

Correspondence and other documents relating to various workshops and symposia, some sponsored by the National Library of Medicine; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 5.7: Subject files

(1.5 boxes, .33 cu. feet)

Correspondence and other materials relating to data catalogs, fundraising, information services and policy, data security and security planning, and strategic planning; arranged alphabetically.

Series VI. Library Physical plant, 1939-1976

Boxes 55-59

Correspondence, architectural drawings, sketches, photographs, reports, staff comments and other documents related to the planning and construction of a new health sciences library. These plans eventually culminated in the development and construction of the A. C. Long Health Sciences Library in the Hammer Health Sciences Center (1976).

Sub-series are as follows:           

Sub-series 6.1: Historical and Planning Documents

(.5 box, 5 folders)

Correspondence and reports about the space problems in the library and general discussions and plans for a new library building; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 6.2: Augustus C. Long Library Planning and Construction

(3 boxes, 1 cu. foot)

Correspondence and other documents relating specifically to the design and construction of the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 6.3: Plaza Renovation, 1998-2003

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

Correspondence, construction diagrams, and other documents related to the redesign and construction of the front plaza of the Hammer Health Sciences Building in which the HSL is located.

Series VII. Parkinson’s Information Center, 1964-1970

Boxes 59-66

Correspondence, grant applications, progress and final reports, meeting minutes and other documents related to the development and operation of the Parkinson’s Information Center (PIC), which indexed neurological publications for articles and information related to Parkinson’s Disease. It was in operation from 1964 to 1970. The Library Director (Thomas Fleming) oversaw the PIC during its lifetime, though it was physically located in the Medical Center’s Black Building.

Sub-series are as follows:

Sub-series 7.1: Annual reports

(1 box, .33 cu. feet)

Semi-annual and final reports on the operations of the organization; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 7.2: Manuals and publications

(.75 box, 5 folders)

Indexing procedure manuals and other publications; arranged chronologically.

Sub-series 7.3: Correspondence and subject files

(6 boxes, 2 cu. feet)

Correspondence between Thomas Fleming, director of the Health Sciences Library, and personnel at the Parkinson’s Information Center, as well as budgets and financial reports, bibliographies, journal lists and information about other neurological information centers; arranged alphabetically.