Robert B (Robert Bingham) Downs

Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 8 dated events in the chronology →

1. by September 23, 1932 The University names R. B. Downs acting librarian and Susan Akers acting head of the library school By September 23, 1932 the University had appointed R. B. Downs acting librarian and Miss Susan Grey Akers acting director of the library school. Both posts had been held by Louis Round Wilson, who resigned to go to the University of Chicago's graduate library school. People: Susan Grey Akers, Louis Round Wilson Place: University Library, UNC, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, September 23, 1932, p. 1
2. October 14, 1933 Robert B. Downs is confirmed as University librarian On President Graham's recommendation the trustees' executive committee confirmed Robert Bingham Downs, acting librarian and associate professor of library science, as University librarian in succession to Louis R. Wilson, who had gone to the University of Chicago. People: Louis Round Wilson Place: University library, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, October 20, 1933, p. 4
3. May 20 and 21, 1935 A state conference on race relations meets in Chapel Hill and at Duke A conference on race relations directed by N. C. Newbold of the state department of public instruction opened on May 20 in the University's Alumni building before prominent Black educators, with Howard W. Odum presiding. Librarians R. B. Downs and William K. Boyd described their libraries' holdings on race relations, a session took up the health of Black people and medical practice, and the meetings went on the next day. People: N. C. (Nathan Carter) Newbold, Howard W. Odum, Robert B (Robert Bingham) Downs Place: Alumni building, UNC, Chapel Hill (afternoon session at Duke University) · Also named: William K. BoydSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, May 24, 1935, p. 3
4. October 1935 The Bull's Head Bookshop moves into the University Library basement As the Bull's Head Bookshop was about to close, University Librarian R. B. Downs saved it by giving it room and staff in the extension library in the Library basement under Nellie Roberson. Moved from the Y.M.C.A. building, it reopened in mid-October to sell and rent books and began a series of Tuesday talks, opening with W. T. Couch of the University Press. People: Robert B (Robert Bingham) Downs Place: University Library basement, UNC, Chapel Hill · Also named: Nellie Roberson, W. T. Couch · Also mentions: Bull's Head Bookshop, Y.M.C.A. buildingSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, October 18, 1935, p. 1
5. by December 24, 1937 The University Library reaches 350,000 volumes Librarian R. B. Downs's annual report counted 350,000 books, 20,642 added in the year, and 446,833 loans, up 29 percent; he urged building one of the two wings planned for the building. The library's women's club section served 1,372 clubs. People: Robert B (Robert Bingham) Downs Place: University Library, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, December 24, 1937, p. 4
6. by January 28, 1938 University Librarian R. B. Downs accepts a post at New York University Downs agreed to leave in the summer for New York University, which offered $10,000 a year and a new library to be built on Washington Square. The Weekly counted him the third University man, after Harry W. Chase and Thorndike Saville, drawn to N.Y.U. Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: Harry W. Chase, Thorndike SavilleSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, January 28, 1938, p. 1
7. by April 1, 1938 Carl M. White is appointed Librarian of the University Carl M. White, librarian of Fisk University, was appointed Librarian of the University to succeed Robert B. Downs, who had resigned to go to New York University. He was to take up the post that summer. People: Robert B (Robert Bingham) Downs, Louis Round Wilson Place: University library, Chapel Hill · Also named: Carl M. WhiteSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, April 1, 1938, p. 1
8. April 18, 1952 Howard Mumford Jones gives the address at the dedication of the university library addition Howard Mumford Jones, a former member of the university's English faculty then at Harvard, gave the principal address, on the library in higher education, at the dedication of the $1.6 million addition to the university library, held in Memorial Hall. People: Howard Mumford Jones, Robert B (Robert Bingham) Downs, Charles E. Rush Place: Memorial Hall, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Daily Tar Heel, April 18, 1952, p. 1