Forrest Spaulding

Who was Forrest Spaulding?

Forrest Brisbin Spaulding was named in the American Libraries article, 100 of the most important leaders we had in the 20th century for his contribution to intellectual freedom in writing the Library Bill of Rights. He was a humanitarian who is remembered not only for his contributions to librarianship, but also for the positive influence he had on the communities in which he lived and worked. In a commentary on the play The Not So Quiet Librarian, by Cynthia Mercati, Humanities Iowa writes that “Spaulding’s words and his life touched everyone who loved not just books but freedom of expression.” While Forrest Spaulding is remembered for his contributions to librarianship it is worth noting that he began his career as a reporter and the State Library of Iowa biography mentions that while he spent some time as director of Peru’s libraries and museums in 1920, “he was also a correspondent for the Associated Press. He is noted as saying that his ‘efforts to report the news from that country gave him a bitter object lesson in censorship.’”