Cogswell, Joseph Green

Cogswell, Joseph Green kŏgz´wĕl, –wəl [key], 1786–1871, American librarian and bibliographer, b. Ipswich, Mass. After studying abroad, Cogswell taught mineralogy and geology at Harvard and became librarian in 1821. In 1823 he helped to found the Round Hill School at Northampton, Mass. He superintended the Astor Library in New York City (now part of the New York Public Library) and was librarian from 1848 to 1861 and trustee to 1864. He prepared an alphabetical and analytic catalog for the library, which was printed at his own expense and was the basis for the later card catalog.

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