Herman H. Fussler

Herman H. Fussler was the Assistant Director of the Information Division and Librarian of the University of Chicago’s Metallurgical Laboratory (“Met Lab”) during the Manhattan Project. 

From 1942 until 1945, Fussler work as the Assistant Director of the Information Division and Librarian of the Met Lab. During this period, he also became the Science Librarian. 

Early Years

Herman H. Fussler was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1919. He received his B.A. in mathematics in 1935 and B.A. in library science in 1936 from the University of North Carolina.

In 1936, he moved to Chicago to establish and direct the University of Chicago’s Department of Photographic Reproduction. Within the department, he developed processes to integrate the use of microfilm in research libraries. 

In 1941, he earned his master’s degree in library science from the University of Chicago.

Later Years

Following World War II, Fussler remained at the University of Chicago to work in the library. In 1947, he became Assistant Director and then Associate Director of the University Library.

A year later, in 1948, he became the Director of the University Library. That same year, he earned his Ph.D. in library science from the University of Chicago.

Fussler received presidential appointments to both the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine in 1963 and the National Advisory Committee on Libraries in 1966. Fussler was also a member of the advisory committee to the Library of Congress (LOC), which studied the automation of the LOC.

In 1971, he joined the faculty of the Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago. Fussler was appointed as the Martin A. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor in 1974.

At the age of eighty-two years old, Herman H. Fussler died on March 2, 1997 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

For more information about Herman H. Fussler, please see the following reference:

• The University of Chicago Chronicle Obituary for Fussler
• University of South Carolina Obitary for Fussler