In honor of Women's History Month, the Library is taking a look back at some of the remarkable women who changed The New York Public Library—and the field of librarianship—forever with our new series, Foreword: Women Who Built NYPL. Each week this March, we will be sharing reflections from our current staff on how the impact of these trailblazing figures from the Library's 125-year history are still felt today. 

About Romana Javitz

Romana Javitz led The New York Public Library’s Picture Collection, improving access for patrons and focusing on capturing American folk art and crafts, particularly African American culture and art. Born in Russia and raised in the Bronx and Upper West Side, Javitz began her NYPL career part-time in the Children’s Room in 1919 while studying painting at the Art Students League. Before assuming the role of head of the Picture Collection in 1929, Javitz traveled to Europe to study art and the use of picture collections by state organizations, which later led to her creating a better system of subject access for the Library’s ever-growing and increasingly popular collection (which is still used today, using that access system). She also viewed the objects in the Picture Collection not just as art, but as documents that provided important information for researchers. This philosophy is still employed by the Picture Collection, which is used by a wide range of patrons, not just artists. Later, the Library of Congress sought the advice and counsel of Javitz on the organization of its own collection. Javitz led the Picture Collection until 1968.

Romana Javitz’s Legacy

Reflection by Jessica Cline, Librarian III, Picture Collection

When I meet with a researcher in the Picture Collection looking for images of daily life in the Ukraine, I will send them to the subject folders relating to the country and to the postcard file. There, they might find themselves distracted by the neighboring Umbrellas & Parasols file, or images of Uganda that precede Ukraine in our subject heading system. 

Romana Javitz envisioned the Collection having exactly that kind of directed—but also fortuitous—path of discovery for those using it. She helped build the subject heading system that we use today and developed the model of open access to the files, so researchers could have unexpected encounters among the pictures. Her friendships with photographers saw that their work was included as a resource in the growing collection over the decades. 

Today, we continue building relationships with researchers to inform the Collection through our subject headings, to provide browsing access to materials, and to contribute to the dynamic culture of New York City. Artists proudly come to the information desk, having found in the files a picture that they created and published and we clipped from a magazine or book and added to the Collection. We are continuing the dialogue with researchers to form a connective web of shared mutual pride and vision of this library resource.

This is part of the Foreword: Women Who Built NYPL series. Find out how the Library is celebrating Women's History Month with recommended reading, events and programs, and more.