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Charles Henry Gould

1855 – 1919

Librarian

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About Charles Henry Gould

Lived 1855 – 1919 (aged 63). Charles Henry Gould was a Canadian librarian.

Charles Henry Gould (December 6, 1855 – July 30, 1919) was a Canadian librarian and musician.

Gould attended the High School of Montreal and McGill University, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1877. He started graduate work in physics but never took a further degree. From 1880 to 1887 he was the organist of the American Presbyterian Church in Montreal. In 1892, Gould was appointed as the first university librarian at McGill University. Gould began his service as librarian by traveling through Europe and the United States to learn library administration.

Gould contributed greatly to Canadian culture, scholarship, and librarianship. He hosted the American Library Association's annual meeting in Montreal in 1900 and during that meeting participated in founding the first Canadian library association which became the Ontario Library Association. Gould started the first bibliographical control system for Canadian science. In 1904 Gould started a summer school that became the McGill Library School. Gould is credited with the creation of the modern system of interlibrary loan. In 1916 he chaired the committee of the ALA that produced the first policies for interlibrary loan among libraries.

Gould served as the first Canadian president of the American Library Association from 1908 to 1909. During his tenure, he oversaw the relocation of the ALA headquarters from Boston to Chicago and the adoption of a new constitution for the Association.

Gould was president of the Bibliographical Society of America from 1912 to 1913.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
McGill University, High School of Montreal
Positions held
President of the American Library Association
Also known as
Charles Gould

People in Charles Henry Gould's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Charles Henry Gould's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Charles Henry Gould?

librarian

When was Charles Henry Gould born?

Charles Henry Gould was born on 6 December 1855.

When did Charles Henry Gould die?

Charles Henry Gould died on 30 July 1919.

What was Charles Henry Gould's occupation?

Charles Henry Gould was a librarian.

What nationality was Charles Henry Gould?

Charles Henry Gould was Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Charles Henry Gould

· Wikidata: Q23019219

· DBpedia: Charles Henry Gould

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Charles Henry Gould. https://biography.guide/charles-henry-gould/

MLA: "Charles Henry Gould." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/charles-henry-gould/.

Chicago: "Charles Henry Gould." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/charles-henry-gould/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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