Henry Eduard Legler

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Henry Eduard Legler

| image = Sarah Byrd Askew and Henry E Legler.jpg

| caption = Henry Legler with Sarah Byrd Eskew

| office = President of the American Library Association

| term_start = 1912

| term_end = 1913

| predecessor = Theresa West Elmendorf

| successor = Edwin Hatfield Anderson

| party = Republican

| birth_date = {{birth date|1861|06|22}}

| birth_place = Palermo, Sicily, Italy

| death_date = {{death-date and age|September 13, 1917|June 22, 1861}}

| death_place = Chicago, Illinois, US

| occupation = {{hlist|Librarian|journalist|politician}}

}}

Henry Eduard Legler (June 22, 1861 – September 13, 1917) was an Italian American journalist, politician, and librarian. Born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, His birth name was given as Enrico, Legler emigrated with his parents to the United States in 1869 and then settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1872. While in Wisconsin, Legler was a journalist. In 1889, Legler served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and was a Republican. From 1890 to 1894, Legler served as secretary of the Milwaukee School Board.

From 1904 to 1909, Legler served as secretary of the Wisconsin Library Commission. Then, from 1909 until his death in 1917, Legler served as librarian of the Chicago Public Library. Legler also served as president of the American Library Association in 1912 and 1913. Legler also served as curator of the Wisconsin Historical Society and had written several books and articles about history. Legler died in Chicago, Illinois.'Bulletin of the American Library Association, vol. 7, no. 5, September 1917: Chicago, Illinois: 1917, pg. 542'Wisconsin Blue Book 1889,' Biographical Sketch of Henry E. Legler, pg. 513'Death of Famous Librarian,' Grand Rapids Daily Leader (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin), September 14, 1917, pg. 1