Herman H. Fussler

Herman Howe Fussler (May 15, 1914 – March 2, 1997) He was the librarian for the Manhattan Project. Fussler was ranked as one of the "100 of the Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th Century" by American Libraries. Fussler served as director of the University of Chicago libraries from 1948 to 1971, was Dean of the University of Chicago Graduate Library School, from 1961 to 1963, and was instrumental in the founding of the Regenstein Library. He helped create the Center for Research Libraries.

He was also science librarian for the university

Fussler served on the U.S. National Advisory Commission on Libraries in 1966 formed to "make a comprehensive study and appraisal of the role of libraries as resources for scholarly pursuits, as centers for the dissemination of knowledge, and as components of the evolving national information systems." The final report, Libraries at Large: Tradition, Innovation, and the National Interest,, provided documentation for legislation that led to the establishment of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.

In 1971, Fussler decided to step down, so that he could pursue his other passion full-time, teaching.

He was a member of the Caxton Club, the bibliophilic society of Chicago.

Center for Research Libraries (CRL) In the 1940s, Fussler and some of his colleagues began considering how they could create a storage facility for important, expensive, and underused texts, mainly those for research purposes. librarians from the Midwestern schools known as the Big Ten, as well as Fussler came together to make this dream a reality.

Publications as editor Journal of Documentary Reproduction, associate editor, (1938–1942)

Selected published works Fussler, Herman Howe. 1942. Photographic Reproduction for Libraries, a Study of Administrative Problems. Chicago, Ill.: The University of Chicago Press. "Library Buildings for Library Service", editor, (1947) Fussler, Herman H. University of Chicago, and National Science Foundation (U.S.). 1968. Development of an Integrated, Computer-Based, Bibliographical Data System for a Large University Library : Annual Report 1967 /68 to the National Science Foundation from the University of Chicago Library. Springfield, Va.: [Distributed by] Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific & Technical Information. "Management Implications for Libraries and Library Schools", editor, (1973) Fussler, Herman H. and Karl Kocher. 1977. “Contemporary Issues in Bibliographic Control.” Library Quarterly 47 (July): 237–52.

Recognition Melvil Dewey Medal, American Library Association, (1954) Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine, (1963) National Advisory Commission on Libraries, (1966) Martin A. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago, (1974) Ralph R. Shaw Award for library literature, (1976) Distinguished Career Citation, World Congress of Universal Documentation, (1989)