John Shaw Billings

American surgeon, statistician, united states army officer, designer of new york public library (1838–1913).

John Shaw Billings (April 12, 1838 – March 11, 1913) was an American librarian, building designer, and surgeon who modernized the Library of the Surgeon General's Office in the United States Army. His work with Andrew Carnegie led to the development and his service as the first director of the New York Public Library. Billings oversaw the building of the Surgeon General's Library, which was the nation's first comprehensive library for medicine. Because of his approach to improving public health and hospitals, Billings was asked to head the U.S. Census Bureau's Vital Statistics division, where