Nationality American | Died 25 October 1956 | |
Occupation former Chief Librarian, Chicago Public Library | ||
Carl Bismarck Roden (1870 - October 25, 1956) is an American librarian and served as chief librarian of the Chicago Public Library from 1918 to 1950. A lifelong resident of Norwood Park, Illinois he began work as a library page in 1886.
Under his leadership, the Chicago Public Library system doubled its reach in the community and tripled the number of books they offered. Circulation from branch libraries doubled and the community support for the Public Libraries increased four-fold. During his tenure, Chicago Public Library's Board of Directors authorized the first intellectual freedom policy in an American public Library. The April 1936 action responded to challenges from community members of Russian and Polish descent regarding the collections provided by the Chicago Public Library's Foreign Language Department.
Roden served as the President of the American Library Association from 1927 to 1928.