Sanford Vincent Larkey

Life

1898-1969

Relevant Employment

• University of CA;
• Welch Medical Library (Johns Hopkins)

Contributions

Larkey was concerned with approaches to problems of indexing, machine methods for information searching, indexing tools, problems of medical subject headings, and trends in medical abstracting. He received a grant from NIH to write a definitive book on Tudor medicine, 1963. He devoted much of his time to the history of medicine, especially of the Tudor and Stuart period. He was the leading authority on medical librarianship. One of his major contributions to information science was his "pioneer work on the application of machine methods to the control of medical literature" (NCAmBio). For additional biographical information see "Sanford Vincent Larkey (1898-1969)" by O. Temkin, Bulletin History of Medicine, 1970 Jan-Feb;44(1):81-5.

He suggested using punched cards to solve problems of indexing medical literature, leading to the Medical Library Indexing Project (AML sponsored). Larkey directed the project. Later, he used the system of categorization of subject headings in Index Medicus. WML became one of the first medical libraries to have its serials listed on punch cards so that it could run lists by country, subject, field, language, etc; Larkey was also concerned with maintaining quality of the collection during the 1930's and postwar years.

Awards

• Honorary member of AMLA

Offices

• AMLA | Pres., 1949-50
• National Council of Library Associations | Chairman, 19?
• Maryland Citizen's Committee on Public Welfare | Chairman, 1950-51
• MD State Board of Public Welfare | Member, 1951-63

Papers

No information