Dana, John Cotton (1856–1929)

US librarian and author. He established the USA's first children's reading room in Denver's Public Library. As well as writing extensively on librarianship and museum operations, he established a simplified lending process.

He was born in Woodstock, Vermont, graduated from Dartmouth College, and held a series of positions before becoming head of the Public Library in Denver, Colorado in 1889. The lending process he established is known as the ‘Newark charging system’. He also co-founded the Newark business library, the Newark Museum Association, and the Port of New York Authority.