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| Conceived at the bequest of [[hartford|Hartford]] merchant and public benefactor [[watkinson_david|David Watkinson]] (1778-1857), the Watkinson Library was founded upon his death in 1858 to be “a library of Reference, to be accessible at all reasonable hours and times to all citizens and other residents and visitors in the State of Connecticut." To establish this library, Watkinson willed a princely sum of $100,000 to nine trustees (or those remaining alive at his decease) for general endowment of the library. Of this, an amount totaling $78,000 was set aside as principal for a Library Fund, from which only income could be disbursed. The remainder was to be utilized by a board of trustees to house books preferably in a “convenient connexion” with the Connecticut Historical Society and to hire a librarian who would select, maintain, and make available books, maps, and other library resources for non-circulating use by the general public. | Conceived at the bequest of [[hartford|Hartford]] merchant and public benefactor [[watkinson_david|David Watkinson]] (1778-1857), the Watkinson Library was founded upon his death in 1858 to be “a library of Reference, to be accessible at all reasonable hours and times to all citizens and other residents and visitors in the State of Connecticut." To establish this library, Watkinson willed a princely sum of $100,000 to nine trustees (or those remaining alive at his decease) for general endowment of the library. Of this, an amount totaling $78,000 was set aside as principal for a Library Fund, from which only income could be disbursed. The remainder was to be utilized by a board of trustees to house books preferably in a “convenient connexion” with the Connecticut Historical Society and to hire a librarian who would select, maintain, and make available books, maps, and other library resources for non-circulating use by the general public. |
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| Given that David Watkinson had been an incorporator and charter [[trustees|trustee]] of [[washington_college|Washington College]] (now Trinity), the Watkinson Library has been a presence in the lives of the students and faculty of Trinity College from the beginning. At the opening of its doors to readers in August 1866, the Watkinson Library was pronounced as “the pride and honor and ornament of our city” of Hartford. Its placement on Main Street and its connection to several other literary and artistic institutions, namely the Connecticut Historical Society, the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the Hartford Young Men’s Institute, made it part of Hartford’s rise as a cultural capital during the post-Civil War era. The proximity of the state Capitol with its library, as well as Trinity College—located just under one-half a mile away, on land that would become the [[old_campus|current location]] of the Connecticut State Capitol building—complemented the energy and utility of the Watkinson. The influence of the Watkinson on the education of the city’s school populations seemed most salient to the institution’s first Librarian James Hammond Trumbull, who wrote in 1876: “The professors and students of Trinity College, the instructors of public and private schools and their more advanced pupils, are the most frequent visitors at the Library." | Given that David Watkinson had been an incorporator and charter [[trustees|trustee]] of [[washington_college|Washington College]] (now Trinity), the Watkinson Library has been a presence in the lives of the students and faculty of Trinity College from the beginning. At the opening of its doors to readers in August 1866, the Watkinson Library was pronounced as “the pride and honor and ornament of our city” of Hartford. Its placement on Main Street and its connection to several other literary and artistic institutions, namely the Connecticut Historical Society, the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the Hartford Young Men’s Institute, made it part of Hartford’s rise as a cultural capital during the post-[[civil_war|Civil War]] era. The proximity of the state Capitol with its library, as well as Trinity College—located just under one-half a mile away, on land that would become the [[old_campus|current location]] of the Connecticut State Capitol building—complemented the energy and utility of the Watkinson. The influence of the Watkinson on the education of the city’s school populations seemed most salient to the institution’s first Librarian James Hammond Trumbull, who wrote in 1876: “The professors and students of Trinity College, the instructors of public and private schools and their more advanced pupils, are the most frequent visitors at the Library." |
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| Even the staff of the Watkinson had connections to Trinity. William N.C. Carlton started as Assistant Librarian of the Watkinson in 1892. Yet seven years later, Carlton became librarian of Trinity, which awarded him an [[honorary_degrees|honorary Master’s degree]], later adding the L.H.D. degree in 1915. Forrest Morgan, who had been recognized for his deep reading and command of American history with an [[honorary_degrees|honorary Master’s]] by Trinity, became assistant librarian of the Watkinson in 1908. In 1939, English Professor at Trinity, Arthur Adams, was simultaneously named Director of the Watkinson until 1951. | Even the staff of the Watkinson had connections to Trinity. William N.C. Carlton started as Assistant Librarian of the Watkinson in 1892. Yet seven years later, Carlton became librarian of Trinity, which awarded him an [[honorary_degrees|honorary Master’s degree]], later adding the L.H.D. degree in 1915. Forrest Morgan, who had been recognized for his deep reading and command of American history with an [[honorary_degrees|honorary Master’s]] by Trinity, became assistant librarian of the Watkinson in 1908. In 1939, English Professor at Trinity, Arthur Adams, was simultaneously named Director of the Watkinson until 1951. |
