Dr. Sauveur started the Normal School of Languages at Amherst College in 1875. In 1878, the School was first held at Amherst College. Its objective was "to familiarize instructors with the 'Natural Method' of teaching ancient and modern languages." By 1894, the Sauveur College of Languages (also known as Sauveur Summer School or Normal School of Languages) joined with the Amherst Summer School. The Summer School offered, in addition to language courses, courses in "library economy," geology, physical education, and other subjects. A 1901 brochure describes the Summer School of Library Economy (also known as Fletcher Library School) as a distinct program developed by William I. Fletcher. By 1906, the program was defunct.

Most of the documents in this small collection are from Fletcher's summer library program. The program was for "beginners in library work, or the librarians of small libraries who have not been brought in contact with modern improved methods, [providing] enough instruction in such methods to answer their immediate demands." W.I. Fletcher taught the five-week program in the Amherst College Library. Typically there were two-hour lectures each morning followed by two-hour "laboratory work" sessions in the afternoon.

The Amherst Summer School Collection contains the existing documentation of the Library School; it provides incomplete documentation of the other Summer School programs and activities. The Collection includes four bulletins, 1878-1900; brochures, 1893-1905; a certificate; and lecture notes and examinations. Also in the Collection are Newton F. McKeon's (Librarian of the College, 1939-70) notes on the Library School. McKeon made notes from original documents and from other sources such as Library Journal.

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

[Identification of item], in Amherst Summer School Collection [Box #, Folder #], Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library