Sanford V. Larkey Collection

Biography

Sanford V. Larkey was born in Oakland, California. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an A.B. in 1921 and received his M.D. from the same school in 1924. After a year’s internship at the University of California Hospital, San Francisco, Larkey studied at the Honours School of English Literature, Pembroke College, Oxford University receiving a B.A. in 1928 and an M.A. in 1931. He was appointed as assistant professor of the history of medicine and librarian at the University of California Medical School in 1930 and worked to merge the Dental and Hooper Foundation libraries at the school. In 1935, Larkey succeeded Fielding H. Garrison as the second librarian and director of the Johns Hopkins University William H. Welch Medical Library. He was also appointed as a lecturer in the history of medicine. Larkey was a noted lecturer and writer on medieval medicine and literature. He served as an officer in World War I and achieved the rank of colonel in World War II receiving the Bronze Star. Larkey was active in several professional organizations, serving as president of the Medical Library Association from 1949 to 1950, as a member of the Advisory Council of the Folger Library, Washington, and as a member of the executive committee of the Chemical-Biological Coordination Center of the National Research Council. He was also active in state and city organizations such as chairman of the Citizens Commission on Public Welfare in Maryland and the Baltimore Democratic Club. Larkey retired as director of the William H. Welch Medical Library in 1963. He was appointed as lecturer emeritus in the history of medicine in 1968.

Scope and Content

The Sanford V. Larkey collection contains Johns Hopkins University William H. Welch Library correspondence spanning his long career as its medical librarian, as well as his personal papers and a few photographs. Items of interest include correspondence related to work on the J. Singer Sargent portraits, The Four Doctors and Mary Garrett from 1936 to 1950.

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