(Robert B. Downs 1903-1991)
Robert Bingham Downs (1903 – 1991) was an American writer and librarian. Downs was an advocate for intellectual freedom and spent the majority of his career working against literary censorship. In 1984 he wrote his autobiography, Perspectives on the Past (Scarecrow).
From 1943–1971 Downs was Professor of Library Science and Dean of Library Administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He became Dean Emeritus in 1971.
Downs was President of the American Library Association in 1952-1953 and President of the Illinois Library Association in 1955-1956.
His 1956 work, Books That Change the World was published by the American Library Association and went through many editions and translations.
Downs wrote, The First Freedom: Liberty and Justice in the World of Books and Reading. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1960). The Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award was established in 1969 to celebrate Downs' 25th year as director of the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Downs wrote many books including:
*'Molders of the Modern Mind: 111 Books That Shaped Western Civilization, Barnes & Noble, 1961.
*Famous Books, Ancient and Medieval. Barnes & Noble, 1964.
*Books in My Life, Library of Congress (Washington, DC), 1985.
More:
* Fussler, Herman H. "'Research Librarianship. Essays in Honor of Robert B. Downs.'' The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy. (University of Chicago Press, 1972).
* "Robert B. Downs, 87, Librarian and Author." The New York Times. (26 February 1991)-.
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Kathleen de la Peña McCook
Distinguished University Professor
School of Information
University of South Florida
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