GARDNER,+Frank+Matthias

GARDNER, Frank Matthias (1908-1980) Sheffield 1926; Leeds 1930; Willesden 1933; CL Luton 1938-1972 He ranks only slightly below L R McColvin as a world figure in 20th century public librarianship. His distinguished career at LUTON was crowned by the provision of a new central library of outstanding, Scandinavian influenced, design in 1962. He was early active in the AAL, being editor of the //Library Assistant// from 1933-1935, and much more active after World War II in the LA of which he was President in 1964. His previously serialized //Letters to a younger librarian// was published in book form in 1948 and in 1947 he took over from Aldred and Parker their //Sequel stories// of 1922 and 1928 and produced three further revisions as //Sequels// between 1955 and 1974. He was a very active and popular member of IFLA. In 1950 he was invited by UNESCO to direct the Delhi Public Library project with which his name is specially linked; he subsequently wrote for UNESCO //Public library legislation: a comparative study// (1971). K C Harrison 'Frank Gardner: Internationalist' //(IFLA Journal// 6 (1980) pp352-354)