David K. Berninghausen

David K. Berninghausen
Born	(1916-02-05)5 February 1916 Beaman, Iowa, U.S.
Died	April 12, 2001(2001-04-12) (aged 85) Peoria, Arizona, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Iowa State Teachers College (B.A., 1936); Columbia University (B.L.S., 1941); Drake University (M.A., 1943); additional studies at University of North Carolina (1944), Harvard University (1950–51)
Occupation	Librarian · Educator · Author
Years active	c. 1936–1981
Employer(s)	University of Minnesota; Birmingham‑Southern College; Cooper Union
Known for	Leadership in library science education and advocacy for intellectual freedom
Notable work	The Flight from Reason: Essays on Intellectual Freedom in the Academy, the Press, and the Library (1975)
Title	Director, School of Library Science, University of Minnesota (1953–1974)
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth S. Smith (m. 1940; deceased); Frances Strong Berdie (second wife)
Children	Two
Awards	Drake University Alumni Distinguished Service Award (1964); University of Northern Iowa Alumni Achievement Award (1966); Beta Phi Mu Award (1982)

David K. Berninghausen (February 5, 1916 – April 12, 2001) was an American librarian, educator, and writer known for his work in library science education and his advocacy for intellectual freedom. He served as the director of the University of Minnesota's School of Library Science from 1953 to 1974 and as a professor there until his retirement in 1981.^[1]

Early life and education

Berninghausen was born in Beaman, Iowa, to Frederick W. and Lillian (Knipe) Berninghausen. He received a B.A. from Iowa State Teachers College in 1936, followed by a Bachelor of Library Science from Columbia University in 1941. He earned a master's degree from Drake University in 1943 and pursued additional studies at the University of North Carolina in 1944 and Harvard University from 1950 to 1951.^[2][3]

Career

Berninghausen began his professional career teaching English at high schools in Iowa before transitioning into academic librarianship. He served as director of libraries at Birmingham-Southern College (1944–1947) and Cooper Union (1947–1953). In 1953, he joined the University of Minnesota as an associate professor and director of the School of Library Science. He was promoted to full professor in 1955 and remained in that role until his retirement in 1981.^[1][4] He also held a visiting professorship at National Taiwan University from 1962 to 1963^[5][6]

Professional involvement

Berninghausen was active in several professional organizations. He served as chair of the American Library Association (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Committee in two separate terms (1948–1952 and 1967–1972).^[7]

He was president of the Association of American Library Schools (1959–1960), president of the American Association of University Professors (1961–1962), and president of the Minnesota Library Association (1957–1958). He also served on the boards of the New York Civil Liberties Union (1951–1953) and the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union (1954–1961).^[4][2]

Intellectual freedom and publications

Beginning in the late 1940s and continuing through the 1970s, Berninghausen was a strong advocate for intellectual freedom in libraries and higher education.^[8][9][7] His book, The Flight from Reason: Essays on Intellectual Freedom in the Academy, the Press, and the Library (1975), was published by the American Library Association, and received both praise and criticism.^{[10][4][11][12]}

In the 1970s, Berninghausen published a series of articles in Library Journal that initiated what became known as the "Berninghausen Debate."^[13][14] The debate centered on whether the ALA should take official positions on social and political issues beyond the library profession, a topic that provoked differing views within the field.^[4][15][16]

Awards

Berninghausen received several awards for his contributions to librarianship. These included:

• Alumni Distinguished Service Award from Drake University (1964)^[2]
• Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Northern Iowa (1966)^[2]
• Beta Phi Mu Award from the American Library Association (1982)^[17][2]

Personal life

Berninghausen married Elizabeth S. Smith in 1940, and they had two children. After Elizabeth died he married Frances Strong Berdie. He died on April 12, 2001, at the age of 84.^[1][4][18]

Selected works

• The Flight from Reason: Essays on Intellectual Freedom in the Academy, the Press, and the Library. American Library Association, 1975. ISBN 0838901808.
• "Social Responsibility vs. the Library Bill of Rights." Library Journal, October 1, 1972, pp. 3675–3680.

Legacy

Elliott Kanner quotes Berninghausen approvingly as saying that "Man's survival and welfare are contingent upon his preservation of the principle of intellectual freedom," and that "A professional librarian's first commitment must be to intellectual freedom for everyone."^[19] But Berninghausen is also remembered negatively by some critics for his attacks on social responsibility within librarianship.^[12][20][16]

Berninghausen's personal and professional papers are archived in the University Archives at the University of Minnesota.^[21]

See also

• Library science
• American Library Association
• Intellectual freedom
• Library Bill of Rights

References

1. Berry, John N. (May 1, 2001). "David K. Berninghausen, 84". Library Journal.
2. "David K(nipe) Berninghausen". Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors. Gale. 2002.
3. "Named Education Fellow for Harvard School". New York Times. 6 May 1950. p. 17.
4. "Obituaries". American Libraries. 32 (6). American Library Association: 116. 2001. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
5. Young, Ann-Christe (2001). "People in the News". College & Research Libraries News. 62 (8). Association of College & Research Libraries. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
6. "Professor is Appointed Librarian of Cooper Union". New York Times. 28 September 1953. p. 14.
7. Robbins, Louise S. (1996). Censorship and the American Library: The American Library Association's Response to Threats to Intellectual Freedom, 1939–1969. Greenwood Press.
8. "Librarian Fears End of Right to Opinions". New York Times. 13 October 1949. p. 28. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
9. Fine, Benjamin F. (25 May 1952). "Textbook Censors Alarm Educators: Groups Charging Subversion Put Pressure on Schools and Colleges of the Nation". New York Times.
10. Berninghausen, David K. (1975). The Flight from Reason: Essays on Intellectual Freedom in the Academy, the Press, and the Library. American Library Association. ISBN 0838901808.
11. Asheim, Lester (1976). "Review of The Flight from Reason by David K. Berninghausen". The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy. 46 (1): 90–91. JSTOR 4306618. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
12. Wenzler, John (2019). "Neutrality and Its Discontents: An Essay on the Ethics of Librarianship". portal: Libraries and the Academy. 19 (1): 55–78. doi:10.1353/pla.2019.0004 – via Project MUSE.
13. Berninghausen, David K. (October 1, 1972). "Social Responsibility vs. the Library Bill of Rights". Library Journal: 3675–3680.
14. Wedgeworth, Robert (1 January 1973). "Social Responsibility and the Library Bill of Rights: The Berninghausen Debate". Library Journal. 98 (1): 25–41.
15. Gleason, Eliza Atkins (1972). "Response to Berninghausen". Library Journal: 3711–3713.
16. Samek, Toni (2001). Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility in American Librarianship, 1967–1974. McFarland.
17. "Beta Phi Mu Award". American Library Association. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
18. "David Knipe Berninghausen, former resident of New Hartford and Nashua, Iowa, dies". Waterloo Courier. June 17, 2001. p. C6. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
19. Pinnell-Stephens, June; Kanner, Elliott (2002). "Great Minds of the Past, Dilemmas of the Present". American Libraries. 33 (9): 70–72. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
20. Joyce, Steven (1999). "A Few Gates: An Examination of the Social Responsibilities Debate in the Early 1970s & '90s" (PDF). Progressive Librarian (15).
21. Spilman, Karen (April 2005). "David K. Berninghausen Papers, 1940–1982". University Archives. University of Minnesota Libraries. Retrieved April 21, 2025.