Waldo Gifford Leland

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Waldo Gifford Leland (1879-1966)

Relevant Employment

• Carnegie Institute
• National Archives

Contributions

Leland was a historian and archival theorist. He co-authored The Guide to the Archives of the Government of the United States in Washington (1904). In 1907, he revised and expanded the 1904 edition. He was known as the leading authority on federal archives. He collected letters of the Continental Congress delegates. He served as Carnegie's representative in France from 1907-14 and 1922-27. He wrote about libraries and the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He directed foreign copying program of LC for French manuscripts relating to the US.

Leland was best-known for the documentation and backup assistance he provided for Franklin Jameson's campaign to establish the National Archives. He helped to form the International Committe of Historical Sciences (1926). He was also involved in the formation of the ACLS. He oversaw the publication of the Dictionary of American Biography (1927-36). He was interested in international cooperation.

Offices

• ADI/ASIS | Pres., 1947
• ICHS | Treasurer and Pres., 1938-48
• SAA | Pres., 2 terms in 1940's
• UAI | Pres., 1940's
• ACLS | Secretary, 1927-39
• Director, 1939-1946
• AHA | General Secretary, 1909-20

Papers

Location #1 Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington, DC.

• Papers dates: 1879-1966
• Size: 45 ft; ca. 55,000 items
• Includes:
  • Correspondence, diaries, articles, reports, memoranda, notes, and misc. papers concentrating on periods: 1915-28; 1948-66; ACLS (1919-28);
  • UNESCO (1954-64);
  • material relating to his "Guide to Materials for American History."
• Finding aid:
• Source: NUCMC, MS 68-2051, p. 233.

Location #2 Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, NY.

• Papers dates: 1938-1952
• Size: ca. 50 items
• Includes:
  • Correspondence, speeches, surveys, plans, publications relating to the establishment of the FDR Library
  • Access restricted
• Finding aid:
• Source: NUCMC, MS 75-540, p. 59.

Location #3 Columbia Oral History Research Office, Box 20, Room 801 Butler Library, New York, NY 10027; search under: Leland, Waldo Gifford, 1879-1966.

• Papers dates: 1972
• Size: Transcript: 63 leaves.
• Includes:
  • American Historical Association and American Historical Review;
  • State and regional historical societies;
  • Public Archives Commission;
  • International Committee of Historical Sciences;
  • Origin of the American Council of Learned Societies and of the Dictionary of American Biography;
  • Interviewed by Dean Albertson;
  • Access is open;
  • Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1972;
  • Permission required to quote, cite, and reproduce;
  • Contact repository for information;
  • Microfiche copy available for purchase;
  • (Columbia University oral history collection, part I, published by Meckler Publishing, Westport, CT).
• Finding aid:
• Source: RLIN