William Coolidge Lane (July 29, 1859 - March 18, 1931), American librarian and historian, was born in Newtonville, Massachusetts to William Homer Lane and Caroline Matilda Coolidge. William Homer and Caroline Matilda each had deep roots in New England, with ancestors tracing back to the founding settlements of the English colonial venture in the Americas. In 1877, William Coolidge Lane moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts with his family, set to attend Harvard College. While at Harvard, he was admitted to the prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated in 1881 with high honors.

Upon graduating, Lane began a lifetime career at the Harvard College Library, initially in charge of the ordering department. Within a year, he became superintendent of the catalogue, and five years thereafter was appointed Assistant Librarian at the College under Librarian Justin Winsor. In 1893, Lane was elected Librarian of the Boston Athenaeum. Upon the death of his mentor Justin Winsor, Lane returned to his alma mater to assume the position of Librarian at the Harvard College Library in 1898.

In his thirty year tenure as Librarian, Lane grew the number of volumes at the Harvard College Library from 365,000 to 1,380,000 volumes and pamphlets, catapulting the library to international acclaim. Lane also oversaw the physical transfer of the entire library collection from its original home in Gore Hall to the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, opened in 1915 and today the preeminent library at the University. While Widener Library was still under construction, and after Gore Hall had already been demolished, Lane was tasked with storing the entire collections in temporary depositories yet keeping them available to students - a formidable job for “any but the most experienced and patient librarian.”

While serving as the President of the American Library Association, Lane led a campaign to appoint the first professional librarian, Herbert Putnam, to the position of Librarian of Congress - a position that had previously been filled by politicians and journalists. Through countless letters to and meetings with Congress and President William McKinley, Lane eventually succeeded in his efforts, and Putnam was appointed to the position of Librarian of Congress in March 1899.

In 1900, Lane joined the staff of the Cuban Summer School as both a Lecturer on Free Libraries, and as the person in charge of matters relating to instruction in the president’s absence. He also served as a guide for the teachers who, according to his letters, took fondly to him, praised his Spanish, and even told him he was “tipo cubano.” As a guide, Lane had frequent personal interactions with the Cubans, sharing meals, going on outings around Cambridge, and helping them navigate their housing situations upon their arrival to Boston, all while managing the university library system at the same time. Lane documented his days with the Cuban teachers extensively in detailed letters to his mother.

On May 12, 1903, William Coolidge Lane married Bertha Palmer. Together, they had two daughters: Margaret and Rosamond.

Lane served as the President of the Bibliographical Society of America from 1904 to 1909 and was elected to the American Antiquarian Society in 1908. He frequently contributed to biographical publications and was an active participant in Antiquarian Society meetings.

William Coolidge Lane died on March 18, 1931 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was 71 years old.


Further reading:

1. WCL obituary proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society: April 15, 1931)

2. Letter to Lane’s mother, July 4, 1900.