# James Duff Brown > British librarian (1862–1914) **Wikidata**: [Q6132896](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6132896) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Duff_Brown) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/james-duff-brown ## Summary James Duff Brown (1862–1914) was a British librarian and biographical writer from Edinburgh, best known for authoring reference works in librarianship and music biography. His publications, including titles recorded under national library authorities and listed in reference sources, established him as a recognized contributor to library practice and musical reference. ## Biography - Born: 1862-11-06, Edinburgh - Nationality: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland - Known for: Author of reference works in librarianship and music biography (notably British Musical Biography and Manual of Library Economy) - Field(s): Librarianship; music bibliography; biographical writing ## Contributions James Duff Brown produced reference works used in librarianship and musical biography. His named works include British Musical Biography and a Manual of Library Economy (authoritative entries for the latter appear in national library authority records). His output has been preserved across major bibliographic systems: he is represented in Project Gutenberg and in many national and international library authority files (for example, VIAF 57348246 and ISNI 0000000120264212). He is also cited in established reference sources such as Riemann's Music Dictionary, indicating that his biographical work on musicians entered the corpus of music reference. Brown’s publications were catalogued and maintained by multiple national libraries and bibliographic services (including the Library of Congress, National Library of Spain, National Library of Wales, and others), ensuring ongoing discoverability and use by researchers and librarians. Through these documented works and authoritative listings, Brown contributed concrete titles and bibliographic structures that continued to serve as reference material after his death. ## FAQs ### Q: Who was James Duff Brown? A: James Duff Brown was a British librarian and biographical writer, born in Edinburgh in 1862 and died in London in 1914. He is known for authoring reference works in librarianship and musical biography. ### Q: What notable works did he produce? A: He is recorded as the author of works including British Musical Biography and a Manual of Library Economy. His publications appear in national library authority records and reference sources. ### Q: Where can I find his works today? A: His works are represented in major bibliographic systems and national libraries (for example, Library of Congress and VIAF). He also has a Project Gutenberg author identifier, indicating some works are available through that platform. ## Why They Matter James Duff Brown’s significance rests on his role as an author of reference works that bridged librarianship and music biography. His titles are catalogued across numerous national and international authority files—VIAF, ISNI, and national library identifiers—demonstrating institutional recognition and facilitating long-term access. The presence of his work in Riemann's Music Dictionary and in major library authorities indicates that his biographical compilations were used as reference points for information about musicians and for library practice. This bibliographic footprint means researchers, librarians, and historians have continued access to his contributions through library catalogues and digital collections. Without Brown’s published reference works and their preservation in library authorities, there would be fewer contemporary, catalogued sources linking late-19th/early-20th-century music biography and practical guidance for library organization under his name. His inclusion in multiple national authority records has helped maintain his work’s discoverability and use over time. ## Notable For - Author of British Musical Biography (listed among his works in authority records). - Author of Manual of Library Economy (recorded in national library authority identifiers). - Widely represented in bibliographic authority systems (e.g., VIAF 57348246; ISNI 0000000120264212; Library of Congress authority nr88001180). - Cited in reference sources such as Riemann's Music Dictionary. - Recognized in multiple national library collections and authority files, ensuring ongoing accessibility of his works. ## Body ### Early life and identity - Born on 1862-11-06 in Edinburgh. - Citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. - Died on 1914-02-06 in London. ### Career and published works - Worked as a librarian and produced biographical and professional reference works. - Listed works include British Musical Biography (as a named work in his bibliographic profile). - A Manual of Library Economy is associated with his author authority records (national library of Wales and related identifiers reference this title). - His output reached bibliographic preservation; entries exist in major library catalogs. ### Bibliographic presence and authority control - VIAF: 57348246. - ISNI: 0000000120264212. - Library of Congress authority: nr88001180 (Brown, James Duff, 1862-1914). - Project Gutenberg author ID: 45598. - Represented across numerous national libraries and authority files (examples include National Library of Spain, National Library of Greece, National Library of Israel, National Library of Poland). - Included in reference sources such as Riemann's Music Dictionary. ### Legacy and availability - Works remain discoverable via national and international library catalogs and authority records. - Multiple identifiers and catalog entries facilitate research access to his publications. - His bibliographic and biographical compendia continue to be part of library and music-reference collections. ## References 1. Source 2. Integrated Authority File 3. International Standard Name Identifier 4. Virtual International Authority File 5. SNAC 6. Project Gutenberg 7. National Library of Wales archives and manuscripts catalogue 8. Faceted Application of Subject Terminology 9. Trove 10. datos.bne.es 11. [Source](https://books.google.es/books?id=HSFu99FCJwQC&pg=PA149) 12. [Source](https://books.google.es/books?id=HSFu99FCJwQC&pg=PA15)