The APA Library: Past, Present, and Future

The APA Library mirrors the growth of the Association since 1948. Prior to that time, APA’s central office, under the administration of Austin Daires (1932-49), was housed with the National Association for Mental Health in New York. When Daniel Blain, M.D., became APA’s first medical director in 1948, the office was moved to two rented rooms in downtown Washington, D.C. At the time, APA had 4,500 members (now it has approximately 38,000).

By 1951 APA required more staff and space to handle the growing workload associated with the increase in membership numbers and rented a large mansion near Dupont Circle. In 1958 APA bought a property at 18th and R streets in Northwest Washington, D.C., and acquired an adjoining building to house a museum and offices, which opened in 1966. That building had space for a library in the basement. APA’s last move, which occurred in 1982, was to a new building at 14th and K streets, N.W.

The APA Library began in 1949 when Blain asked authors to send APA copies of their autographed books. Within a year, 115 books were received and housed in his office. During the next 10 years the monthly APA newsletter (later Psychiatric News) listed the authors and book titles received. With the move to 18th Street, the books were housed in the stately Century Room.

The first APA librarian, Jeremiah O’Meara, M.L.S., was hired in 1961 from the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute. He was succeeded by Jean Jones, M.A. (1963-1981) of his staff. In 1981 Zing Jung, M.L.S. (1981-1989), came from the American Psychological Association. William Baxter, M.A. (1989-1995), the archivist, followed as director, and then Susan Heffner, who resigned in 1998.

In 1998 the Library staff numbered five, but by 1999 there were no full-time staff. In 2000 Gary McMillan, M.L.S., came from Howard University to head the APA Library and is now its sole staff member.

The autographed book collection formed the backbone of the APA Library until 1961, when the personal library of Adolf Meyer, M.D., was willed to APA. The Meyer collection of 3,000 books in English, French, and German includes first editions by Isaac Ray, M.D., as well as Bleuler, Freud, and Jung. Prominent psychiatrists have since donated their papers and books to the Library, including Blain, John Whitehorn, M.D., and Walter Barton, M.D. The papers of Albert Deutsch, M.D., are also in the archives.

At present, the APA Library, named in honor of Melvin Sabshin, M.D. (who was medical director from 1974 to 1997), occupies space on the third floor of the 1400 K Street building. The Logan and Daniel Blain Reading Room houses the periodicals collection. Funds have been donated for the Drs. Irving and Dorothy Bernstein Reference Collection. A well-furnished rare books room is dedicated to Garfield Tourney, M.D., the donor of many valuable books on psychiatric history. The large adjacent storage for archives contains APA records, personal collections, videos, oral histories, photographs, and works of art. A complete list of the contents of the archives and rare book room is available.

The rare books room has 1,000 volumes, some printed as early as 1580. A large 16th-to-18th century collection on witchcraft was donated by Marion Kenworthy, M.D. The most valuable book, appraised at $6,000, is Studies of Hysteria by Breuer and Freud. Almost all books have psychiatric significance, but there are other significant books by Jonathan Swift, John Locke, and Daniel DeFoe.

Organizationally, the Library is now part of APA’s Information Systems operation. The APA Operations Manual notes that the Library and Archives provides reference and research services, preserves and stores APA records and publications, delivers materials to members and staff, and cooperates with other libraries and networks.

Through its unique collections, the APA Library preserves the history of psychiatry and its practitioners. Its future will depend on the resources that are available to maintain it in terms of space, staff, and funds. ▪