Eugene P. Sheehy
Encyclopedia
Eugene P. Sheehy is a retired academic librarian, professional researcher, author and editor. As a librarian he served as the head of the reference department at Columbia University
in New York City
from 1967 to 1986. He is best remembered as the editor-in-chief for the Guide to Reference Books (now Guide to Reference Sources), an exhaustive meta-reference book published by the American Library Association
that reviewed periodicals and journals of all disciplines. Sheehy's version of GRB was widely used in the 1970s and 1980s as an educational tool for library students, as a tool for reference librarians to assist them with difficult searches and as a tool for purchasers for libraries to assist them in choosing which materials to obtain for their library. Although Sheehy was not the first editor of GRB, his name became so synonymous with the book that it was often simply referred to as "The Sheehy".
, Sheehy was the son of a farmer. He served in the United States Marine Corps
from 1942 to 1946, where he became a sergeant
.
After finishing his military service Sheehy earned a B.A.
from Saint John's University
in Collegeville, MN in 1950; an M.A.
from the University of Minnesota
in 1951; and a B.S.
in Library Science from the University of Minnesota in 1952.
Sheehy then started his career as a librarian. In 1952 Sheehy became an academic librarian at Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
After one year, he left there to take a similar position at Columbia University
. It was there under the tutelage of Constance Mabel Winchell
that he began writing and editing reviews and indexes for reference materials. In 1967 Winchell retired and Sheehy took over as head of the reference department as well as head editor for the Guide to Reference Books.
The dramatic influence of Sheehy and his two editions of GRB were partly due to timing. In the 1970’s with “more than 70 accredited library schools…in the United States and Canada” library education was at its zenith as far as sheer numbers studying and entering the profession (Rubin, 453). GRB, and Sheehy, were in the midst of that environment, providing an essential tool used coast to coast for more than a decade. It’s no overstatement to say Sheehy influenced nearly every librarian educated in the 1970s and 1980s, whether they know it or not.
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1967 to 1986. He is best remembered as the editor-in-chief for the Guide to Reference Books (now Guide to Reference Sources), an exhaustive meta-reference book published by the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
that reviewed periodicals and journals of all disciplines. Sheehy's version of GRB was widely used in the 1970s and 1980s as an educational tool for library students, as a tool for reference librarians to assist them with difficult searches and as a tool for purchasers for libraries to assist them in choosing which materials to obtain for their library. Although Sheehy was not the first editor of GRB, his name became so synonymous with the book that it was often simply referred to as "The Sheehy".
Early life
Born in Elbow Lake, MinnesotaElbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota
Elbow Lake is a city in, and the county seat of, Grant County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,176 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Sheehy was the son of a farmer. He served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
from 1942 to 1946, where he became a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
.
After finishing his military service Sheehy earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Saint John's University
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
The College of Saint Benedict , for women, and Saint John's University , for men, are partnered liberal arts colleges respectively located in St. Joseph and Collegeville, Minnesota, USA. Students attend classes and activities together, and have access to the resources of both campuses...
in Collegeville, MN in 1950; an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1951; and a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Library Science from the University of Minnesota in 1952.
Sheehy then started his career as a librarian. In 1952 Sheehy became an academic librarian at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
After one year, he left there to take a similar position at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. It was there under the tutelage of Constance Mabel Winchell
Constance Mabel Winchell
Constance Mabel Winchell was an American librarian. Winchell worked at Columbia University for thirty-eight years before retiring in 1962. She is best remembered for producing the seventh and eighth editions of the Guide to Reference Books...
that he began writing and editing reviews and indexes for reference materials. In 1967 Winchell retired and Sheehy took over as head of the reference department as well as head editor for the Guide to Reference Books.
The influence of Sheehy and the Guide to Reference Books
In a time before nearly every library in the United States possessed access to the Internet and electronic databases, meta-reference books like GRB were a vitally important tool for the reference librarian. When you didn’t know where to look GRB gave you not just a starting point but a system of indexes listing materials on the subject you needed, mini-reviews describing the content, and some contextual suggestions to help you decide what specific materials were really required. Organized into categories designed for easy navigation, Sheehy’s GRB was designed for use in the heat of the moment at a busy reference desk. But its use wasn’t limited to assisting patrons with those difficult questions. GRB was also used in “training reference staff in the repertory of works with which they should be familiar, inventorying and developing reference collections…and serving as a gateway to the wider repertory of the reference literature” (Kieft, 331). That one person specially selects the titles listed in GRB lended a great sense of authority to Sheehy. Librarians placed significant confidence in Sheehy as editor of the guide, making him an influential tastemaker within the library industry. If a reference source was indexed in GRB, it was trusted.The dramatic influence of Sheehy and his two editions of GRB were partly due to timing. In the 1970’s with “more than 70 accredited library schools…in the United States and Canada” library education was at its zenith as far as sheer numbers studying and entering the profession (Rubin, 453). GRB, and Sheehy, were in the midst of that environment, providing an essential tool used coast to coast for more than a decade. It’s no overstatement to say Sheehy influenced nearly every librarian educated in the 1970s and 1980s, whether they know it or not.
Sources
- Cheatham, Bertha M. “Reviews the Book 'Guide to Reference Books' edited by Eugene P. Sheehy.” School Library Journal. 33.7. (March, 1987): 88.
- Galvin, Tom. “Review of The Guide to Reference Books by Eugene P. Sheehy.” Library Journal. (September 15, 1968): 89.
- Harris, Robert R. “Guide to Reference Books (Book Review).” Library Journal. 101.22. (December 15, 1976): 2560.
- Plotnik, Art. “From Winchell’s 8th to Sheehy’s 9th.” American Libraries. 8.3. (March, 1977): 129-133.
- Kieft, Robert. “When Reference Works Are Not Books: The New Edition of the Guide to Reference Books.” Reference and User Services Quarterly. 41.4. (July, 2002): 330-335.
- Rubin, Richard E. Foundations of Library and Information Science. 2nd ed. New York City: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc, 2004.
- Sheehy, Eugene P. “Preface.“ Guide to Reference Books. 10th ed. Ed. Eugene P. Sheehy. Chicago: American Library Association, 1986. ix-xi.
- Washburn, Anne. “Guide to Reference Books (Book Review).” Library Journal. 105.13. (July 1, 1980): 1502.