Barnard, Cyril Cuthbert (1894-1959)

Correspondence and papers relating to his employment as Librarian, publications and material relating to the classification system for medical libraries.

The School's first professional librarian, 1921-1959

As the School's first professional librarian, Barnard organised and catalogued the collections of the old Tropical School when appointed in 1921.

Son of Harry Barnard, a potter of Wedgwood's, born at St Margarets, Middlesex, he passed his early days in Staffordshire. He soon showed an interest in books and literature and attended classes at the London School of Economics 1912-13, becoming pupil assistant to the Reform Club Library 1913-14, between 1914-1918 he was Library Assistant at the Royal Society of Medicine, and from 1918-21 Acting Librarian at the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum. He joined the School as Librarian in 1921. Once settled at the School he took an external BA (London) degree, and also obtained a diploma in Librarianship. He gained the diploma with honours of the Library Association in 1931. When the School Library moved into its new headquarters in Keppel Street in 1929, Barnard built up the collections and laid the foundations for its present high standards.

Barnard was the author of 'A classification for Medical Libraries', 1936 of which a second and revised edition was published in 1955. He was active in the affairs of the Library Association, a member in 1913 and a fellow in 1925. He was a member of the Council, and took part in the University and Research section, and latterly the Medical Section, of which he was elected the first Chairman. He was Joint Hon. Secretary of the First International Congress on Medical Librarianship in London in 1953.

He was killed in a road accident only six months before he was due to retire in 1959.

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Compiled by Victoria Killick, LSHTM Archivist. Sources: Prevention and Cure. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, A 20th Century Quest for Global Public Health. Lise Wilkinson and Anne Hardy. (2001). Kegan Paul Limited. History of the School of Tropical Medicine in London (1899-1949) by Sir Philip Manson-Bahr, 1956, H K Lewis & Co Ltd, London.