George Seymour Godard (June 17, 1865 – February 12, 1936) was an

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who served as State Librarian and director of the Connecticut State Library from 1900 to 1936. His political and administrative savvy led to the State Library becoming a well-funded and nationally recognized model of efficiency and public service. Godard was named to the American Association of Law Libraries Hall of Fame in 2010.

Early life and education

Godard was born on June 17, 1865, in Granby,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, to parents Harvey and Sabra Lavinia (Beach) Godard. His father, a farmer, took him on a visit to the Connecticut State Capitol when he was six years old. His career originated with this visit, during which he met Charles J. Hoadly, the State Librarian at the time. Hoadly became his friend and mentor and recruited him to serve as his assistant and eventual successor in 1898. Godard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University in 1892 and a

Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...

from Yale University in 1895. He also pursued postgraduate studies at Northwestern University. Wesleyan conferred on him the honorary degrees of Master of Arts in 1916 and Doctor of Literature in 1935. Active in Wesleyan's alumni association, he served as president in 1916, trustee from 1919 to 1936, and secretary from 1920 to 1925.

Career

Godard was appointed Connecticut State Librarian after eight years serving as Granby's town librarian and two years of service as Assistant to the State Librarian. He made it his mission to preserve the state's cultural heritage, convincing the

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to pass an Act Concerning the Preservation of Books, Records, and Documents (1909), which authorized the collecting of early state and town documents centrally at the State Library. His efforts earned him the epithet "Preservation Godard." Godard oversaw the construction of the State Library and Supreme Court building in Hartford, which opened in 1910 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He served as president of the National Association of State Libraries in 1904, the

Connecticut Library Association The Connecticut Library Association (CLA) is a professional organization for Connecticut's librarians and library workers. It is headquartered in Belchertown, Massachusetts. It was founded on February 23, 1891, in New Haven, Connecticut, with the ...

from 1905 to 1906, and the American Association of Law Libraries from 1910 to 1912. In 1921, he negotiated the return to Connecticut, from the

Massachusetts Historical Society The Massachusetts Historical Society is a major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history. The Massachusetts Historical Society was established in 1791 and is located at 1154 Boylston Street in Bost ...

, of the papers of Governor

Jonathan Trumbull Jonathan Trumbull Sr. (October 12, 1710August 17, 1785) was an American politician and statesman who served as Governor of Connecticut during the American Revolution. Trumbull and Nicholas Cooke of Rhode Island were the only men to serve as gov ...

Personal life

Godard married Kate Estelle Dewey of Granby in 1897 and had two sons, George and Paul. His wife and sons survived him. Godard died at his Granby home following a long illness on February 12, 1936. He had spent months hospitalized at

Hartford Hospital Hartford Hospital is an 938-bed acute care teaching hospital located in the South End of Hartford, Connecticut. Hartford Hospital was established in 1854. The hospital campus is located on Seymour Street in Hartford and is directly adjacent to the ...

during the previous year, and doctors had to amputate his leg. Godard was interred at Granby Cemetery. Governor Wilbur Cross and State Supreme Court Chief Justice William M. Maltbie were among the honorary pallbearers at Godard's funeral.

References

External links

Connecticut State Librarians
{{DEFAULTSORT:Godard, George S. 1865 births 1936 deaths Librarians from Connecticut Wesleyan University alumni Yale Divinity School alumni People from Granby, Connecticut