George W. Forbes (1864-1927) served as reference librarian from 1896 to 1927 in the West End Branch of the Boston Public Library, the city's busiest branch at the time. While the West End Beacon Hill neighborhood was a predominantly Black neighborhood during the late 1890's, a Jewish population predominated by 1910. On Forbes's death,The Jewish Daily Forward paid tribute to the librarian for his 'knowledge and intelligence and good human heart [which] helped tens and hundreds of intelligent Jews to get on their feet.' See p. 116 for Forbes's career in journalism prior to his library service.