Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

his alma mater conferred upon liim the
honorary degree of Master of Art-. In
college he was a member t' the Delta
Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
Beginning by collecting and arranging
his early .school hooks and the hooks in
his own home, he continued library work
as librarian of Philo Society at Wilbraham,
then librarian of his local Sunday
School Lihrary, and in 1890 the first
librarian of the Frederick IL Cossitt Li-
hrary near his home at North Granby,
where a building was planned, erected
and equipped. Mr. Godard still retains an
active interest in this, his first public li-
hrary. In 1898 he was selected by State
Librarian Dr. Charles J. Hoadly to assist
him in the State Lihrary, then located
in the State Capitol. Two years later,
after a continuous service of forty-five
years as State Librarian, Dr. Hoadly died,
and Mr. Godard was selected to succeed
him in that important position. Under
his direction the Connecticut State Li-
brary has been reorganized and its activ-
ities extended. It is now adequately
housed in a new building, substantially
built, beautiful in its architecture, convenient
in its arrangement, harmonious
in its decoration, and homelike. The State
Library and Supreme Court building,
which is built of granite, and is one of a
group of State buildings of which the
capitol is the center, is considered a model
for its purpose. In it are embodied the
hopes, plans, efforts and ambitions of the
best years of Mr. Godard's life. It is a
library by the people, of the people, and
for the people. The Connecticut State
Library includes
Supreme Court Law Library ;
:
Legislative Reference Department
Department of Local History and Genealogy
;
Archives Department;
Depository of Public Records
;
;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
197
Examiner of Public Records;
Depository of Connecticut State. Town,
Municipal and Society Official Publications
;
Depository for the Official Publications
of the united States, the several States
of the Union, the Canadian Government
and Provinces, and of the Australian
Colonies ;
Library Exchange Agent for Connecticut
State Publications ;
Exchange Agent for the Connecticut Geological
and Natural History Survey
Publications :
Custodian of Portraits of Governors:
Custodian of State Library and Supreme
Court Building;
Depository of I
Gifts to the State.
listorical and Genealogical
Among these gifts are the following:
a. Sherman W. Adams Collection of Official
Rolls and Lists Relating to the
French and Indian War;
b. Dorence Atwatcr Collection of Manu-
scripts relating to Andersonville ;
c. William F. J. Boardman Collection of
Books and Manuscripts Relating to
Genealogy
;
d. Brandegee Collection of Portraits of
Chief Justices of the United States;
e. Stephen Dodd Collection of Manuscripts
Relating to the Karly History
of Fast Haven ;
f. Enfield Shaker Collection ;
g. Sylvester Gilbert Collection of Papers
Relating to the American Revolution ;
h. Charles Hammond and H. M. Lawson
Collections of Manuscripts Relating
to the Early History of the Town of
Union
;
i. Col. Edwin D. Judd Collection of Civil
War Military Rolls and Paper- :
j. Dwight C. Kilbourn Collection of
Books, Pamphlets and Manuscripts
Relating to Connecticut and New
England
;
k. Ellen D. Lamed Collection of Books
and Manuscripts Relating to New
Fngland
1. Daniel N. Morgan Historical Collection
Including Table on Which Emancipation
Proclamation was Signed.
m. Deacon Lewis M. Norton Collection