Eileen Roach Cunningham

 Digital Record
Identifier: 20
Eileen Roach Cunningham

Dates

  • 1915 - 1965

Creator

Notes about Access to this Collection

All collections are subject to applicable VUMC privacy and confidentiality policies. Collection specific restrictions: No Restrictions.

Reproduction Rights

Copyright is retained by Eskind Biomedical Library Special Collections.

Historical or Biographical Note

Eileen Roach Cunningham (1894-1965) was a Vanderbilt Medical librarian, author and international leader in medical librarianship. She developed and published the Cunningham Classification for Medical Literature. She also served as President of the Medical Library Association in 1947.

Eileen Roach Cunningham was born in 1894. Before coming to Vanderbilt, Eileen worked as a research assistant in the anatomy department at Johns Hopkins. She joined the staff of Vanderbilt's medical library in 1926, and she developed a new scheme of classifying medical literature by anatomical system. Eventually, the Cunningham Classification for Medical Literature went through four published editions and was adopted by medical libraries throughout the world. It was later used as the basis for both the Army Medical Library and the National Library of Medicine's classification plans.

Mrs. Cunningham was appointed Associate Librarian at Vanderbilt School of Medicine in 1928 and Head Librarian in 1929. Mrs. Cunningham was an active member of the Medical Library Association, and chaired the MLA committee charged with obtaining foreign medical and scientific literature. In 1935, she attended the first conference of the International Federation of Library Associations. Mrs. Cunningham's interest in international cooperation played an important part in the rest of her career. In 1947, she became only the third woman president in the Medical Library Association's history; and in 1949, she was honored with the first Marcia C. Noyes Award for medical librarianship.

After she formally "retired" in 1956 from Vanderbilt, she continued her work in the Medical Library community. Within two years, she had gone off to organize the Basic Medical Sciences Institute in Karachi, Pakistan. Thereafter, she continued her travels, attendance at library functions, and public service work.

For more information and pictures please see the VUMC Online Biography of Eileen R. Cunningham.

Language of Materials

English

Acquisition Information

Acquired on Unknown Date

Abstract

Personal papers of medical librarian Eileen Roach Cunningham, who was best known for developing the Cunningham Classification for Medical Literature in 1929. Ms. Cunningham was librarian at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine from 1929-1956 and was elected president of the Medical Library Association in 1947. The collection is arranged by subject, including various professional organizations, particularly the MLA. Other organizations include: American Library Association, Council of National Library Associations, and UNESCO. Also there are several files on Cunningham's involvement in various international programs, conferences, and research projects on medical librarianship.

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Personal papers of medical librarian Eileen Roach Cunningham, who was best known for developing the Cunningham Classification for Medical Literature in 1929. Ms. Cunningham was librarian at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine from 1929-1956 and was elected president of the Medical Library Association in 1947. The collection is arranged by subject, including various professional organizations, particularly the MLA. Other organizations include: American Library Association, Council of National Library Associations, and UNESCO. Also there are several files on Cunningham's involvement in various international programs, conferences, and research projects on medical librarianship. Collection contains correspondence (both professional and personal), pamphlets, articles, photographs, reports, programs, and other materials.

Processing History

processed on Unknown Date

Repository Details

Part of the Eskind Biomedical Library Manuscripts Collection Repository

Contact:
Eskind Biomedical Library
2209 Garland Ave.
Nashville TN 37232


 

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